Travelog for: Candyfloss

Hey,

due to the fact that it is still too cold to go out, my host and I decided to learn how to compose songs. She had a book from the Berklee Press (I guess you know it?!) and we tried to compose some stuff.




Cheers,
Candyfloss

Hey mummy,

it's still sooooo cold. We had some friends coming over for playing some games. We were allowed to play with them. Here you see us, playing a game called "Australia" and in the background you see some koalas. My host is such an Australia fan. It's not funny anymore. Everywhere koala, kangaroos, the Australian flag and so on. Crazy.




Mummy, I miss you
Candyfloss

Hey mummy,

today was such a sad day, as we had to say goodbye to our friend Hami. He's now going to the South of Germany.

Goodbye Hami, it was such a pleasure to meet you!



Candyfloss

Hey mummy,

again we were in Bochum today. Exactely at Starlight Express. Okay, we weren't lucky to see some of the actors, but today we went there for watching the show


Here's me inside the theatre... The roof of glass was just amazing and I could see the rain.


A painting on the wall (near the roof). It's Electra, a character of Starlight Express


Here I caught a glimpse who's acting which character


Sad it's so dark, but the stage is just huge.


Here's another picture... As you see, there's a mainstage as well as two levels for skating around. It's the world biggest musical stage and every new actor is just impressed to see this stage.

Love,
Candyfloss

Hey,

today there was the promised Carnival parade. It was amazing and loud at the same it. Got tons of Candies afterwards. But mummy? It was sooooooo cold. Around 1 °C. Yesterday it was also snowing so I wondered if we'd be able to watch the parade today.

Btw you wonder, what Carnival in Germany is about? I copied something for you from Wikipedia

"Although the festival and party season in Germany starts on 11 November at 11:11 am, the actual Carnival week begins on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. German Carnival parades are held on the weekend before and especially on Rose Monday, and occasionally on Shrove Tuesday as well in the suburbs of larger cities. The Carnival session begins each year on 11 November at 11:11 am and finishes on Ash Wednesday with the main festivities occurring around Rosenmontag; this time is also called the "Fifth Season."
In German-speaking countries, two distinct varieties of Carnivals are held. The Rheinish Carnival is held in the west of Germany, mainly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland Palatinate, and is famous for celebrations such as parades and costume balls. Cologne Carnival is the largest and most famous. On Carnival Thursday (called "Old Women Day" or "The Women's Day"), in commemoration of an 1824 revolt by washer-women, women storm city halls, cut men's ties, and are allowed to kiss any man who passes their way."

But here are the pictures:


Some people in the city. 30 mins until the parade starts.


During the parade


Also during the parade


Some people, who had to walk the parade


Some horses

Love and miss you,
Candyfloss

Hi, mom!
I arrived to Russia today at last! Ooh, it was long travel...

At first I got out of my package and looked round. Where are everybody?

I brought gift! Beautiful and lovely!

Oh, finally! My new friends came! I can learn much more about life in Russia from the same travelers, as well as me. How exciting!

I made friends with Kioko - he is such a good giraffe. He presented to me a tasty chocolate to make more cheerful to me to livein my new house. Thank you!

Hi, mom!

Today my host took me into bowling! Oh, I’ve never visit it before, I hope, it would be fun!
First of all, look, what an amazing building it is! Everybody can understand that there is something exciting inside 

Which ball should I choose? Mmmm... I will take the pink one!

Let's aim… 

Come on, little ball!!

I can't understand, am I winning or not?

I am sure that I won!  And therefore it is necessary to celebrate! Traditional Russian food... oh, no, it isn’t cooked here. Well, sushi then? How can I pick them up...

And let’s drink a cranberry mojito. Looks great. 

In this building there is an excellent desktop hockey. I will beat you, Peeta!

And while we are here, I can ride in a car. Turn right, turn right!! 

Hi, mom!
This weekend we’ve visited Kremlin!

