Quote for today

Heavy Enough
=============

The crosses we bear
are not supposed to be heavy enough to crush us,

...but they are heavy enough to bend our knees.


~Author Unknown~

Visit to my Dentist

I have to wake up early yesterday because I had an appointment with my dentist. The reason, my tooth with fillings need to be fixed. Some fillings were already broken and my dentist need to replace it with new ones. I still have have my original tooth but only a part of it is bad.

As I was there in the clinic, my dentist asked me if I want to have an anesthesia injection to avoid the pain. I told him if it will be very painful then I need one, if not I guess no more. He tried getting the bad brown colored fillings. I really don't feel such pain but a different feeling of , well I don't know exactly how to describe it..I told him to stop boring my tooth because of my strange feeling..I also told him that if the boring will last long, then I need anesthesia injection.

I really don't want to be injected with anesthesia, as I believed that this also have side effects. A long time I knew that this can cause forgetfulness, which is maybe happening to me sometimes. I don't know if that is really true, but I guess yes..guess I need to have some research next time.

My dentist told me that, I don't need anesthesia anymore since he is almost done with getting rid of the bad fillings..Told him that maybe if it only last for 5 seconds will then be ok...well he answered (as if he is joking) that I need to stop my watch then...Until the boring was done, I have to keep my mouth wide open while he is putting the new filling. I almost felt having a locked jaw opening my mouth for almost 30 minutes.. Thanks be to God, it's finally over.

I believed he is a good dentist(aside that he speaks very good English) compared to my previous one, who cannot even speak English and at that time I don't speak and understand any German words yet . I am satisfied with his work and went out from his clinic happily.

After my appointment there, I did my weekly rounds which to go shopping for groceries. As usual, some prices are getting high again. What can I do but to buy those products because we consume it everyday. That was also a freezing cold day yesterday.

I already got home in the afternoon and did some household chores. That was a fine day aside having my new fillings in my teeth.

Wish each and everyone a very pleasant day!! Take care!!

Fasching in Germany

I was sad today. I told my husband if we could witness again the Fasching in Dietfurt, a small town here in Neumarkt, Germany. He said that it will be tomorrow, it means that we can't go there because he have to work and he can only have vacation once he applied for it one or weeks before. But anyway, since I really can't go tomorrow, I want to share the photos I have from the Fasching in Dietfurt last year.















What is Fasching anyway???
Fasching or known as Carnival season is a time of wild fancy-dress parties and costume-balls, which are open to the public. Carnival reaches its climax in big street processions with elaborately decorated floats, usually on Rosenmontag. Carnival celebrations happen mainly in the Catholic parts of Germany. Nevertheless, Karneval parties do occur in some places in the north of Germany.

I will be posting here more about Fasching...keep reading!!....

St. Ullrich Church, Hohenfels

I went walking today since the weather was sunny. I also passed at St. Ullrich Church, our church here in Hohenfels. This church is already centuries old and was built back in 1721. It is just amazing how Germany really preserved its culture and history and one of this is the hundred years old church, St. Ullrich. here it is..

Visit to Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau, Germany

I once visited this famous fairytale castle of King Ludwig II. It was really incredible to see the famous work of art of mankind. I would like to post in the future more about this castle and about King Ludwig's II of Bavaria. I just simply love history and seeing historical places and sights like this is really very interesting. Below are some of my photos during my visit there and also a little building history about Neuschwanstein.

