The towns name came from the Irish word meaning church of St. Candice which was a monastery originally built in the 6th century. The town was loyal to British rule throughout but is also a major religious Catholic center. It is known for its breweries which date back to the monks at that time (water was not safe to drink back then but light fermentation killed all of the bad bacteria).
I went for New Year’s Eve and stayed for a few days. What lovely small city. It seems to be a destination from people from all over. I met people from Greece that night. They were a bunch of fun! I was staying above the Pumphouse bar, so very convenient.
The next morning I was surprised that the local brewery, Smithwicks, was open. I love their red ale and went on a tour.
The black friars gate and black Abbey was built in the 13th century. The friars had the key to the gate and charged taxes for entrance. The tower was for defense and was part of the city wall at that time.
This is St. Canices cathedral.
The black tower which was closed on New Year’s.
I also went to the Kilkenny castle. It was built in 1195 as a fortress but became a mansion in the 16th century. The Butler family owned it for 500 years until it was sold to Ireland in 1967 and preserved since.
The Chinese withdrawing room where ladies went after dinner.
The state dining room was used for formal occasions.
These are the antlers of the Irish deer, which are a prehistoric giant deer that has been extinct. These antlers were found in a bog.
The tapestry room which contain tapestries of the story of Decius Mus sacrificing himself to win a war. They were woven in the 1600’s.
The library. The wild wall coverings were able to be recreated from a scrap hiding behind furniture.
The drawing room.
View of the gardens from an upper window.
Chinese bedroom
The Moorish staircase is carved with animals and foliage and the design is used to create a stairwell in an awkwardly shaped space.
The picture gallery wing built on top of earlier foundations. It used to have a flat room that had problems and a new one was constructed that has some amazing details.
Talbots tower was built in the 13th century as part of th walls and was named after an affluent Norman family. It was a major defense point as the river nearby provided fortification at a weak point in the river crossing.
The old St. Mary’s Cathedral built in the 13th century in the Gothic style. It was damaged in the wars in the 17th century, fell into ruin, and was not repaired. It now houses a museum.
This St. Mary’s Cathedral is the newer cathedral in Kilkenny.
St. John’s Church which was a priory was also built in the 13th century.
I also went to a lot of stores for window shopping and also great places to eat and drink. One evening, I decided to open Tinder back up again and one gentleman, Paddy,drove an hour to come meet me for lunch. He was lovely to talk to.
I can’t believe that this four and a half month trip is winding down. I am in my last country, Ireland.
Dublin was founded by the Vikings in the 9th century and was under British rule until gaining independence. The winds are a bit cool here but overall is a few degrees warmer than Germany.
I spent the first day just walking around and sightseeing. I did not pay to go into any attractions. The large tours that I have planned are not cheap and more interesting than other things I could pay for. I instead walked around the local landmarks and visited the few historic pubs for food and drink. I was also reminded by my knee that it was enough walking for the day.
St. Patrick’s cathedral.
A famous place for fish and chips. I may have to come back here before I leave Ireland. But I am going to the south and west where I also hear the seafood is great.
I did want to go to a pub that had great time reviews for Irish stew! O’Donoghue’s was pretty good!
Dublin castle. It was built in 1204 on top of a former Viking settlement and was the seat of the UK government until independence. It was rebuilt in 1684 after a fire destroyed all but one tower.
The River Liffy.
On the Ha’penny bridge which used to cost a half penny to cross.
A Christmas festival still going on in the city center.
One of the oldest bars in Dublin, the Brazen Head. I stopped at the Cobblestone first but decided to leave for this one instead. The beer price was actually cheaper.
The cue from my knee had me going back to the hostel to relax. I have an early morning the next day for a tour to Northern Ireland. It was a long bus ride to get to the northern part of Northern Ireland.