Wow, I think, I should come to Moscow again, because it is such a wonderful place and has such an interesting history! My host thought that I should know everything about it, but of course, now I can remember only a small part. 
This is the Troitskaya Tower - the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Its current height on the side of the Alexander Garden together with the star is 80 m. Today, the gate of the tower is the main visitors' entrance into the Kremlin. And the view is so beautiful!


Here you can see the Kremlin Senate, a building within the grounds of the Kremlin. Initially constructed from 1776–1787, it originally housed the Moscow branch of the Governing Senate, the highest judiciary and legislative office of Imperial Russia. Currently, it houses the Russian presidential administration and is a highly secured and restricted area closed to the public. At present, only the southern corner façade, opposite the Tsar Cannon can be viewed.

Then we saw the most interesting exhibits of this museum – the Tsar-Bell and the Tsar-Cannon. 
The Tsar-Bell was made of bronze and it is currently the largest bell in the world, weighing 201,924 kilograms, with a height of 6.14 metres and diameter of 6.6 metres, and thickness of up to 61 centimetres. The bell is decorated with relief images of baroque angels, plants, oval medallions with saints, and nearly life-size images of Empress Anna and Tsar Alexey. Unfortunately, before the last ornamentation was completed, a major fire broke out at the Kremlin in May 1737. The fire spread to the temporary wooden support structure for the bell, and fearing damage, guards threw cold water on it, causing eleven cracks, and a huge (11.5 tons) slab to crack off. The broken piece weighs 11,500 kilograms, you can compare it with the crowd around – it’s as tall as a man! Some people believe that on Judgement Day, it will be miraculously repaired and lifted up to heaven, where it will ring the blagovest (call to prayer). 

The Tsar-Cannon was cast in 1586 in Moscow, by the Russian master bronze caster Andrey Chokhov. Mostly of symbolic impact, it was never fired in war. Per the Guinness Book of Records it is the largest bombard by caliber in the world. The very low ratio between its calibre and the length of its barrel makes it technically not a cannon, but a stylized mortar. The Tsar Cannon weighs 39.312 tones and has a length of 5.34 m. Its bronze-cast barrel has a diameter of 890 mm, and an external diameter of 1,200 mm. The spherical cast-iron projectiles located in front of the cannon - each of which weighs 1.97 tons, were produced in 1834 as a decoration. 

Of course, there are many other cannons in Kremlin, but they don’t look so impressive, do they?

Then you can see The Ivan the Great Bell Tower - the tallest of the towers in the Moscow Kremlin complex, with a total height of 81 metres. It was built in 1508 for the Russian Orthodox cathedrals in Cathedral Square, which do not have their own belfries, and is said to mark Moscow's precise geographic centre. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower today contains 22. Of these, 18 small bells hang in the base and in the middle of the bell tower. Of the four large bells, one is named the Upsenskij Bell, and weighs 65.5 tons. It rings traditionally among the largest religious festivals such as Easter, and was made in the early 16th century.

Next building with great triangle golden roof and domes is The Cathedral of the Annunciation (Blagoveschensky sobor). It was originally the personal chapel for the Muscovite tsars, and its abbot remained a personal confessor of the Russian royal family until the early 20th century. Compared with the other major Kremlin cathedrals, the Annunciation Cathedral has slightly smaller dimensions. It is also built in a more traditional style, as it was created by local architects from Pskov, rather than Italian expatriate architects. The most characteristic feature of the building is its nine golden domes, and roof with rich kokoshnik ornamentation in an ogive form. 

This beautiful cathedral with frescos is The Cathedral of the Dormition (Uspensky sobor). The Cathedral is regarded as the mother church of Muscovite Russia. In its present form it was 1475-79 at the behest of the Moscow Grand Duke Ivan III by the Italian architect Aristotele Fioravanti. From 1547 to 1896 it is where the Coronation of the Russian monarch was held. In addition, it is the burial place for most of the Moscow Metropolitans and Patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church. However, one of the most important cult images of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Theotokos of Vladimir kept at the Cathedral from 1395-1919 is now at the Tretyakov Gallery. Near the south entrance to the Cathedral is the Monomach Throne of Ivan IV (1551).



