Neu-Anspach in the Taunus, Germany - 27th June 2009
By: AnjaM
The Hessenpark in Neu-Anspach, close to Frankfurt am Main
- 400 years of German history (no, this is not boring! )
Hi Mommy,
like I said, on Saturday Anja took us to the Hessenpark, an open air museum with original buildings from all over the state of Hessen, showing 400 years of German history, as it was lived in the state of Hessen.
No, this was not, repeat not, boring!
On the contrary, as they say on the homepage of the Hessenpark:
Quote: | Enjoy your trip: You will find yourself in the midst of daily life as it was experienced by our ancestors. You can compare their working methods and lifestyles with our way of life in the 21st Century. |
source
When you get to the Hessenpark, which is located in the lovely wooded area "Taunus", about 10 miles from Frankfurt, there is a large area where you can enjoy things, shop, eat and drink without having to pay the entrance fee.
You start out with a soap shop and soap museum housed in - what else? - a timber house
They sell homemade soaps and sachets, without any chemical additives.
Ooooh, you wouldn't believe the wonderful smell of that place!!!
Anja bought a sachet that smells like roses
and this is a really old advertisement for the detergent "Persil". The detergent still exists today
The next shop sold brushes - the good old fashioned brushes made of wood and pork bristles, not this new fangled plastic stuff
They even had some old fashioned feather dusters, like you see in really old movies
When you walk on and follow the sign
you get to the "market place"
a pharmacy
a churchbell
a building dated back to 1589, with its gate showing the date of construction
A very interesting building was the "Kolonialwarenladen" (general store). Like the general stores in the American West, these stores sold everything: from sewing needles to sausage, and from ladies' corsets to men's shoes
Advertising signs for Maggi soups. Maggi soups are still sold and eaten today. They are quite tasty, Anja said
We walked on towards the actual entrance of the park
All these things you can see without having to pay entrance fee. You can shop, look at the old buildings, eat and drink. And you have not even entered the actual Hessenpark!
By the way:
These buildings are not replicas.
Instead, they were purchased all over Hessen (many of them in ruins), dismantled, transported to the Hessenpark, and there they were rebuilt from the original parts and restored to look the way they used to look. Using the same materials and techniques that were used in the old days.
Here is a building that is not quite finished, so you can see how it is made: of a wooden frame that is filled with clay mixed with straw
As soon as we got inside the actual park, we needed a rest in another market square
Anja bought some apple wine (yes, the stuff that is traditionally served in a Bembel )
and we all enjoyed a nice, cool drink
While we were resting, a waggon drawn by real work horses came by
... now, I will rest for a little while, too, before continuing my story...
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Jun 29, 2009, 8:20 pm
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Neu-Anspach in the Taunus, Germany - 27th June 2009
By: AnjaM
Hessenpark - there is more to see!
Hi Mommy,
after resting and drinking the apple wine, we continued our walk inside the Hessenpark.
There were such lovely old buildings, the whole park looked like an old village
We particularly liked this old farm building from 1691 that had belonged to a wealthy farmer. The farm consisted of four buildings forming a square:a wall, the barn, the stable, and the house for the family
We also entered the house
- no, not this little house, tee hee -
This is the kitchen
and the upper story of the house has an exhibition on making fabrics in old times
flax and hemp
and wool
This is an explanation of how to spin wool
(Sleeping Beauty stung her finger with such a hand spindle and fell into a sleep that lasted 100 years... )
The people in the villages worked all day long - even in their "free" time they would sit and spin wool.
This is a "spinning room" of old times
The text says that there in such spinning rooms, there was conversation, music and fun. But all while doing work - even in the evenings, when the "day's work" was done.
Spinning wool at all times - along of all the other work - was so prevalent that this painting shows even Mother Mary spinning wool while Joseph and Jesus are doing carpentry work
The finished flax or wool threads were then woven into fabrik at these looms
Embroidery
Farm women worked all day long. For enjoyment and pleasure, they turned to embroidery.
Here are some traditional costumes with lovely embroidery
and more pictures of what the farmers used to look like
and some nice embroidery
Then we went on to the barn
where we saw pictures of people mowing corn
and threshing it
Wow! What a lot of work there is on a farm!!!
This house had a lovely herb garden - herbs were used for medicine before the days of chemistry
And there was also a display of making pottery in the old days
Wow! We had seen so much history that our little feet were tired, and we were hungry and thirsty!
So we all went to a nice country inn to enjoy apple wine and a German specialty: Schnitzel
This is a breaded Schnitzel with pepper sauce and Rösti (potato patties) and a salad. And let me tell you, Mommy, we sure ate it all!
Ooooh, that was so good!
I hope you enjoyed my little trip into German history as much as I did!
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Jun 29, 2009, 9:15 pm
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Lich, Hessen, Germany - 4th July 2009
By: AnjaM
Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum
Lich, Hessen, Germany
4 and 5 July 09
Day 1 - Saturday, 4 July 2009
Warning:
If you are into Techno or Hip Hop, please do not read this.
If you are into Medieval Markets, you are going to love this
Hi Mommy,
today, Anja and two of her friends dressed up in their medieval clothes and took us to the medieval market in Lich.