We stopped at Dunluce castle ruins which was built on top of a basalt outcrop in the late 1200’s. It is along the North Atlantic. Because of its position it was easy to defend but difficult to live in. It became the stronghold of the MacDonnell clan. Because of the harsh weather, it was a difficult place and part of the castle fell into the ocean in the 1600’s eventually being abandoned in 1690. It is magnificent with even greater scenery around it.
From there we went to the nearby Giant’s Causeway. It was formed 60 million years ago from volcanic activity. There is a out 40,000 basalt columns that are shaped like hexagons. The shape occurred when the lava came to the surface and then shrank during cooling.
For lunch we went to a place nearby, the Fullerton Arms. THeir steak pie was delicious.
They also had a door carved like the Game of Thrones insignia.
The next stop was Dark Hedges, a large number of beech trees planted in the 1700’s to create a dramatic entry to a manor. The trees have intertwined to create an arch. It was used in the series, Game of Thrones as the kings road. Sadly, many trees are falling and need to be replanted.
The final stop is an hour in Belfast to look around and walk before the final drive back to Dublin. A really long day in a bus but easier when you are short on time.
On Christmas Eve we went to Speyer which has a lovely Christmas market. I bought a feurzangenbowle where a rum soaked sugar cube is lit on fire over a glüwein.
We walked around the market and bought food to share. I had to have spatzle one more time.
The cathedral is the largest Romanesque Cathedral in Europe and built in 1093. Several German emperors are buried there.
On Christmas day we went to a lake, Vogelwoog, in Kaiserslautern. It was a good walk outside on a freezing cold day.
After Christmas we went to Trier, which is on the Luxembourg border. Everything was closed but walking around the historic district was beautiful and cold!
The black gate, Porta Nigra, was a beautiful entrance to the area and was built in 170 AD. Trier is known as the Roman capital north of the Alps and many emperors lived here.
The Nanstein castle built in Landstühl in 1150 protected the trade routes through the Palatine forest. The medieval knights declined in power in 1523 after the knight, Franz von Sickingen, who lived in the castle tried and failed to overthrow princes and the church. He had fortified the castle with a round tower and gunpowder was used for defense. He died in the fighting.
On the walk up we saw several forest witches (Hexe in German) made from forest and everyday materials. These are made by locals to add a little of mystery to the walk to the castle. In Germany there ar many stories inspired by the Grimm, but these ar just for fun.
This was pretty ingenuous. There is a hole on each side of the wall but they cannot see each other. On the inside of the castle entrance it is a hole that gives a wide view of people on the other side.
Today there is a large regional medical center in Landstühl that cares for the American military stationed in nearby Kaiserslautern and elsewhere in the world.
I ate at IKEA, recommended by Nicole because of the red cabbage and duck served there. It was pretty good. I never tried the Kartoffelknödel which is really potato and a flour mixed together then formed into a ball. It was a doughy, sticky potato that I had seen in some of the Christmas markets.
Heidelberg was also settled by the Romans and considered a Roman frontier. The Heidelberg castle was constructed in the 13th century. It became the residence of the powerful rulers (Electors of the Palatinate) of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1386, Heidelberg University was founded and it is the oldest university in Germany. The city was the center of learning, humanism, and the protestant reformation. In the 17th century, Heidelberg sustained heavy damage in the 30 years war and the War of the Palatine Succession when the French troops destroyed much of the city and the Castle. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was no longer a political center but increased fame as a center of Romanticism, and therefore attracted poets, philosophers, and artists. It was spared the destruction that happened to most German cities in WWII.
The Old Bridge has some fascinating artifacts. On the bridge are flood water depths and dates of the massive flooding that occurs on the Neckar River. The monkey statue dates back to the 15th century when there used to be a stone statue of the monkey. It was considered a mischievous and provocative creature. It’s bare backside is facing across the River to antagonize and mock the Bishops of Mainz (the rival territory on the other side of the river.) The monkey also holds a mirror, which is meant to reflect the viewers own nature and to encourage self-reflection. In the Palatinate War, France claimed rights to the power in the area. When other countries challenged this, the French used scorched earth tactics and destroyed parts of the city and the castle. During the Palatinate War of Succession, both the bridge and the monkey were destroyed. The monkey was not replaced for three centuries though there was many stories told about it over the years. The current Brückenaffe is popular. Rubbing the mirror is said to bring prosperity.
