Travel – Page 6 – Beastie HQ

Buckfast Abbey Exterior - B Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Buckfast Beasties!

Posted on September 18, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

Hello everybody, and I hope this new week is treating you well! Today we’re going to catch up with Paddy and Plunkett, who we last saw exploring the weird and wonderful environs of the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
This time, they’re much less likely to have to save their woolly skins from prowling mud giants. Their wandering paws have brought them to this peaceful place!
This is Buckfast Abbey, home to an entirely self-supporting community of Benedictine monks.

The original abbey at Buckfast was demolished in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the site became a quarry, then the grounds of a private house. But then, in 1882, the land was purchased by the Benedictines, who set about re-establishing a monastic community here.

Building work started in 1907, and took around 30 years to complete. And looking at what they created…
… You’d never know that this was accomplished with virtually no mechanical assistance. The monks borrowed a horse and cart from a local farmer for transportation, and their scaffolding was held together with tied ropes! And if you think that’s impressive…
… The interior will take your breath away!
And outside the Abbey, the grounds also contain a farm, sensory garden, lavender garden and a working water mill. The atmosphere of calm and reflection here really amazed the boys – maybe that’s why they’re not gadding about in front of the camera as much as usual!

However, on the way out, they stopped by the Abbey’s produce shop…
… To pick up a Beastie-sized sample of one of the monks’ most celebrated creations – Buckfast Tonic Wine!

“I think it’s important we support all the good work these people do, Plunkett. Now, follow me!”
Finding the perfect picnic spot isn’t always easy, but remembering that the monks built an entire Abbey using the most rudimentary equipment, the lads figured they could probably manage a short flight of steps.
“Nearly there! Aha, this looks perfect!”
Of course, Paddy was first to take a hearty glug from the bottle… I think we can all see where this is going.
Then again, Plunkett doesn’t look too steady on his feet either! This is potent stuff!
“Paddy, you are my bessshhht friend…”

Uh-oh, he’s away.
Quick, Paddy! Help him up! But carefully now, in case you…
… Fall over.

Oh well, I suppose we’d better leave them to sleep it off! There’s a lesson here about enjoying your fortified wines responsibly – especially if you’re only 5 and a half inches tall.

And how about you lot? Have you tried any interesting or unusual elixirs lately? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments!

Heligan Security - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Paddy, Plunkett and the Lost Garden

Posted on August 24, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Uncategorized

Wow, it’s been a loooooong time since we last saw Paddy and Plunkett, hasn’t it? So perhaps it’s appropriate that we catch up with them just as they’re about to venture into another place that the world forgot about for a while – the Lost Gardens of Heligan!

First, they took a peek through this hole in the fence, and decided that it would be an excellent place for a day’s exploring. Unfortunately, that window is just a liiiiiiiittle too small for them to climb through. Could it be that they’ll actually have to -GASP- pay an entrance fee for once?

Apparently not.
If you’re Beastie-sized, stowing away on a passing wheelbarrow is always an option. And once they were inside, they were quickly able to win over the staff with their Irish charm.

Great! Let’s celebrate with a snack. Pineapple, anyone?
You can’t see Paddy in these photos, because he’d already hopped over the wall and started munching. However, Plunkett wasn’t so sure…
“Paddy, it says on the sign that the heat these pineapples need to grow comes from filling the pit trenches with a steady supply of fresh horse manure.”
“Yes, Plunkett, but it also says that the pineapples are delicious… And one of the first ones harvested after this pit was unearthed and rebuilt in the 1990s was sent to the Queen as a 50th wedding anniversary gift! So if they’re good enough for her, they’re good enough for me. YUM!”

And what better way to celebrate the restoration of the only surviving pineapple pit in Britain? Apparently, these were quite the thing back in the 19th century, with gardeners in the “big houses” competing to see who could grow the tastiest pineapples! Unfortunately, the skills involved in maintaining one were pretty much lost – with the decline of apprenticeships, the knowledge was no longer being passed along, and no-one thought to write it down. It was only through trial and error that the staff at Heligan were able to make this project bear fruit… And the Beasties were more than happy to show a little appreciation for their efforts.

