Viking Cruise #19: Rhine Middle River: Gutenfels Castle: Legend of Unknown Knight

Today's blog about the Castles along the Middle Rhine River in Germany takes a look at the history associated with Gutenfels Castle(which is now a hotel) and the legend of the "Unknown Knight." 

BUIILT AND OWNED - According to Spotting History's website, Gutenfels Castle was built in 1220. This castle was primarily owned (since 1257) by the Falkenstein family.

CASTLE USES - It was used to provide a Toll Zone on the middle of the Rhine River, in combination with Pfalzgrafenstein Castle (covered in an earlier blog) and the fortified town of Kaub. The Toll was set up for the Holy Roman Emperor until Prussia purchased the area in 1866 and ended the toll the next year. 

(Photo: Entry way in Gutenfels castle-turned hotel. Credit: Hotels.com) 

ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY - Gutenfels Castle is one of the most important examples of the Hohenstaufen military and house construction style at the Rhine. Since 1277 it has been a castle of the Electorate of Palatinate. After an unsuccessful siege in 1504 by landgrave Wilhelm from Hessen, the castle was renamed Gutenfels (solid rock). Rebuilt between 1889 and 1892 it is now used as a hotel.

(Photo: One of the rooms in this castle-turned hotel. Credit: Hotels.com) 

LEGEND OF THE UNKNOWN KNIGHT- Knights and Castles Org shared a story about an Unknown Knight that became a love obsession of Guta von Falkenstein, one of the residents of Gutenfels Castle back in the 13th Century. I've edited the story to make it a quicker read.

 

Guta and her brother Phillip von Falkenstein attended a tournament organized by the Archbishop of Cologne. Guta became enamored with one knight for his courage, skill and handsome face. The knight visited the Royal Box where the siblings were seated and Guta dropped her glove (as was custom) and asked him to keep it (he did).

The knight later found her and admitted his undying love for her. He asked for her hand in marriage if she could wait a few months for him to return. Guta agreed and waited, becoming impatient and inconsolable. 

(Photo: A large room in the Gutenfels castle-turned hotel. Credit: Hotels.com) 

When Richard of Cornwall was finally crowned emperor, he traveled along the Rhine River to visit the local lords. Philip met Richard and was dumbstruck as he asked for his teenage sister’s hand in marriage. 

Then Richard smiled and produced a glove. Guta's glove she gave to the handsome knight.  Philip recognized the man, who had much changed in the months of warfare. Quickly he brought the glove to Guta, who ran to meet her beloved. The two were married within the week and the castle was renamed ‘Gutenfels’ to celebrate the family's good fortune.

THE HISTORY - It seems Guta was Richard's third wife (although I could only find one reference): English Monarchs Co UK says, "Richard married for a third time to the German Beatrice of Falkenburg, daughter of Dietrich I, Count of Falkenburg on 16 June 1269 at Kaiserslautern. His bride was sixteen years old at the time of the marriage and was said to be one of the most beautiful women of her time. The marriage did not produce any children."

(Photo: One of the bathrooms in this castle-turned hotel. Credit: Hotels.com)

NEXT: The Legend of Lorelei

Viking Cruise #18: Middle Rhine River: Schonberg Castle

 Today's blog about the Castles along the Middle Rhine River in Germany takes a look at the history associated with Schonberg Castle. No ghosts are known to dwell in the castle, likely because any ghosts before 1689 wound up leaving when the castle burned down. Ghosts like to inhabit structures! Here's the history:

The Schönburg is a castle above the medieval town of Oberwesel, Germany.

HISTORY OF THE CASTLE - The first mention of Schönburg Castle in history was between the years 911 and 1166. It was built in the first half of the 12th century, probably by Count Palatine Hermann von Stahleck. Later the Archbishops of Trier expanded the defensive fortifications of the consolidated castle group

From the 12th century, the Lords of Schönburg ruled over the town of Oberwesel. The most famous was Friedrich von Schönburg - a much-feared man known as “Marshall Schomberg” - who in the 17th century served as a colonel and as a general under the King of France in France and Portugal and later also for the Prussians and for William Prince of Orange in England. The Schönburg line died out with the last heir, the son of Friedrich of Schönburg.

STRUCTURE HISTORY - The castle was burned down in 1689 by French soldiers during the Palatinate wars. It remained in ruins for 200 years until it was acquired by the German-American Rhinelander family who bought the castle from the town of Oberwesel in the late 19th century, and restored it. Since 1957 the Hüttl family have been living at the castle on a long-term lease; they operate a successful hotel and restaurant there.

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FOUND! Historic prayer book unveiled at Hever Castle, UK

British history, the Tudor period, castles and discoveries are all really cool things, and today's blog is a discovery that includes all of those. We visited Hever Castle, and that's where an historic book was found. BTW- We had a ghostly tour guide who led us through Hever and explained things I verified later (It's all in my book Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation). Here's the story of the historic book discovery!

(IMAGE: Historic prayer book unveiled at Hever Castle Experts say the 1527 prayer book belonged to Thomas Cromwell IMAGE SOURCE, HEVER CASTLE)

FOUND!  Historic prayer book unveiled at Hever Castle, UK  

BBC NEWS, 8 June 2023

HIGHLIGHTS: 

1) Experts have discovered a 1527 Book of Hours belonged to Thomas Cromwell

2) It is identical to prayer books owned by Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon

3) It featured in a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger

Experts say they've solved the mystery behind the ownership of a historically important prayer book after they linked it to a famous portrait of Thomas Cromwell.

