Why am I asking such stupid questions? Well, 2016 is not only the Queen’s 90th birthday, but also the 90th anniversary of the first publication starring Winnie-The-Pooh.
It turns out that the two of them have a lot in common. They are both 90, very British and say clever things every now and then. Probably the Queen is even fond of honey like our beloved little bear. The Queen is said to have loved the Winnie-The-Pooh stories when she was a child. No wonder: since the first publication in 1926, the stories about the thoughtful bear and his friends by author A.A.Milne have found their way into children’s hearts all over the world. They have even been translated into Latin, for some reason.
In their adventures, Pooh and his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore discover the true values of friendship while roaming around the “Hundred Acre Wood”. Winnie-The-Pooh, who was named after the author’s son’s teddy bear, is often thought to be a bit slow-witted but appears to be a fairly good poet. Most of the stories include a poem or a ‘hum’ about friendship or about honey, which he is very fond of.
As 2016 is Pooh’s and her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday, circumstances seem perfect for the two of them to meet. That’s why in a recently published short story, Pooh and his friends travel to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen. An audio-visual version of the new adventure, written by Jane Riordan, is available on youtube, but it can also be downloaded for free at WinnieThePooh.Disney.com. By the way: we asked some of our readers at the International Day in June who they would like to have a beer with. The answer: Winnie-The-Pooh. I guess he’s just so cute!
Pictures & Author: Melanie Pfanzelt
wering the questions since I’ve no idea whether I was born in Tatooine or Bespin. But I join the game and follow the path to my Star Wars character. On my way to my new identity I pass 200 requisites, costumes and drawings. The little voice in my ears explains every little detail and I learn that the early versions of the little green goblin, called Yoda, looked like a cross between Santa Claus and a garden gnome at first. And while I’m still wondering if Jabba the Hood, who looks like a gigantic slug, is the most powerful criminal, I’m suddenly facing him. Even I know his name and his breathing problems: Darth Vader himself is standing right in front of me. And now every visitor has to answer the most difficult question: should you join the dark side?
s. Niantic and Nintendo have long refused to offer games for anything but their own gaming devices. At the beginning of July this year, a dream for many Pokémon fans worldwide came true: being able to actually integrate your game into your life. The very handy side effect of having to walk around your area or even explore new parts of your city (namely exercise), has been accepted widely.
ts: that means you have to actually hurry to do your move. Otherwise your opponent might just win without you even having used one single move.) No Pokécenters, marts (you get Pokéballs at Pokéstops, as well as other goodies) or hometowns of players exist in this game. There are teams to choose from: red, blue or yellow (probably because of the three original games/legendary Pokémon?). After choosing one, you will take over gyms with this team – but you also have to defend that said gym against opponents of the other teams.
h all of them, so you don’t have to miss out on one! (Yay!) Pokéstops: You want to visit as many of these as possible, as they’re your immediate supplier of Pokéballs, which you need to “be the very best.” The main point of Pokéstops and gyms, though, is to level up the player. This time, it doesn’t matter that much, what level your Pokémon are, but rather what level you are. The higher the level you are, the higher level Pokémon you’ll find. All of the creatures can be found in their “natural surrounding”, meaning you’ll find a Squirtle close to water and a Rattata or Pidgey basically everywhere. You just have to explore new areas to catch different types.
Once on the island, you can rent bikes, or if you’re a bit on the lazy side like we were, you can choose a minibus that comes fully equipped with a driver (in our case, a Que sera, sera-singing driver). If you’re romantically inclined, you might want to go for one of the horse-drawn carriages waiting for business at the quay. In any case, when you’re touring the island, you’ll see many of the typical stone walls, which mostly function as enclosures for cattle and which are astonishingly resilient (the walls and cows, just look at them!). There are some green fields that farmers have had to cultivate with seaweed and sand because the island doesn’t have naturally fertile soil.
