What’s it like to keep a Mainland Chahoua gecko? Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Rhacodactylus chahoua are commonly known as the mossy New Caledonian gecko, short-snouted New Caledonian gecko, or mossy prehensile-tailed…
Author: lyoness
… to Visit a Dripstone Cave?
What’s it like to visit a dripstone cave? Today, it was wet and cold (4 degrees C). Where could we go for an outing? Got it — somewhere warmer and drier — a dripstone cave!!! We picked up grandma and drove to the city of Iserlohn to visit the famous “Dechenhoehle.” It is the only…
… Go to the Dortmund Zoo?
What’s it like to go to the Dortmund Zoo? Well, Lyons Cub has already been at the Nashville Zoo, the Wuppertal Zoo, the Duisburg Zoo, the Aquazoo in Duesseldorf, the Cologne Zoo, the Fauna Park in Solingen, the Solingen Bird and Animal Park, and the Reuschenberg Animal Park in Leverkusen, so he had something to…
… Find an XXL Spider in the Basement?
What’s it like to find a huge spider in your basement? First of all, stay calm. Then, don’t hurt the spidey. It’s not its fault that it’s cold and rainy outside, and it would rather be in your warm and safe basement. Then, take a fun picture with your kid (who is not afraid of…
Product Review: Hudora City Scooter for Adults
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. This momma noticed quickly that it’s no fun running along next to her son’s Hudora stunt scooter that he got for his…
… Celebrate a Kid’s Birthday at the Oki Doki Indoor Playground?
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. What’s it like to celebrate a kid’s birthday in Oki Doki? We were sure that this time, we would celebrate it at…
… Celebrate Carnival in the Rhineland?
What’s it like to celebrate carnival in Germany? Well, we’re not living in one of the prime destinations for carnival celebrations, such as Cologne or Mainz, but even small cities and towns have parades and celebrations for the kids (and adults alike). So even if it’s not Carnival in Rio or Carnival of Venice, German…
Product Review: Hudora Stunt Scooter with Skull
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. A couple of months ago, Lyons Cub and mommy went to the Hugodrom in Remscheid, where he tried out an orange stunt…
… to Go to Judo Class?
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. What’s it like to go to judo class? It was Lyons Cub’s second day at the judo course, because the tryout was…
Product Review: Bowser Costume for German Carnival
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. It’s that time of the year again — we missed it during our time in the U.S., but in Germany, we don’t…
What’s it Like to be Diagnosed with Breast Cancer?
Guest post by Maria F. PART I You know how they say that, once you’ve reached a certain age, you should have a mammography every two years? At least that is the standing recommendation in Germany, and it is also what health insurance will pay for, no questions asked. Well, when I was 50, I…
Family Paradise in Leverkusen, the very different indoor playground
What’s it like at Family Paradise in Leverkusen? First of all, this is not an indoor playground like the others we have visited so far: GeckoFun in Burscheid, Hoplop in Cologne, Okidoki in Langenfeld, Trampolino in Hilden, Tiki Kinderland in Solingen, and Hugodrom in Remscheid. The others have trampolines, inflatables, climbing structures, bungy jumping, mini golf, and a…
Indoor Playgrounds in North Rhine-Westphalia
Are you traveling to or living in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany? If you have kids between the ages of about 2-12 who like to climb, slide, and jump, we have seven recommendations for indoor playgrounds in the region for you here. We’ve tried them all out and will tell you our honest opinion (from young and…
… Go to the Hugodrom Indoor Playground in Remscheid?
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. What’s it like to go to the Hugodrom in Remscheid? Well, it’s like a huge, empty hall with toys and attractions in…
Product Review: Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage with Shark
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. For Christmas 2022, mommy gave Lyons Cub a new Hot Wheels set for his city: A shark garage. Last year for his…
Product Review: Playmobil Knights’ Castle
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. For this year’s Christmas, Lyons Cub received his older cousin’s hand-me-down Playmobil knights’ castle. Although some parts were missing, he had a…
… Go to Tiki Kinderland Indoor Playground in Solingen?
What’s it like to go to Tiki Kinderland in Solingen? Well, we discovered yet another indoor playground in North Rhine Westphalia. We already know GeckoFun in Burscheid, Hoplop in Cologne, Okidoki in Langenfeld, Trampolino in Hilden, and Hugodrom in Remscheid. This one here has a specialty that the other ones are all missing: Water! It…
… Go to the Christmas Market at Castle Grunewald in Solingen?
We have been to several Christmas markets already, in Langenfeld, Monheim (including an ice-skating rink), and Leverkusen; however, they all had food booths and modern stuff, such as my son’s Pikachu hat with lights. I longed for a medieval Christmas market with old-fashioned, handcrafted items, tents, torches, camp fires, and a castle. We found a…
… Go Ice-Skating at the Christmas Market in Monheim?
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. The Christmas Market in Monheim, which you can reach in ten minutes by foot from the Nature Adventure Trail and the splash…
Pikachu hat with lights and movable ears
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Lyons Cub found an exciting light-up Pikachu hat with movable ears at the Christmas Market in Opladen: At first, we used the…
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Tiger Shark
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Lyons Cub had a visit from Santa Claus on December 6th, 2022. He brought him many a treat, because he had kept…
… Watch the Cranes Fly South?
What’s it like to watch the cranes fly south? Lyons Cub has seen the Canada geese and the Siberian geese fly in formation, but this time, while we were at a playground with his little friend Giuliana, we watched a flock of cranes fly to warmer regions. They were right over our heads in arrow-like…
Carrera Race Track, Fun for Old and Young
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. For Halloween this year, Lyons Cub visited his big cousins, and besides admiring each other’s disguises, eating cake, and having a barbecue,…
… Visit the Aquazoo in Duesseldorf?
When Lyons Cub was 1.5 years old, we visited the Aquazoo in Duesseldorf during our summer trip to Germany. This fall, we came back. As a 4.5-year-old, Leander could appreciate the animals and especially the interactive learning stations much more already. Except for the parking situation, which was a hassle, and the many visitors, we…
… Visit Circus Traber?
This was Lyons Cub’s fourth Circus visit! First, he went to Circus Liberty; then, to Circus Proscho; and finally, to Circus Florida. Each one was an exciting event for a preschooler, and each one contained specific attractions that were phenomenal. This is a short comparison of what the four circuses we have been to so…
… Visit the Cologne Zoo and Ride in a Gondola over the Rhine River?
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. My son has been to Cologne a couple of times already, once to visit the Chocolate Museum, see the Gothic cathedral, and…
… Go Bungy Jumping at Trampolino Indoor Playground in Hilden?
Lyons Cub has found his favorite indoor playground! Having tried out GeckoFun in Burscheid, Hoplop in Cologne, and Oki Doki in Langenfeld, we went to Trampolino in the city of Hilden, and this place had something of everything and some additional attractions the other places lacked. Let’s see how those four indoor playgrounds compare. Attractions…
Sonic the Hedgehog Costume for Halloween
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. It’s the first of October today. Have you carved a pumpkin yet with your kiddo? We bought an already painted one with…
… Grow a Hatch’em Dinosaur Egg?
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. [No worries, nobody will buy this!!] What’s it like to grow a Hatch’em Dinosaur Egg? Ehem, this is the first negative review…
… Go to the Fall Festival?
We were at Duisburg Zoo yesterday, when the sun was shining, so today, when it was rainy and cool, we JUST wanted to go to the post office in town, but we happened upon the fall festival… And here it goes. Lyons Cub went bungy jumping (which he already enjoyed as a toddler), fishing for…