Travelog for: Pingu

Hi mum,

Because the Dutch footballteam played their first match for the European Cup (against Italy) yesterday (Holland won with 3-0!!) we decided to play some ToyVoyagersfootball!

I was in the team with Nick and Roots Bear.



But then Davy attacked!



He tried to score... But I got the ball!!



We turned the game around, Nick attacked Chompers! He played the ball to Roots, Roots played it back to Nick. Nick tried to score...



And he scored!!



Woohoo! My team won!! Now I can't write anymore because I have to get back to some more footballmatches!

Hugs Pingu

I had already told you the Netherlands won from Italy with 3-0 yesterday, hadn't I? Marjolein bought some newspapers to show how the European Cup lives in Holland. All the newspapers are orange!

Hugs Pingu

Dear mum,

On the day the Dutch footballteam played their second game, I went to the zoo! It was the zoo of Rotterdam called Diergaarde Blijdorp. I wondered if I where to meet some of my penguinfriends.



And do you know what was the first thing we saw when we entered the zoo? PENGUINS





Look at me, with my own kind!





I asked them if they liked it in the zoo.



They answered: 'Well, you know, it's kinda cool. But also too hot, so you know, living in the snow would be cooler.'



I asked them if I could help them escape! Just like the penguins in the movie Madagascar. But they didn't very much like this idea and they turn their heads from me.





'Leave us alone!', they said.



'We are living a nice and quiet live here, so we don't need you putting ideas in our heads! With traveling and all, that's not normal for a penguin!





So then I felt sad. I thought it would be cool to meet some of my penguinfriends, but they don't very much seem to like me. But when we walked on, I met some more penguins. These where King Penguins.
At first they didn't see me.



Then one saw me! He called me and ask me if I had some escapetips!





I talked to him, I said I could help him, of course. I love traveling and they also want to travel!



I waved to them: 'Hi friends!' 'Maybe you could escape when you get food!'





They looked at their trainer. But he looked very angry. So they told me they don't have the courage at this moment but maybe later. Ooh, I'll be checking the Dutch newspapers for missing penguins!



Chompers was being silly. He also wanted to be a penguin hihi. But of course I am the only REAL penguin here.

Of course penguins aren't the only animals in the zoo. The coolest though, duh.



































If you look real close, you can see a turtle swimming above me!









These birds are totally orange! I guess they support the Netherlands too.



















This kangaroo carries a little one!











We took a break in the Chinese Garden.











Then Nick got really excited, because he saw some reindeers!

















When we went to the exit, I said goodbye to the penguins. They still didn't want to look at me. But I don't care; the King Penguins where really nice!



Love Pingu

Dear Pingu,

Thanks for keeping me updated with your adventures.  You look to be having a great time.  I enjoyed looking at the photos of your trip to the zoo (you know how I love animals).  And wow , you fullfilled one of your life missions - you met a real penguin - I hoped you thanked Marjolein very much for helping you achieve this. 

Also very good news about how Holland are doing in the European cup.  They look by far the best team so far, fingers crossed for a Holland victory.

Look forward to hearing about what you do next. And remember to be good.

Hi mum,

I ate some real Dutch food today: herring and stroopwafels. The call herring, when you eat it like this Hollandse Nieuwe. It doesn't look very yummie, but it actually was! They eat the herring not with knives and forks but they bite it out of the sky! Weird Dutch people

Kisses Pingu

Dear Pingu,

I hope you are behaving well especially today as it is Marjolein's birthday.  Tell her "Happy birthday" from me.

I hope you you have got her something nice.

Love Mum.

Dear mum,

Marjolein says hi and thanks for remembering her birthday! We had a great time at Marjoleins parents house in Groningen! Marjolein made a delicious chocolatecake called Torta di cioccolate and a pink cheesecake with mango's in it! She got lots of presents such as a cool shirt, lots of books and the dvd-box of the first season of Ugly Betty!

Marjolein parents live in a suburb of Groningen called Lewenborg. It used to be all farmland untill the seventies. There is still a farm and some farmland with sheeps on it now.

This is what their house looks like:







I met the cat Dribbel:



And the dog Amber:



The other cat Garfield didn't want to be in a photo with me! But Marjolein told me wel'll be going back to Groningen this weekend because her father is gonna be 50 saturday!

Love Pingu

Hi mum,

When we got home from Groningen, a new tv had arrived!

We heard some strange sounds coming out of the envelop...



What is that???



It's TheOutsider!!



Hugs Pingu

Dear mum,

In the province of Groningen, the village Warffum is every year an international dance-festival called Op Roakeldais. This is in the dialect of Groningen and means something like 'hoping for the best'.



People from all over the world come to Warffum for this festival that takes about a week. Dancegroups from for example Mali in Africa:



China:


Colombia:


Georgia:



The Netherlands:







South-Africa:



Guam:

'

Venezuela:



Mexico:



Poland:



On these photo's they where all getting ready for the parade in the centre of Warffum. It's a beautifull Dutch village.











After this we went to the hobby market. Marjolein bought some presents for her father who's 50th birthday is today. In the Netherlands is costum to buy mustard for people who are 50. And the also say that when you are 50 'you say Abraham'. So Marjolein also bought some stuff with Abraham on it. When a women is 50 the will 'see Sara'.

In a big tent some groups from the parade also danced on stage during a performance called 'The world dances in Warffum'.

These are the Scottish:



And Colombia:





Then it was time to go back to Groningen with the train. It's a journey of about half an hour.









It was a very cool and also hot day!!

Hugs Pingu

Hi!

I met a really cool new penguinfriend today



Love Pingu

Hi mummy

A new tv arrived today! It's Claire!



Atfortunately for her the weather was very bad today! But I guess she is used to that because she is from the Netherlands.



Hugs Pingu

Hi mum,

I went back to Groningen! We ate at a Tapasrestaurant. Tapas are little Spanish snacks. We ate lots of stuff like spare ribs, dates, lambs, melon in honey and lots more. And for dessert a chocolatecake!! The restaurant had some beautiful and colourfull stairs!! After diner we had some drinks on the Marketplace called the 'Grote Markt'. We also went to a bar called the Newscafé and to the cinema. To the movie called In Bruges. It was a weird but cool movie. All and all we had a really nice night in Groningen!

Best wishes,

Pingu

Hello,

In Nieuweschans, in the province Groningen, was a very cool festival today. It was called Celtic Midsummer Festival (in Dutch:Keltisch Midzomer Festival).



It was so cool! Lots of people where dressed up.









Asterix and Obelix where even there! There was a battle between the grown-ups and the children and the children won everytime! Of course I was cheering for them



We had beers and spare ribs.



And we danced to Celtic music from the Dutch band Rapalje. And the German band called Faun.







Marjolein coloured a candle and her boyfriend Kasper got a very cool stone mug with 'Rapalje' on it! They also bought special tea. Marjolein's mother bought lots of juwelery and she flirted with Obelix! He didn't have a shirt on and was getting very red in the sun. So she offered him some sunblock!

I had a great time!!

Hugs Pingu

Hi mum,

A new tv arrived today. Her name is Finja. She is a sweet little bear with lovely flowers on her skirt. She come especially to Marjolein, to go with us on our trip to Italy! We are travelling this monday! Marjolein is completely crazy, afraid that she might forget something. (And I have a little secret, but she forgot the travelpapers at her parents house and without those papers there is no trip, so it's back to Groningen for her tomorrow!) We are all looking forward to seeing Italy!

Hugs Pingu