Nikolaikirche, Leipzig

These photos show the interior of the Nickolaikirche in  Leipzig.  It has changed since Bach's days, but he walked the floors and filled the church with music.  Many of Bach's most famous compositions were first performed here including the St Mathew and St John Passions.   In the early eighties the "Prayers for Peace Decades" started here,  the beginning of the movement for change in the DDR.  All people, religious and non religious  who wanted peace and freedom gathered regularly to light candles and  to ask peacefully for change.  The windows were decorated with flowers and candles lit.  The Government did all it could to prevent the meetings, and on 9th October 1989 they filled the church with SED Members and Stasi Personnel. 

These people too came to realise that change was needed  and 2,000 people in the church were joined by 10,000 waiting outside with candles in both hands.  The movement for peaceful change had reached its peak and eventually led to the collapse of the DDR and the reunification of Germany in 1990.  



Leipzig/Bach/Mendelssohn/Thomaskirche/Nikoleikirche/and More Bach

JS Bach in the Nikolaikirche.

I'm recovering this morning after my visit to Leipzig on one of the hottest days of the year.  Never mind, I saw the two places I most wanted to visit, the Thomaskirche and the Nikolaikirche, two of the churches where Bach was organist, Cantor and Director of Music.  Ahhhh, wonderful to be so close the the composer I most admire and have lived with all my life.  The photo above shows Bach in the Nikolaikirche, a most amazing place with columns resembling palm trees, all green and lush.  I will post some more photos later. 

Below centre is a photo of the statue of Felix Mendelssohn who was conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1841 and was a founder of  the Leipzig Conservatory.  He died in the city in 1847.  This statue is a replica, recast from photos of the original and placed here in 2008.   The original was melted down my the Nazis, who banned the playing of his music in the 1930s.

The day was so hot, I had wanted to visit the "Bach Archive" but the heat defeated me, but I can return on another cooler day later in the year.   I also took a tumble, I was so busy looking skywards at Bach and the Thomaskirche, that I failed to look where I was going and crashed to the cobbles.  Two nice gents picked me up,  but today I nurse a cut knuckle, pain and bruising to both knees and hip. 

The bottom photo show Bach's tomb in the Thomaskirche.  Flowers bedecked the tombstone, and I wished I had some little part of me to leave as a connection with the great man.  I will return on a cooler day.

Mendelssohn's Statue. 

JS Bach's Tombstone in the Thomaskirche.

JS Bach and Me, a Love Affair.

I got up close and very personal with Bach today, this is the closest I've ever been to my hero!  I will write more tomorrow, as I chose the hottest day of the year to visit Leipzig, and I need to drink a lot of tea and go to bed early.   The photo left shows the two of us, Johann + Vicki, the perfect couple.  I would love to have met him, he had to produce a new piece of music for every church service, and his output of great music was prodigious.   I watched a lady place a red rose on his tombstone, which was already covered with flowers, and felt very moved.    I wanted to leave something too, a small token of my great respect for him and his music.  Back Thursday with all the news of my trip. 

In the Heat of the Day.

It's been so hot here today that, after doing some early shopping in Weststadt, I decided to stay in.  I ventured out late afternoon to sit in the Cathedral, where it is always deliciously cool. I hate really hot weather, it makes me feel demented, but I had to catch up on some emailing so today was a good day for that.   The  photo shows Norbert and Mr Lampe sunbathing on the windowsill.  The crop in the field opposite, which I  saw first as newly sown shoots, is now recognisable as a crop of beet.  The moles seem to have disappeared.

Tomorrow I'm visiting Leipzig, (shame about the heatwave, 32c predicted) but I must visit the Thomaskirche where JS Bach (my man) was Cantor and Director of Music.  I shall commune with the great man's spirit, sing his music in my mind and try to stand in his footsteps.  I hope to buy a small bust of him to join that of Wolfie Mozart, who already sits on my pc desk in Devizes. 