First, we got something to drink, because it was a hot and sunny summer day - and we spent the "Taler" coins they had given us as change at the entrance on LICHer beer and Radler (a mixture of beer and Sprite, very tasty!)
With a Radler and a pretzel in our hands, we walked onto the festival grounds
where we found - what else? - dragons
Look! Medieval jewellery!!!
made by this lovely maiden
We did not have much time to look around the festival grounds,
because now the reeve ("Vogt" = kind of lord of the realm) was to give his speech and open the festival for the people of the realm.
He was accompanied by musicians and soldiers
who carried him in a sedan chair
to the other side of the festival grounds
where a stage had been erected for the entertainment of the people
and the merchants who sold their wares at this festival were introduced
Soon, a band began to play
and Anja and her friends visited the stalls of the brewer
the baker, and the butcher
which made them very happy
although you can sure meet some weird people at such a fair, such as this beggar
... I will now take a little rest to enjoy my beer and my food...
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Jul 7, 2009, 6:34 pm
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Lich, Hessen, Germany - 4th July 2009
By: AnjaM
Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum
Lich, Hessen, Germany
4 and 5 July 09
Day 1 - Saturday, 4 July 2009
Part 2
Hi Mommy,
after we enjoyed our lunch, we went to look at the many kinds of entertainment offered. They sure gave the people "bread and circuses" - oh, sorry, that were the Romans , but it was also true for this festival.
First, there were some jugglers and jesters
and then, there was jousting among the noble knights who had come from far away to impress the people
Oooh, look at this nasty and dangerous knight!!!
But he sure got his butt kicked
Wow! Now we learned what they meant by "fire and sword"!
Wow!!!
Now we wanted to be knights, too.
And Anja was glad to oblige
After all this excitement, we needed a little rest, so we wandered around the festival ground looking at all the beautiful wares that the merchants offered.
honey and mead
wool
(remember the spindles from the Hessenpark? Here they were, not only on pictures!)
little baby shoes
and all kinds of nice things to eat and drink, to dress up in, to defend yourself, and to make your home look nice
They even had some real animals - look at the horns on these sheep!
Now, Anja laid down her cloak on the meadow, and we all took a little rest - before it was time to PARTY!!!!
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Jul 7, 2009, 6:35 pm
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Lich, Hessen, Germany - 4th July 2009
By: AnjaM
Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum
Lich, Hessen, Germany
4 and 5 July 09
Day 1 - Saturday, 4 July 2009
Part 3
Time to party!!!
Hi Mommy,
now, after a long and exciting day, the sun was setting in the sky, dusk was breaking, and we.......
Went home and to bed???? Are you crazy??????
No way! Now, it was time to party!!!!
Anja's friends took out a Shisha (water pipe) and filled it with fruit flavored tobacco and some coals. We got ourselves a beer and a small bottle of strawberry liqueur.
By the way, such a bottle is called a "Flachmann" (= "flat man" ) in German, and it fits into jacket and coat pockets, if you are so inclined...
time to fire up the shisha
aaaah, watermelon flavor!!!
(this stuff is more fruit flavoring than actual tobacco)
Good stuff!
It was a warm evening, so our beer evaporated quite quickly
So we went and got some bottles of mead.
The light mead is flavored with Linden blossom honey (remember the Linden tree on the farm? The bees make the most delicious honey from its blossoms!)
and the dark mead is flavored with cherry and elderberry juice
Soon, it got dark, and all the people gathered around the campfires.
Some on their cloaks, some on blankets and some sitting on bales of straw - and all listening to the beautiful music of the medieval bands playing and looking dreamily into the fires
which slowly burned down
while we all were sitting in the dark, warm eveing, talking softly
and listening to the music
Try listening to the music, Mommy, and looking into the fire. Then you will feel the mood of this beautiful evening.
When the fires had burned down, we all went home and slept like babies.
Hugs
Bree
P.S.
This band was not playing there, but this was the kind of music they played at the festival.
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Posted Jul 7, 2009, 6:36 pm
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Lich, Hessen, Germany - 5th July 2009
By: AnjaM
Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum
Lich, Hessen, Germany
4 and 5 July 09
Day 2 - Sunday, 5 July 2009
Hi Mommy,
we slept in a small hotel in Lich and had a big breakfast on Sunday morning. Then we returned to the festival.
First, we walked by the tents of those who had spent the night in the festival. And they were so kind to allow us to take pictures.
Anja would always ask nicely. "Noble lord and lady" she would say, "would you permit us to make a painting of your beautiful home, for a dear friend across the big water?" - and permission was gladly granted
We met some musicians
and even little red riding hood!
and then we browsed the merchant's stalls again to admire their wares
There was also fun and games
and hitting Thor's hammer
and again, so much to see
Uhm, did I tell you that Anja likes dragons?
While we were wandering around, we met some noble lords and ladies and good citizens in wonderful dress. And they all smiled and gave us permission to make a painting.
Now I need a little rest, Mommy, before another exciting fight!
