Travelog for: Mr. Scraps

Mr. Scraps is looking for a new destination!

The great day cames closer and closer! I prepare to travel far away, so first I start only few kilometres, to get used to the distance. 
First I´ll show you my friend the cat, my home and my garden! After a short trip I visited the chocolate factory near us.

On my night trip I visited Graz, the capital of Styria in Austria. The towns landmark is the "Uhrturm" which looks great by night!

After that, because Helloween Night passed, I went to the cemetery! It was really very scary! Brrr....

But it became late and I forgot the time, so the police came, picked me up an brought me back home. Exciting!

Have a good trip! 

Hello mummy!

Finally I arrived in Ratingen. It was such a long journey and so I'm just happy that I'm out of the envelope.


As my host mummy - Nat - had to do tons of homework today, she introduced me to another stuffed animal from Australia. His name is simply Mr. Koala.



My host told me that it will be a long weekend. Starting to have a fest called "St. Martin" tomorrow, go around in Ratingen on Saturday and going to Bochum - a bit of sightseeing and to the stage door of Starlight Express - on Sunday. Already sounds good and I might join her at university tomorrow. I really can't wait.

So that's it for now and I hope you're good. I already miss you!

Hello mummy!

Today was quite exciting. I'm not sure if you ever heard about the German Carneval, but it began today. Although I really wanted to see it live, my host didn't want me to go, as there are too many drunk people. But she also told me, that we're going to another fest - called Saint Martin. I wasn't really sure what to expect.

At first my host and I had to have a look when the procession began. So we went onto the internet and were looking on the website of the Christian Morgenstern elementary school.


So sencondly I should make sure that I will stay warm. I was looking for a scarf and found one and at the beginning I was wearing it.


But I didn't thought that I'd be that cold. Truely, I thought my host would exaggerate, but she didn't. We went out to the Saint Martin parade and I was listening to all the children who were singing. We both went together in this parade and later on to the schoolyard. Everybody stood there and they told the story of Martin. Here's the story:
"Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints. He is considered a spiritual bridge across Europe, given his association with both France and Hungary. While Martin was still a soldier in the Roman army and deployed in Gaul (modern day France), he experienced the vision that became the most-repeated story about his life. One day as he was approaching the gates of the city of Amiens he met a scantily clad beggar. He impulsively cut his own military cloak in half and shared it with the beggar. That night, Martin dreamed of Jesus wearing the half-cloak he had given away. He heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptized; he has clad me."" Okay, to tell the truth: I copied it just for you out of wikipedia.

Nevertheless I tried to take good pics of me and some lantern and me, but most of them turned out to be too dark. So here's just a one in front of the bags where the "Weckmänner" were in and one of me with the fire, which is used to burn during the whole ceremony



For the fact that there was fire the firefighters were also around and so I got a picture of me and their amazing car. Do you see me mummy? That car was so huge I didn't know where I should sit. I also tried to hide me.


At the end we went to a local where I had some mulled wine (or as it is from Germany and even the English speaker knows the term: some Glühwein). I wasn't allowed to drink some as my host told me that I'm too young. So I just finally took amazing new pictures of me and a lantern.



It was a quite exciting day and mummy? I still miss you and wished you'd me with me.

Love you!

Hello mummy,

today was a quite interesting day. My host told me that I'm going to meet at least two other ToyVoyager and so I did. But we didn't meet in Ratingen, but in Bochum, a city of the Ruhrregion.

Unfortunately my host said that it would be too much, if I also upload pictures of my ride to Bochum, so I only put some pictures with its description right out of Bochum on here.

At first we went out of the mainstation. This one isn't so pretty but nevertheless I show you a pictures of it


We went into the city where we were welcome by I sign which I really loved. Then I tried to figure out where everything is. It wasn't that hard as Nat already knows Bochum - at least a bit.


I just wondered that they started to build the christmasmarket right now at it is just the mid of November. But I also took some pictures here. I don't describe them as I also don't know what it should be in the end.


Later on I found the livingroom, but not our. At this moment I wished to be at home as it was really cold. But Nat told me, that it will be warmer in the end. So she showed me a touristinformation and I could see what exist in Bochum.


So, now our tour really began. We started at the Planetarium. It's not that far away from the mainstation and there I met the other Voyagers. It's the only picture I got together with them. Sad, isn't it?!? Ah, in front of the Planetarium, there was this amazing picture down here.


Furthermore there was a synagogue and a bit about the jews history.


After the planetarium we went to a hill where we normally could have a look onto the whole Ruhrregion. I also tried to have a look but it turned out to be too foggy. But I was also allowed to play up here. So I climed up a tree, played hide and seek or just played with the stones which were up there. Furthermore I found an huge footprint of a giant. Then we left.


Out next stop was the "Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum". I got explained a lot about it and also got to know that it should be one of the most important museum about mining worldwide and the most viewed museum in Germany.



Our second to last stop was the Jahrhunderthalle. Not sure anymore what it is for, but the internet says its for events. But it looks really old, doesnt it?



Even here I had some time for playing and so I climed up a bucket and I also tried to climb up one of the highest buildings here. But last one was too hard. Furthermore I took a break at a river
 

Then we finally went to our last stop the


I didn't knew what it is so my host explained that it is a musical about trains and the worldchampionship. That there fight a steamtrain against diesel and electricity. The streamtrain lost his love to electricity AND diesel but found it back in the end. Sounds amazing, but we didn't watch the show. But I saw an amazing carriage and even a real steamtrain infront of the theatre. I also had to climb on it as well



But before we left Bochum I also met an actor of Starlight Express. He's American and also did something like ToyVoyagers before and so he wanted to take me backstage. My host didn't knew what to say so she decided to say no. But she'll be with my backstage at the beginning of December and he will be with her then.