The statue of Prince Karl Theodore with deities. He commissioned the present stone bridge in 1786.
Heidelberg is seen as a place where opposing ideas were debated and led to the shaping of European thought. One of the professors was Hegel who refined and taught his system of philosophy. His way of thinking, the dialectical method, consisted of an initial idea (thesis), a conflicting or opposing idea (antithesis), and some higher understanding that resolves the conflict (synthesis). The terms in parentheses were given later, but the central way of thinking was part of his history of German philosophy. I took a philosophy walk across the bridge and up the hill on the other side then down to another bridge. I think you are meant to ponder and debate as you walk. I did see the city walls.
The church of the holy Spirit was built between 1398 and 1515. An older Roman church used to be on this site.
St. Peter’s Church is the oldest surviving church dating back to 1196.
i also toured the castle.
They also have a pharmacy museum in a section of the castle.
In the gift shop they had funny candies for “remedies”.
And of course I went to the Christmas market as well.
On the way back to the train station, I saw more of the plaques in the sidewalk commemorating Jewish people and what happened to the during WWII.
I traveled to this city to see my friend Nicole. We worked together the first year in China and I have not seen her for 6 years. Actually the last time was the Christmas before COVID started…
The area was settled by the Celt’s and then the Romans (structures can still be seen today). In the 12th century, Roman emperor Fredrick I “Barbarossa” built an imperial palace Kaierpfalz, which is the ruins in one of the pictures below. He named the city using Kaiser (emperor) and Lautern (of the river). The city became protestant during the Reformation and was heavily damaged during the 30 years war and the French and Germany.
During the Napoleanic wars, it was under control of the French. After the defeat of Napolean, it became part of Bavaria. It is known for its textile production and was heavily damaged during WWII.
It has a 2000 year history shaped by emperor’s, wars, and rebuilding.
We spent the first day going around the Christmas markets and some of the sights. This city actually has an American Air base (Rammstein) and a university so it is very international. Both have heavily influenced the economy and culture.
The next morning we went to walk in the Palatinate Forest to a very old stone tower (Humbergtum) to look at the views.
It was a beautiful day and the views from the top were amazing.
We also noticed that there were some holes in the ground, possibly a badger or hedgehog.
Wiesbaden is a short train ride from Mainz. It was founded in 6 CE and became an important spa town for the Romans. in fact, there is a fountain where the hot spring runs near the surface, called Thermalquelle Kochbrunnen.
It has been and is still known as a spa town and is one of the wealthiest in Germany. It suffered less damage during WWII and has generally been a protestant city.
Roman wall
Schloss Biebrich. I really wanted to visit this palatial house but it was closed for the season.
Mainz was founded by the Romans in 13 BCE and called it Mogontiacum. It had a large population as it was a military and administrative center, helping to protect Roman front lines to the north through the use of the Rhine River. Roman walls were found when excavating for construction.
It became an important Christian city in the 8th century. In 1450, Gutenberg revolutionized printing by using moveable type. He was born here and there is a great museum in his name here. It uses many different types of the chnology to explore and explain printing changes through the years and how people’s lives have changed. They have some very old books in their possession including two original Gutenberg bibles. Of the 180 that were printed. Only 49 have survived. Two of them ar hermano in a vault that you can see. Each column has 42 lines of text. These were printed d in 1454.
I found the different maps that were on exhibit fascinating. Depending upon the printer, it showed what was known of that day or what that person believed was most important. For example, there is no Americas in this map as it had not been “discovered” yet (1493).