photo taken at the Marienbrucke (Mary's bridge)

kitchen of the castle

attractive hallway in the entrance of the castle during the tour

picture taken at the entrance of the castle

outside the castle, it was rainy at the time we were there

Building history Ludwig II, King of Bavaria since 1864, addressed the following lines to the man he so greatly admired, Richard Wagner: "It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin of Hohenschwangau near the Pöllat Gorge in the authentic style of the old German knights' castles, and I must confess to you that I am looking forward very much to living there one day (in 3 years' time); there will be several cosy, habitable guest rooms with a splendid view of the noble Säuling, the mountains of Tyrol and far across the plain; you know the revered guest I would like to accommodate there; the location is one of the most beautiful to be found, holy and unapproachable, a worthy temple for the divine friend who has brought salvation and true blessing to the world. It will also remind you of 'Tannhäuser' (Singers' Hall with a view of the castle in the background), 'Lohengrin' (castle courtyard, open corridor, path to the chapel); this castle will be in every way more beautiful and habitable than Hohenschwangau further down, which is desecrated every year by the prose of my mother; they will take revenge, the desecrated gods, and come to live with Us on the lofty heights, breathing the air of heaven". Ideal design for Neuschwanstein Castle by Christian Jank, 1869. Almost all the aspects of Ludwig's Neuschwanstein are mentioned here. What is not mentioned, however, is the political reason for building: in 1866 Bavaria, allied with Austria, had lost a war against the expanding Prussia. Bavaria was forced to accept a "defensive and offensive alliance", which removed the king's right to dispose over his army in case of war. From 1866, therefore, Ludwig II was no longer a sovereign ruler. This limitation was the biggest misfortune of his life. In 1867 he began planning his own kingdom, in the form of his castles and palaces, where he could be a real king. "More beautiful and habitable than the lower castle of Hohenschwangau" Ludwig II spent his childhood at Hohenschwangau Castle. Crown Prince Maximilian II of Bavaria, Ludwig II's father, had the ruined castle of Schwanstein rebuilt from 1832 in the "Gothic style". The young Ludwig was influenced by the romantic mountain scenery and the summer castle became one of his favourite places to stay. Hohenschwangau was decorated with scenes from medieval legends and poetry, including the legend of the swan knight Lohengrin. Ludwig identified himself when still a boy with Lohengrin, to whom Richard Wagner dedicated a romantic opera in 1850. The swan was also the heraldic animal of the Counts of Schwangau, whose successor the king considered himself to be. Maximilian II had already made the swan a leitmotif of Hohenschwangau. Idealization of the Middle Ages was thus combined with concrete local tradition. "The location is one of the most beautiful to be found" The Marienbrücke over the Pöllat Gorge. Maximilian II had already had paths and lookout points constructed in the area around Hohenschwangau in order to be able to enjoy the scenery. In the 1850s, as a birthday present for his mountain-climbing consort Marie, he had the iron bridge, the "Marienbrücke", built high above the Pöllat Gorge. From the narrow mountain ridge known as the "Jugend" to the left of the Pöllat, there was a magnificent view of the mountains and lakes. Maximilian II loved this spot and planned to build a viewing pavilion there in 1855. Crown Prince Ludwig was often on the "Jugend". "In the authentic style of the old German knights' castles" On the "Jugend" were the ruins of two small castles: Vorder- and Hinterhohenschwangau. It was here that Ludwig II planned to build his "New Hohenschwangau Castle" (it only acquired the name of "Neuschwanstein" after the death of the king). It was to be a better recreation of an ideal medieval castle than Hohenschwangau. Perfection was the key: the "reconstruction" was to be closer to the original style and equipped with all modern technical features. "... the period of the Romanesque style was many centuries ago, and there can be no doubt that the achievements that have since been attained in the areas of art and science will also benefit us in the erection of this building. – By this I do not in the least mean that we should alter the style itself,... but neither do I mean that we should recreate the old days in every respect and not benefit from experience which would have been made use of then, if it had been available". (Court secretary Düfflipp, 1871) In 1867 Ludwig II visited the recently "rebuilt". Wartburg. Here he was patricularly inspired by the Singers' Hall, allegedly the location of the legendary "Singers' Contest". The Wartburg and its hall became the leitmotif of the "New Castle". The architect Eduard Riedel also had to process ideas based on stage sets designed by the Munich scene painter Christian Jank. View of a castle based on the Wartburg near Eisenach, pen-and-ink drawing, probably dating from 1867. "Looking forward to living there one day (in three year's time)" The castle was not built as rapidly as the king expected. The project was too comprehensive and the building site on the mountain presented difficulties. Set designers, architects and artisans implemented the king's detailed ideas. The inconsiderate deadlines he set could sometimes only be met by working day and night. View of the Gateway Building from the upper courtyard. The foundation stone of the "New Castle" was laid on 5 September 1869. The Gateway Building was constructed first, and Ludwig II lived here for a number of years. The topping-out ceremony for the Palas was not until 1880, and the king moved in in 1884. As he increasingly withdrew from human contact and focused even more on his royal dignity, Ludwig II changed the building programme. The guest rooms were replaced in the plans by a "Moorish Hall" with a fountain, but this was never actually built. The "Writing Room" was changed from 1880 into a small grotto. The modest "Audience Room" became a huge Throne Room. This was no longer intended for giving audiences, but was built as a monument to kingship and a copy of the legendary Grail hall. A highly modern steel construction was necessary in order to incorporate this hall in the Palas, which was already standing. A "knights' bath" was to be installed in the west part of the Palas, reminiscent of the ritual bath of the knights of the Holy Grail. Today there is a flight of stairs here for use by visitors, which leads down to the exit. When Ludwig II died in 1886, the "New Castle" was still not complete. Work stopped on the keep, the foundations of which can be seen in the "Upper Courtyard". A simplified version of the "Kemenate" on the south side of the Upper Courtyard was completed in 1891. Neuschwanstein as it was on the death of King Ludwig II.