Suitably stuffed, the boys wandered a little further, and found themselves in the jungle! Luckily, they’re old hands at jungle exploration, having recently spent time at the Eden Project. And after eating all that pineapple, it’s incredible that this rope bridge was able to take the strain of them walking across it!
On the other side, the boys worked off a little bit of their recent extravagance by clambering around on the firewood pile…
… But a terrifying sight awaited them on the other side!
“Oh no! What happened here?”

But Plunkett was soon able to put two and two together, when he spotted this…
“Aaaaaah, this must be where they make the charcoal!”
“What do they need charcoal for?”
“For the barbecue, Paddy! They raise beef right here on the estate, and have big summer barbecues for visitors!”

Paddy went quiet.

“If I had known there was going to be a barbecue, Plunkett, I wouldn’t have filled up on pineapple!”

Oh dear. Perhaps a quick stroll around more of the gardens will help Paddy to work up an appetite for a second helping of Heligan’s tasty treats? We’ll have more from the boys on Tuesday… But in the meantime, do feel free to make Paddy jealous by sharing your weekend dining plans with us in the comments!

Have a good one, everybody!

Explorer Beastie at Glengesh Pass, Donegal - CrawCrafts Beasties

Coast to Coast

Posted on August 7, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Explorer Beastie, Life at Beastie Towers

Hey there everybody! It’s great to be back after our little blogging break – and Explorer Beastie and I even had time to squeeze in a quick adventure while we were away! On Saturday, we took a trip right across the top of the island of Ireland to spend an afternoon in the beautiful rugged countryside around Glencolmcille in Co. Donegal.

Of course, when you find yourself out that way, it’s impossible not to stop at Nancy’s pub in Ardara for a tasty lunch. You’ll have to go a long way to find better fish dishes, and washing it down with a glass of their farmhouse cider is a must! I would have photographed my food for you all to enjoy, but I fell upon it like a pack of ravenous wolves… So here’s Explorer Beastie enjoying the cosy ambience instead.

Feeling pleasantly full, it was time to continue our journey… Next stop Glencolmcille! Although we did have to take a quick pause along the way to enjoy the dramatic landscape at Glengesh Pass…
…And to let Explorer Beastie stretch his legs by climbing all over the signpost.

Then, back in the car…
… We watched the scenery zip by the window, and the sheep-spotting really began in earnest!
And once we arrived in Glencolmcille, Explorer Beastie decided to hitch a ride in a slightly more rustic mode of transport!
We had high hopes of exploring the Glencolmcille Folk Village, but we’d arrived a little too late to be able to take a proper look around before closing time. We were still able to take a peek over the wall though, and it’s going on the to-do list for our next visit!

And hey, what’s that over there?
Looks like Explorer Beastie has found a quicker way to travel around Ireland in a day.

“I can see our house from here!”

He also spotted some more woolly friends from his lofty perch. So, we had to go and take a closer look!
And is that a beach I spy in the distance?
Why yes, yes it is! That would be a perfect place to wrap up our day trip, don’t you think?
Not too bad at all.

“Aaah, this is the life!”
And after a quick game of hide and seek in the long dune grass …
… Maybe it’s time for a paddle?
Very refreshing!

And then, with one last look back at the cliffs in the distance (we’ll definitely have to tackle those on a future trip too)…
… It was time to head back home!

Have your summer wanderings taken you anywhere interesting lately? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments! And we’ll be back on Friday with a whole family of new Beasties to share. See you then!

Monsters and Magical Houses

Posted on July 27, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Explorer Beastie

Happy Friday, everyone! And it’s not just the end of the week – today we’re also on the very last leg of our recent Germany trip. But I think I’ve saved the best for last, because it turns out that Germany is just full of the kind of cute monsters that the Beasties and I love so much! We’ll meet them later in the post.

First, let’s check out that magical house I mentioned!
How’s THAT for a cool place to live?