The Hammer of Witches was printed for those to identify and deal with witches. It unfortunately was used heavily after printing in 1486.
They used a special media card that would display information when placed under the scanner.
There are other museums in the area. Landed museum Mainz has Roman and medieval history.
Kurfürstliches Schloss, a 17th century palace.
Schlosstor, Castle gate that is beside the Rhine.
Other sights in Mainz:
Fort Josef
I had not tried wienerschnitzel yet, and I found a restaurant (Stadthaus Schänke) with a peppercorn one. It was delicious.
And of course the Christmas markets
Like other areas of West Germany, they were under Napoleanic rule, part of Prussia, and largely destroyed in WWII.
I have been pet sitting in Stommeln, taking care of two adorable cats and a whole bunch of poultry: chickens, ducks, and geese. In some ways I have missed having a farm (but not being unable to vacation often). It was a also a good time to relax, get back into an exercise routine, and catch up with shows and emails, etc. There was a small Christmas market over the weekend.
Sylvia and Thorsten were wonderful and even had me stay an extra day to visit Aachen which is a town close to the Belgium border and the opposite direction action if where I would be traveling next. When I learned that Aachen is known for its gingerbread called printen. It is not like American gingerbread, with less spices and orange zest in the cookie. It was delicious.
Aachen is one of Germany’s oldest cities having been founded by the Romans (it was called Aquae Granni) as there were natural thermal spring waters here. Roman baths were constructed. In 742, Charlemagne made it his primary residence and the center of the Frankish Empire. in 800, he built the Palantine temple. He was buried in the walls after his death and the present day Cathedral expanded upon those walls.
From the 10th through the 16th centuries, German kings were coronated in the cathedral. Because of the history and the relics here, it is also a major site of pilgrimage. It fell into decline after the 16th century, was under the rule of Napoleon and Prussia, and heavily damaged in WWII.
The inside of the cathedral:
The sarcophagus continuing the remains of Charlemagne.
The Aachener Domschatz is the location of the relics from before and the early years of the cathedral built in 1215.
The skullcap of Charlemagne.
The gilded arm that belonged to Charlemagne actually contains a radius and ulna bones that have been analyzed and believed to be that of Charlemagne.
The Rathaus is the town hall and was built on the foundation of the palace of Charlemagne.
In the upstairs, it has an impressive view of the cathedral and the square where the palace stood. Of course, there is a Christmas market there!
It is still known as a highly regarded spa town with the Caroluus thermen spa. Yes, I went to the spa and enjoyed some great relaxing thermal waters. In
Other photos from Aachen.
I also met with a friend of Sylvia’s to help her practice her English. She is an artist using metals and enamel. She wanted to show me how to make a necklace and gifted it to me which was so nice.
Originally Cologne was to be a day trip from Bonn but I decided I wanted to spend more time here than in Düsseldorf. Also, there is one Christmas market (and it is huge) that has gnomes as its theme: Heinzels Wintermärchen Weihnachtsmarkt Kölner Alstadt and down into the old market.
I have been seeing the salmon cooked on big planks on an open fire for several markets. Today was the day and it did not disappoint. I also wanted to go to this market with the gnomes and found a mug with a goat on it. Fitting since I am a Capricorn. I did have to search a few stalls to find one that had that mug.
Petrusbrunnen is the fountain of St. Peter of which the cathedral is named. The fountain wasn’t always here nor had a water source since 1870 and was nicknamed Dry Peter. Now in its location it has water and he is said to be holding keys to heaven.
Edith Stein Denkmal was executed in the Holocaust. The scenes are from her life and the shoes represent what was left from her and all those massacred.
The Dom of Cologne. This is actually not aligned to the Catholic Church and is owned by the people of Cologne. It is free to enter.
Inside the cathedral is a huge, golden reliquary — the Shrine of the Three Kings — built in the 12th–13th century. The relics arrived in 1164, brought from Milan by Archbishop Rainald von Dassel. The Dom is a major pilgrimage site as a result.