I always miss Philippines

Got a Migraine today..felt not so good but now i'm feeling better...and yup I miss my home country Philippines...only got some photos for you from my homeland..It's really beautiful!!

Speechless Thursday

I always remember my warm home in the province of Cebu, Philipines. It's cold winter time in Germany now even at this moment it is not snowing. Winter here is always cold. I had a plan to go home this March but due to unavoidable circumstances might be pushed through in December. Here is my warm, sunny home near the blue sea in Cebu Province.


a view on the far side of the street


pix I took during my vacation in 2006..amazing sunset


a view of the blue sea in my unfinished terrace


my garden..I always love plants and flowers

Dining Out with Friends

I visited last time my friends in Ramstein-Miesenbah, a small town in Kaiserslautern. I really had a great time there. One evening, we ate at a Chinese Restaurant inside the Ramstein Air Base. That was really a great evening. Thanks a lot my dear friends for the excellent accommodation. Here are some photos for you to see.

Adventure in Wuerzburg

I went with a friend in Wuerzburg last Jan. 09,'08. That was an adventure because we really don't know this city. "As long as you know how to read", as the sayings goes, you will always find the place and will never get lost. Here are some photos during our adventure in Wuerzburg. Below is also an information about it and a little of it's history. Have fun!!




























































The title of this article contains the character ü. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Wuerzburg.

Würzburg [ˈvʏɐ̯ʦbʊɐ̯k] is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located on the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Unterfranken. The regional dialect is Franconian.

Würzburg is approximately 80 minutes train journey from Frankfurt, and almost an hour from Nuremberg. Distances to the nearest cities by motorway: Frankfurt 115 km, Nuremberg 115 km, Stuttgart 150 km, Kassel 215 km.

The city of Würzburg is not included in district of Würzburg, but is its administrative seat. Its population is 131,320 as of December 31, 2006.

History

By 1000 BC a Celtic fortification stood the site of the Fortress Marienberg. It was Christianized in 686 by the Irish missionaries Kilian, Colman and Totnan. The city is first mentioned as Vurteburch in 704. The first diocese was founded by St. Bonifatius in 742. He appointed the first bishop of Würzburg, St. Burkhard. The bishops eventually created a duchy with its center in the city, which extended in the 12th century to Eastern Franconia. The city was the seat of several Imperial diets, including the one of 1180, in which Henry the Lion was banned from the Empire and his duchy was handed over to Otto of Wittelsbach.