Perhaps I should explain some of my Blog titles, although I expect some of you recognise the similarities.  I try to use literary connections,  today's title alludes to, "In the Heat of the Night" by John Ball, yesterday's was, "A Long Day's Journey into Night" by Eugene O'Neill and a few days ago I wrote, "Two Men in a Basket" alluding to, "Three Men in a Boat," by Jerome K Jerome.   I have to be in a creative mood to do this.   Tomorrow I'll post some photos of Leipzig and JS Bach!

A Long Hot Day's Tram Journey into a Hot Night.

In my "Asparagus" write-up yesterday I mentioned  the transport system in Braunschweig.  It is excellent.  This photo shows the M3, from Weststadt to Radaklint, which I  catch daily.  A walk of about a mile takes me to the tram stop and I can be in the city centre in 14 minutes.  I like the trams, they chug, chug along in a very comfortable rhythm.  My monthly Senior Pass at  46.50€  entitles me to unlimited travel on the trams and buses, and I make full use of it. (Although not today, when the temperature has reached 30 Grad.)  The trams run every ten minutes in the week, quarter hourly on a Saturday and half hourly on a Sunday.  The buses are very frequent too.   I came straight home today at 1.30pm to a cool flat  after the two English groups.   It was too hot to stay in the city.

The photo below shows work at the Cathedral to install a ramp for disabled access.  To my horror they have removed my favourite seat, a cosy little place beside the Cathedral's main entrance,  where I used to sit and ponder the meaning of life and eat ice cream.  It was a nice wooden slatted seat supported by two lions, one of which had a very shiny nose.   I do hope the lions come back.

Asparagus, the National Vegetable.

Just a short write up tonight, as I am tired and I need another cup of tea.  I had lunch today with Monika and Ralph, who cooked a meal of asparagus and potatoes, with a lovely piece of salmon in a white sauce. Asparagus is very popular here as a dish, it is grown everywhere and is cheap to buy.  The season has now ended and today we ate the last of the crop.

One day I must do a write up about the buses and trams that serve this city so well.  The transport system here is really good, I can get from one side of the city to the other in a very short time, even on a Sunday.   Anyway more to come, I am tired tonight.

"The Old Man and the Sea," Book and Talking Book

A quietish day today,  although I had to get a move on this morning, I was still in my dressing gown at 10am when Janet texted to say, "Meet me for coffee in Graff at 11.30am."  "Ok,"  I texted and then had to dash about, wash my hair, get dressed, put on the war paint and shoot out to catch the bus.  The times are different on a Saturday, so I got that wrong and eventually met Janet at 11.45am for a large hot chocolate with cream.   "Graff" is a big  bookshop, on three floors with lots of corners in which to sit and look at books.   You need to set aside half a day for a visit and it is best saved for a rainy day.  The magazines, cards and travel books are on the ground floor, and then the stairs take you to the upper floors with music, gifts, electronic games, the cafe, talking books, maps and............ I could go on!

I've bought myself a copy of Ernest Hemingway's, "The Old Man and the Sea," together with the CD, all in German of course.  I've listened to the first CD twice, and it is a good way to pick up new vocabulary and learn the correct pronunciation of the words.  A really helpful elderly man served me, telling me that Rolf Boysen, who reads the story, has a really good, clear German accent.  Just what I need.   I thanked him for his help and I now have a new read for last thing at night to send me to sleep.

The Saxon Steed, The Coat of Arms of Lower Saxony.

I'm living in Niedersachsen, Lower Saxony and the favourite heraldic symbol of the Saxons is a White (Christian) Horse, said to orignate from the Saxon leader Widukind.  When Hannover and Brunswick formed the new state of Lower Saxony in 1946, they adopted the White Steed as the unofficial Coat of Arms.  There are many references to it in Braunschweig, a Weisses Ross (White Horse) shopping centre, a chemist, a hotel, cafe and  a restaurant.  The photo (right) shows a building with this coat of arms on the roof gable, a white horse on a red background.

I took these photos between rain storms at a Senior's Day,  and the bottom picture  sums up the general feeling of the morning!   It was a shame, as the band on the stage was playing a selection of popular music, including Kalinka, the famous Russian dance and song.

The skies have been looking very angry for the last few days. We had a storm and torrential rain on Wednesday evening, the same on Thurday and a repeat performace today.  However a heatwave is on its way, 26c to 30c is forecast for next week.