Other Christmas markets
Instead of a regular walking tour I decided to go in a beer tour as the Kölsch beer here is regulated much like champagne is in France and only found in Cologne. It is crisp and light and a too fermented beer which can go flat relatively quickly. Because of this it is served by köbes (waiters) in tall narrow glasses called a stange, not like the big mugs we are used to, to prevent it from going flat. The köbes will keep bringing beer unless you put a coaster on top of your glass.
These are three popular beer Haus.
Any effort to tax alcohol leads to revolt and there are a few statues on buildings that show displeasure.
This statue is of a popular old comedian duo (Tünnes and Schäll) here in Germany and it is said that you can have luck, love, or money by stroking the nose or sliding your hand across the chest of the one on the left.
When I saw there was a Gestapo headquarters, I knew I needed to see it. I didn’t expect it to be so powerful and gut wrenching. If you go here, the audio guide is a must since most things are in German and the stories included help in understanding.
Cologne was one of the largest cities in Nazi Germany and an important center for both oppression and the resistance.
The Gestapo in Cologne. The Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizei, Secret State Police) established a major regional office in Cologne soon after Hitler took power in 1933. The museum laid out what happened in the 10 years before Hitler took power and all the subtle and not so subtle changes that took place during that time. The timelines on the floor that showed the span in years as you were walking through really brought it all together. As I walked through the area of the changes in societies, attitudes, and how Nazi ideology was slowly permeating throughout, I really felt heavy in my heart and a pit in my stomach with all the parallels currently happening in my country and the world. It was depr swing and terrifying.
The main Cologne Gestapo headquarters was located at: EL-DE-Haus (Ehrenfeld district / Appellhofplatz) and named after the owner Leopold Dahmen (L.D.).
The Gestapo rented the building from him.
Propaganda beginning in 1918. The Jews are our downfall…
The rise of Hitler in 1932/33.
It became one of the most important Gestapo branches in western Germany because Cologne was: a major industrial city that had a railway hub near Belgium and the Netherlands. It was also home to large Catholic and labor communities (viewed as “unreliable” by the Nazis). From 1935 to 1945, the building was used for Gestapo offices, interrogation center, and prison and torture site. It went through all the officers involved, which it seems the majority did not see any trials after the war and were free to live normal lives despite what they did.
Burning of books is shown in this newspaper clipping. Getting professionals on board to force sterilization, teach the view of history they want, and to enforce any laws that moved fascism forward propelled the viewpoint. Many thought it would go away and stayed silent.
Groups and organizations that were in Cologne are listed on these panels. The ones crossed out were no longer allowed to be in existence. There is a whole room of lists of groups and those with no right to exist.
The starkness of the walls and floors added to the feeling and what was being conveyed in the audio guide. What appears impersonal became deeply personal with the stories and artifacts present. These are maps of control of Germany by the Gestapo. All was recorded and everyone was watched and reported on. At the top left is the board of one commander that would report findings on whole neighborhoods.
People considered undesirable (disadvantaged, homosexual, neurology conditions, those not fitting into the norm) were sentenced to forced labor. They were identified with patches on their clothes.
Again another timeline of how the rights of people were taken away and how things changed after 1932.
Propaganda of how much certain groups of people cost society and the reasoning for laws against intercultural marriage, the right to exist, and more births of Aryan babies.
Documentation of whole families of gypsies such as Romani people and homeless (many originally here from the 12th century) and their eventual discrimination and deportation.
There is a book of all the people who were interrogated and sent off to concentrations camps. I can say that throughout this whole section I found myself actually crying through the rooms. I do not know how someone could not be moved by the personal testimonies, last letters to loved ones, and stories being told.
All Jewish deportations from Cologne (starting in 1941) were organized by the Gestapo. The major collection point was the Müngersdorf assembly camp, from which people were deported to Lodz, Minsk, Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and other camps.
