NL - 25th, Feb, 2009, Wed (Sunny, 2C~ 8C) Nuenen : Dierenrijk Europa Zoo

Dierenrijk Europa Zoo Carnival news on Groot Eindhoven Newspaper

On Ash Wednesday, I drove the two kids to the Dierenrijk Europa Zoo in Nuenen which was 30 mins from our house. It was open free of charge for the visitors today because of the Carnival celebration (normal price EU$15.5/ea, kids above 3 to 11 years old are EU$13.95/ea). We got the news from the Groot Eindhoven on 18th, February

The Zoo Opening Guide

The welcome board

The welcome flag

The electronic doors were opened to public for free on Ash Wednesday

Despite the Asian elephants, black bear, etc, we found a lot of cold climate or desert animals as we only seen in the TV, like polar bear, highland cattle, European Lynx, European wolf, moose, etc. They are seldom seen in the Asian zoo.

The polar bear

The beaver

The Pole fox

The camels

The boars

The highland cattle

The moose and the firegeese


The European Lynx

The European Owl

The Snow owl

The seals are feeding by the guardian

What kinds of animals are they?

The kids saw many animals and played in the zoo's playgrounds with many Dutch kids (no Asian were seen). They were very happy. It is sure a paradise of the children.

Play in a car

Climbing a jungle gym

Preparation before the hanging swing

Paying the hanging swing

On the nest swing

Playing the donkey cart on the sand

NL - 23th, Feb, 2009, Mon (Cloudy, 5C~ 10C) Eindhoven :Carnival in Netherlands (III)

On Monday, we went to join a Carnival party which 3 mins car drive from our house. It organized by the government and the celebration hold from last Friday to this Tuesday (20th ~ 24th, Feb). The entrance fee was Euro$0.5/ea. All the workers, sales for the tickets or foods, the young and the old, the men and women, were all dressed up, talking, dancing with music, singing, eating, drinking and the kids were playing games to win sweets, candies, games or chips.

We ordered two coke for the kids which was the same price as the beers, they were in the same size as 250ml.

NL - 21th, Feb, 2009, Sat (Raining, 5C~10C) Eindhoven :Carnival in Netherlands (II)

During the Carnival celebration, we could see many people on the streets especially in the Centrum of Eindhoven who dressed up specially . When they saw us, some of them would say " Ni-how! (How are you in Chinese)" to us and they were pleased to took photos with us. Moreover, some of them would say Syuan "a beautiful princess" which made her very happy.....

NL - 21th, Feb, 2009 Sat (Raining 5~ 10C) Eindhoven : Cycling

There is a road that sorrounded with trees near our house. The two kids can cycle very fast and safely as it is prohibit for the cars. Soon, we may take away their supportive two wheels at both sides in order that they can be trained to cycle by their own. We saw a little girl like Syuan age that cycled by her own some weeks ago.

When we cycling towards the road, we saw two young man who are going to join a Carnival party, one of them with an General costume waiting for the other one with a bicycle racing suit and a bottle of beer coming out from the house, then took a car away from the car park nearby.

During the cycling, we saw a man and a woman asking for direction, they waved their hands when I told them to repeated in English as they knew we are fresh to this places. It seems that they are houses agent which visiting a rent/sell house. The houses for rent around our area are increasing tremendously with the down sizing of the economy in these three months.

When we come back, we saw an old man with his black dog watching us, as he might be awared by the kids talking, laughing and cycling noises, while it is always silent or no one walking by for a long time.

Furthermore, around our car park, a boy from our neighbourhood was playing a football, the kids enjoyed to play the ball with him.