Shopping, Tomatoes x 2 tubs and a Kleingarten.

Kleingarten

A quiet day today, as I go singing on a Thursday evening and have to save my strength!  I did some shopping, I needed more tomatoes, because after the "Great Tomato Scare," I have to catch up on a month without fresh salad.  I was buying tinned tomatoes and adding them to pasta for what was a cooked salad!   I walked to Weststadt, about 1.5 miles, bought a few bits and then came back on the bus.  I have a senior's travel pass, so have unlimited travel on the buses and trams, although it costs me £42 per month.  There's no free transport here for the pensioners, shame.

These two photos show a "Kleingarten" a little garden, like our allotments,  where flat dwellers who have no garden can rent/buy a plot of land,  build a summerhouse, sit on a lawn and grow vegetables and fruit.  There are "Kleingaerten" everywhere, and I assume it's a nationwide scheme.    It would be a sensible extension to our big city allotments, providing a place for children who live in highrise flats, a chance to experience a green garden and have a patch of land for themselves. 

I remember as a child being given a book by my mother entitled,  "A Garden for my Child."  A lovely title and one I have never forgotten.  The book showed how to make a little garden for a child, what seeds to grow and what little garden tools to buy.  The illustrations were drawn in black and white and it was an enchanting little book,  circ. 1954, a long time ago.   I can remember stroking its beige cover with brown lettering.

Kleingaerten in Weststadt.

Two Men in a Basket.

Two Men in a Basket.

On my wanderings yesterday, I'd been to "Schloss Richmond" then to the station, and was making my way back to the Cathedral for the five minute service, when, outside the Town Hall, I came across a huge crane with two men in a dangling basket.  I've read today that the five tips of the towers had been removed, cleaned up, repainted gold coloured and yesterday they were being put back into place.  I saw the finished towers again today and very smart they look too, shining the the sunlight.  That was before the storm that passed this way with some  heavy rain, I'd just arrived home, thank goodness.

I booked my train ticket for Leipzig today.  I visit the city next Wednesday and will pay homage to my man JS Bach, who was appointed Cantor in 1732 to the Thomas Schule at the Thomaskirche. He was also Director of Music in all the city's churches, a post he held until his death in 1750.   I usually start my day with the music of Bach, and I'm so looking forward to treading the great man's footsteps.  The church has been altered since Bach's time, but I can still see what he must have seen, the columns, the arches, the windows and the doors.  There's a Church shop there,  where I will buy a bust of Bach to join the bust of Mozart I bought in Saltzburg in 2000.  

I will miss the sound of German when I return home in October, so today I bought a book and a talking book of Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea."  I can listen and follow the words, which is so good for my pronunciation.  I had a long German conversation with a sales assistant in "Graff" a wonderful bookshop that was introduced to me by Janet. As she said, "You can spend whole days in here." She is right. 

A "Schloss" for the Bus Pass Walkers!

Schloss Richmond.

 I have found a Schloss for the Bus Pass Walkers!  Before I came away I said that if I met a wealthy Duke, (not many about) he would have to own a Schloss big enough to accommodate the Bus Pass Walkers when they came over for holidays in Braunschweig.

Here it is, a little palace built in 1768 for Duchess Auguste, the sister of English King George 111, and wife of Duke Carl Wilhelm Ferdinand.  Auguste missed her English home in Richmond, so her Duke built a little English palace for her in Braunschweig, which she named "Schloss Richmond."  It is tiny, completely symmetrical and enchanting.  The detail on lamps each side of the entrance shows a gold coloured "A"

It is possible to walk around the gardens, landscaped  in the English style beside the River Oker,  but unfortunately, only groups can go inside the Palace.  I managed a peep through the windows  and saw two splendid chandeliers.   It is beautiful, a little summer palace for a duchess who missed England.

The Lanscaped Garden in the English Style.

Monday Meanders and No Wimbledon.