Cologne had several well-known anti-Nazi groups. There were many stories of people brave enough to show their resistance including many business owners and professionals including the church (though cautiously). Mostly they were put in jail for a time or questioned, but usually released. As the atrocities accelerated, some in the resistance were executed in 1944.
Resistance notes that would be left here and there in the city to get others involved, to continue the resistance, and to let those involved know that not everyone agreed.
This is a great piece of propaganda. It was made in Denmark and shows Hitler bringing war and death to the country. It was correct.
The next few rooms were about war coming to Germany and Cologne. Propaganda from the Reich forecasted prosperity and a new world order for Germany.
Pictures from soldiers who were from Cologne and were at the Eastern and Western fronts.
The fire occurring in the background of Bialystok was the result of rounding up local Jews and having them go into the synagogue. Rows of guards surrounded the synagogue to prevent escape as it was set on fire as a mass live crematorium for the 1000 inside.
Destruction in Cologne was massive as it was a major industrial and transport center for the Nazis. Many locals perished in the bomb shelters. It is easy to not be moved by their plight and I wanted to skip over these sections. But it was still easy to care and feel horrible for them despite what those in their country have done. They are still people and if I feel they don’t matter, then I am no better.
As with the rest of the world, people gave up things and worked for the war effort. Others celebrated every advancement Germany made (taking Paris. Bombing London, etc.) and made a celebration of it. This is underground dinner parties of supporters from a scrapbook found later.
As most men were in the war, workers were needed, and they were brought in from other countries. Sometimes against their will and other times they were coerced (threatening the death of family members). In the last final months of the war, many were killed.
The pictures below is of the taking of Cologne by Allied forces on March 6, 1945. Propaganda reminded residents that Hitler promised prosperity in 5 years and now instead they have ruin. Cologne was bombed 262 times as it was an important target. The cathedral sustained damage but was still standing (despite being bombed 14 times) and the Gestapo headquarters was spared as well. 90% of the city was destroyed and the population of 760,000 was no about 100,000.
I am glad that I purchased the audio guide and I listened to everything. I really felt emotionally drained at the end and as I went downstairs I realized I was not finished. There was still the basement which was the prison. The words I heard as I went down was “you are walking down the same stairs that prisoners walked down (they did not walk back out). What a sinking feeling. This is the only part of the museum that has translation on the placards in English.
Drawings and scratchings still exist on the walls and many others are recorded in visuals in other rooms. There are 14 prison cells.
A calendar to keep track of days.
They sometimes had 33 people in a cell with bathroom privileges twice a day and buckets for in between. The smell it was said permeated outside and people could hear the suffering on the street but no one did anything.
Hanging occurred outside the corridor below in the courtyard. There were buildings overlooking this. And no one did anything.
An artist created these wall of mirrors for the courtyard. Mirrors were positioned in such a way that there was no way that you could not see yourself. It was quite a feeling that you could not be there and not “see”. You were exposed and also able to see everything. Powerful and emotional.
These artifacts were found under the stairs. An actual can that released chemicals to stop the spread of typhus and shoes and other personal effects of the prisoners.
Some of the drawings on the wall from people in the prison.
Today, the EL-DE-Haus is the NS-Dokumentationszentrum (NS Documentation Center). It is considered one of Germany’s most important museums on Nazi terror. The basement cells, preserved and covered in prisoner graffiti, are one of the most authentic Gestapo prison sites in Europe. What is interesting is that things were filed and stored here for decades before they were found and realized the prison was completely ly intact. Crazy, but once the war was over everything that happened here was conveniently forgotten.
In 1981 artifacts were assembled into the museum and it is one of the best museums I have seen. It really gives the perspective of locals on all sides and those who were persecuted. It really showcases how the horrors of that time were committed by their own people living here next door instead of a story of people halfway around the world.
