4 March 2012 Kloster Eberbach and...

Before I go on to  today's journey to Kloster Eberbach, I thought I would say a little something about yesterday.

Yesterday  I was introduced to my first every Asian Auction. I guess the PTA at Ramstein Elementary School contracts with an Asian merchant each year to have an auction...partially live partially silent. There was all sorts of stuff at this auction...furniture...not just eeh furniture but solid wood furniture. There were cabinets, chairs, tansus, bars, all sorts of furniture. There was also all sorts of accessory things, jars, dishes, jewelry, paintings, embroidered pictures...you get the idea. I could see how people save all year just to attend this auction. It was kind of interesting to see what people could get for such a small amount. I have to admit, I did get four pieces of furniture...and for an amazing price. There is no way I could touch one of these pieces in the States for the price at this auction.

One thing I got was not really exciting, but its useful and was extremely inexpensive (about half the price of particle board in the States)...it was just a chest of drawers...but its hardwood with glass knobs. No picture of it cause its nothing much...just an amazing deal. I also got a beautiful cabinet with a marble top. You couldn't get a slab of marble the size that is on this cabinet for the price that the whole cabinet cost...then I got a leather and hardwood settee (I needed a seat for the entry hallway...or maybe the bathroom...hmmm decisions decisions...and last but not least I got what they called a cosmetic table (but that is not what I will be using it for...instead it will be used as a console table for the entryway). These are them...

In case you are curious, no the duck is not something I would normally have, it came with the furniture...dont ask me why.

After the auction I went to spend some time at the CASF for some of my volunteer time for the USO. It was a good evening...Bob Mandell the American Ambassador to Luxembourg was coming for a visit and bought pizza for the patients, volunteers, and staff at the CASF. When they came they brought the biggest Tiramisu I have ever seen. I have to say, it was also the first tiramisu that I have had that I really liked. (Heather we will be going to Salvatore's in Landstuhl for tiramisu when you come to visit). To top it off, I got one of the nurses at the CASF to clip and yank my stitches out...feels so much better now :)

That made for a busy Saturday, then came today, Sunday. Woke up to a not so sunny day (it was supposed to be only partially cloudy). Despite being overcast, at least it wasnt snowing. So, after getting up, messing around for a bit, I set the GPS and was on my way to Eltville am Rhein to the Kloster Eberbach.

The Kloster Eberbach is a Cistercian (Catholic monks and nuns who are cloistered) monastery. Building of the basilica started around 1145 and then other parts of the monastery were added as time went on. They make some lovely wine and have for many many years (centuries actually). The Kloster Eberbach is located in the middle of Riesling country very near the Rhein River. The monastery was the location for the movie "The name of the rose" (with Sean Connery).

I not only got the fun of seeing this monastery today but before that happened, as I was driving along on my way to get there all of a sudden Jack my GPS guy says that I will be driving on a ferry in 100 meters. I had no clue that I was on the route that would take me on the ferry...but hey, it was my first time ever driving and taking my car on a ferry...I have ridden ferries before but never driven onto one (Yes, I know, I am easily amused).

This was a ferry that passed by us...as you can see it really was an overcast day today.

Just a few short kilometers from the ferry I got to park for the Easter market that was going on at the monastery. I say got to, but what I really mean is had to. It was so busy that I had to park and then walk a mile or so to get to the monastery. (Some pictures on the way in)

 Much as I wanted to see the rest of the place, I had actually come for the Easter market, so that is what I did first. I couldn't take pictures of all of it, as I had to get permission to take pictures (unlike some that were being rude and just taking them...and ticking off some of the vendors), and many didn't want pictures taken. But I did get a few from those that would give me permission. You might want to enlarge these to see how truly beautiful some of the eggs are.

This guy was hand beading the eggs. I could kick myself, I was going to go back to get a giraffe one for Jeanie and I forgot to go back...hopefully he will be at one of the other markets.

This lady was cutting out all the little bits of decoration for these eggs...quite tedious, but beautiful.

These are some of the eggs with the paper cutouts

They had a table for the little ones to decorate eggs.

These are a few I got (some I wont show since they are a surprise for little ones back in the States).

This one and the next picture are actually the same egg. The outer egg is cut out exposing a view of the inner egg...which rotates. I really wish they had two like this one. I had gotten this one for Deb for her birthday, but really like it a lot. The pictures dont do it justice.

Ok, this is not an egg (in case you were confused). It is actually one of the cookies that I got to send back to the boys. The man selling them made a point of telling me the story behind this particular design. It has three rabbits and although there should be six ears there are three ears. The threes are meant to represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The wreath around the outer edge is continuous to represent the continuous relationship of the Holy Trinity.

This one was just too darn cute.

This was a cut out egg that I had gotten. I say had because I was going to hang it up and I dropped it. Believe it or not, it was fine, until I went to pick it up then it broken :(

 After the market (which was cut short since I didnt bring much euro...probably a good thing). I went to tour the monastery. You could really feel the place because it is all stone and wood and it was chilly and musty, so it was like walking back in time. So these are the pictures I took there.

This fountain was from before 1186.The monks used to wash their hands in it before eating.

tombstones

The pictures like these are tombstones

Stairway up to the monks dormitory

Dormitory

 These are original lead glass windows from the monastery

This is the back side of the window.

Crucifix from @1150

In the center of each of the star sections (see the picture above this one) in the dormitory are different medalions...here are three)

Part of the original wall around the monastery...remember it was a cloistered monastery so the idea was to keep the outside world out.