Recording the Past

Wimbledon started today, and I have realised, that once again, I am not going to be able to watch it.  I was warned, Janet said I'm sure Eurosport won't broadcast any play.  I feel disappointed, it's yet another year of not seeing any action.  On the boat the tv never worked very well, so I gave up watching for months on end, I missed the Olympics too.   What a shame,  I went  into town early this morning in order to get back in time for a mega session of television watching from 1pm onwards.  The  BBC's  IPlayer doesn't work here either, so I could get very upset about this!  Never mind, I have the Wimbledon website with all the news and pictures.

These two photos show a recent archeological dig on a site I came across before I went to Dresden.  I like meandering about, and something of interest always turns up.  This is the site of a proposed shopping complex (yet another) and the charming lady in blue, who spoke perfect English, told me about her job of recording every little detail in the exposed strata. 

She was in the cellar of an old building, and could say only that it had been in continuous use for centuries.  I mentioned I came from Wiltshire and she told me about Stonehenge, Avebury and Silbury Hill!  She has never visited the area but hopes to very soon.  She mentioned that we bombed the city in 1944, I said, "Yes I know, but not me personally."   She replied,  "Well we started it,  I suppose we deserved what we got."

Saturday's Rainbow, Sunday's Terrible Weather.

The rainbow over Broitzem village.

From my flat I have a panoramic view of the local countryside, and yesterday evening, after a shower,  I saw for the first time a complete rainbow.  These two photos almost join together to form the complete bow.  It was a lovely spectacle and lasted about 15 minutes.  Today has been a typical English summer day, wet windy and cold. I am still weary after my trip to Dresden last week and feel  bone idle.  I don't think I can be  bothered to go out.

I was going to a concert in the Cathedral at 5pm with music by Mozart, the violin concerto in A Major KV218 and Schubert's  Symphony No. 5 in B Major.  The concert is given by the Cathedral Symphony Orchestra.   It has been pouring with rain for the last two hours and is very windy.  No, I haven't the energy to catch the bus and tram into the city and it's very cold!   Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully dry. 

I'm hoping to visit Hamelin, of "Pied Piper" fame, which is just over an hour's train journey from BS.   Every Sunday in the town the story is re-enacted.  Now I will make yet another cup of tea and eat some more very nice chocolate biscuits.

The rainbow rising from a field of parsnips.

Not a lot Happening.

13.40 ICE in Leipzig Hbf waiting to leave for BS.

A very quiet day today after the excitment of a week in Dresden.  I know of no other place where you can be so in contact with the futility of war.  I am pleased I visited  and met my email partner Beate, who lives near the "Blue Wonder Bridge" over the River Elbe.

The photo shows my train standing at Leipzig station, another city I would like to visit later in the year.  I tried booking a hotel room in Eisenach this afternoon but without success.  JS Bach was born in the town and I would like to visit the "Bach House" and touch the great man's feet.  Maybe I can touch his feet in Leipzig instead, Bach has many connections with that city too.

The photo below of a clog dancer was taken at the Bath/Braunschweig Twinning Group's musical evening with buffet on Friday evening.  A soprano sang some English and Irish songs accompanied by a harpist and the girls from the BS Irish Dance group performed clog dances and reels.  They were excellent, especially the clog dancers.   Posters of Bath and the UK were displayed around the walls and Treve, the leader of the DEG gave a short introduction to Bath and the UK. 

 An Irish Dancer at the DEG Social Evening on Friday.

Three ex-patriots, a lady from Bath, an Irish lady and someone from Wales talked about their lives now that they live in Braunschweig.  It was all very interesting and I managed to understand much of what was said.    I eventually got to bed at 23.30, so it's no wonder I feel shattered.   I'll have a quiet day again tomorrow before I go to a late afternoon concert of music by Mozart and Schubert in BS Cathedral.

Dresden-Leipzig-Braunschweig.

Gardens and Fountain on the Bruehl Terrace.

It's back to Braunschweig today.  I am sorry to leave this lovely city but I know that I will return.  My hotel is opposite Dresden Mitte railway station, so I have only to cross the road to catch the 11.19 back to BS.  I travel via Leipzig, where I shall only see the station.  Shame, that's another city I would like to visit one day.  Back later.

No Longer Deaf in Dresden!

