Easter Blooms

 Christ is Risen

My next amaryllis is re-blooming, just in time for Orthodox Easter today (by Julian calendar). 

Blessed Sunday.

Balkans III

 Novi Sad Fortress

This place was one of the bulwarks against invaders into the rest of Europe. The Serbs have fought long and hard for their own survival, and in doing so, to keep others from encroaching westward. They were not always successful, being under Ottoman rule for a period of time, but they are back to their Orthodox heritage. 

The clock tower with the minute and hour hands reversed, so ships on the river could see the time.

Part of the defensive structures.

Always locks on the railings

Old trees along the fortress.

The “Monica Bridge” - one of numerous infrastructure things that President Clinton had blown up to distract from his escapades. 

More of the fortress

The whole underground is tunneled with defenses, and these chimneys let out the fumes from the gunpowder during shooting down below. (The interior was being worked on, so we couldn’t go in this time.)

To be continued…

Balkans II

 Engelberg

After visiting the monastery, we went to the home of our hosts. They have a view! 

Evening

Next morning, looking down on the monastery 

Hunting trophies 

Then we flew to Belgrade - a special flight in a Pilatus, flown by our host.

To Novi Sad

View of the ancient fortress

Driving into the fortress

Part of the fortress was made into a fine hotel in the last century 

To be continued….

Trip to the Balkans

 The Start

My brother and his wife visited us, and we went with them on a trip. It started in Engelberg. We visited the monastery there, and  a wood carving shop. 

The city has many lovely bronzes. 

We looked into a small chapel.

And then the large, monastery church.

To be continued….

Blessed Easter Sunday

 Christ is Risen!

Alleluia! The tomb is empty. 

Holy Saturday

 Wangen City Tour

Again.

This City started in the mid-800‘s. At first it belonged to the cloister of St. Gallen. Then it was the crossroads of two major trade routes: north-south and east-west. It was attacked once in its history, by a neighboring noble with thirty men. That is memorialized in a fresco on one building. It was not bombed in WWII, so its old, old buildings are still standing and in use. Most of them are from the 1500‘s, because a fire destroyed the wooden buildings that made up the town before that. You will see some businesses in town with 1400‘s inscribed in them.

Getting ready for Easter.

City tour

City Hall and City church (St. Martin’s) and City gate from 1300‘s.

St. Martin’s Gate

Fresco of Jonah story, from 1500‘s

The gate to the graveyard, the leper house, and the gallows.

The cemetery outside the city walls, first used for plague victims, then soldiers. Now a park.it has a very old Romanesque church with wonderful paintings. 

Ceiling depicting the life of Christ 

The offering box

Blessed Easter preparations.