Round Rock, TX, US - 7th December 2010
By: picupurcross
Henrietta Hippo is new to ToyVoyagers but she is not new to traveling abroad! She visited a Postcrossing friend in Taiwan earlier this year, just in time for all the New Year celebrations! She rode the MRT from Kaohsiung to Tainan and visited the Confucius Temple and Anping Fort. She enjoyed all the sights and sounds of the busy streets of Taiwan and especially loved tasting all the wonderful dishes! She had a very gracious host who took great care of her.
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Posted Dec 7, 2010, 4:37 pm Last edited Jun 8, 2011, 8:17 pm by picupurcross
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Round Rock, TX, US - 7th December 2010
By: picupurcross
Henrietta is at home now in Texas... getting ready for a new adventure to Germany!! She is excited to be traveling again and will be happy to meet her new friends in Attendorn. Before she leaves, however, she would like to show them around her hometown. Henrietta loves living in Texas... it's so big... there's always something to do! She loves to go to the market with mom. Or spend time at the pool since it's hot there for most of the year. Texas is famous for its Longhorn cattle and you can even see them roaming right in her own backyard!
Mom and Dad drive school buses for the city, and Henrietta has even been to work with them! She loved greeting all the children as the headed off to school!
Soon Henrietta will be on her way to a new place and although she will spend Christmas away from home for the first time, she is looking forward to an exciting trip.
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Posted Dec 7, 2010, 4:55 pm Last edited Jun 8, 2011, 8:14 pm by picupurcross
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Attendorn, Germany - 10th January 2011
By: Kalliope
After a long and exhausting voyage (almost a month of travelling) I arrived in Attendorn today - yay! - and will stay with Kalliope and her family for the coming weeks.
I had intended to spend Christmas in Germany but winter in Central Europe started very early and I had to face a few delays and cancelations. Fortunately, a few other TV's had got stuck with me on the airport, so at least I had nice company.
Anyway, I'm glad that I'm finally here and I was received by an impressing welcome committee. Don't worry about the pirate, mom. The police-teddy is taking care of me.
Kalliope loved the postcards. Many thanks from her. I'm very tired now and will go to bed and try to get some sleep.
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Posted Jan 10, 2011, 3:43 pm Last edited Jan 10, 2011, 3:54 pm by Kalliope
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Attendorn, Germany - 15th January 2011
By: Kalliope
Winter in Germany is currently having a break and I'm a bit sad that all the snow has gone. I had hoped to try tobogganning and maybe cross-country skiing or at least to build a snowman. We're currently having 8°C (46°F) and it's rather rainy and gray.
Kalliope has not yet removed all the Christmas decoration and the tree is still standing, too. It's a real one, not made from plastic and it's decorated with red and white balls, stars and other stuff made from straw as well as some little wooden figurines. The area where Attendorn is situated is called 'Sauerland' and, besides being known as "the land of the thousand hills", it's also famous for the Christmas trees growing there.
On one of the pictures you see me with a traditional Advent wreath. On each Sunday in Advent another candle is lit. The branches are a little dry already, but I don't mind. I also learned a German Christmas poem:
Advent, Advent,
Ein Lichtlein brennt
Erst eins, dann zwei, dann drei, dann vier
Dann steht das Christkind vor der Tür
- - -
Advent, advent
A candle is lit
First one, then two, then three, then four
And then the Christkind knocks at our door
I learned that here in the area the Christkind (Christ Child) brings all the Christmas gifts for the children - the good ones only, of course - and Santa Claus sort of helps it. The three Magi arrived on January 6th. On that day children dressed as such go from house to house, sing a traditional song and ask for a donation for the needy. And this is what they write on the door: 20 + C + M + B + 11 (Christus mansionem benedicat).
We're waiting for some sunshine in order to go for a walk in the city center.
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Posted Jan 15, 2011, 12:37 pm Last edited Jan 15, 2011, 8:31 pm by Kalliope
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BOOT, Düsseldorf, Germany - 22nd January 2011
By: Kalliope
Today I visited the Düsseldorf Boat Show 2011 with Kalliope and her family. We saw sports boats, cruiser and racer yachts, open keel boats, motor sailors, open-tops and steel boats. But I think I liked the historic sailing ship best.
Some of the yachts were HUGE! Can you see me?
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Posted Jan 24, 2011, 5:08 pm
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Attendorn, Germany - 28th January 2011
By: Kalliope
Time to post a sunny picture from Attendorn. Sunshine - yay! But the temperatures... brrrr. We had only -5°C (23°F) this morning and the wind is biting. I think I'll have to buy a scarf and a bonnet.