Verkhospassky Cathedral with eleven small golden domes was constructed by tsar Michael Fedorovichem in 1635-1636. From this temple the ladder conducted to a seigniorial platform where decrees, orders of the tsar were read to boyars, and the tsar presented boyars and near people birthday pies. Divine services in it aren't made.

The Cathedral of the Archangel is a Russian Orthodox church dedicated to the Archangel Michael. It was the main necropolis for members of the Tsars of Russia until the relocation of the capital to St. Petersburg. It was constructed between 1505 and 1508 under the supervision of an Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin Noviy on the spot of an older cathedral, built in 1333.

The Grand Kremlin Palace was built from 1837 to 1849 on the site of the estate of the Grand Princes, which had been established in the 14th century on Borovitsky Hill. Designed by a team of architects under the management of Konstantin Thon, it was intended to emphasize the greatness of Russian autocracy. The Grand Kremlin Palace was formerly the tsar's Moscow residence. Thon's palace is 125 meters long, 47 meters high, and has a total area of about 25,000 square meters. It includes the earlier Terem Palace, nine churches from the 14th, 16th, and 17th centuries, the Holy Vestibule, and over 700 rooms. Now it carries out a role of smart president residence of Russia. Important nation-wide ceremonials pass in its halls, such as delivery of the state awards or credentials. You can see that big national flag is lowered on the spike. It means that Russian president is out now, but he could come back every minute! 

Hi, mom!
Today I want to describe you amazing Mediterranean Sea. To swim there is a real pleasure. Water is very warm, sun is hot, people are polite and pleasant 
The best pastime - to lie, sunbathe, get a tan and drink cocktails!
I like to build sand castles, there are many shells for an ornament on a beach   
Mother of my host helps me to float on a rubber ring because I am very small and can fall in a hole 
Nearby in the sea there is a floating platform where it is possible to climb up, take a rest and sunbathe. And during a storm it's very cheerful to drive!
The fantastic pier is on a beach. There are trees, plank beds, mattresses and chairs on it.
So soft and convenient! 
Also there are lifebuoys - if somebody needs help. Don't worry, while I am here, everybody are in safety 
And surely flags - Turkish one, hotel's one and the guarding organization's one
If you got hungry - there is a small and free cafe with a buffet on a beach. Can you imagine, it is possible to sit and admire the sea and eat a lunch! But  I will tell you about food next time, this subject simply can't be passed! 

Hi, mom! How are you doing? 
Do you remember tons of different food that I show you in this hotel? Well, can you believe that we want more? 
Owners of hotel provided very useful option for people who bothered to eat in the general dining room. You can choose restaurant a la card twice a week! There are a lot of them - a grill, fish, Arab, Japanese... As my host is a vegetarian - we chose Italian one. 

Look, a real menu! And linen napkins! And cloths! And the food is carried by the real waiters! I started to forget all this magnificence for a week of a food in buffet! And the best thing - visit of restaurant is included in accommodation cost! 

So, what will we take? I suggest beginning with salad with mushrooms. And on snack - toasts with garlic. And do not forget about the most tasty olives! 

And the most delicious and popular Italian dish… pasta!
Which one do you prefer? Creamy Pasta with Shrimp (non-vegeterian) or Pasta Arabiata (translated as angry pasta)? 

Owners really tried to bring a spirit of Italy in this restaurant! When you think about this country, what best-known photo comes to your mind? Certainly, I Hold the Tower of Pisa! Well... We tried to fix it together... But nothing helps!

Ah-ah-ah! It seems that falling, we broke the well-known Italian amphora! What a pity that wine wasn't in, because that end of day would be ideal! 

Anyway, when we went out of doors, it was very dark, therefore illumination was turned on for a fountain. It blinked white, yellow, red, green, blue... Sometimes it is pleasant to simply stand and look at a beautiful view at few minutes... Especially, if your stomach is full of a yum-yum! 