I had to take a picture of this. Look closely at the lights...see anything odd? Maybe that the left turn lane is in  the right lane (they drive on right side of the road here, by the way). The reason this is like it is, is because when you are in the waiting lane for the road to get to the ferry you have to wait until the ferry traffic is out of the way...so rather than having you wait in the middle of the road, you wait on the right side and then when the ferry road opens, you get the green arrow.

taking the ferry back across the Rhine.

So that was my Sunday. Not the best pictures ever (overcast and I think I need a new camera too), but it was an interesting day. I will go back to Kloster Eberbach...hopefully when it is Spring and green, but even if not, they have wine tasting tours...what fun! Oh and yeah, I did leave with a few bottles of their riesling.

3/2/12 busy busy busy

Ok, I have proven, I am not a dedicated blogger...so sue me. Not a whole lot exciting in my life usually so I save it up for the days when I have more to say. This is sort of one of those days. Let's see, a little over a week ago I (as my grandma would have said) went ass over teakettle and ended up whacking my head open. This is kind of funny because I was getting up to go get a cup of tea (hehehe get it..ass over teakettle when I was getting tea...anyway...). So after some debate, I did end up having my friend Deb take me in to the ER, a few stitches later and off to home...only to discover I also had a concussion...but no biggie, not after a brain bleed and TBI in the past.

Anyhow, so the weather has been ok, no snow really, just kind of overcast, but the ground is convinced it is becoming Spring...as some flowers are already up and blooming and others are starting to show their way up.

A few of the flowers already blooming in my yard.

One thing I love about Germany...they love flowers. I had gone to the local garden shop (Dehner) to get some flowers for Deb (she is stubborn and wont let you pay for gas, or other things, so somethings you just have to find ways around her stubborness in order to thank her). And while I was there not only did I find her a lovely basket with all sorts of flowers/plants in it, but I found another that has a little weeping willow (or something like that) in it, so I decided I needed more Spring in my life too...and it will look lovely out on the front or back porch anyway :) The great thing, not only does it look so lovely, but basically only cost about $50...see how pretty...

It's still inside for now...till the weather is a little more consistent.

The reason I decided to write a bit today is because it seems this will be quite the busy and diverse weekend. Today, after work I went to the Rhine Ordance Barracks because they were having the Spring Bazaar...and I wanted some Dutch cheese...so I went. The Spring bazaar is not as big as the Christmas one at Ramstein, but still has some interesting stuff.  So I walk in and notice this beautiful Portuguese pottery. Now you have to understand that for Christmas my friend Deb gave me this lovely teapot that has these really pretty red poppies on it (its an English pottery though)...Funny thing is that i had bought the matching pitchers not knowing that she had gotten me the teapot...but anyway...I saw this Portuguese pottery with poppies on it. Yeah, needless to say I am now the proud owner of a beautiful poppy pasta bowl (or I suppose fruit bowl or whatever thing to serve in it) and a sort of matching pizza platter (it's meant for making pizza or that sort of thing on, but could be used for so many serving things). They are handmade and decorated and so pretty.

This is the pasta bowl (although hard to tell in this photo)

This is the pizza platter.

I continued to look through the vendors...mainly because I was seeing if the English ladies were there that the  other poppy stuff came from. (they weren't there, darn it). Well one of the polish pottery factories had a vendor there. I was going to get the pamphlet for their factory because I would like to go there and happened to see this unusual dish. I hadn't seen one like it before. I am not sure what its real use is (and to tell the truth my Polish is awful anymore...I need to get a language set and relearn) but I have decided it is an olive dish...but it is way cool.

So that was the start of the weekend (and by the way, yes the cheese was delicious...had it with some crackers for dinner). But, wait, there's more...

Tomorrow I am going over to Ramstein for their Asian Auction (seriously, they have Asian furniture and other items brought in to have an auction for their PTA). Supposedly it is an amazing event....so what the heck I will find out. Then I go for my normal volunteer time at the CASF (its where the wounded airmen/soldiers go to be shipped back to the States for treatment). I have gotten in the habit of making some sort of food on Saturdays (hey it helps to serve two purposes...first it gives me a chance to cook cause its boring to cook for one...and second, the guys (and girls) that are at the CASF seem to appreciate the effort and it makes me feel good) but I was informed that I shouldnt cook anything for tomorrow night as some bigwig (president, ambassador...cant remember which...thanks to this concussion) from Luxembourg was coming for a visit and he was going to buy pizza for everyone there...so instead I made some brownies to take in.

Then on Sunday I think I will get up and go to the Kloster Eberbach (a former Cistercian  monastery) for their International Easter Egg Market...it is supposed to be amazing too (I know, everything seems amazing...but it is). I am hoping to find some items for the grands to send back to them...besides, now that I finally have a GPS and it has the European maps, I can go more places. You may have seen this monastery before..if you watched the movie The Name of the Rose...a lot of it was filmed in the monastery.

It looks like some possibility of pictures this weekend. We shall see. At the end of the month I will go to a few other Easter Markets that are being held in parks, and that should be nice. Then I am scheduled to go on the 31st of March to Holland to the Keukenhof Gardens (the famous tulip gardens) on the day when they are supposed to be in traditional garb...let alone on the tour we go to a cheese farm (yummy cheese...havent met many I didnt like) and also at a wooden shoe factory. Then at the end of April I am supposed to go back to Keukenhof for the flower parade and a visit to the Hague (and maybe a quick jaunt to Amsterdam). Still havent decided what to do for Spring break...who knows.