There was much to see and digging through the photos and memories is always an exhilarating challenge but permit me to offer some new and probably recycled photos with some thoughts.
Best stairs to climb......One thing that is always on the top of my list is to climb to the tower of any cathedral. The photo above is from the church in Unna, Germany. We asked the minister for the keys and unlocked the door and took the steps. Up to the top. Didn't even have to pay...unless one considers that I had to get to Germany and then the cost was about $100/step. But, they were stone and old and circular and so it was totally worth it!
And the view from the top......
Most colorful pulpit....
This was a no-brainier.....the church in Unna spent some time and money on refurbishing this gem. I keep leaving my Worship Committee, photos and hints of the pulpits in European churches and cathedrals....thinking they might want to upgrade our pulpit....something that is befitting to my stature. They tell me that they already have....which I think means "No" and that I will not be getting this Rolls Royce of pulpits.
It's such a natural fit.
There's even a dramatic staircase for entering the pulpit!
OK....move on......
This is how to put on a church festival. Hire the regional Philharmonic Orchestra of 75 professional musicians plus a soloist and then add a say, 800 member choir for good measure.
Just your average, over-the-top church festival in Germany. I enjoyed it all, especially the Philharmonic. And, this being Germany....the church festival included a beer tent.
Unlike any other cathedral I've visited.... Calogne, Cathedral. If I were directing a film about some Gothic spellbinder and needed a location that invoked drama and "the look" of another era entirely.....Cologne Cathedral is the place. It took on all the urban soot it could and gives us this drama...
Lots of scaffolding as they repair and the interior is a gem. But, l was looking for the tower stairs and the walk to the top.
But wait....how can one go to the tower without first stopping by to see the bones of the Three Wise Men. That's what they say are in the golden, highly decorated box. I saw Mohammed's Mustache in Istanbul and Thomas, the Disciple's finger bone in a church in India and now I've seen the bones of the Wisemen. Or so they say. Life is good.
The stairs to the tower.....
I've climbed a lot of tower steps but this one offered few stops along the way. Exhilarating.
One of My Top Three European Cities (though this will undoubtably change). Amsterdam.
You've got really old street signs stuck on the side of the really old buildings.
Delightful reminders of the Black Plague above church doors....what better way to say, "Come worship with us today!"
Small, historic churches which sheltered the Pilgrims before they headed to the New World and who also refused me entry when they were worshipping.
Oh, then there are the canals. Canals with big boats full of tourists.
Canals with individual kayakers.
And bizaare floating, 40 horse power homemade one-of-a-kind tour boats like "Captain Adam" who "gave us a special price" for an hour tour on his two sofa and one picnic table nailed to a wooden floor which was lashed to a pontoon type boat.
We took the tour of the canals and found ourselves to be the tourist attraction. Captain Adam delivered and I tipped him generously for a great tour and a wonderful story to tell others. I have no idea how many Amsterdam laws and regulations he broke but we were allowed to leave the country a couple days later so I guess we were not on any "watch lists."
Don't tell my insurance provider about the stairs to my Amsterdam B&B.
And these were the easy set of stairs up to my 3rd floor attic room.
Best Medieval Spires all in One Place....Ghent, Belgium
You can see three spires in this Ghent picture. The first one is in old St. Nicholas Church which did not survive the Iconoclasts and today is a relic and book fair auditorium. The second spire is the one I climbed. It was awesome and tiring and I'm glad I did it. The third spire is under scaffolding. It is still a working, worshipping church.
Why Would You Not Want this Photo on the Internet?
I understand the owner of our B&B not wanting photos of unkept places in her really excellent B&B...but look at this......this is just a forgotten corner of her staircase. I snapped the photo and ultimately Maryame approved.
We ate breakfast each morning at this table in the kitchen of the larger apartment.
And Wisteria clung to the outside. Great place.
New Revenue Stream Possibility
In the big church in Ghent they had numerous chapels....in this particular one there was a harpist. He played and displayed his latest CD's for purchase.
The Nazis Couldn't Steal It and So We Now Get to Admire This Treasure
But the real draw at the Ghent Church was and is the Ghent Altarpiece.
Yet, Ghent is Just So Picturesque....especially if you get up early or stay up late....otherwise there are a lot of tourists.
Morning on the canals.
Evening on the canals.
Daytime on the canals.
He May Have Been Born Here....But That Does Not Mean We are Proud of Him.
Emporer Charles V. Emporer of the Holy Roman Empire: born 1500.
The following is not a statue commemorating Charles but a statue of defiance. Charles had a tendency to kill those who disagreed with him. (Martin Luther was an exception.....he did to care for Luther's theology but Luther had a powerful protector). Charles would kill the Protestants as a way of keeping the rebellion down....always a time honored way to quell rebellion.....kill more people. Charles would hang the nobles for a fast death (as befitting their station in life) and slowly kill the riff-raff by burying them alive. This statue shows a man with a noose around his neck about to be hanged and yet this victim is looking Charles directly in the eye....not giving in an inch....as his neck is about to be stretched. THAT is the only tribute to Charles that I found in Ghent, the birthplace of the Emporer.
How does one walk completely past a castle on a hill? We did just that. We had to ask directions and I'm sure the local guy thought we were nuts.
Vianden Castle is from the 1300's built on a former Roman site. Today it has been restored and is a wonderful castle to visit.
Granted, electric lighting was rare in the 1300's
Just one of the many turrets and restored portions of Vianden Castle.
Clervaux, Luxembourg......I love this town and so would you.
We came to see a castle, which was really an estate type building. But we walked the town and discovered the St. Maurice Abbey in the hills. They had monks and made apple juice and went to prayers and had a great cloister which I wanted to see but it was only for the monks.
We were invited to go into the chapel and walk around some of the ground. It was a dark rainy afternoon and that made it all the more impressive.
Back down in the town, we stopped at this church (above) and found it open.
Inside....
....and out. I loved this church in Clervaux.
Without a doubt, the best city center created in the Pleistocene Era....Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. The city's walk along the river and high on the cliffs is awesome.
Dinner with the Followers of the Grand Duke. We stumbled upon this family run local restaurant in Luxembourg City and left feeling like we were old friends of the owners and regular clientele.
Biking with the Old Guy. While in Unna, Germany I went "local" and biked several times around town. My friend asked if I could ride a bike. I just smiled and wobbled on along.
Don't go to a German City and ask for a Beer that is associated with a different city. It's rather like going to Ann Arbor in November and shouting "O-H"....it does not go over well.
Biggest lines in Europe.....Anne Frank's House in Amsterdam.
Non-existent lines in Europe....any church door.
Belgium waffles, fries and chocolates are......all they promised to be....excellent!
Did we ever tire of visiting churches and monestaries......No, they remain fascinating no matter how many one has seen.
And though Sinatra sings of Castles in Spain....I would recommend castles in Luxembourg. Those castles are on my bucket list....so is Leiden, in the Netherlands....and a driving tour of small towns in Germany......
So little time.
Peace, Bob
