Travelog for: Candyfloss

Today my host mummy showed me the part of Ratingen, she lives. It's called Homberg (something like "Hoher Berg" (High Mountain) although there isn't any mountain at all, just a few hills). Unfortunately it started to rain so I just got the opportunity to see the Nothern part of it.



The first picture shows the old fire station, the second picture the protestant church (turning 100 in 2012), the third picture the catholic church (about 1,000 years old - oldest in Ratingen), fourth picture the library of the catholic church, fifth picture a frame house and the sixth picture an old latern.

This day was a day full of gifts. First of all my host recieved a gift from another ToyVoyager (Noisy).



Afterwards she got a ticket for "Swan Lake" and even the DVD of Swan Lake from her Grandfather.



And in the evening we wrapped the last gifts for christmas

Today another ToyVoyager arrived. He's called Leif E and also from the USA. We spent the day together as my host mummy had to study again.

Hello mummy,

today was Christmas eve in Germany. Well, I was a bit confused as I'm not used to celebrate on December, 24th but we did.

At first we went to the Catholic church in my hosts part of Ratingen. We had to be there one hour before the mass started otherwise we had to stand all the time. So we were there around 4.15 pm and luckily we got one of the last seats.


After bringing the bag to the seat we got the opportunity to take a look into the hay box, they have in the church. It isn't that big, but it's one of the populars over here.


At 5 pm the mass started and we hadn't the chances to take any pictures. But why should I take pictures during a mass as well, hunh? It's just a priest telling something about Jesus (in this case about his birth). But after the mass we (me and the other two ToyVoyager) got the opportunity to sit onto the altar. Do you see us?


Afterwards we went to my host granny, where we hang around the decoration at first. Okay, she didn't really decorate her house as she thinks, she's too old to do so.



Then we got some food. Nothing special but the typical German Christmas dinner: Potato salad and sausages.


As we weren't hungry anymore, we went to the living room, where we saw some gifts. Not that much, as they were more expensive ones and not big, cheap ones.


We unwrapped them and talked and laughed a lot and after a while, we decided to go to my hosts mothers appartment.

And again we just hung around in the decoration. For example in the city of snow or we hung around with a moose, who was singing all the time through.



Around midnight we finally went back home. As you see, it was quite busy in the end.

Luv and miss you,
Candyfloss

Today we slept quite long and then my hosts family came around for having breakfast.


As it was raining all day we didn't do anything else except watching DVD's. But as soon as the weather changes we will go out and I get to see more of West Germany.

Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

today we went to Bochum and the stage door of Starlight Express, a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. We had to take the train first, where we went to Essen. Afterwards we changed to a train to Bochum and then we finally arrived.

For coming to the theatre, we passed by the Revier-Power-Stadion, where the Vfl Bochum, (a soccer team) often has its games. But acutally my host told me, that they aren't that good at the moment, as they're just playing the the 3rd league.


It just took us two minutes from the stadion to the Starlight Express Theatre. It's quite huge. Here you see me in front of the theatre.


In front of the theatre, there's an old steam train with a carriage, with all roles of the musical on it. As the musical is about trains and the world championship, it really fits to it. So I took a picture with the steam train and also with the carriage, which shows following parts:
- Bobo, the French TGV
- Ashley, the smoking car
- Espresso, the Rome-to-Milan Express
- Red Caboose,
- Rusty, the young steam train
- Pearl, the observation car / first class car
- Electra, the Electricity train
- Dinah, the dinning car
- Greaseball, the Diesel engine
- Dustin, the big hopper
- Poppa, the old steam train



Then we finally went to the stage door. Normally we were supposed to take pictures with different actors from around the world (99% of them are from an English-speaking country). But we didn't even see anyone of them. So next time. Instead of taking pictures with the actors, we took a picture in front of the stage door sign (Bühneneingang) and a picture, which shows Greaseball.



Love,
Candyfloss

Hey mummy,

today another ToyVoyager, called Hami, arrived in my hosts house. He's from Hamburg, Germany and we helped him to come out of his package.


Cheers,
Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

today my host wanted to show me the main city of Ratingen. Okay, we didn't really get the opportunity, but nevertheless, I want to tell you something about Ratingen now, so that you finally know, where exactley I am.

So: Ratingen is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, about 12 km northeast of Düsseldorf. It's history begins in the Middle Ages and so it was settled the change of the century. But it was not until the 13th century as it received city rights. At the beginning of the Industrial Age, the first manufacturing plants opened in 1783. In Cromford the first mechanical spinnery of Europe opened, which is now part of  the "Rhine Industy Museum." In the Napoleonic times, it became part of the city of Berg and in 1815, into the Kingdom of Prussia. Nevertheless it got independed again in 1929 and in the meantime several important international enterprises, such as as Vodafone and Esprit maintain their main centers in Ratingen.


Here you see me in front of the church "Sanct Peter and Paul", which was build as a Romanic church in the middle of the 12th century and the first part of the 13th century. In the end of the 13th century it was finished with some elements of the gothic art. At the end of the 19th century the church was changed as architect Henry Wiethase told them to do. During World War II the church was partially destroyed but the damage has been eliminated after the war. In the 1970s, the facade was restored and the interior space renovated and redesigned according to the liturgical requirements of Vatican II. 1996 to 1998 was followed by further renovations after the east towers threatened to collapse.


