Today's blog continues the walking tour of Strasbourg, France and you'll meet a Dachshund, bakeries and other places the city is known for.
Monday, July 31, 2023
Viking Cruise #26: Strasbourg, France: Dachshunds, Gutenberg, Bakeries
Sunday, July 30, 2023
Idiot of the week: 140 mph Speeding motorcyclist charged with reckless driving
This week's idiot is a motorcyclist who decided to put his life and the lives of others on the road in danger. Here's the idiot's story from Boston dot com.
N.H. motorcyclist charged with reckless driving for allegedly driving 140 mph
State Police caught the motorcyclist during a partial-day traffic enforcement initiative which recorded four drivers going over 100 mph.
By Susannah Sudborough, boston.com , June 18, 2023
New Hampshire State Police charged a motorcyclist with reckless driving and other offenses Sunday for allegedly driving 140 mph on I-93 south.
State police say they caught 24-year-old Salisbury, N.H., resident David Lacy driving 140 mph on his motorcycle while troopers were conducting a traffic enforcement initiative in Bow, police said in a news release. After a trooper in a State police aircraft recorded Lacy’s speed, he notified law enforcement on the ground, who then arrested Lacy, the release stated.State police ended up recording 12 drivers going over 90 mph and four going over 100 mph, according to the release.
State Police charged Lacy with reckless driving, reckless conduct, and driving an uninspected motorcycle. He is set to appear in Concord District Court on July 28.
Saturday, July 29, 2023
Heroes of the Week: London Fire Brigade: Greenwich, England rescue a "Sausage Dog"
(Photo: Eltham sausage dog rescued by Greenwich fire crews (Image: LFB Greenwich))
Eltham sausage dog rescued by Greenwich fire crews
By Emma Fradgley, UK News Shopper, Community Reporter, June 13, 2023
Eltham fire crews have rescued a dachshund after it was trapped underneath a garden cabin.
It was the first call of the day for Eltham Red Watch as south London sees temperatures as high as 27 degrees today.
After some digging and bribing Alfie the dachshund with some ham, fire crews managed to save him. London Fire Brigade Greenwich tweeted: “First shout of the day for Eltham Red Watch was a dog trapped under a garden cabin.
“After a bit of digging and the use of a tasty bit of ham Alfie the Dachshund was rescued!”
Friday, July 28, 2023
Viking Cruise #26: Walking Tour of Strasbourg, France & Ponts Couverts!
ABOUT STRASBOURG- Strasbourg is the capital city of the Grand Est region, formerly Alsace, in northeastern France. It's also the formal seat of the European Parliament and sits near the German border, with culture and architecture blending German and French influences.
THE AMAZING PONTS COUVERTS BRIDGES - The Ponts Couverts (German: Gedeckte Brücken) are a set of three bridges and four towers that make up a defensive work erected in the 13th century on the River Ill in the city of Strasbourg in France. The three bridges cross the four river channels of the River Ill that flow through Strasbourg's historic Petite France quarter. The Ponts Couverts have been classified as a Monument historique since 1928.
Construction of the Ponts Couverts commenced in 1230, and they were opened in 1250. As a defensive mechanism, they were superseded by the Barrage Vauban, just upstream, in 1690, but remained in use as bridges. As built, each of the bridges was covered by a wooden roof that served to protect the defenders who would have been stationed on them in time of war. These roofs were removed in 1784, but the name Ponts Couverts (covered bridges) has remained in common use ever since.
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Viking Cruise #25: Pretzel Ferdinand, the Black Death, and the Old City Wall
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Viking Cruise #24: Speyer's Big Bowl, Old Gate and Statues
Today's blog about our Viking Rhine River cruise keeps us in Speyer, Germany, where I'll tell you about a big bowl and other statues around the famous Cathedral that we explored in an earlier blog.
STORY BEHIND THE GIANT BOWL OUTSIDE THE CATHEDRAL - A sculpture (?) of a giant bowl about 12 feet in diameter (my guess) sits outside the front entrance of the Speyer Cathedral. Since its construction in the 14th century, a giant bowl played a significant role in the execution of a prison sentence: whoever had broken a state law and fled to the cathedral bowl was protected from prosecution. It has been a long time since the cathedral bowl fulfilled these historical functions.