I took my last wander this morning, seeing the interesting things I wanted to see.  This monument is to Julious Otto, composer and director of Music in  the Kreuzkirche.  He  has some of his choir children with him. Towards the end of the war the metal was melted down and used for ammunition, but in 2010 the artist Niklas Klotz remodelled and cast it and it now sits outside the church in memory of the choir master.


The photo below shows the Procession of  the Princes.  It is made of individual Meissen tiles and miraculously survived undamaged the night of 13th February 1945.  It shows all the rulers of the House of Wettin. (This one section shows Augustus the Strong.)

This photo of the Frauenkirche shows clearly the pieces of the original building left standing on February 13th/14th 1945, in contrast with the new stone rebuild.   The church remained a pile of stones until 1985 when the decision and enough money had been raised to start the rebuild.  I managed to get into the 12 noon service today to hear organ music by Bach.  I have been deaf in my right ear for three weeks and during the service with Bach's music my ear suddenly cleared.  It is amazing the effect Bach's organ music  has on me.  I can cancel my appointment with the doctor next Tuesday. 

I have just returned from having a nice goodbye meal with Beate my email partner.  We  said "Aufwiedersehen" not goodbye.  I shall have to return to this beautiful city one day.

Wednesday Afternoon, Schloss Pillnitz.

"Blog Block" is chronic tonight, I cannot think of anything to write!  This is Schloss Pillnitz the summer palace, on the banks of the Elbe, of Augustus the Strong.  What a life of magnificance he led, whilst he poor subjects lived in poverty and were supposed to put up with it.  Anyway his money paid for this amazing building and I am completely bowled over by it all.  Please refer to Wikipedia for more information.  I've reached saturation point!

Dresden Wednesday Morning, The Golden Rider and Canaletto was Here.

Once again this evening I am bit lost for words.  There is so much to write about that I have "Blog Block."  This is Augustus the Strong on his horse.  I think you will all have to refer to your history books or Wikipedia to read about this man and his part in the history of Dresden.

I visited the places where Canaletto had painted, and stood in the great man's steps, a very interesting thing to do.  Two of the scenes are below.  The city was full of Japanese tourist this morning, and I could not get into the Frauenkirche to hear the organ service.  The queue snaked around the building and I didn't fancy standing in the sun.  Never mind I will try tomorrow.

Dresden Tuesday Afternoon (cont)

Cable car

On Tuesday afternoon I met Beate for the first time my email partner who lives in Dresden near the "Blue Wonder" bridge.  We were both a little nervous, but with her English and German and me with mine we got on like a house on fire!    We walked along the banks of the River Elbe to the bridge (photo left taken from Luisenhof) and then crossed the bridge to take a trip on the cable car (oldest in the world) up to the Luisenhof, once a royal residence but now a restaurant with a balcony that looks out over the city.   We came down again and wandered back to a Beer Garden on the banks of the Elbe where we downed a glass of beer each.  A lovely afternoon but hot!

View of the Blue Wonder Bridge from the Luisenhof.

View from the Balcony.

The cable car station.

Dresden Tuesday morning (cont)

Two views of the "Semper Opera House" which was completely destroyed in the war but rebuilt 40 years later with the original facade.  Weber was the music director here in 1842 and Wagner's "Flying Dutchman" and "Tannhaeuser" were first performed here. I hope to do a tour of the building on Thrusday afternoon.  At the moment I have a bit of "Blog tiredness"  There is too much to write, so photos will have to suffice for a couple of days. 

Dresden, "Zwinger" Schloss. (Tuesday morning continued)

The Crown Tower.

Photos of the Zwinger.  I wandered through the gardens of this palace built by Augustus the Strong in 1710-1732.  The day was comfortable, hot but with some cloud cover thank goodness.   The many tourist coaches had arrived, and at times I felt I was in Bath surrounded by people amazed at our historical buildings, just as I am amazed by theres.  One wing of the palace is still being restored and was clothed in scaffolding, but it's going to be lovely when finished and reminds me of the "Sansoucie" Palace I saw last year in Potsdam, built in the same style in 1745 as a summer palace for Frederick the Great.  I refer you to Wikipedia for all the history, there is too much for me to write.