That's all I can show you of the main city of Ratingen as it started to rain then. Maybe next time

Love and miss you,
Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

today has been a quite busy day, as it was new years eve and my hosts birthday as well.

So it all started with a breakfast in the morning, where her mother, brother and sister came around and where she got the first presents. Do you see me in this stuff?



In the afternoon, we went to my hosts grandmother /-father, where we ate cake. It was something like a redwine cake and a Russian cake. Don't know what it is called in English.



In the evening we went to my hosts mother, brother, sister where we had some amazing Fondue. It was quite yummy.



Okay, it sounds like we were eating all the time and yeah, somehow we did. Next to talking and laughing a lot.

I hope you had an amazing start into the New Year.

Cheers,
Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

I've to apologize my host just made one single update this week. But due to the rain and two storms we weren't able to do anything.

Nevertheless, we've been at Starlight Express stage door again and this time we met just two actors. Finally. But I’ve also to add, that we didn’t spend so much time there.

The actors we met are called Jos Hoetjes and Edd Hall. Both are Swings here. This means, they cover lots of parts here, if someone is injured or sick or on holiday. Most male Swings cover around 10 - 15 parts.
Jos is by the way from Christ Church, New Zealand. He already played Ruhrgold, the German Intercontinental Express (ICE) in the Tour-production of Starlight Express in New Zealand. One year later he moved to German, for being Ruhrgold for a year. Since June 2011 he's a swing.
Edd is from Essex, England. He also toured through Canada, Mexico, India and the Netherlands with another musical. After doing some musicals he decided to go to Starlight Express. Since 2009 he's over here as a Swing.


That's it for today.
Love and miss you, mummy.
Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

today we visited the South part of the part of Ratingen where I currently live. It's called Ratingen-Homberg. Ratingen-Homberg is a village with around 5000 inhabitants, where 4000 live in the new, south side we visited. By the way, did you knew that Homberg's first document goes back to the year 1067. Okay, you don't see it in the south as it was extended in the 1970's. And still, there are tons of fields we walked through. Just have a look at the pictures.

We started our trip at the street. But from the street you already have this amazing view.


We started to go through the fields and found this little farm, which can also be seen from the street as it is right at the beginning.


Furthermore we found different signs for cafes. They are far away and unfortunately we didn't go there.


An avenue


In the back, there are the houses of Ratingen-Homberg-South. Hard to see, I agree, but they are there!


We four ToyVoyager hanging around in some cut downs of the trees


An old house at a lake, which is going to be demolished this year. Sad because I think it would be so romantically living there.


We sitting on a tree trunk and resting after a walk of two hours


This is a small lake, where the children come to feed the ducks


The way to the lake (and of course the way back)


Behind the lake there is a forest. We even went through this.


We finished at the firehouse, which is the last building at the south side, before going back to the north. We are going to discover the north side as well.


It was a quite fun and long day.
Miss and love you,
Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

we really have to apologize again. But due to the test my host has to take in the next 1.5 weeks we didn't spend a lot of time next to studying (and due to the weather as well). We didn't forget you and I should say that we're going to see a lot after her tests, if you don't wanna send me to my next host.

Nevertheless, here's a picture of us sitting in the English Linguistics and Language Lecture


And here, we're studying for American Literature.


Love and miss you,
Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

today we've been to a city called Heiligenhaus. Heiligenhaus is next to Ratingen and connected through the fields.

My host showed us the trail / bicycle path from Heiligenhaus to Essen. It opend around a year ago and that's why colored shoes are hanging at the beginning of this trail / path. It used to be bicycle until the change of the year.



Around the trail we found this amazing painting. It shows all important buildings of Heiligenhaus. Acutally there isn't much.


While walking on the path we had to cross this bridge. It used to be a part of a train.


We just had a short walk as my host had to study again.

Love and miss you,
Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

today we had a break of 3 hours, as a lesson didn't took place. So we went to the Rhein in Düsseldorf. It's one of the most important rivers in Germany. But unfortunately it was soooo cold that we couldn't stay longer than 15 minutes. It was around -10 °C. Cold, isn't it? But amazing weather. Anyway.

Here we are at the first point, after crossing the "Altstadt", one of those long drinking miles.


Here you see the Rhein.


An old watch at the riverside.


This ship is there for ages. It doesn't move anymore and if you're at the Rhein in Düsseldorf, you just have to know it and take a picture of it.


And the tower for TV at the Rhein. Acutally it was planned to go there but it was definately too cold!


Buildings at the other side of the Rhein riverside.


This is a ship museum, which is also at the Rhein.


That's it for today.
Love and miss you,
Candyfloss

Hello mummy,

today my host and her friends booked a trip to London. Here you see me sitting in front of the PC, checking the Screenshots one of her friends made for checking what they might book. Later on they met in the city and booked it. Maybe I'm still around, if my mentor is about to go to London?! Then I join her as well.





Love and miss you,
Candyfloss