It is our last day in Turkey therefore we decided to do something interesting. What can be more exciting than an excursion? After all, we arrived to another country; we don’t want to lie on a beach! 
So, we choose a journey to one of the most famous sights of Antalia - The Ecological Natural Park. It covers the territory of 40 000 m2 and is the first flora and herpetofauna (plant, reptile and amphibian) park establishment in the world. Ekopark now is a shelter for many plants and reptiles that are under danger of extinction. 
Thus, professor Selami Tomruk created a new home for rare plants and reptiles and expose their unique beauty and importance to the public.  All in all Mr. Selami Tomruk devoted 36 years of his life to studying reptiles and amphibians. 

For some reason, the first animal which we meet in the Ekopark is a chicken.  It’s a Silkie - a breed of chicken named for its atypically fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk. The breed has several other unusual qualities, such as dark blue flesh and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot (most chickens only have four). They are often exhibited in poultry shows, and come in several colors (red, gold, blue, black, white, and partridge).
In addition to their distinctive physical characteristics, Silkies are well known for their calm, friendly temperament.  Among the most docile of poultry, Silkies are considered an ideal pet. Hens are also exceptionally broody, and make good mothers.


Ok, it's is going to be something interesting - a reptile! A giant snake, if you want to be clear. I think they are so dangerous!  Although pythons are typically afraid of people due to their high stature, and will generally avoid people, special care is still required when handling them. A three-meter long Burmese python can easily kill a child and a five-meter long (around 16.5 feet) Burmese python is certainly capable of overpowering and killing a fully grown adult. 


And the next creature is even scarier – a cobra! Turks call it Naja. Although several genera share the common name, Naja species are the most recognized and most widespread group of snakes commonly known as cobras. All species in the genus Naja are capable of delivering a fatal bite to a human. Most species have strongly neurotoxic venom, which attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis, but many also have cytotoxic features which causes swelling and necrosis, and has a significant anticoagulant effect.  Some also have cardiotoxic components to their venom.


Who is as terrible as cobra? Crocodile! It’s so huge! What is the most famous and curious thing that you know about crocodiles? That they cry when eat their victims!  The expression comes from an ancient anecdote that crocodiles weep in order to lure their prey. An alternate explanation for the expression's origin is that crocodile tears cannot be authentic because crocodiles cannot cry; they lack tear ducts. Yet this is a myth: Crocodiles possess lacrimal glands which secrete a proteinaceous fluid, just like in humans, though tears will only be visible after a crocodile is out of the water for a prolonged period of time, and the eyes begin to dry out. However, while crocodiles can and do generate tears, they do not actually cry. 


And the last animal that gave me a chance to take a good photo is a green iguana! And what a great shot, don’t you think so? First I decided that it is really tamed and it doesn’t care about people and TV.  But then my host told me that if cornered by a threat, the green iguana will extend and display the dewlap under its neck, stiffen and puff up its body, hiss, and bob its head at the aggressor. If threat persists the Iguana can lash with its tail, bite and use its claws in defense. The wounded are more inclined to fight than uninjured prey. 


There is a small restaurant Near this Ekopark – Botanik. I think that its owners pay to excursion bureau, so each guide brings tourists here after Ekopark visiting. 


It looks so unusual! First of all, IT STANDS IN A RIVER!


If you have enough time and money, you can catch a trout in this river for yourself! The water is so clear you can literally see fish! 
But we don’t want to wait, so we prefer free salad and especial unleavened bread. Looks bright! 


Who else like bread? Geese! Oh, they look scary! I’d better give them everything. 

Hi mom! Sorry for this delay - my host has real troubles with work, but, I hope, everything will be OK now 
Today my host has taught me, how to cook falafel - a deep fried patty made from ground chickpeas. She said that it’s a wonderful source of protein for vegetarians and that it’s a traditional dish for eaten throughout the Middle East. I tried to make as many photos as I could. 

First you must take ground chickpeas (near 150 gr.) and soak them in water over night the day before cooking. You can see, that they really change their size! I compare them with the dry ones. 

Then chop and blend ground chickpeas in a food processor until the beans are the consistency of fine bread crumbs.

Chop the green and slice the onion.



Put everything in large bowl.

Mold the falafel mixture into small patty on the spoon and drop into oil to fry to keep the color an even brown on all sides.