This very unusual building is called the Waldspirale (“Forest Spiral”), and it’s in Darmstadt, a city just south of Frankfurt. It was designed by an Austrian-born New Zealand artist and architect called Friedensreich Hundertwasser, and the best part is that it’s not just for show. Yes, people actually do live here!

Apart from the glowing gold domes on the roof, I also loved the gentle layers of colour, smooth curved surfaces and the proliferation of plants everywhere.And these things are recurring themes in Hundertwasser’s designs – he was very much against straight lines and standardisation. This is especially obvious when you see the staircase in the central courtyard!

So, if I ever feel the need to relocate Beastie Towers to Germany, I reeeeeeallllly hope they have a spot for us in here! Oh, and fun fact – while you’ll find most of Hundertwasser’s buildings in Germany and Austria, there are a few others scattered in choice locations across the world. They include a winery in the Napa Valley in the US, an incineration plant in Osaka, Japan, and… A public toilet block in Kawakawa, a small town in the northernmost region of New Zealand!

Now, who wants to meet some monsters? Because trust me, they were everywhere! We found monster street art…
… Mascots in shops…
… And friends on every street corner!

Hey, is this making you thirsty? Have some monster juice!
And now I think it’s high time we kicked back with a nice cup of monster tea…
… And remember all the friends, old and new, we met on our trip!
Cheers for joining us on our travels – and also a massive THANK YOU to all the Beastiebuddies who made our German trip so much fun!

We’ll be back on Tuesday with more monster shenanigans… In the meantime, are your paws taking you anywhere interesting this weekend? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments!

Old Meets New in Frankfurt - CrawCrafts Beasties

Fine Art Fun in Frankfurt!

Posted on July 24, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Explorer Beastie

OK, so the last couple of posts here on the BeastieBlog have been a little on the wild side…
… But there’s more to Frankfurt than its zoo, y’know! Today, we’re going to take a trip into the city centre in search of some culture.

Even walking through the streets of Frankfurt was an interesting experience – everywhere we turned, it seemed that old-fashioned buildings were rubbing shoulders with the towering glass skyscrapers that you’d expect to see in one of Europe’s main financial centres.
That said, there’s a good chance that many of these classical-looking buildings aren’t much older than their shiny modern neighbours. Like many cities in the industrial Rhineland region, Frankfurt was heavily bombed in the Second World War, and its renowned medieval town centre was hit especially hard.

This blend is clearer as you approach the river Main…
…Well, it would be if a certain Beastie wasn’t hogging centre stage! The Main cuts the city neatly in half, and since we needed to be on the other side, we made a beeline for that bridge up ahead.

And we chose our crossing point well! This is the Eiserner Steg (Iron Bridge), a pedestrian bridge which is a great place to stop and admire the cityscape…
… Or, if you’re Explorer Beastie, to hang out among the love locks.

On the other side, we wandered down the riverbank for a while – mostly because I am atrocious at navigation and took a wrong turn at the end of the bridge. I’m glad I did though, because otherwise we would have missed this place!
It looks like a magical castle, lost in a leafy forest… But this unusual building actually houses a contemporary art gallery called Portikus. Portikus has had a couple of homes around Frankfurt since it was founded in 1987, the first of them being the portico of the old public library building, which is where the name comes from. The gallery finally moved into its first purpose-built home in this tower on an island in the Main in 2006.

We’ll have to save our visit for another day though, because we already had a plan! Onwards!

And here we are. Look, someone’s even opening the door for us.
This is the Städel Museum, home to a vast art collection that includes everything from old masters to contemporary artists from Germany and further afield.

We thought we’d start at the beginning, with the Old Masters on the top floor. That meant tackling some stairs!
Phew! Poor Explorer Beastie needed a bit of a rest after that lot… Although he pretended he was just examining this wall of portraits.
The Old Masters gallery is brimming over with incredible paintings, some of them dating back to the late Middle Ages! Since I know some of you will be reading this over lunchtime, I’ll spare you the gory crucifixion and martyrdom images that seemed to so inspire artists at that time, and share this picture of Explorer Beastie examining “The Geographer” by Vermeer instead.

