A day outside

EKT's house still needs a lot of work. It was built in 1850 and nobody lived here from 1982 to 2004. EKT and her husband bought it in 2003 and moved in a year later. Everything is new now: roof, power supply, heating, canalization, water conduits, windows,.....

A small part of EKT's "garden".

Me helping EKT clearing the snow.

Me as a lumberjack.

I went to the post office to ask for a time-table for my journey home.

EKT asked me to send to postcards: One to Maya83 and one to Teetante.

Afterwards I called EKT to pick me up again.

Difficult...

A day with Erdbeermaus in her children's playroom

ALL following Playmobil pictures made by Erdbeermaus (8) with her own camera.

Look whom I met! The Easter Bunny. I think he is a bit too early this year, but I did not tell him. I am afraid if I snub him I'll get no easter eggs this year.

I was visiting a dolphinarium today.
The people here already heard about my journey and I got a free ticket and the manager welcomed me!

A place in the first row, wow!

Erdbeermaus wrote: Where is Paul?

Oh, here is Paul!

What a great experience!

Good Bye!

This child asked me, if I'd like to fed the donkeys.

Thank you!

Then I met this guy, he is the alligator keeper at this zoo!

Where is my hat? Has the alligator eaten it?

No, I left my hat in a secure distance. Imagine I would have to travel around the world without my hat!

Thank you Erdbeermaus for the great day at your children's playroom

"Rodeln" in the snow

Yesterday Erdbeermaus and Apfelmaus went sledging with me.
Remember me to buy warm boots when I'm back home.

A day in the Kindergarten

Having breakfast at 6:00 with Erdbeermaus and Apfelmaus.

It's still night, I am not used to getting up that early. So I only took a cup of coffee.

That's Flora, who celebrated her 3rd birthday and invitated me to sit with her on the birthday throne.

Apfelmaus is sharing her breakfast with me! We have breakfast together and afterwards ekt promised to tell us a fairy tale of a hedgehog.

Niklas, Michael and Maxi taught me this funny dice game!

That's me with "my man". I like purple. But even if I did not like it, it was the only man who was left, because the kids were faster in choosing a color than me.

Ekt showed me how to fold the paper and cut snowflakes! It's very difficult, although it looked so easy when I watched the children.

Finished!

We built a huge snow-woman! I like the way she wears her hair. :) Apfelmaus is standing next to me, she wears pink.

If I ever meet a woman, it is absolutely necessary that she's about my size.
Sorry Honey, you'll have to look for a nice snow-guy
But I can understand you, I am a very handsome fellow in the coat and cap ekt lent me.

I tried to build my own snowman.
Remember me to pack mittens in my backpack for the next journey!

Franziska, Carmen and Carina marvelling at my snowman.

A blackbird came and took my snow-man's nose! I am happy I survived this dangerous attack.

My first day in Krems

My envelope and all the other nice postcards erlkoenigstochter got today.

Erlkoenigstochter (ekt) opening my envelope. It was in the letterbox since 11:00. Today we had 0°C. My host family came home from school, kindergarden and work at 17:45.

ekt releases me from my envelope. Although I had my warm napkin-blanket with me my hands were icy.
- in the frontyou can see the fairy, who came with me from Vienna. She promised me to help me on my search of Hans.

That's the first thing I did in Krems! I was warming my hands on - well, you can see it! The lady is on a Krampus-Postcard I brought with me from Vienna, as a present for ekt.
The tradition to send postcards on the Dec. 6th, Nikolaustag, (without stamps) goes back to the year 1870. They were sent anonymous between boys <-->girls. The Krampus is St. Nicholas helper. St. Nicholas visits the children on Dec. 6th and brings them presents, if they were good. If not the Krampus beats them with his rod or puts them into his sack.

Afterwards I remembered my good education and shook hands with Apfelmaus (5),...

Erdbeermaus (8),..

ekt's husband and

of course ekt.

In the back you can also see some postcards I brought with me. These are Wachau maps. I am well prepared for this journey. Maybe the map cards may help me to find Hans?
The card from Cambodia was a gift from my Viennese host for ekt.

Here's the house where I am going to stay the next 2 weeks. Isn't it an impressing mansion?

Here's my room. It's a nice room in the first floor and I can get onto the balcony from my room. The curtains are something you have to get used too, but the bed looks cosy.

The maidservant! offers me some bread and tea at the fireplace. What a great idea after spending the day in a cold letterbox! I left my backpack, hat, camera and walking stck in my room. This evening I only want to relax.

Me after having tea enjoying the warm, crackling fire.

These place seems to be so right. I saw some people here that have my size! Maybe someone saw Hans? Tomorrow ekt will take me to her working place: a kindergarden. She told me that Flora has her 3rd birthday tomorrow. I should go to bed early, this sounds to be fun, but also exhausting. It's been a long time since I have been with children.

A hot bath and a glass of Wachauer wine...

I've gone to bed early.
Through my window I can see the moon and the stars and trees full of snow. I'll try to make a picture tomorrow.

Watching the stars and thinking about Hans, my journey, my hosts, the days to come, ...

Fast asleep...