Kosice, St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral
St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral is the Easternmost Gothic Cathedral in Europe, the frontier of Western Christianity. Continue reading Kosice, St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral
Category: Topics
Sargan 8, A railroad climbs a mountain in Serbia
This is an excerpt from a June 2009 letter: This week we started our journalism summer school at Mokra Gora, (wet mountain) in the mountains near the Bosnian border. As part of the program we had arranged an excursion on the narrow gauge railway. This railroad has fascinated me for more than 35 years. Suzi and I encountered it in 1972 on a drive through Bosnia, the little steam engines pulled trains of logs and passengers along track that sometimes ran beside the rutted road on which we were driving. There was a lot of construction on that road … Continue reading Sargan 8, A railroad climbs a mountain in Serbia
Belgrade, St. Sava Temple
The Serbs claim this is the largest Orthodox Church in the world. The Georgians contest this, but it is big. I have actually attended a wedding in one of the chapels here. St. Sava dominates a part of Belgrade. Continue reading Belgrade, St. Sava Temple
Belgrade, NATO Bombing Sites.
This is from an October 2000 letter from Belgrade, on my first visit to the city after Milosevic lost power– and my first visit since the NATO bombing. When someone asks “do you want to see the sights” he really means “sites,” the places hit during the NATO bombing. Like in Pristina, the tour points out how accurate the bombing really was. People mark time “before bombing, after bombing” always pronouncing the second “b” in bombing. And when people ask “how has Belgrade changed” they expect me to cite the most visible of the sites, the tall building next … Continue reading Belgrade, NATO Bombing Sites.
Christmas in Cairo
In 2010 Suzi lived in Cairo and while she flew up to Budapest to join me at that Christmas Market, she attended the Cairo Christmas Market. Here are comments from her family letter. 12/3/2010 I was wrong when I … Continue reading Christmas in Cairo
9/11, Kosovo and Slovakia
Suzi and I were in Kosovo on 9/11, 2001. I wrote these letters in the aftermath of 9/11. I am putting them in the “Winds of Change” category because the events of 9/11, and the response, affected a change in … Continue reading 9/11, Kosovo and Slovakia
Vienna Christkindl Market
This is from a letter written in 1997. Suzi and I were living in Bratislava, Slovakia. And while it was only 65 KM (40 miles) from Bratislava to Vienna there was a real difference between former communist Slovakia and EU … Continue reading Vienna Christkindl Market
Schloss Hellbrunn Advent Market, Salzburg, Austria.
In 2012 I got to three of Salzburg’s 5 markets, the Chriskindel Market in the main square, the Mirabellplatz Christmas market and the Schloss Hellbrunn Advent Market on the grounds of a palace where the Gazebo from the movie Sound … Continue reading Schloss Hellbrunn Advent Market, Salzburg, Austria.
Maribellplatz Advent Market, Salzburg, Austria
In 2012 I got to three of Salzburg’s 5 markets on the high speed Rain Jet train from Munich. The ones I visited were the Chriskindel Market in the main square, the Mirabellplatz Christmas market and the Schloss Hellbrunn Advent … Continue reading Maribellplatz Advent Market, Salzburg, Austria
Salzburg Christkindlmarkt, Austria
In 2012 I got to three of Salzburg’s 5 markets, the Chriskindel Market in the main square, the Mirabellplatz Christmas market and the Schloss Hellbrunn Advent Market on the grounds of a palace where the Gazebo from the movie Sound … Continue reading Salzburg Christkindlmarkt, Austria
Residenz Advent Market, Munich, Germany
In November 2012 I stopped over in Munich on my way home from Tbilisi, Georgia. In Germany most Advent/Christmas markets open the Friday before the first Sunday in Advent. Austrian markets open earlier. Last year the German market opening day … Continue reading Residenz Advent Market, Munich, Germany
Munich Chriskindl Market, Germany
In November 2012 I stopped over in Munich on my way home from Tbilisi, Georgia. In Germany most Advent/Christmas markets open the Friday before the first Sunday in Advent. Austrian markets open earlier. The year before the German market opening … Continue reading Munich Chriskindl Market, Germany
London Christmas
We have had the pleasure of spending a part of two pre-Christmas seasons in London. Here are some photos, many from the market in Covent Garden To see pictures from Covent Garden, Christmas 2014, please click here. Continue reading London Christmas
Frankfurt, Germany, Chriskindl Market
St. Stephen’s Advent Market, Budapest.
The Budapest Christmas has expanded down the street. The Budapest Christmas Fair morphs into the St. Steven’s Advent Market. This paragraph is from a November 2011 family letter. The St. Steven’s Advent Market has a more commercial feel … Continue reading St. Stephen’s Advent Market, Budapest.
Obuda Advent Fair, Budapest, Hungary
Here is a paragraph from a November 2011 letter talking about the Advent Fair at Fo Square in Obuda. If Pest has a Christmas Market, folks on the other side of the river in Buda, or in this case Obuda … Continue reading Obuda Advent Fair, Budapest, Hungary
Budapest Christmas Market.
We first visited the Budapest Christmas Market in 2009. First impressions are important. Here are my first impressions from the family letter for Nov 28, 2009. The Budapest Christmas fair is supposed to be about handicrafts, but to me it … Continue reading Budapest Christmas Market.
Brussels Christmas Market
This is one of Europe’s big ones. I have visited it several times because we often visit our friends Dave and Carol Lam in Brussels on the way home from our various postings abroad. This is one of the high … Continue reading Brussels Christmas Market
Brugge, Belgium Christmas Market.
We visited Brugge, Belgium on one of our trips home for Christmas from working abroad. This one was a trip back from Armenia. To see pictures of the 2014 Brugge Christmas Market Click here. Continue reading Brugge, Belgium Christmas Market.
Bree, Belgium St. Nicholas Market.
This is from a letter I wrote in 2007. We stopped in Belgium and the Netherlands on the way home from Kosovo to visit our friends Dave and Carol Lam, who took us to Christmas Markets. In Europe the … Continue reading Bree, Belgium St. Nicholas Market.
Belgrade Holiday Market and Decorations.
Belgrade’s market is called a “New Year’s Market.” It starts later than most holiday markets and closes later. This market was about 120 steps from our flat. Continue reading Belgrade Holiday Market and Decorations.
Amsterdam, the Arrival of St. Nicholas
This is an excerpt from a 2003 family letter. Although not properly a Christmas Market, it fits here. On Sunday Sinta Klaus (St. Nicholas) arrived in Amsterdam. Saint Nicholas is really from Asia Minor (today’s Turkey.) Dutch people know this. … Continue reading Amsterdam, the Arrival of St. Nicholas
Aachen Christmas Market, Germany
Aachen was the royal city for Charlemagne and one of the first Christmas Markets we visited on one of our trips home from Slovakia. The market is in the shadow of Charlemagne’s cathedral. Continue reading Aachen Christmas Market, Germany
Valkenburg
This is from a letter I wrote in 2007. We stopped in Belgium and the Netherlands on the way home from Kosovo to visit our friends Dave and Carol Lam, who took us to Christmas Markets in Belgium and the … Continue reading Valkenburg