And speaking of lunch… As we made our way onwards into the modern era, we stumbled upon a Renoir!
That’s it on the left – and how appropriate that it’s called “La Fin du Déjeuner” (After the Luncheon)! But if you’re still hungry, perhaps I can tempt you with some Mondspargel (Moon Asparagus)…

We also found a scene that looked mighty familiar in this Max Beckmann painting…
Hey, didn’t we just cross that bridge earlier? I suppose we were lucky that the river below wasn’t full of ice, as it is in the painting. Brrrr!

This brought us nearly to the present day. So after a quick photo opportunity at John Armleder’s Mirror Mosaic wallpiece…
… We headed underground to check out the Städel’s contemporary collection.

Out of all the pieces on display, Explorer Beastie particularly wanted to have his photo taken with this Rosemarie Trockel piece – can you figure out why?
No, its nothing to do with the reference to the 90s… Although that was always going to catch my eye! Here, look a little closer…
It’s knitted! Explorer Beastie found this particularly inspiring – he says he never realised art was in the very fabric of his being. Now he’s planning his first solo show.

So, since he had work to do, there was just time for one last shot in this awesome space…
… Before we headed back upstairs to ground level!

And believe me, we only scratched the surface of this incredible museum… So if you ever find yourself in Frankfurt, make sure it goes at the top of your to-see list!

We’ll be back on Friday with the last of our Germany photos, so be sure to join us for a monster-filled trip finale. See you then!

Freaky Friday in Frankfurt!

Posted on July 20, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Explorer Beastie

Happy Friday, everyone! And since the weekend is very nearly here, I thought you might be tantalised by a post about the weirder things we encountered on our recent visit to Frankfurt Zoo! Buuuuut if you want to start out slow, don’t worry – you can catch up with the cute fuzzies from Tuesday’s post here.

So, we left Explorer Beastie and his new friend Rose the Pink Unicorn here…
Where to next? Let’s see what we can find under the waves… Dive dive dive!

Hey look – WE FOUND NEMO!
Frankfurt Zoo has a really great aquarium and reptile house… Alas, the light levels were too low for my long-suffering camera! If you’re in desperate need of some fishy pics, our recent snaps from Düsseldorf Aquazoo should help to tide you over.

Time to resurface! And back on dry land, a feathered friend hinted at what we should go to look at next.
There are heaps of exotic birds living here – some of them in free-flight aviaries you can actually walk through! Here are a few of our favourite sightings… An elegant red-crowned crane, a shy cassowary and a brightly-coloured bee-eater!
But hey, I promised you weirdness! And although these boat-billed herons definitely look like they’re plotting something sinister…
…They’re no match for the mighty marabou stork!

These massive, cadaverous-looking birds might not be winning any beauty contests, but they’ve a long association with the world of high fashion. You see, for many years, their delicate fluffy down (called “marabou”) was coveted as a trimming for the most glamorous evening wear and saucy lingerie! Not only is it soft and fuzzy, it’s naturally white and takes dye really well, too.

Of course, the downside of this for the marabou stork was that it almost literally became a fashion victim. Fortunately, a shift towards synthetic marabou, or using similar feathers harvested from domesticated turkeys, has helped them to bounce back. Hurrah!

Moving on from the aviaries, we met some more unusual creatures – an entire family of baboons, who had come inside to shelter from a passing rainstorm.
It was the first time either of us had seen a hamadryas baboon, and Explorer Beastie thought they were really strange. Mind you, from the look the big male on the left is shooting at us, I reckon he thinks the same about us!

And while these guys were all safely behind glass (thank goodness! You should have seen the size of their teeth), in another section of the primate house, we encountered a daring escape artist!
“You ain’t seen me, right?”

This lemur had somehow found him/herself outside the enclosures where the other lemurs were nonchalantly going about their day. Since there were staff about, we figured this separation was intentional… But that didn’t stop us being really surprised at first!

Oh, and then Explorer Beastie got distracted by the “most dangerous animal” exhibit, which he completely misunderstood and used as a photo op.

