Travelog for: Shooga

Hey there!

Something very sad happened today! On of the guinea pigs died! We are all shocked and no one had expected this! RIP Mupfel! :´(
Her best friend Ruki is very ill right now and now we do really everything so that she will get better soon!

Here is one of the last photos of Mupfel and me together.

Greetings
Shooga

Hi!

Finally I had the chance to visit cologne together with my parents. I loved traveling by train and was very impressed by the Cathedral! It´s so big! I met a very nice street artist who allowed me to take a photo with him. We went for some shopping and had lunch at Pizza Hut. We chose a salad so that we could also eat some delicious desserts!^^

Greetz
Shooga

Hi there!
Today I said goodbye to the guinea pigs, Ursel and my parents! I will start a long journey and first I will visit Olgamaus! I´m very excited and can´t wait for my new adventures to start!

Love
Shooga

Hi!

I´m very sad! Just got a message from my parents. Ruki died today. The vet had to euthanise her. She was very ill! RIP Ruki! :´(

Bye
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
after a rather short trip I arrived in Remscheid today. There was already another ToyVoyager awaiting me, Tamina.

My new host Katja was happy that I brought some delicious sweets with me.



Katja already knew that two of our guinea pigs died recently. She asked me if I wanted to meet her pets. Of course I wanted to meet them!

Really? They are predators, cheeky little things.

Ferrets! These are Brighty and Shiva ...



... and this is Zaehnchen.



Katja warned me to get too close to them ... they were always hungry.
If they were really predators, they were extremely cute predators

Bye for today
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
unexpectedly the weather was fantastic today, so my host went out with Tamina and me to take walk in the outskirts of Remscheid. There are not many bushes blooming, only forsythia in the neighbour's garden.



I am living in a rather old quarter, the houses in the neighbourhood are looking like this.



They have a large water tower in the city. The city centre of Remscheid is situated on top of a hill. The drinking water is pumped here from a dam in a nearby valley.





Remscheid is surrounded by woodland and rural areas, you can see part of it in the background.



Katja told us that our walk would take us to the opposite side of the valley which was visible from here.



This was already looking "rural"



We played hide and seek in the fresh grass.



Can you see the city centre with the water tower on the next photo? The second tower belongs to the city hall, it is 48 m tall.



You can find small hamlets embedded in the lovely landscape.



Those houses are typical for this region called "Bergisches Land". They are half-timbered houses or covered with slate. Traditionally they have a green door and green shutters.



This house is being restored. You can see that the house is built in the traditional style, with clay-filled segments which will be painted white later.



We couldn't resist to take a photo of this pink rubbish container



We walked through a forest than.



Walking through a valley we found fish ponds.



This house is decorated with historic items.



We met sheep!



We found a lovely place for resting in the sun.





Even this small barn was restored perfectly.



Many industrial sites are situated in this valley along Morsbach, that's were industrialization started in middle ages in this region. There are still many historic sites, some of them still in use nowadays.



We went back home them, walking uphill forever (as it seemed to me).





This is the police headquarter with a small park in front of it.



Almost home ....



After three hours walking my feet were aching, so I spent the evening on the sofa, doing absolutely nothing

Bye
Shooga

Hi Mummy,

Katja asked me and two other girls, Schnatterchen and Creamsheep to help baking a torte. First we looked for a receipe in a book.



We planned to make a buttercream torte, so we decided to make a cake with almonds first.



We needed eggs, wheat flour, sugar, ground almonds, butter and baking soda.



First we had to stir the creamy butter with sugar, than the eggs were added, later flour and baking soda.



We filled the dough into the prepared baking pan. As it seemed to be too much dough, we also made five cupcakes.



After 30 minutes baking the cakes were ready.



Tomorrow we will decorate the torte and take it with us to Katja's sister to celebrate Easter.

Bye
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
today we finished the torte, also with the help of Katja's daughter.

In the morning we already filled the cake with cherries. We also cooked vanilla flan for the buttercream. It has to cool down to room temperature.
In the meantime we stirred butter with icing sugar for about 5 minutes. Than we had to add the flan spoonwise.





Katja's daughter helped us to decorate the cake with the cream ...



... and  also the cupcakes.



Here is the perfect Easter-calories-bomb

In the early afternoon we went to Katja's sister. Today we could see the cherry trees at the station blooming.





So many delicous sweets!



You won't believe that I met many relatives here



I also met this monster in the garden.



Bye
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
let me show you my latest pictures from today's walk in the lovely surroundings of Remscheid.

Today we went to the districts in the South of Remscheid, there are also forests and valleys. While we went there we saw lovely old houses.



We reached the bottom of the first valley. You can see that there are housing areas and allotment gardens. They are having lots of allotment gardens here along the steep slopes of the valleys.