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Jul 7, 2009, 6:37 pm
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Lich, Hessen, Germany - 5th July 2009
By: AnjaM
Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum
Lich, Hessen, Germany
4 and 5 July 09
Day 2 - Sunday, 5 July 2009
Part 2
Hi Mommy,
now, it was time for another fight.
Yesterday we had seen the knights jousting. Today, there was a joust by the knaves (who served the knights).
The game was announced by the lord of the realm
assisted by the monk Brother Rictus
Look, the two even posed, just for us!!!
The game is played as follows:
In the middle of the playing field, there is a leather ball that weighs 120 kg (approx 240 pounds), just like a knight in full armor who has fallen off his horse.
There are two teams of knaves. Each team tries to drag the ball past their own goal line, while the other team tries to prevent them from doing so. At the same time, mind you
After this game, it was time for a little snack again
(yes, there be dragons )
The things that look like meatballs are Falafel, oriental vegetable balls. Very tasty! And we had had more than enough meat the day before...
Then we had some mocha from an oriental booth
and just took it easy today, after all the walking around and partying yesterday
All the adult were lazy, while the children were playing in the straw.
We did take a leasurely walk, however, lazily looking at the stalls and making a purchase here and there.
Look at those gargoyles!
They are sure to scare off evil spirits!
At this booth, Anja "fell in love" - but you'll see
And in case you are wondering, Mommy:
Yes, the people who attend the festival purchase these lovely things - to complete their costume, to use them or to decorate their homes.
Finally, we got tired, and we rode home on a horse
When we got home, Anja unpacked all the lovely things she had bought
remember the dragon with the helmet from yesterday morning?
Well, it has found a new home!
And, like I said, Anja fell in love at the festival - with the most beautiful jewellery you can imagine!
Oh wow, I wish I were a lady, so I could wear this!
Dear Mommy, I hope you enjoyed my tale as much as I enjoyed this wonderful weekend!
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Jul 7, 2009, 6:37 pm
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Oberursel near Frankfurt, Germany - 6th July 2009
By: AnjaM
Wieka leaves
Hi Mommy,
today, Wieka left.
She is going to Missouri, to visit Steph.
We all waved goodbye to Wieka, who is all excited about her new adventures.
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Jul 7, 2009, 6:38 pm
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Oberursel near Frankfurt, Germany - 17th July 2009
By: AnjaM
I am going on vacation!!!
Hi Mommy,
I am going on vacation!!!
Tomorrow, Anja is flying to Estonia to visit her mother who lives in Nomme, a suburb of the Estonian capital of Tallinn.
And Anja is taking Terry and me with her!!!
I am so excited!
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Jul 17, 2009, 7:33 pm
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Tallinn, Estonia - 18th July 2009
By: AnjaM
We take a flight to Estonia!
Hi Mommy,
this morning, Anja took us to Frankfurt airport
where we got to take a look at the airplanes
and then we boarded one ourselves.
We got a seat with a view of the big huge wings of the airplane
and Anja took out a snack and a book, just like when she rides a train
Here we take off
and then the lady came and told Anja to please turn off the camera, until we are higher up
It was nasty and cloudy on the ground
but the higher we got, the more blue sky we could see
until we were finally above the clouds in the sunshine, and the clouds looked just like cotton candy!
Wow, look at all this cotton candy!
We got a snack in the airplane
and a tiny little can of coke
and then we saw Finland
We had to change planes at Helsinki (Finland) airport
and then we finally arrived in Tallinn, Estonia
What a nice trip!
Three countries (Germany, Finland, Estonia) in just 4 hours!
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Aug 13, 2009, 7:04 pm
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Tallinn, Germany - 19th July 2009
By: AnjaM
A walk through Nomme
Hi Mommy,
today, we took a walk through Nomme.
What a lovely place!
Most of the houses are built of wood, just like they were in the old times, and most of the houses have a big garden.
This house is a new one, made of stone, but it fits very nicely with the style of the old houses, don't you think?
This place is an old pharmacy, which is still in use today
We very much admired the lovely metal and woodwork
This place, in the center of Nomme, was originally built by the nobleman Nikolai von Glehn, who founded Nomme.
Today, it houses a post office
After all this walking, we got hungry, so we stopped at a pub with a beer garden and had a nice dark beer
and a nice piece of meat with fried potatoes
.
By the way, if you order "Karbonaad" in Estonia, you don't get a carbonated drink! Instead, you get a piece of fried meat!
On our way back home, we passed the church of Nomme
and this neat car
What a lovely day!
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Aug 13, 2009, 7:31 pm
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Tallinn, Estonia - 25th July 2009
By: AnjaM
A week in Tallinn, Estonia
Hi Mommy,
sorry I have not written for so long, but we all have been quite busy, seeing many lovely things.
From 18 to 25 July 09, Anja took us to see her mother who lives in Tallinn, Estonia.
We had such a lovely time!
We got to fly in a real airplane, high above the clouds
we got to see so many lovely wooden houses in Nomme, a suburb of Tallinn, where Anja's mother lives
and we spent one day in the old city center of Tallinn, which is very beautiful!
It was great!!!
I promise to write again really soon and to show you many more lovely pictures!
Hugs
Bree
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Posted Aug 2, 2009, 7:08 pm
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