Travelog for: Aku

Hello all TV's and hosts!


I am a little lion called Aku and I come from Finland. I hope to get lots of new friends! I hope also to eat different foods and travel around the world ;D


And as you can see, I REALLY like to eat, haha! I also wish that I could grow a little bit bigger some day, because I'm so tiny now....

I would really love to get my first host soon ^^

Love,
Aku

Hi! It's me Aku!  I just wanted to let you know that I've arrived in San Diego, California   Pictures coming soon!

Hi! It's me, Aku!
Upon arrival I was greeted by another Toyvoyager named Henry the Adventure Hound



He gave me a big welcoming hug!

Today my host took me for a brief trip downtown to Balboa Park to view some of the neat murals on the cultural center buildings.



























My host promises to take me back to see the rest of the park someday

Hello Hello! Today my host took me to a secret spot in La Jolla Shores in La Jolla.

My host had to climb down a similar cliff just to get here.







It is not easy to get here, so the area is very well preserved!






Mini tide pools that have sea anemones, crabs and sea snails.




Its getting dark and cold, that must mean it's time to go home!

Hi!  Just a brief update.  Today my host received a package in the mail.


It was another toyvoyager named Mad Max the bat.





We welcomed Mad Max with a huge banner!



Welcome Max!

Hello! Tonight my host decided to try a new recipe for vegetable soup.




I assisted by chopping up the vegetables, under supervision of course!




Into the pot you go!




Yum!  That's one huge bowl of soup, or am I just tiny?




Recipe for the soup - Veggie Soup

Today my host took me up north to the city of Escondido to visit the Kit Carson park.






We visited Queen Califia's Magical Circle - playground of statues and mazes made of glass. (http://www.queencalifia.org/)



Path leading up to the circle






The appearance of the walls of the maze



The Queen herself


















I wonder what's in here....  HELP! HELP!



If I wasn't traumatized enough by the snake incident... we came across another snake, this time gigantic!




Thankfully it was blinded by the sun so I escaped... but just barely!




Before we left the park we visited an open orange grove right on the grounds.  Visitors could walk up and take the fruit if they liked.

Our next trip took us to Grape Day park also in Escondido.



A giant grape slide!




A stationary train one could go in and explore, but alas it was closed when we went.










A Remembrance statue to Veterans.










And the most neatest thing of the day! We got to see a "Muffler Man"!  Muffler men are 20 foot tall fiberglass figures that used to be very popular in the U.S. in the 60's and 70's.  They would be placed outside of shops to garner attention.  There are only a handfull left in the U.S. now.

Hi Mom!  It's me, Aku!

Today is Valentine's Day and our host decided to make some cookies for a friend.  Unfortunately school has kept her busy so instead of making homemade, we made instant cookies 





Time to roll out the dough... oh wait, we don't have to!  All the cookies are precut with messages already on them, how handy!




We made two kinds, sugar and chocolate chip cookies with pink and red white chocolate chips!




After they cooled we all sat around and shared a chocolate chip cookie, it was surprisingly good for being instant!




Hope you're having a great Valentine's Day!

Hi Mom! Today my host took me back to Balboa Park.  Unfortunately photography is not allowed in most exhibits now, so we took a few pictures around the park.








Koi fishes in the man made pond.





This is an onyx book right in front of the Japanese Friendship Gardens.





Various building styles.








San Diego Art Museum.





Museum of Man - a biological and cultural anthropology museum.





An outside auditorium for music performances.








This is the "House of Finland".  During the winter festivals all the "houses" from around the world offer traditional foods for sale.





A copy of Ye Olde Globe Theater where various performances are held.














Remember this artist from one of our adventures?

Good Morning!  Today my host took me up to the desert to Cabazon, California to see the gigantic dinosaurs!


It was very cold that day, just look at the snow on the mountain, and this is the desert!




The dinos were 45 feet tall, and you could climb up to the top of the T-Rex and a gift shop was located inside of the brontosaurus.









The other dinos I saw were not as big, but some of them were robotic!








Why is there a knight on a horse fighting a dinosaur?  We may never know... 











Eeek! Don't eat me!





When I grow up, I want to be this big!

Hi!  It's me again!  Today my host took me to Indio, California for the annual Date Festival!  The festival is an Arabian Nights themed one with a celebration of dates!





Many vendors were selling their wares that day - in the background you can see the California state flag.  (Brown bear)





The stage for the festival beauty pageant.





What's a festival without food?  Popular choices were fried zucchini and artichokes!





Artists were busy sculpting a sandcastle in the shape of Arabian houses.




Last we saw some livestock!





Gobble!  Gobble!

Hello!  It's raining here.  I wonder if it is raining at home too?

Today a new toyvoyager arrived in the mail.  Her name is Dorothy.  Dorothy has come from Oregon, which I hear isn't very far away.

Dorothy came on a bad week though!  My host had to take her car to the shop for repairs and its been raining for days!





Perhaps the rain will stop by next week....

Hi!  It's me Aku!
Today I went to one of my host's schools and took a look around!






A little outdoor study area for students.








What is in here?




This is the new science building, in front of it is a large open field filled with lights.  At night the lights look almost like an airplane landing strip!






Around the big field is painted a large compass with directional and degree marks. 




Here you can see some of the construction going on right now.  The school just got money to expand and build new buildings and parking lots.  This is going to be the new library someday!




Now to see some of the different architecture.  This is the humanities building.




English building...








Many students drive to school.  Part of the new parking lot is the new solar panels.  My host is not sure what they power however.





If you don't drive you can always park your bike here!




Time for a rest!  That was a lot of walking around!