The first church at the site of the cathedral was built as early as 788, and consecrated that same year by Charlemagne; the current building was constructed from 1040 to 1225 in Romanesque style. The University of Würzburg was founded in 1402 and re-founded in 1582.

The citizens of the city revolted several times against the bishop-prince, until definitively defeated in 1400. Later, Würzburg was a center of the German Peasants' War; the castle was besieged unsuccessfully. Notable prince-bishops include Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn (1573-1617) and members of the Schönborn family, who commissioned a great number of the monuments of today's city. In 1631, Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus invaded the town and destroyed the castle.

In 1720, the foundations of the Würzburg Residence were laid. In 1814, the town became part of the Bavarian state and a new bishopric was created seven years later, as the former one had been secolarized in 1802. The city had passed to Bavaria in 1803, but two years later, in the course of the Napoleonic Wars, it became the seat of the short-lived Duchy of Würzburg. Würzburg was restored to Bavaria in 1814.

During World War II, on March 16, 1945, about 85% of the city was destroyed by some 225 Lancaster bombers in 17 minutes by a British air raid. Most of the city's churches, cathedrals, and other monuments did not survive, while the city center, dating from medieval times, was totally destroyed in a firestorm in which some 5,000 people perished. During the next 20 years, the buildings of historical importance were painstakingly and accurately replicated. The citizens who rebuilt the city included many women, called Trümmerfrauen (Rubblewomen). Relatively, Würzburg was destroyed more completely than was Dresden in a firebombing the previous month.

Since the end of the war, Würzburg has been host to the US Army's 3rd Infantry Division, 1st Infantry Division, US Army Hospital and various other US military units who have maintained a presence in Germany. The local Würzburg economy benefited greatly from the US military presence. However, these units are due to withdraw from Würzburg by 2008 which brings to an end over 60 years of US military stationed in Würzburg.

Today's Word "expropriate"

expropriate \ek-SPROH-pree-ayt\ (transitive verb) - 1 : To deprive of possession. 2 : To transfer (the property of another) to oneself.

"You never know when some tinhorn general's going to expropriate your property as national patrimony." -- Douglas Preston, 'The Codex'

Expropriate comes from Medieval Latin expropriatus, past participle of expropriare, "to deprive of property," from Latin ex- + proprius, "one's own." The act of expropriating is expropriation. One who expropriates is an expropriator.

Today's Word "nuptial"

nuptial \NUHP-shuhl; -chuhl\ (adjective) - 1 : Of or pertaining to marriage; done or used at a wedding; as, "nuptial rites and ceremonies." 2 : Of, pertaining to, or occurring in the mating season.

(noun) - Marriage; wedding; nuptial ceremony; -- usually used in the plural.

"...On the one day of their triumph when, like Kitty, they had stood beneath the nuptial crown, with love, hope, and dread in their hearts, renouncing the past and stepping foward into the mysterious future." -- Leo Tolstoy, 'Anna Karenin'

Nuptial comes from Latin nuptialis, from nuptiae "marriage, wedding," from the past participle of nubere, properly, "to cover, to veil," hence, "to marry," as the head of the bride was covered with a veil.

Today's Word "algorithm"

algorithm \AL-guh-RITH-uhm\ (noun) - A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem in a finite number of steps that often involves repetition of an operation.

"Their latest innovation involved some kind of complex algorithm that made the eyes of anyone with an IQ of less than 200 glaze over with incomprehension but was reckoned by the company to be a surefire thing." -- John Connolly, 'The Killing Kind'

Algorithm is an alteration of algorism, possibly influenced by arithmetic. It comes to us from the Arabic name of a ninth century Persian mathematician and textbook author, via Old French and Medieval Latin: Muhammad ibn-Musa al-Khwarizmi was from the Khwarizm region, an area south of the Aral Sea. Al-Khwarizmi wrote a book titled Kitab al jabr wa'l-muqabala ("Rules of restoring and equating") which is the source of the word algebra.