When they are a medium brown color, remove the balls and drain on a paper towel for a minute. Serve warm and fresh!

Hi, mom!
It’s New Year's Eve today and I’m so happy! Me and my host will celebrate this holiday at home with her family and close friends. You know, in Russia New Year's Eve is now celebrated similarly to Christmas, just without the religious aspect of the holiday. My host has been worked hard till 30th December, so we decide to dress up a fur-tree today! Hooray! 
First of all, let’s go and find the most beautiful tree ever! Good for us that a market is near our house! So, forget about snow and cold, let’s search some holiday mood! 

There are tens of trees inside and some of them are packed into a grid, for convenience of storage and transportation so they are very compact. 

Look at this one, it’s so small!

We have chosen this one, not so small and not so thin, perfect for our room. It’s my host’s father, Lev (Lion in russion), on the photo.

The fur-tree is almost free and becomes stout..

My host’s fur-tree toys are stored in box on the top shelf of a wardrobe. There are a lot of toys here, old and new, glass and plastic. My host told me that the oldest one - a toy glass alarm-clock, was put on a fur-tree by her great-grandmother! It is excellent tradition - to buy every year some new toys, but also to leave the old ones. You can feel proximity of generations. 

So, let’s start!

OK, now we should hang up electric garlands so the fur-tree will be sparkle beautifully in the evening. Oh, I’m a little bit confused... 

It’s look fantastic!

Wow! Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) and Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) have come to us for a party!
I already wrote that in Russia New year has no relation to religion, therefore Ded Moroz isn't similar to Santa Claus! My host has told to me that earlier, Ded Moroz was a wicked and cruel sorcerer, ruling over frosts. According to legend, Ded Moroz liked to freeze people and kidnap children, taking them away in his gigantic sack. Parents were said to have to give him presents as a ransom in return for their children.  However, under the influence of Orthodox traditions, the character of Ded Moroz was completely transformed, later adopting certain traits from Santa Claus.
And the modern Snegurochka is depicted as the granddaughter and helper of Ded Moroz. But in another story, she is the daughter of Spring and Frost, and yearns for the companionship of mortal humans. She grows to like a shepherd named Lel, but her heart is unable to know love. Her mother takes pity and gives her this ability, but as soon as she falls in love, her heart warms and she melts.

I wish you a Happy New Year! Happiness, good luck, love and more sweet surprises next year!

Hi, mom!

Today we decided to visit one of the most well-known church of Russia - Cathedral of Christ the Saviour! With an overall height of 105 metres (344 ft), it is the tallest Orthodox church in the world. 

When Napoleon Bonaparte retreated from Moscow, Emperor Alexander I signed a manifest, 25 December 1812, declaring his intention to build a cathedral in honor of Christ the Saviour "to signify Our gratitude to Divine Providence for saving Russia from the doom that overshadowed Her" and as a memorial to the sacrifices of the Russian people. 

The cathedral took many years to build and did not emerge from its scaffolding until 1860. The painting were overseen by Evgraf Sorokin and thereafter some of the best Russian painters continued to embellish the interior for another twenty years. The cathedral was consecrated on the very day Alexander III was crowned, 26 May 1883.



After the Revolution and, more specifically, the death of Lenin, the prominent site of the cathedral was chosen by the Soviets as the site for a monument to socialism known as the Palace of the Soviets. This monument was to rise in modernistic, buttressed tiers to support a gigantic statue of Lenin perched on top of a dome with his arm raised in the air.
On December 5th 1931, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was dynamited and reduced to rubble. It took more than a year to clear the debris from the site. Some of the marble from the walls and marble benches from the cathedral were used in nearby Moscow Metro stations. For a long time, these were the only reminders of the largest Orthodox church ever built. 
The construction of the Palace of Soviets was interrupted owing to a lack of funds, problems with flooding from the nearby Moskva River, and the outbreak of war. The flooded foundation hole remained on the site until, under Lucy Khrushchev, it was transformed into the world's largest open air swimming pool, named Moskva Pool.
Finally, in February 1990, the Russian Orthodox Church received permission from the Soviet Government to rebuild the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The restorer Aleksey Denisov was called upon to design a replica of extraordinary accuracy.
A construction fund was initiated in 1992 and funds began to pour in from ordinary citizens in the autumn of 1994. In this year the pool was demolished and the cathedral reconstruction commenced. About one million Muscovites donated money for the project. 