Then again, the idea of being a dangerous animal didn’t seem to faze him that much. He wanted one of these signs for himself.
Right, time for you to mellow out a bit! Let’s go and visit the gorillas.
One of them even came to hang out with us for their lunch break!
But by the time we left the great apes, those scattered rain showers had become a steady downpour. We took shelter in the nocturnal house… Yes, definitely shelter! We totally weren’t hiding from this guy.
Nope, not terrifying in the slightest.

But even the giant screaming bat couldn’t frighten the rain away. In fact, it got even heavier! So we decided to head for home. For some of the zoo’s inhabitants though, it seemed to be a refreshing end to a long hot day at work!
Thanks for joining us on our whirlwind tour of the Zoo! And if you’ve any plans to hang out with furred or feathered friends over the weekend, be sure to let us know in the comments!

We’ll be back on Tuesday with more from Frankfurt, so don’t forget to join us then… Have a super weekend!

It’s a Jungle in Here!

Posted on July 17, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Explorer Beastie

Hey there everybody! It may be another bright and sunny Tuesday in Dublin, but here in Beastie Towers we’re still dreaming of our recent adventures in Germany…
… And today’s post finds us moving on to Frankfurt, where we had urgent business – visiting Frankfurt Zoo with friends!

At around this time, Frankfurt Zoo was experiencing a bit of a baby boom. The main attraction was the triplet lion cubs, who had arrived in mid-April, but it turned out this momma bear had had some good news of her own recently too!
She was a lot braver than the cubs though – we were only just able to see them peeking their noses out from the doorway in the background!

And while the lion cubs had been formally introduced to their adoring public at the end of May, this new family wasn’t being subjected to the spotlight all day every day. But thanks to the wonders of technology, we were still able to see all the latest goings-on inside the lions’ den! Hey, looks like it’s lunchtime!

A little further along, we were able to catch up with some less elusive creatures. Looks like Explorer Beastie is planning a new career as a goatherd!
Next up – alpacas! They appeared to have had a haircut recently… What a shame I missed THAT! I would gladly have taken the trimmings off the Zoo’s hands for a reasonable fee.Then, at the zebra enclosure, Explorer Beastie made a friend!
Seems pink amigurumi unicorns enjoy a day at the zoo too!

And there were more pink creatures to see, like this vaguely rose-tinted pelican…
… And of course, FLAMINGOS!
But it soon felt like we were back on the African plains… On our wanderings, we encountered a rhino, a klipspringer and a whole herd of dama gazelles!
Explorer Beastie even got to hang out with the giraffes… Sort of.
Then, because it was a really HOT day, we were happy to take the zoo up on an opportunity to cool off underwater! Hmm, is anybody home?
Luckily, there was a Beastie buddy on hand to make sure Explorer Beastie didn’t miss anything!
And to top it all off, he got to take ride in a submarine with his new friend Rose!
Where will their undersea craft wash up? You’ll have to join us on Friday to find out…

Also, thanks to Isabel and Rose for all their help with the photos for this post! You’re the best!

Riverboats, Railways and Falling Elephants

Posted on July 10, 2018 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Explorer Beastie

Hello there Beastie friends! I’m working on some new monster projects which need to remain a closely-guarded secret for the moment… So I thought we’d switch up the posting schedule from the last couple of weeks. Let’s catch up with Explorer Beastie’s progress through Germany… And as you can perhaps tell from the unusual title, today’s post finds us in transit!

We decided to do all our internal travel in Germany by rail, and it was brilliant! The beautiful sun-drenched Rhineland countryside zipped past the window of our carriage, and we passed through a few of the region’s towns along the way. From our seats, we even glimpsed this alternative mode of transport in the city of Wuppertal…

That green line cutting through the middle of the photo is the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn. This monorail holds the very specific honour of being the oldest “electric elevated railway with hanging cars” in the world. The first track opened in 1901, and it’s still in use today… But that’s not what it’s locally famous for.

Back in July 1950, the Althoff Circus decided it might be fun to put a baby elephant onto the Schwebebahn as a publicity stunt. As the car moved off, the elephant got bumped around a bit and actually fell out of the train…

Tuffi the Elephant on the Wuppertal Schwebebahn — Not my picture, obviously… Borrowed from Ullstein Bild, via spiegel.de

Fortunately her fall was broken by the river Wupper, and she only sustained minor injuries… but from that day on, she was known as “Tuffi” – the Italian word for “waterdive”.

