Travelog for: Snegovik

I found that my friends Berlin Bear and Éireannach will travel to different countries and now I wish to travel too. They shew me the ToyVoyager site...

and told everything they knew.


So I decided to travel myself too! I tryed to prepare but found a map of Moscow only.. But now you can see it


Well I will have to find some hosts.. Let me tell you about myself a bit..
I live on the 8th floor

My favourite room is Kitchen!

And I like sweets most of all

And here you can see me helping Kristl with a puzzle


Hope you'll like me.. cause I'm going to look for hosts

Wow! I am in Florida now!! And what hot weather it is.  I am melting!

I was picked up by Tarepanda today at the post office.  Those stupid clerks could not find me (and honestly I wasn't hiding!) and that got Tarepanda so nervous about getting to work late, but fortunately they brought me safely to Tarepanda.

I went with Tarepanda to a BookCrossing meeting.  They are a group that let books travel around the world.  Yeah, like we do.  Anyway, a pretty girl finds me irresistable, shared a pizza with me and invited me home.  Wohoo! 

I'm happy to say that Snegovik is here safe with me and I will be taking care of him as well as showing him around a bit.

Here I am working in Miami.

ppagano took me on the "Phil Peterson's 35th Key West Poker Run" from sept. 14 - Sept. 16. The Poker run started at Peterson's Harley-Davidson in Cutler Bay and ended at Key West.
Here is our starting point.

Here's one of our rest stops...see all the bikes!  It is very hot and sunny here,  I was sooo excited to travel with all these bikers!

It was a long ride and we arrived safe and sound. Here I am relaxing with my new travel friend Romeo. 

I arrived at "The Southernmost Point" of Florida.
Here I am with ppagano and Romeo.

On 10/06-10/07/07: I went out on the boat this weekend to attend the party, "Columbus Day Regatta". 
As we weren't on an actual sail boat we were on a boat that hooked up to four others and partied from one day to the next. 
It was very windy and rained during the night, but during the day it was nice and very sunny.
My pal Romeo kept me in good company.

I attended a Bookcrossing Meeting tonight where I made it back safe and sound for further travels with Tarepanda.
I can't wait to continue my journey with my new pals.

I was glad to see my host again after a month.  Well, I felt a bit guilty to just leaving her on the first day I arrived.  Also it was a great pleasure to meet Mocha, Tarepanda's toy, and Helen, who is visiting from England.  Romeo is coming along for a visit as well, so wow, what a big group.

We helped stocked up the Official BookCrossing Zone at Panera before we headed home.

Today we went to the Schnebly's Winery.  They are the southern most winery in the U.S.  As it is too warm to grow grapes, they make their wine from tropical fruits like lychee (my host's favorite), mango, guava and passion fruit. 

The tour guide told us that they are experimenting the production of vodka from tomato.  "Tomato?" Someone in the group asked. "Sure," replied the guide. "What do you think regular vodka is made of? Potato!"  Hmmm, I would be interested in that tomato vodka. 

Later, we went to a place called Outback Steakhouse.  I tried the cheese fries.  It's French fries loaded with cheese and bacon, and we dipped them in ranch dressing.  Mmm, yummy.

What an exciting day it was!! I don't quite know where to start.

Okay, we went to Butterfly World today.  Helen Bear wants to see some butterflies.  So a bunch of us TV went along.  By a bunch I mean a big bunch.  I have never met so many TV in my life!  Let me see if I remember all the names: in the back we have Ruzovacek from Czech Republic, Budd from England, me and Mumble, a tropical penquin from Miami. Then we have Mommet, Romeo, Prince Charming, Helen from England and Mocha.

It was a long drive but we chit-chat all the way, although I will steal a quiet minute to look out at the palm trees as we speed by.  They looked pretty tall - I think I will pick a smaller one to climb.

The garden is very beautiful.  There are a lot of butterflies, plants and birds.  I took a picture with a pepper tree!

Today I went to try Cuban food.  As Miami has a substantial Cuban population, the cuisine is quite popular here.

Usually the dish has some meat - beef, pork or chicken - and is served with rice.  The rice is added with salt and oil, and usually we put red bean or black bean over it.  I put a little bit of both on mine.  Plantain is a very popular side dish, it is similar to banana but bigger.  To the left is tostones, crunchy deep fried green plantain slices, and to the right is sweet plantain, which is made from soft, well ripen fruit.

I enjoyed my food so much.  In fact, I got a little bit onto myself though my host helped wash me clean.

Today I decide that it's time to tackle one of my missions.  I will climb a palm tree.



We go around the place looking for the perfect tree to climb.



Umm... That looks huge.  But I will give it a try!!



Here I go!!!



Ouch! That hurts!!



I found a little one... I did it!!!  I made it!!!



It's not easy, but I think I am getting good at it.  Of course it helps to have my friends cheering me on!!



Under my encouragement, everybody manages to climb up the tree and it feels so good sitting up there!!

Wow what a day!! I am so happy.

As an aspiring traveling gourmet - maybe one day I will host my own show on Travel Channel - I look forward to checking out different cuisines.

My host took me to a Lebonese restaurant. They have a belly dancer.  I ate a dish of falafel, which is grounded chick pea balls, lentil rice, tabouleh salad (wheat, onion and parsley) and hummus.  I also tried a date juice drink. It has a hint of rose in it.  Very interesting.



We also went to try Caribbean food.  It's heavily influenced by East Indian cuisine.  I ate a roti stuffed w potatoes and chick peas.  You can also have them stuffed with curry goat, chicken or other stuff.  They added the Scotch bonnet pepper which makes it super super hot!! But like my host said, it's deliciously spicy so you keep panting and reaching for more.  I have never tasted anything like this.



Mocha saw that I was melting fm the weather and the spice, so he took me to his favorite, Coldstone Creamery.  First you select the flavor of ice cream you want.



Then you pick the mix-ins.  There are a lot to choose from: berries and fruits, nuts, candy bars, gummi bears, brownie...  They mix the ingredients together on a very cold stone.



Yummy! Mocha got one called Mud Pie Mojo, w peanut butter, oreo cookies and almond in coffee ice cream, and I got one of banana ice cream w banana, strawberry and chocolate chips. 



The ice cream cools me down, but I must say that the warm weather is getting too much for me.  I think I should head for cooler weather before I becomes a puddle of water.

As a farewell, Mommet suggested treating me to a Key Lime pie, the Official State Pie of Florida.  Key Lime is a specialty of Florida and the Caribbeans and it's smaller than the regular lime.  In the olden days, cans of condensed milk are the only dairy available in those remote places, and some clever housewives founded out that by mixing key lime juice and condensed milk, you get a nice pie without baking!!!  Blonde Giraffe has won the Best Key Lime Pie title.





Let's dig in!!  Farewell, my dear friends in Florida, hope you all stay well and see you again one day!