The monument is located in the city center therefore you can enjoy such beautiful views of the old, not reconstructed quarters of Moscow around! 

Especially I like this bridge - very popular place for wedding ceremonies and simply walks. 

On the right you can see one of the chocolate factories oldest in Moscow, and also Peter the Great notorious statue on a ship. So many people consider that it is ugly, but it can't be demolished. The designer Zurab Tsereteli is known as a friend and favorite of Moscow's former Mayor, Yury Luzhkov, and the artist has received many municipal art commissions in recent years, such as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
The Peter the Great Statue in Moscow was designed by the Georgian designer Zurab Tsereteli to commemorate 300 years of the Russian Navy, which was started by Peter I of Russia. At 94 metres, it is the eighth tallest statue in the world.

And at the left - a view which is often printed on postcards - the Kremlin ashore. Do I need to say anything else? Fantastic!

And the monument to emperor Alexander II the Liberator of Russia from a serfdom, in fact, from slavery, is located near the temple. Alexander is represented in a military uniform and with an imperial cloak.
The five-meter bronze figure is placed on a stone pedestal with a graceful colonnade. Behind the back of the emperor two bronze lions sit. They, as a plan of author Alexander Rukavishnikov, symbolize old traditional Russia.

Hello, mummy!
Today my host suggested me to visit a place where it works. It is a huge complex of the buildings, called the Moscow City. I will show it to you next time, and today we will concentrate on a collection of huge nested dolls which is on the top floors of one of skyscrapers.
The exposition represented this country at the Russian national exhibition in Paris in 2010.  All exhibits were made manually, all nested doll were worked by 15 masters. To achieve exact bends and rotundities, they had to use ancient equipment of a soaking of a tree.
This great panorama opens from an entrance on a platform where nested dolls registered. In the foreground - Gzhel (at the left) and the Vologda lace (on the right).

The nested doll on the right is executed in style of the Russian imperial porcelain available only to crowned and very wealthy persons. Zhostovo's ornament (in the center) arose at the beginning of the 19th century, at the same time with emergence of many workshops on production of the painted varnished products from a papier-mache in Moscow area. Modern Zhostovo exists as well in the form of a list on metal. The Dymkovsky toy (at the left) exists on the lands near the Vyatka-river more than 400 years. Each toy is unique since from a molding and to a list it is step by step created by one master. For production local red clay and river sand is used. 

Hokhloma (at the left) arose in the second half of the 17th century in the north of the Nizhny Novgorod province near the settlement of the same name, and still remains to most known of types of the Russian list on a tree.
Roots of the Mezensky list (on the right) leave far to those centuries when Slavic tribes only started being formed, and reached popularity peak in the middle of the 19th century.

And here art of varnish painting of Mster arose at all so long ago - in 1932 in Mster's settlement of the Vladimir region the former icon painters created it, relying on traditions of an iconography, but having shown and innovation.

Here you can see art of varnish painting of Fedoskino, arisen at the end of the 18th eyelid. Among fedoskinsky miniatures of 19-20 centuries there are many carefully executed copies of pictures of the Russian artists in which masters brought also characteristic fedoskino features. 

Palekh miniature — the national trade which has developed in the settlement Palekh of the Ivanovo region. The varnish miniature is executed by distemper on a papier-mache. Usually caskets, jugs, brooches, a panel, ashtrays, hairpins for a tie, needle cases etc. are undersigned. Typical plots of a palekhsky miniature are borrowed from an everyday life, literary works of classics, fairy tales, and songs. Works are usually performed on a black background and undersign gold.

How do you like exhibition of nested dolls? I like it very much! But the host says that it is not real nested dolls, because all dolls have to own faces!