Oh, and I’m sure you’ll be relieved to hear that the dopes who put her on the Schwebebahn in the first place were rewarded with hefty fines.

Now, onwards to Dortmund! Where a Beastie welcoming committee had rolled out the red carpet for us…

Chelsea Wool-fe on the left there was my very first Goth Beastie – isn’t she looking well?

And there were more Beastie friends to catch up with later in the day, too. But first, let’s sample some of the local brew!

Hey, look who’s here! It’s Alex Beastie!

Alex Beastie moved to Germany just before Christmas last year, so it was nice to be able to meet up with her again in less frantic circumstances! We took a table on the Herr Walter “Eventschiff” – a bar on a boat that’s permanently moored in Dortmund’s port. It was so refreshing being by the water on such a warm evening!

And what better place to spot ducks and watch the sunset?

The port area in Dortmund is changing, as the city leaves its industrial past behind and focuses on the technology and services sectors instead. And this change is happening all over town! The next day, we visited another district which has also had a major facelift in recent years.

This is Phoenix-See, a man-made lake whose shores are sprinkled with cafés, restaurants and upmarket houses.

In fact, we were only able to find one clue to its former identity as a steel works – this sculpture by the waterfront!But in its new incarnation, as a place to spend a lazy Sunday clambering over the rocks on the shore, it’s hard to beat!Lovely!Here’s wishing you all a nice, relaxing start to your week! And we’ll be back on Friday with a peek at what the rest of our Beastie family has been up to! See you then!

Prickly Situation for Explorer Beastie at Aquazoo - CrawCrafts Beasties, Beastie HQ

Beasties of the Deep!

Posted on July 6, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Explorer Beastie

Happy Friday, everyone! And with the high temperatures continuing, and still no sign of rain for us here in the Emerald Isle, a cooling dip in the sea might be just what we need… So isn’t it lucky that when we left Explorer Beastie last week, he was just about to venture inside Düsseldorf’s Aquazoo? I caught up with him at the hamster enclosure…

… By which time I was already feeling a little like the guy draped over the rocks in the picture on the right! Adventuring is clearly a lot easier when you have someone to carry you from place to place.

But I soon perked up as we started to explore Aquazoo – part aquarium, part zoo and part natural history museum, there’s loads of cool stuff to see. So, let’s turn left at the penguins, and head for the tropical jungle!
There were plenty of curious reptiles to meet in there…… But none as curious as the mysterious headless turtle!

The weirdness continued with an opportunity to see both the inside and the outside of a snake…
… So it was quite a relief when we encountered a tank full of complete, entirely normal tortoises.

And next… Explorer Beastie was very keen to get his picture taken with the stick insects. Can you spot them?
Fascinating as this game was, we were excited to get to the “Aqua” part of Aquazoo!

Appropriately enough, one of the first displays we saw was about mythical monsters of the deep. Explorer Beastie decided it was only fair that he add himself to the lineup…
…Although the specimens of real-life deep sea fish almost had him running for cover in my handbag. Check out those teeth!
Further down the hall, we met a much friendlier fish – a giant freshwater puffer fish! We could have watched this guy’s antics for hours.
But why should we have all the fun? Here, say hello yourself!

We also enjoyed the reef tank – it was full of brightly-coloured small fish, rays, a moray eel and even a shark!
And while I saw a similarity between these sand eels and Pepe the Prawn from The Muppets…

Sand Eels and Pepe the Prawn - CrawCrafts Beasties — Image of Pepe the Prawn borrowed from http://pepelovesdanandphil.tumblr.com

… Explorer Beastie felt a certain stripey kinship with these butterfly fish.
Some of the fish were very eager to get to know Explorer Beastie!
But perhaps some of these underwater marvels could have got a little bit too friendly. Um, are you sure this giant clam shell only wants to give you a hug?
Fortunately, he was able to escape the clutches of the scary shell and join me in what I shall affectionately call “The Realm of the Weird Squishy Things” – hello neon sea anemones and glowing jellyfish!
The coral reef display gave a certain little woolly monster an opportunity to pretend he was scuba diving…
… And he enjoyed getting up close and personal with an axolotl too!
But he had to wait until the very end before he finally got a chance to hitch a lift on a fish’s back!

