Travelog for: Shakespeare

Hey friends!

Today I did my first walk through my hometown Berlin. It's the capital and biggest city of Germany!

First I walked through the district Charlottenburg, but I think it's a bit boring. Nothing interesting around me.


This is the Central Station. It is the main railway station in Berlin. 1,800 trains call at the station per day and the daily number of passengers is estimated to be at 350,000! 
From here you can do non-stop travels to Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Novosibirsk (Russia) or Astana (Kazakhstan).


I found some water. As a turtle I love water! That one is called Spree. It is the main river of Berlin. It is approximately 400 kilometres (250 mi) in length. There's so many ice on it, I think I'm NOT going to swim there.



Next to the river I met a tiny lovely guy. Can you see that little dark point in front of the tip of my nose? It's a wild rabbit. That little guy was watching me for a while.


Then I saw another famous building: the German Bundestag, which is located in the Reichstag Building. The centrepiece of the building is the generously glazed chamber that is crowned by the dome. A funnel with panes of mirror glass reflects the daylight from above into the chamber.


In Berlin you can visit a square with tonz of stones! It's the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as the Holocaust Memorial. It is a memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. It consists of a 19,000 square metres site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or "stelae", arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The stelae are 2.38 m long, 0.95 m wide and vary in height from 0.2 to 4.8 m.


I found the Victory Column. It is a major tourist attraction to the city of Berlin. Berliners, with their fondness for giving nicknames to buildings, call the statue Goldelse, meaning something like "Golden Lizzy".


Ouh, Berlin has more than one river. This is another, smaller one. It's called Landwehrkanal. It seems to be cold, too!


I went shopping to the KaDeWe! It is the most famous department store of Berlin and the largest department store on the European continent, famous above all for its gourmet food department on the sixth floor.


The streets around the KaDeWe look nice, too.


Shakespeare

Once again I did a walk through the city. It was colder than yesterday, but the sun was shining.

This beautiful building is called Berlin Cathedral. It is the colloquial name for the Evangelical (i.e. Protestant) Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church. Its present building is located on Museum Island.
The Berlin Cathedral has never been a cathedral in the actual sense of that term since it has never been the seat of a bishop.


Museum Island is the name of the northern half of an island in the Spree river in the central Mitte district. It is so called for the complex of five internationally significant museums, all part of the Berlin State Museums.


The Bode Museum at the northern end of the Museum Island.
Look, there's more ice on the water than yesterday!


I also saw the Brandenburg Gate. It is one of the most well-known landmarks of Berlin and Germany.


I think I'm going to stay in this hotel tonight. It is the Hotel Adlon, a luxury hotel. It is located on the Pariser Platz directly opposite the Brandenburg Gate.
The current hotel opened on August 23, 1997. The legendary original Hotel Adlon was one of the most famous hotels in Europe. It opened in 1907 and was largely destroyed in 1945 in the closing days of World War II, though a small wing continued operating until 1984.


Shakespeare

Today Alex & Petunia said goodbye to Rudy and me. We both are leaving for our first journeys. And we both are traveling abroad.

Hi mommy,
I have arrived. I think I slept for most of my trip. When my envelope was opened, I was a bit nervous. What, or rather who would expect me. Cautiously I stuck out my nose.



And likewise five TV's carefully put their noses into my envelope.





I climbed out and we introduced ourselves.



Then I showed them my gifts.







They all love gummy bears, and I think they love me too. Mommy, may I introduce you my new friends:
Dolivia, she is from Germany and has the same color as me. Crazy.





Hase, also from Germany. She has the longest ears I have ever seen.



I like these ears.

Lola Rabitt, another bunny with beautiful eyes.



Salmonella, a pink fish from Wales, UK.



And last but not least Wolley, a really nice dog from Guinea.



He sniffed me, that has tickled.
Mommy, I think I like it here. See you soon.
Shakespeare

Hi mommy,
since I arrived here it's snowing.







Greetings home
Shakespeare

Hi mommy,
another day with snow.





icy greetings
Shakespeare

Hi mom,
next day, more snow. No way to go outside.





see you
Shakespeare

Hello to all the loved ones at home,
Finally, after many days of bad weather, the sun is shining today. Host mum immediately grabbed us and we went on a winter walk. First we drove a short distance by car.











But then we enjoyed the sun, the fresh air and the beautiful view.













