We get extended time now in Singrüeni, so we decided to have a quiet celebration for our anniversary today in Sankt Gallen, the closest “big” city.
We haven’t been there much, so we are still enjoying exploring the old town. It is old. This was a Roman fort town, then a monastery town when the Irish monks brought Christianity to the pagans, then a textile factory city in the Industrial Revolution, and now it is notable for some industries, libraries, and its business university. It retains some old buildings from four or more centuries ago. We went to one for dinner.
It is springtime with trees blooming everywhere, and flowers in the grass and gardens.
The trees are still leafless, but the sun shone.
This is a statue of martyr saint of the tenth century named Wiborada. She lived walled into a room with no door, and one window to the church and one to the world, through which she counseled people. She memorized all the Psalms, and probably found them more appealing than the all the annoying people around her. (That’s how you get away with getting away from people.)
At one time the city was quite rich, so some of the old buildings are immense.
Or just picturesque.
Some Easter trees are out already.
No city planners here, and no straight streets.
We had dinner at the Golden Sheep.
Note the sloping floor. ALL the floors sloped a good foot from outside walls to the inside of rooms. It was a little disconcerting, but very picturesquely historical.
Walnut table, hand wrought beams, wooden wainscoting, and art that didn’t fit. But the food was sehr fine.
In-season asparagus and fresh caught fishes.
This table was a student fraternity commission, and is inscribed with the nicknames of many of them.
After dinner, we wandered the streets a bit more….
And stopped awhile to listen to these traveling musicians, playing Pachelbel and other classics, very well performed. They are from Eastern Europe, bringing their employment with them.
This is one of the old clusters of houses around a tiny courtyard….
…..through a narrow passage……
… where lower classes live.
And this is a much abused tree, with huge tumors, but still hanging on, and arrayed in a pretty flower carpet.
Goodbye, Sankt Gallen, until next time.
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