When we went uphill to the other side of the valley we saw the city centre, completely different from I saw until now here.



The central station is nearly opposite of us and you can see all those industrial sites close to the station, mostly steelworks. Here is a zoomed photo.



This is a very famous industrial site, formerly known as Mannesmann Röhrenwerke. Hollow structural sections were created here. A part of the historical factory building is still here, combined with newer buildings.



We walked through a forest than for some time.



Katja told us that we would walk to Eschbachtalsperre than, the oldest drinking water dam in Germany. Before we reached the concrete dam, we came along a large pond.



In a tunnel underneath the A1 motorway we found colourful graffiti.



We climbed a steep path next to the dam and had a good view to the barrier lake than.



It was opened in 1891.



Later we walked through a rural area.



We walked until we reached the district Lennep, about 12 km from our starting point in the city centre. They have a route for cyclists and pedestrians here, also built on a closed railway track. We followed it until we reached the station. From here we went home by bus. What a walk!



Bye
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
today we visited a medieval castle in the neighbour city Solingen, Schloss Burg, It is situated high upon a hill above the River Wupper. We had to walk all the way up to the castle, through narrow streets with those old timber-framed houses.









Schloss Burg was built in 1133 by Count Adolf I von Berg on a hill above the river Wupper.That's why this region is called "Bergisches Land". Many people believe that it's name refers to the landscape with hills and valleys. (For those who do not speak German: The German word for mountain or hill is "Berg", so many people think that the name "Bergisches Land" means "land of many hills" )

About a hundred years later it was enlarged by Count Engelberg II von Berg. This is the man on the horse in the courtyard.



In Thirty Years War (17th century) large parts of the castle were destroyed. It was rebuilt then, but it was used for industrial purposes for many years. In the end of the 19th century they began to rebuild it as it appears today.

In the castle courtyard you can find souvenir shops and shops whose owners are doing an "old" handcraft, for example handmade brushes, brooms, soap, lovely yarns and wooden knitting needles, toys like swords and helmets and much more.









The round tower was the powder tower, it was restored about two years ago.







When we walked back to the car, we saw some of those lovely half-timbered houses which were built in 17th century.



Bye for now
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
Katja's sister Ina invited me to join the MPS-Festival in Weeze. MPS is a travelling medieval show with markets, camp, craftspeople and concerts. It was taking place on a festival area close to Weeze airport.

I visited several craftsmen ...



... had a lot of fun ...



... had a yummy beer ...



... visited some tents ...





... and met Grim Reaper! Huhhh ... I was a bit scared!



Later, in the evening, the concerts started. We found a place close to the stage ... there was black all around me!



The band you can see on stage is called "Feuerschwanz".





This back belongs to the singer of the band "Saltatio Mortis".





Late that night we drove home.

Bye
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
today I took a walk in the old town of Lennep with Ina, my host's sister. First we had a quick look from the her parent's balcony on the 7th floor.

Lennep is an historical city, the city's history going back to 12th century. In 1746 nearly the whole city core was destroyed in a great fire. In World War II Lennep was not destroyed, so many houses from late 18th century still can be found here.





We went to visit the lovely narrow lanes than.



Every house should wear such a sign



This is the market place, a farmers market is taking place here twice a week.











Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, founder of the x-rays, was born here in 1845.









What a lovely mailbox!



Hi goose!



There is also the Roentgen Museum in Lennep, with this giant X at the front door.(It would look much better without the traffic sign behind it.)



Tomorrow it is time to return to Katja 

Bye
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
our host was celebrating her birthday today.



She got a book and a handmade keyring from her sister.



Bye
Shooga

Hi Mummy,
after having lunch Katja took me and Pelly out for a walk. First we helped Claire Tamias to pack her things, she had an invitation to visit Thuringia. She came with us, but already in her envelope.

First we went to the municipal park, only a short walk, maybe five minutes. This is the police headquarter with a small park in front of it.



Soon we reached the municipal park. There you can find a pond with ducks and some turtles living there.



You can find an observatory in the park.







We enjoyed the sunshine, between dandelions and cuckoo flowers.



Katja showed us this memorial, dedicated to the dead of several wars before WW I.



There are allotment gardens in the park. In the valley you can see the district Hasten, we went there to say good-bye to Claire Tamias.





We reached Hasten than, one of the oldest districts in Remscheid. You can find a lot of old traditional houses here.



This house is a good example for houses of this region - covered with slate and green shutters. You can also find many half-timbered houses here.









This lovely Patrician villa is containing a museum, the house was built in late 18th century.





The German Tool Museum is also situated on this estate. They have some outdoor facilities, so you can see some old machines without visiting the museum.







From here we had to walk uphill at least for 30 minutes to get home.

Bye
Shooga