We trudged through the snow (80 cm. High) over small bridges,









through narrow gorges









and tunnels with huge icicles.





We rested on the bench,



which could be seen in the deep snow barely.



I wished we could have done together.



Enjoy the pictures as I have enjoyed the walk.
I think of you.
Shakespeare

Hi mommy,
Yesterday we celebrated Lola's birthday.





We sang happy birthday and wish her ​​all the best.





Then there was chocolate and sweets.





Today was beautiful weather. Sun much as you wanted. The best thing was, host mum did not have to work and we could take a winter walk. We walked up and down through the glistening snow.











The sky was blue, the sun was shining, what more could you want?



An adventure! On our way we saw the sign to the waterfall. The road, really just a path is a little dangerous. Narrow, steep and icy in the winter. We begged so much until host mum gave her ok. First she checked the phone connection. (In case we need the fire brigade or the helicopter to get us out.) Then it went off.



From time to time our heart beat a little faster.



And then we saw the waterfall is an icefall now.











Everything around him was covered with ice.









It looked great. That was our way back.









Exhausting, but we did it.




Love you mommy
Shakespeare

Hello mum,
watch our latest guest. Such a sweet, little sheep.



And so much candy.



We love her.



The sheep and the sweets. What did you think.
Sweet dreams
Shakespeare

Hi mum,
It snows and snows and snows. No chance to go outside. So we had joy as a new envelope arrrived. But wow, when Jasper opened it a tiger jumped out with a loud roar. I was so frightened that I immediately retreated into my shell.





Rico, the tiger said sorry and told us he roars for joy. He had a very long trip and is just happy to be out of the envelope. Then he showed us his gift







and we have forgiven him and welcomed him kindly.




In the hope for better weather hello from,
Shakespeare

Hi mommy,
what a boring week. Jasper had to work full time, the weather was bad (two weeks with no sun, no more snow, but fog and rain) and host dad was sick. But yesterday we had a lot of fun. We celebrated Lille's birthday.



She got a huge cake, a big lollipop and a little sheep. All kissed and hugged her and wished her all the best.





Then she blew out the candle and cut the cake.



It was great fun.




I hope that next week things will get better.
Love you mommy,
Shakespeare

A dear Hello back home,
after felt like eternity we could go outside today. Jasper packed us into her big bag and we drove to St. Gallen, the capital of the canton. St.Gallen is not really big (74000 inhabitants) but is known for its embroidery. The university is one of the leading business schools in Europe and the Convent of the monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first thing we saw was the red square.





Yes, not only Moscow has a red square, and this place is really red,





it is a gift from a reputable bank to the city. On our way to the old town we saw the synagogue of the Jewish community.



Then we admired the cathedral













and the many beautiful old houses.













After a small break with marshmallows



we went to the farmers market. There we were immediately hungry, with all these delicacies.



We bought some fruit and mushrooms, and were on our way home.
Best wishes and much love
Shakespeare

Hello mum,
I hope you are well. Today we are preparing another farewell party. Dolivia will leave us and go to Greece. With our new Shopping Cart





(Jasper brought it last week) we plundered all the cupboards and found much useful for a party.







To reach the potato chips was a bit difficult







but Wolley with his long nose made ​​it. We had almost everything together,



just the popcorn was still missing. It was funny to look into the microwave and listen to the popping of the corn.



Fresh, warm popcorn tastes wonderful.











We made one last group photo,



and hugged our friend.






Bye bye Dolivia have a lot of fun, much more adventure and a safe journey.
Bye, bye mum, i miss you.
Shakespeare

What we did not know at this point - Rico will leave us also. He travels to Greece, to the same host as Dolivia. We hugged him



and wished him a good trip.



Then they both slipped into the envelope and started their journey.

Hello mum,
As Jasper came home from work today, she packed us into her bag and off we went. Not five minutes later, she opened the bag and sunshine streamed in. We saw a small path that looked pretty beat from all the snow.





But on closer inspection we found things that make hope for spring.







The weather was beautiful but the wind is still cold



and the snow is still near.





We saw a really old apple tree with mistletoe.





Huge, felled trees





and snowdrops.



We saw bees that were battling for first flowers.



(You can not see so well but look right under my nose.) And then we took a sunbath.



It felt so good.
In the hope of more sun I send you greetings
Shakespeare