Mummy, that's it for today. I miss you and can't wait to tell you everything in detail.

Hey mummy,

today was quite exciting. My host got another Voyager and I really couldn't wait to open the envelope. Finally I'm not alone anymore.


This is OttoLux and he's from Luxembourg. My host explained me where Luxembourg is and thought that it isn't that far away from my home.


Later on this day my host, OttoLux and I went to the hospital for visiting my hosts grandfather after having an heart attack. First I tried to drive on my own but Nat told me, that I'm not old enough for driving.


So I sat at the window where I had a great view of everything.


Unfortunately my host didn't take any pictures of me in the hospital. She doesn't want to photograph the sick and injured people and truely? I do understand her. But on the way back, we took this amazing picture with the church during the sunset in Heiligenhaus - a city next to Ratingen. . I love it.


I know, you can hardly see me.

Acutally we don't know what we're going to do on the weekend. My host planned to visit Cologne or Venlo (Netherlands) but isn't sure though. It is said that the weather shouldn't be that nice anymore. So it might happen that we three will end up at the university just for a bit learning - and showing me around.

Miss you mummy,
Mr. Scraps

Hello mummy,

today another ToyVoyager out of the Netherland arrived. Finally it's a girl and it's pink. OttoLux and I helped her to come out of the envelope and took out first pictures together.


We didn't do anything else as my host mummy is sick.
Miss you,

Mr. Scraps

Hello mummy,

today we went to a christmas basar of a school for mentally and physically handicapped students. At first we had to go by bus.


As we left the bus we had to go a bit - around 3 minutes - and on the way we found this sign. I guess you know what it means.


Finally we arrived at the "Helen Keller Förderschule". I also just hang around with Pink Lady.


We went inside and looked a bit around about what they're selling. Afterwards my host had a soup...


... while I ate some waffles with hot cherries and cream.


Afterwards we played hide and seek and I hide myself behind a flower.


Then we already left and went to a shop for christmas. I found this funny hat and had to wear it. Do you like it?


In the end we went to a playground where we played. I climbed up the climbing wall.


I had a great day and miss you! Send you lots of love from Germany,
Mr. Scraps

Hey mummy,

I'm pretty well although I had a quite stressful day. My host mum changed her minor subject of her studies from Musicology to German Studies. So she had to learn really hard for German. I and of course the other Voyagers decided to help her with her major. So everyone of us got a different subject to study on. My subject was called "Introduction to English Linguistics and Language." It seems to be quite interesting as my host mum has the same subject in German as well.


So I read with the others.


In the evening her girlfriend came around for watching a movie. So we decided to watch a queer one and both of them gave us four movies we had to choose. At first I had a look on my own, later on we decided together which one we wanted to watch. So we came up with "But I'm A Cheerleader".


Oh, btw that's us in front of a queer banner.


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

Hello home,

today my host showed me her part of Ratingen, she lives. It's called Ratingen - Homberg and is the second smallest part. It has around a population of 5500 people. But I don't know how many cows, pigs and stuff like that. I'm really surrounded by fields. If it wouldn't be that cold and if my host mum would have more time, we'd go for a walk into the fields. Maybe tomorrow or so?!?

First of all: This is the oldest church in Ratingen. It's said to be older that 1,000 years. Amazing, isn't it? It's the catholic one.


We turned around and I saw the hill we had to go up first with this amazing old framehouse.


These are also old houses. One of them as it's one fountain. Actually in the white one is the library of the catholic church.


We went much higher and found the youngest church in Ratingen. Is going to be 100 years next year. It's the protestant one.


That's what I saw from Homberg, as it doesn't have anything more. Okay and we had to go to university so we hadn't any more time. But I hope I will see more.

In the evening my host had to had a look for new ballet classes as she can't dance in her old balletschool anymore. So we got ready. Do you see me with those pointe shoes? She really has to dance on it.


But she also allowed us to play with her clothes.


Don't be afraid. I don't wanna do ballet.

Miss you,
Mr. Scraps

Hello mummy,

first of all I ought to say sorry for the delay. My host mummy was really busy but now she has the time to update everything. She took a couple of pictures so I let you know what happend.

Today we went to Essen - a city close to Ratingen.


As the christmas market opened there a couple of days ago I got the change to see it. Unfortunately it wasn't dark enough to see all the lights. So I saw the slight of Santa Clause, sat in a Christmas tree and saw a big wheel.


Furthermore she explained me bit about Essen. Here's a sign.


Later on we saw the "Coca Cola Truck". Maybe you know it from the advertising. I saw it in real. Amazing!


At the end she showed me the place she used to go for fotoshootings, dancing, learning or just meeting people. It's called "Unperfekthaus"


Love you mummy,
Mr. Scraps

Hey mum,

today I went horse riding. It was fun. My hosts sister used to go riding and PinkLady and I were allowed to go with her.

Do you see us on the horse(s)?



It was such a great day,

Love and miss you,
Mr. Scraps

Today another ToyVoyager arrived. She's called Candyfloss and used to be a wild toyvoyager. She is from the USA.

We all welcomed her.



Love you,
Mr. Scraps