This photo is taken from Kalliope's patio. From their house they've got a fabulous 180° view of the valley. It's lovely - probably even more in summer.
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Posted Jan 28, 2011, 1:02 pm Last edited Jan 30, 2011, 9:17 am by Kalliope
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Menden/Sauerland, Germany - 29th January 2011
By: Kalliope
We visited Kalliope's family in Menden/Sauerland and had traditional Westphalian plain fare for lunch: curly kale, Mettwurst (smoked sausages made from minced meat) and potatoes. Yummy!
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Posted Jan 30, 2011, 9:44 am Last edited Jan 30, 2011, 9:50 am by Kalliope
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Wilde Wiese, Sundern, Germany - 30th January 2011
By: Kalliope
A sunny Sunday afternoon in the snow. "Wilde Wiese" (wild meadow) is one of the many small skiing areas near Attendorn. Of couse, tobogganing is possible. too.
We took a walk through the winterly forest and it was soooo beautiful. I think, winter could become my favorite season, if it wasn't so cold and gray most of the time.
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Posted Jan 30, 2011, 5:11 pm Last edited Jan 31, 2011, 6:15 pm by Kalliope
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Lenhausen, Finnentrop, Germany - 30th January 2011
By: Kalliope
On the way back from Wilde Wiese we passed a little village called Lenhausen which belongs to the city of Finnentrop. There's a nice castle the origins of which date back to 1400. It's the ancestral seat of the von Plettenberg-Lenhausen family. Just opposite of the castle there's an old mill.
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Posted Jan 31, 2011, 6:28 pm
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Attendorn, Germany - 5th February 2011
By: Kalliope
Good morning, would you like a cup of coffee?
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Posted Feb 5, 2011, 9:32 am Last edited Feb 5, 2011, 9:48 am by Kalliope
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Downtown Attendorn, Germany - 9th February 2011
By: Kalliope
We enjoyed a few beautiful sunny days with a blue sky and temperatures up to 10°C. Wow, it was so warm, it almost felt like spring! We grasped the opportunity and took a walk through the city centre.
There's a traffic free zone with a few shops, coffeehouses and an Italian ice cream parlor, which you can probably find in every German city. The spire of the catholic church St. Johannes Baptist - also called "Sauerländer Dom" (Sauerland cathedral) - towers over the city. The tower of the church is about 800 years old, but the baroque roof dates from 1634 only. The nave is gothic.
The old townhall accomodates the museum of local history "Südsauerlandmuseum". The building was renovated only a few years ago. It is not far from the church, on the other side of the old market square "Alter Markt", where a market is still held twice a week.
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Posted Feb 12, 2011, 4:38 pm
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Attendorn, Germany - 10th February 2011
By: Kalliope
Today I'd like to show you a few more pictures of historic Attendorn.
The catholic parsonage dates from the Middle Ages, but in 1783 it was destroyed by fire. The building you can see now was largely constructed in 1786. I especially liked the solid wooden door with the beautiful ornament above. The lettering says "Pastorat" (parsonage).
The other little timbered house is called "Schultenhaus" and it accomodates a restaurant.
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Posted Feb 12, 2011, 4:55 pm
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Attendorn, Germany - 11th February 2011
By: Kalliope
Just a few more impressions from Attendorn:
The 'Bieketurm' (Bieke tower) and the 'Powder tower' (Pulverturm) are two of the twelve defense towers that remain of Attendorn's medieval fortification from the 13th century. It was destroyed in 1812. In the 17th century the Bieketurm was used as a prison, later as a storage room for ice. It's now a museum of the local gun club.
The yellow building accomodates one of the local high schools (Rivius-Gymnasium). And on the last photo you can see the "new" town hall.
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Posted Feb 20, 2011, 5:52 pm Last edited Feb 20, 2011, 5:55 pm by Kalliope
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Attendorn, Germany - 12th February 2011
By: Kalliope
Hello from the "Brötchenmann"! This morning we had crispy bread rolls for breakfast. Yummy! Besides the ordinary white ones there are gems from wholemeal and rye and white rolls covered with poppy seeds or cheese. I had a roll with butter and jam and another one with butter and honey, but they also taste great with cheese or cold cuts. Enjoy your breakfast!
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Posted Feb 12, 2011, 5:04 pm Last edited Feb 12, 2011, 5:05 pm by Kalliope
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Menden, Germany - 19th February 2011
By: Kalliope
Another day in Menden. I met the first pets: goldfish.
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Posted Feb 20, 2011, 1:50 pm
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