Then there was just time for a quick snap with the whale skeleton at the entrance…
…Before we washed up on dry land once more, blinking in the bright evening sunshine!
Phew! That’s enough fishy goings-on for one week… Or is there anyone else out there who loves a good wander around an aquarium? Let me know in the comments!

We’ll be back with more monster shenanigans on Tuesday… Until then, have a super weekend!

Düsseldorf Days – A Walk in the Park!

Posted on June 29, 2018June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Explorer Beastie

Hello everybody! It’s veeeery nearly the weekend… And between the scorching weather and the lovely time I’ve just spent picking out pictures to use in this post, it really does feel a lot like I’m still on holiday! Hopefully a little of that will radiate out from your screen as you read… Now, let’s catch up with Explorer Beastie and see what he got up to on our first day in Düsseldorf!
Aha! He appears to have waded into a Beastie-sized jungle. It’s certainly an adventurous way to kick off the holiday! Maybe we’d better stick to the paths, though?

When we visited Düsseldorf last spring we were only there for a few days, so we pretty much stayed in the city centre. This time, we took advantage of a bright sunny morning and hopped on the underground to Nordpark – a park made up of a series of themed gardens. Perfect for an early summer walk!

Everyone we saw stopped for a photo op with the fountains, so of course Explorer Beastie wanted to as well.
And as we ventured in deeper, we found some formal walks to wander along…
… And some places where Nature seemed to have gained the upper hand!
Explorer Beastie found some interesting beetles wandering around here… Does anyone know what these are?
And then, around the next corner, we found ourselves on the other side of the world!
Welcome to the Japanese Garden!

It’s a beautiful place to relax and stroll through – lush and shady, and there are even koi carp in the pond!
Something you may not know about Düsseldorf is that it has one of Europe’s largest Japanese communities – in fact, the third biggest after London and Paris! In the years after the Second World War, a handful of Japanese firms set up in the city so that they could export metal and machinery from Germany’s industrial heartland back to Japan. Word spread, and by the early 1970s, 200 Japanese companies were registered there, and 2000 Japanese people called Düsseldorf home.

The community continued to grow through the 80s, but numbers dipped a little in the early 90s, when Germany’s capital relocated to Berlin and Japan’s economy took a downturn. However, Japanese people began to drift back to Düsseldorf from the late 90s onwards. Why? Because it already had everything they needed to help them feel at home when working in Europe – a support network for new arrivals, a Buddhist centre, a Japanese school and even a weekly Japanese newspaper!

So, to celebrate this special bond, in 1975 the Japanese garden was gifted to the people of Düsseldorf by the “Japanischer Garten in Düsseldorf” Association, a group of Japanese firms and members of the city’s Japanese community.

I’m not sure that those people could ever have imagined that one day, a little woolly monster from Ireland would be climbing in those perfectly-manicured trees…
… Peering over the bridge…
… Or catching some rays beside the stream!
Feeling very zen indeed, we took one last look back at the Japanese Garden…
… And continued our wanderings! I really loved this place, too… A sundrenched meadow where the long grass was full of singing crickets!
Having successfully “Beastie-bombed” my tranquil vista, Explorer Beastie tore on ahead to our next destination, at the end of this tree-lined path…
Where are we off to? You’ll have to come back next Friday to find out!

In the meantime, enjoy the weekend – are you enjoying the same heat and sunny climes as we’re getting in Ireland? Let us know in the comments! And be sure to join us again on Tuesday to meet another new Beastie friend!

	tierneycreates: a fu… on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	crawcraftsbeasties on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	quietwatercraft on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	crawcraftsbeasties on We Wish You A Merry Beast…
	The Hidden Spain on (Mer)Made Just for You!