But a beloved Middle Ages custom continues to be observed in modern times. On special religious occasions, the cathedral bowl is filled with wine. With a capacity of over 1500 liters, many citizens and guests are thereby able to enjoy a taste of the juice of the grape. This occurred most recently at the 950-year anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral of Speyer on October 2, 2011.
CATHEDRAL GARDEN STATUES - There are several statues in the garden around the Cathedral, but I couldn't find any information about them on-line.
HISTORY OF THE GATE - The Old Gate was built between 1230 and 1250 on the ruins of a previous tower. The bottom of the 13th century tower remains as the foundation but, in 1511, Speyer's mayor ordered that the tower be rebuilt, so the top portion is newer. It was completed in 1514. It was originally built as an exterior gate, connecting the old town with the suburb of St. Gilgenvorstadt. A 20-meter-high (66 ft) roof was added in 1708.
The tower narrowly survived the destruction of Speyer in 1689, during the War of the Grand Alliance.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE? - The old gate was constructed to mark the end of a "Via Triumphalis" that led from the cathedral to the city walls. On major religious occasions, the Emperor and his court would enter the city through the gate and proceed along this roadway—which was 25 to 30 m (80 to 100 ft) wide and 700 m (2,300 ft) long—to the cathedral.
NEXT: Pretzel Ferdinand, the Black Death, and the Old City Wall
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Viking Cruise #23: The Famous Speyer Cathedral
This is the second part of my blog about our Viking Cruise stop-over to Speyer, Germany. The most famous landmark in the city is the Cathedral.
FAST FACTS - The cathedral was consecrated in 1061 to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Protomartyr Stephen. In 1981 the Speyer Cathedral was admitted to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
TOURS - There are crypt and emperor tombs, and a tower. Both can be toured in addition to the church tour. They offer guided tours in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch and ask you to book in advance. Contact: E-Mail domfuehrungen@bistum-speyer.de For information about the church, visit: https://www.dom-zu-speyer.de/en/.
ODD NOTE - The cathedral is dedicated to St. Mary, patron saint of Speyer, but the Cathedral isn't named for her. Instead it's also known as St. Stephen (Imperial Cathedral of Speyer).
(Photo: The tour guide gave Carter, our friend from the cruise, his tour leader "paddle." Tom is on the right. Credit: R.G.)
ARCHITECTURE NOTE - The original building was made with wooden roofs, and its reconstruction is replaced by stone vaults of edges; foreclosing highest space; raising.
This is how the side walls are attached to the roof by the same material, replacing the bucket abstracto sealed horizontal, for a space defined by semicircular arches. (I'm sure you needed to know that, right?)
NEXT: Speyer Statues and Mary and Mary Ellen's Big Bowl
Monday, July 24, 2023
Viking Cruise #22: New Friends and Speyer, Germany
In today's blog about our Viking Cruise on the Rhine River, we stopped at the town of Speyer, Germany. Although the town was nice, there were not many highlights other than the Cathedral. Most importantly to us, I'll introduce you to some other cruisers we befriended. They really made the vacation!
NEW FRIENDS - We befriended two great couples, Sue and Jim from Florida (they both kept making us laugh), Kate and John (a librarian and author, whose book I'm now reading), and a family of four: Marti, Lisa, Laurie and Carter. We fell in love with all of them and are keeping in touch with them. One night, I arranged for Mary and Mary Ellen to meet with the family, so all 8 of us had dinner together at one big table. Yes, even on vacation, I'm a social coordinator. But it was so much fun. On other nights, we got to dine with Jim and Sue, and Kate and John. It seemed like there wasn't enough time!
(Photo: We were adopted into the family! L to R: Rob, Lisa, Marti, Carter, Laurie and Tom)
(Photo: Enjoying dinner with Sue and Jim!)
NEXT: Speyer Cathedral and the Statues
Quincy, Mass. Blog #7: An Epitapth to Ponder
Today's blog brings us back to the Mount Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy, Massachusetts (which we visited in an earlier blog) It was there we found an epitaph carved on a small tombstone with a saying that struck us as something odd.
An Epitapth is a phrase or form of words written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone. The epitaph read "He Tried to Be Helpful."
If he was helpful, it should have said "he helped everyone he could," or "known for being helpful to others." It seems odd that it says "he tried"- which indicates he didn't succeed.
What would you want on your epitaph?
NEXT Quincy Blog: Visiting Wollaston Beach!
