The Bells, The Bells!



Der Dom Tower.



The Rambling Rose.

Braunschweig Dom has a peel of 12 bells, all of which have individual names, a dedication and a little icon.  Too long to explain in detail here, but one of interest is: "Thomas von Canterbury" Bronze,  weighs 320kg,  chime h'+3,  measures 796mm and is inscribed with: "Thomas I am called and scare the enemies of the world. Hinrick van Campen cast me in 1506." An icon of Thomas a'Becket and Mary holding Jesus is also inscribed.  Each bell has a name, Salvator, Maria, Kaspar, Katherina, Little Adam and St Gabriel, etc.  The plaque describes the planting of the rambling rose that climbs the tower.  It was planted on "English Day" in June 2000.

Today will be hot, 25c is forecast and I need a quiet day after a visit yesterday by three good friends from the BS/Bath Twinning Group.   I baked some scones again, yummy!!  I'll shop this morning on "Wicki," and have some German homework to do this afternoon, the rest of the class do theirs in English.  This evening another "Wicki ride" through the coolness of Timmerlah woods.   It's just like living in Devizes, but the cycleways are better and it says "Keep Right" in German.

Theatre, Fountain, Spanners and Bells.



Staatstheater Braunschweig.



The Emil Cimiotti Fountain.

On Thursday afternoon I visited the Theatre in order to find a programme of  May's events.  There is much from which to choose and I need time to ponder.   Goethe's Faust 1 was premiered here in 1829, and a lovely carved monument in the foyer gives details of the loss of the building by fire during the last war, and its subsequent rebuilding.   The fountain is wonderful, a huge bowl full of fishes, plants, snakes and water creatures constantly doused in pouring water,  I was mesmerised.   Wikipedia has plenty of info about Braunschweig/the Staatstheater/der Dom/Faust/Goethe/etc,  usw.

I went back to the Dom to sit on my favourite seat, and saw a man carrying a huge bunch of large, heavy spanners, which he promptly dropped onto the cobbles with a loud crash.   He was chatting to another man about the bells, so I listened in and gathered that he was doing some maintenance up in the tower on the peel of twelve.  

Each bell has a name and inscription and they are rung before services and at 17.00 each day for the short "Andacht" a Devotion or Meditation which is accompanied by organ music.  Lovely music and with German spoken so slowly that I can understand every word.  Well virtually every one!



My Own Little Ding, Dingaling, Ding, Dong, Ding. (top label)

My Name on the Door Bell. (top label)

Quite who the smiling pixie is above the door bells I do not know, but he greets me everyday when I leave and return.  He/she needs a name, ehhhh "Brian" comes to mind, but please send me some suggestions, all will be carefully considered.  (I know his secret name.)

After two days of cycling I am weary.  I forget that I am an old bird, I do everything with gusto, including cycling, and I am suffering for it.  My legs ache, but worst of all is that bruised feeling of botty on hard saddle.  Not nice, but to be endured for a few more days until I can purchase a pair of "Well Padded Knickers for Geriatric Amateur Cyclists."

Today I visit Brauschweig's Staatstheater for a Mai programme.  In August I will be seeing Puccini's "Turandot," an open-air performance in the Domplatz.   Mozart's "Don Giovanni" is also advertised somewhere, but I will find out today, together with ticket prices.   www.braunschweig.de/english    Click - Culture/Theatres. 

Choir tonight, the Happy Wanderer sings her socks off again!

On a Bicycle Made for One!

"Wicki" the Wonderbike.

Tuesday was the "Day of the Bike" I felt confident enough with the traffic direction to venture out on "Wicki."  What had been a good 1.5 hours return walk to Weststadt for the daily essentials, became a 40 minute bike/shop/bike ride.   Going was very slightly downhill all the way, but on my return I had to get off and walk, this all peanuts to passing cyclists (Grannies included) but it felt like a mountain to me.  It was my first cycle ride since my last visit nine months ago, so I was a bit puffy on my return. 

On the afternoon of May 22nd there is a Timmerlah Residents group cycle ride of 25-30 Km.  Children and grandparents are invited, so I have now gone into "Must cycle everyday or I get left behind" mode.

Ines and the girls visited for tea at 4.30pm.  It was so nice to see them all again and little G has grown a good 6ins (I've not gone metric yet) since I last saw her.  I stayed  with Ines and her family for three weeks last year and they made me very welcome.  Now it's my chance to entertain them with strong English tea, biscuits and Chocolate Bunnies.

Timmerlah is Alive With the Sound of Music.


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                     When Little Fountains Flow.



 "To wander is the miller's joy, to wander."  I have sung this so often in English, now a chance to sing it in German!  I have joined a choir, "The Concordia-Brunsviga" a choir with  about 30 singers.   We meet on Thursday evenings and our programme  for the coming concert consists of seven songs, two of which we will sing in English, "Amazing Grace" and "I Can't Stop Loving You."  

The others songs are German Folk melodies and it is so nice to sing some lighter music, I get bogged down in JS Bach (my boyfriend) Mozart and Haendel.  Mind you, I can get bogged down with JS anytime, I would love to have met the man but here in Germany, I am closer to the great man himself.



I love singing,  "Wenn alle Bruennlein fliessen,"  when all the little fountains flow."  The words are lovely, a real joy to sing.

On  Sunday afternoon, May 29th, we will be singing in a small concert with other choirs.  Ohh! it is all so interesting and music is a great uniter of people.   When I return from the long sleep, and I am reborn as a concert soprano, I will sing JS Bach (my boyfriend) and Mozart all around the world. 







A Room With a View.



The View with two Windmills.

 This is the view from my front window, one floor up.  On the distant hill (well, bump) you might be able to see two windmills.  In this landscape the mills don't seem obtrusive, but then there seems to be so much open space here.  They are graceful structures, gently winding their way through the air. I don't know the opinion of the people living in the houses underneath, would I want one in my garden? Uhmm!  I will find out how much energy they generate per day for the German economy.

Today I visit the Gliesmaroder English Group, the group with whom I have kept in contact for the last three years.  They have become good friends, especially Monika who is a regular email partner and sends me cheerful little animations of flowers, horses and sunshine.  It will be nice to meet up again and see if their English has improved as much as my German.   I hope so, although at the moment I still don't understand the reflexive verbs!  Well I know the the rules, but I just cannot feel their use.   Anyone who has ever learnt a foreign language will know what I mean.   Tschuess!   Bye!

The Answer is Blowing in the Wind!

Eintracht BS Team Flag. (I think)

This is the view yesterday from my kitchen window.  Not a lot happening, I had a quiet day, but it was very windy and the lilac bushes and flag were on the go without a break from morn til night!   I think the flag is that of the local Eintracht BS Fussball Team.  The answer is blowing in the wind if only I can find it!

I had my feet up most of the day, although did my usual 3 mile return walk to Weststadt for groceries in the morning.   Lunch was simple, a tasty nutty, seedy, wholemeal roll filled with that really smelly cheese, sliced tomato and a dash of mayonnaise.   I watched the World Championship ice skating on Eurosport during the afternoon.  What grace but how exhausting it must be for those tiny girls!   

I can understand many of the commentaries on tv, sometimes I get a whole sentence and can get the gist of what's happening, a picture helps, but it is all spoken too quickly.   It is good to hear the language constantly spoken and is working wonders for my pronunciation.   I will get there eventually and would love to be a bi-lingual old age pensioner.