Category Archives: Tourist destinations

The New St. Vith

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle

I’ve always loved the high rounded hills and wide valleys near Spangdahlem Air Base. They’re colorful even in the middle of winter. This is the Eifel, a land of strong winds, big sky, and beautiful scenery. Thousands of years ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in Belgium, Food and drink, German history, Tourist destinations | Leave a comment

Reminiscent Only of Itself

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle

If this blog seems cathedral-heavy, that’s because I love cathedrals. Stunningly beautiful even in our day, cathedrals represented heroic effort and almost miraculous achievement in their day. Each one is unique. They’re not just buildings; they’re audacity and imagination in … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches and religion, German art, German history, Public art, Tourist destinations | Leave a comment

‘Tis the Season

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle

Ask someone to give you a one-word description of a German Christmas market, and that word will probably be “Glühwein.” You’ll find this hot spiced wine drink, pronounced “glue-vine,” wherever people are outdoors in the cold. At French markets, look … Continue reading →

Posted in Festivals, Food and drink, Holidays, Tourist destinations | 2 Comments

The Pillar of Angels

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle

The most beautiful sight in the Strasbourg Cathedral is a tall, slender pillar surrounded by graceful statues. It seems impossible that such a delicate structure could hold up a cathedral roof, but this pillar, called the Pillar of Angels or … Continue reading →

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Inside Strasbourg Cathedral

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle

Cathedrals look like rooms. But they act like cities. Take the Strasbourg Cathedral, for instance. I walk inside the door, and I say to myself, “This is nothing but a very large room. It has the same thing cathedrals always … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches and religion, France, Tourist destinations | 2 Comments

A Prodigy of Grandeur and Delicacy

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle

Did I say we would be going inside the Strasbourg Cathedral on Friday? I lied. It’s Monday, and we’re still lingering on the steps. But I can’t help it. The facade of this cathedral is one of the most beautiful … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and reading, Churches and religion, France, Tourist destinations | Leave a comment

This weekend, I opened up my Rheinland-Pfalz bus-and-train circular and learned that the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums in Mannheim are hosting an exhibition that will run until late April dedicated to der Schädel. More than 300 items are on display: carved, painted, … Continue reading →

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle | Leave a comment

The other night, I was asking Heidi about the Kaiserslautern Zoo. “It’s nice,” she said. “Of course, it’s not a big zoo. But they have two lions, and lots of smaller animals. They have a petting zoo with goats and … Continue reading →

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle | Leave a comment

Yet Know I How the Heather Looks

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle

Where I live in Texas, we have only two seasons: blazing hot and “I wonder if I should take a sweater.” The chance to watch four seasons unfold is a precious gift to me. A month ago, I wrote a … Continue reading →

Posted in Recreation, Rural scenery, Seasons, Tourist destinations | Leave a comment

Wood, Water, Stone

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Clare B. Dunkle

With Halloween almost upon us, Joe and I set out into the woods this weekend to hunt for remnants of Celtic Germany. Southwest of Kindsbach, we found the Heidenfelsen (Pagan Rocks): two enormous boulders carved with cryptic figures that rest … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches and religion, Folk traditions, German history, Tourist destinations | 2 Comments