Sunday, July 23, 2023
Idiot of the Week: Pokemon cards help tie suspect to series of explosions in Md.
This week's idiot literally left his "Calling Card" for police to find him. Here's the story:
Pokemon cards help tie suspect to series of explosions in Md. neighborhood
Matt Small | msmall@wtop.com, June 16, 2023, 9:25 AM
Authorities in Maryland have charged a man following a series of explosions over the last several weeks in Aberdeen — and they say his collection of Pokemon cards helped connect him to the blasts.
Jeremiah E. Burnette, 34, of Aberdeen, faces charges of possessing and using explosive devices, following a joint investigation by the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, Aberdeen Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Burnette was arrested Tuesday after Aberdeen police officers responded to a reported explosion in the area of South Rogers and James streets around 3:30 a.m.
The “loud explosion,” as described by the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, happened in the same area residents had reported hearing explosions in the middle of the night since mid-May.
Responding officers discovered a crater near a wood line littered with Pokémon cards. One of the officers recalled a similar stack of cards when previously arresting Burnette a few days earlier.
In what authorities called a coincidence, another resident called Aberdeen police that same day to report arguing with Burnette, who reportedly ended the conversation saying, “Boom.” That resident reported finding a Pokémon card on his front step a few days later, according to authorities.
At the scene of Tuesday’s blast, members of law enforcement, including deputy state fire marshals and bomb technicians, discovered more Pokémon cards and wrappers in the area further connecting Burnette to the explosion, authorities said.
Burnette was arrested with the aid of Harford County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team members after a search warrant was conducted on his home, where authorities said they turned up several packages of Pokémon cards.
The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal said Burnette admitted detonating M-80 explosive devices during questioning. The illegal explosives can cause severe hand, eye and facial injuries, along with hearing loss.
Burnette didn’t give any specific reason for the detonations and there’s no evidence linking him to any threat against national security, according to authorities.
After being charged with two counts of possessing a destructive device and two counts of using a destructive device, Burnette was released from the Harford County Detention Center, after posting a $10,000 personal unsecured bond.
Saturday, July 22, 2023
Hero of the Week: Anonymous donor clears Santa Fe man's water bill, ends dispute with city
Here's a story of a hero who chose to remain anonymous and helped a senior by paying an exorbitant water bill that didn't make sense. Yet, the city of Santa Fe cut off his water and didn't investigate for a leaky pipe. Hopefully, they do now. Here's the story of the hero.
(Photo: Spencer Snyder cleans a bathroom after shaving Thursday, the day after his water was restored after being shut off for two months. He's grateful for the anonymous benefactor who paid his disputed water bill but said he's left with a "terrible mess of a house." . Jim Weber/The New Mexican)
Anonymous donor clears Santa Fe man's water bill, ends dispute with city
By Margaret O’Hara mohara@sfnewmexican.com Jun 8, 2023
A man approached Spencer Snyder at the gym Thursday morning and asked whether the city water service at his home had been restored.
Snyder happily reported the good news: Yes, he has running water again. He also has no balance due on his city account, thanks to an anonymous donor who paid his bill.
Snyder, 82, lived without water at his Santa Fe home throughout April and May, after racking up more than $5,000 in unpaid bills from the city’s Utility Billing Division. While he maintained he wasn’t the cause of that water usage, city officials insisted their records of his water consumption were accurate.
The Utility Billing Division waived fees and a month’s worth of water. Still, Snyder was left with a nearly $4,000 bill with a looming deadline of June 19 to pay, documents show. He contemplated selling artwork or even his house to cover the steep sum.
On June 2, however, the day The New Mexican chronicled Snyder’s water dispute, an anonymous donor paid his water bill in full, Snyder said.
Kristine Bustos-Mihelcic, a spokesperson for the city, confirmed in a message the account was paid.
From a stranger checking in at the gym to a close friend offering a $1,000 check, people have come together to support him, Snyder said.
“One of the positive things that came out of this dreadful experience — and it was dreadful — is that all of these lovely people were interested in helping me,” he said.
“I am moved by other people’s compassion,” he added.
Even though the bill is paid, Snyder — who said he didn’t learn of the bill being paid or his water being turned back on until Wednesday — has more to do to recover from the two months he lived without water.
There’s the cleanup, of course. Snyder said he has a “terrible mess of a house” on his hands, including a kitchen floor and bathtub that haven’t been deep-cleaned for a long time. Piles of dirty dishes remain on his kitchen counters.
