Travelog for: Tapsy

Happy Easter to you!!!





My travel plan:

f75775 (Dubai)
2012 (Finland)
Parkdirector (USA)
rainingheaven (postcrossing, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

We all thought, that we maybe would have better weather now. It started to be so nice, when we arrived here in Bruchsal, but I think, that I have to travel to a far away place to stay in the warmth. It is only warm in the house, when Petra heats the oven in their livingroom. Yes, and today it was really warm in the kitchen, because we all helped to bake a biscuit. It was really crowded in the kitchen.

This was the place we had to sit down at first, because Petra had to get everything prepared.



Then everyone was allowed to hold the stirrer for a while. Wow, I think, if Petra wouldn't had been there to help me, it could have been really dangerous for me. I had been trembling from head to toe.


Then I wanted to help to stir the flour under the dough.


While we waited for the cake get ready in the oven, we wanted to walk into the garden to take a look at the flowers there.










This is the basket, in which Petra carries us around, when she takes us to other places in her house. She says, it is the only way to carry so many toyvoyagers. If you wonder about the amount of toyvoyagers, that are here right now: Petra just started to find several hosts in Asia, Africa and South America. And now she activated many toyvoyagers and of course she wants to make some updates, before they start their travels. It is really exciting to hear about the places, which they plan to visit soon and even more exciting for me, because I'm part of it.


Finally the cake was ready - ok, not really ready, I suppose. Petra talked something about butter cream and chocolate icing. So I will see, how the cake looks like later.

Tapsy has arrived safely to the United Arab Emirates! The temperature here is greater than 30 degrees Celsius! It is very sunny!

On the way to the mall, Tapsy was shocked to see camels. Sometimes camels walk very close to the roads and that can be very dangerous. Camels get afraid fast and throw themselves at the cars! They're so heavy they can crush the car and even hurt the people inside!

But in general, camels are really nice and super cute - they're just afraid from cars. 

Tapsy is going around Sharjah mainly now because I have exams and have not had time to take him to Dubai. But tomorrow is my last exam and Tapsy will be visiting Dubai!

Out and about in Sharjah -

Date tree and Tapsy:




Friday is a religious day in the United Arab Emirates and many people go to the mosque to pray:




At the post office:















A museum, it is closed on Friday, but the building looks very beautiful:





After a long day of going around, we got hungry and we stopped by Subway for a healthy sandwich. This particular Subway is joined to a petrol/gas station:





Much more photos to copy of Tapys looking through an Arabic newspaper, Tapsy enjoying an outing in Dubai at one of the many malls...

I hope you like these photos! =)

Yeah, I arrived in Bruchsal again. So I'm looking out for some more adventures. Watch my travelog.

After a short stop at my family's home, I'm on my way to Finland now to meet 2012 and join her on her holiday trip to Rome too.


Bye, Tapsy

Hello again!

Today I arrived to Finland. I was warmly welcomed by Minna. She, my host, took me to their balcony and showed me the view from there. She also told me that she was delighted that she could have me accompaning to the trip to Rome.

Finally we are in Rome! After leaving our baggages to the hotel room, we left to do some sightseeing.

First we saw the Spanish steps. These are said to be the longest and widest staircase in Europe. I don't think they were that long, though... At the upper end of the stairs is looming Trinità dei Monti. This church was under the patronage of the Bourbon kings of France.

Next there is a pic of Piazza del Popolo, taken as we climbed up the hill to Villa Borghese Park. The pond was in this park and some people were roving boats in it.

Then we saw Fontana di Trevi, the most famous fountain in Rome. This was seen in the movie La Dolce Vita. Oh my, there were lots of people in there. But we managed to take pics.

At the end of the day we visited the monument of Vittorio Emanuele II. Vittorio Emanuele II was the first king of a unified Italy. There is said to be controversy about whether the monument is beautiful or not and whether it should have been built at all.

Today we went to the Vatican Museums. Luckily we had reserved the admission tickets because the lines were veeery long. Our guide told us it takes 4 hours before those in line get to the museum!

In the first pic I sit beside a huge statue head. It was in one of the hallways.

Then we moved to a beautifully decorated hallway. All, ceilings, floor and walls were wonderfull.

Next I posed in front of another statue. This one was of Dionysos, the god of wine, madness, vegetation and theatre.

Another statue of lion and its prey.

Some ceiling paintings.

Then my hosts mother posed with me. Behind us you can see the inner courtyard of Vatican Museums.

I also got to sit in Sekhmets, the lion goddess's lap. She is one of the Egyptian goddesses.

Then we climbed on top of the cupole of the church of Saint Peter. This view shows Piazza San Pietro.

There is also some bad quality pics from inside the church. It was quite dark in there.

And last but not least the Basilica di San Pietro itself.

This time we went to see Colosseum. It was great! First we took pictures from the outside and then from the inside. This elliptical amphiteatre was built in 80 AD and remained in use for 500 years. As well as the traditional gladiatorial games, many other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building eventually ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such varied purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.

In the picture taken inside the Colosseum you can see the hypogeum. It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like. There is not much left of the arena, but it was a wooden floor covered by sand and it covered the hypogeum.

In the evening we also visited Pantheon, but camera's battery was low so we didn't get a picture with me in it.

Hei!

I've learned some Finnish as you can see. My host has been busy lately, but today we went to Helsinki as she studies there.

In the first pic I pose in front of the Helsinki Cathedral which is sometimes called St. Nicholas' Church. It was originally built as a tribute to the Grand Duke, Nicholas I, the Tsar of Russia. That was when Finland wasn't independent yet. The church was built in 1830-1852 and it  represents the neoclassical style.

In the second foto you can see the Grand Central Railway Station and its clocktower.

It's a busy Sunday morning, because Petra has to prepare the batter for many many buttermilk waffles.
Each year they celebrate a feast at their church. It is the feast of the patrons St.Damian and Hugo. Since many years it is tradition for the family club, in which Petra and her family are members, to bake and sell waffles. Each family brings batter for about 70 waffles.
This morning we helped her to  get ready with everything, before she had to run to the parish hall, where they always sell the waffles in a tent. We asked, whether we could join her, but this time she had to say no

Petra's husband bought something for dinner at Aldi, while we sat in the car waiting for him.

This morning Petra's family receive a call from the ostrich farm, which we visited during their summer holidays. Petra had asked to call her, if they have an ostrich egg for her family.

So we headed to Rülzheim and while Ralf bought the egg Petra took us out of the rucksack and showed us the ostriches. I can tell you, it is a really big farm with many many ostriches.