It will take a while to recover from the depression and isolation the water issues brought on.
“This is one very bad thing: It really has affected my sense of well-being and my confidence. [I’m] suddenly really feeling my age,” he said.
One of his first actions after learning he had water again was booking a July trip to Boone, N.C., for a wellness retreat, part of his regular spiritual and mental health practice.
Amid the water and financial issues, Snyder had canceled a visit to California with the same purpose, opting to save the money and stay close to home, instead. Though he’s not sure he’ll be up to traveling to Boone, it may be a chance to build his confidence again.
There is one big factor of the situation that, from Snyder’s perspective, remains unsolved: What was the problem? Why was he charged for water he claims he didn’t use?
To city officials, there’s a straightforward answer: The water was used on Snyder’s property. City staff even examined Snyder’s meter to ensure it was working properly and double-checked Snyder’s billing numbers, Bustos-Mihelcic said in a prior interview with The New Mexican.
But Snyder remains concerned something else — something unrelated to a jump in water usage — triggered the sky-high water bills.
“I’m totally grateful. I mean, this was a terrible experience for me and a lot of money and something I felt was unjust in the first place,” Snyder said. “But it was never examined, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be.”
Friday, July 21, 2023
Viking Cruise #21: Docking at Rudesheim, Germany
In today's blog about our Viking River Cruise on the Rhine River, we docked at the town of Rudeshiem. What's interesting about this stop, is that the cruise offered a day trip to a winery (which we didn't do), but didn't mention we could walk the town. Fortunately, we love to explore and we had to figure out our way to get there. We were glad we did. Rudeshiem turned out to be a highlight of the trip, we got to explore it with fellow passengers and new friends Mary Ellen and Mary and we even splurged on tee shirts for ourselves. :)
(Photo: L to R: Rob, Tom, Mary Ellen and Mary - we met in the town and enjoyed walking around together. Credit: R.G.)ABOUT RUDESHIEM - Rüdesheim am Rhein is a town in the Rhine Valley, Germany. It’s known for winemaking, especially of Riesling wines. In the center, Drosselgasse is a lane lined with shops, taverns and restaurants. Nearby, Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet is a museum of automated musical instruments. Medieval Brömserburg Castle is home to the Rheingau Wine Museum, exhibiting wine paraphernalia from ancient times to the present. **However, we didn't visit the castle, the wine museum or the museum of musical instruments. Instead we really just enjoyed walking around this very quaint town!
Thursday, July 20, 2023
Viking Cruise #20: The Rhine Middle River: Legend of Lorelei
Today's blog about the Middle Rhine River in Germany examines the legend of the mysterious Lorelei!
THE MYTH OF LORELEI - Lorelei, or in German, spelled Loreley, is a German legend of a beautiful maiden who threw herself into the Rhine River in despair over a faithless lover and was transformed into a siren who lured fishermen to destruction.WHAT DOES THE NAME LORELEI MEAN IN GERMANY? - The name comes from the old German words lureln, Rhine dialect for "murmuring." and the Celtic term ley "rock." The translation of the name would therefore be "murmur rock" or "murmuring rock."
(Image: German illustration of Loreley (Lorelei) on a rock. Credit: Visit World Heritage Com)WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE STORY? According to Visit World Heritage's website, the name Loreley first appeared in the romantic ballad by Clemens Brentano in 1801 about a pretty woman disappointed by love called Lore Ley, from the village of Bacharach. Spurned by her lover, she wanted to die.
Men were fascinated by her beauty. Even the Bishop could not ignore her grace and charm, so he sent her to a convent, but she never got there. In her grief, she wanted to look once again at her beloved castle and her lover, and then, in desperation and despair, she jumped into the river.
Brentano wrote several variations on the same theme and in his Rhine myths and fairytales, the Loreley appeared as the sad Frau Lurley, sitting on a cliff and combing her long, blond hair.
In Heinrich Heine’s 1824 version, fishermen passing below would be so fascinated by the lovely maiden Lorely combing her hair on the clifftop, that they would neglect to watch out for the treacherous rocks and strong rapids and drown. The ballad was put to music by Friedrich Silcher ‘Song of the Loreley’ and has since become famous across the world.
(Photos: (top) Rob and Tom on the Viking Cruise in the Middle Rhine River, near the statue of Lorelei (bottom) )