Cromwell's book, the 1527 Book of Hours, is thought to be the only object from any Tudor portrait to have survived to this day, according to historians.

It was featured by Henry VIII’s court painter Hans Holbein in his portrait of the statesman and royal adviser. It is the third copy of same book that was also owned by Henry VIII’s wives Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.

(PHOTO: Thomas Cromwell by Hans Holbein the Younger. Cromwell's prayer book featured in a portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger. IMAGE SOURCE,THE FRICK COLLECTION: PHOTOGRAPH MICHAEL BODYCOMB)

Assistant curator at Kent's Hever Castle, Kate McCaffrey, made the link in 2021 that the two women had copies of the same prayer book.

She then discovered the third copy of the 1527 Book of Hours at the Wren Library at Trinity College, Cambridge, which received it in August 1660.

A team of experts, including historian Tracy Borman, reviewed evidence which led them to believe it was the same book in the Holbein painting and that it belonged to Cromwell.

Historians say it is the first time they have made a link between the three prayer books, with its bejewelled, silver gilt binding.

Hever Castle’s curator Alison Palmer said: “It is thrilling to be a part of the solving of this 400-year-old mystery."

Cromwell’s prayer book will be on display at Hever Castle until November.

Idiots and Heroes: 19-year-old Weimarner surrendered: 'heartbroken' -Fortunately Adopted

I HATE People who mistreat animals. This is a Blog about Idiots and Heroes.

The Idiots: A family in FLORIDA dumped a 19 year old Weimaraner (19!) into a kill shelter. I hope Karma dumps those people into a nursing facility where they suffer a slow agonizing, lonely death. Yes, I'm MAD.  

The Heroes: The FL kill shelter contacted no-kill shelter Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Florida and got him there.   After being with a temporary foster caregiver, Dax the dog has now been adopted by a new family. Imagine how this dog feels. I'm seething so much I could go on, but here's the story, instead:

19-year-old dog 'heartbroken' after owners surrender him

Dax had been with his previous owners for nearly two decades so he was understandably sad and confused when they gave him away.

Michelle Homer, KHOU-TV  July 13, 2023

LOXAHATCHEE GROVES, Fla. — This is a story that will tug at your heart, break your heart and warm your heart all at the same time.

Dax is a 19-year-old Weimaraner whose life was turned upside down when the owner he'd known for nearly two decades surrendered him to a shelter.

Older dogs at shelters are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized, so the odds were already stacked against Dax. Thankfully, fate intervened when the rural shelter asked for help and Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Florida agreed to take him.

"It is unfathomable to think about a loving loyal 20-year-old senior dog, at the end of his life span, given up and left confused and heartbroken," they posted on TikTok.

According to its website, Big Dog Ranch Rescue is the largest no-kill, cage-free shelter in the nation and they've saved over 50,000 dogs since 2008. They also travel around the country to save animals after natural disasters, including hurricanes and the 2021 Arctic freeze in Texas.

Big Dog's dedicated staff welcomed Dax with plenty of TLC and the medical team on their 33-acre campus gave the old fella a thorough exam. He has some trouble with his hind legs so Love4Paws, another Florida non-profit, helped raise money to get Dax some wheels for longer journeys.

"He is incredibly sweet and just wants to be loved, but we can tell he is heartbroken," Love4Paws posted on Facebook. One of their board members also agreed to foster Dax until a forever home could be found.

After seeing his story on TikTok, offers to adopt Dax began pouring into Big Dog Ranch and that led to the final chapter in this story.

Follow up on our beautiful old man Dax! Dax, the 19 year old Weimaraner who was surrendered by his family to a shelter,...

Posted by Love4Paws on Thursday, June 29, 2023 Last week, BDRR delivered Dax to his forever family where he seemed very happy to meet his new mom and four-legged siblings. With tail wagging happily, he explored his new digs before hopping up on the couch for a nap alongside the other dogs.

Thanks to donations, Dax has a new orthopedic bed, lots of toys, food, medicines and other supplies to start his new life. BDRR also agreed to pay for Dax's medical care for the rest of his life.

The rescue group hopes Dax's story serves as a reminder to other potential pet owners.

"Adopting older dogs can be rewarding and with many having more mellow personalities these animals make perfect companions," a BDRR spokesperson told Newsweek.

Dax likely wouldn't have lived far beyond his average life expectancy if he hadn't received good care from his previous owners. BDRR told us they don't know the circumstances behind Dax's surrender and it's possible so owners had a valid reason.

Before you adopt any pet, please be sure you're prepared to give them the care they deserve for as long as they live.

"They are not just dogs — they are our children and our family members who love us unconditionally and remain forever loyal, asking for little in return," the spokesperson said.

BDRR recently opened another location in Alabama and they told us they have their eyes on Texas for a future spot.

Idiot of the Week: Christine Geiger of Traverse City, MI salon refuses to service transgender, queer patrons

Since our right-wing nut leaning Supreme Court ruled that a fake web designer didn't have to design gay wedding websites, now all the bigots are coming out of the woodwork showing intolerance, hatred, and prejudice. This week's idiot  is Christine Geiger, owner of Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City, Michigan. Further, anyone who uses the word "Woke" is Automatically a Moron.  Here's the story from the Detroit Free Press:

Traverse City salon refuses to service transgender, queer patrons

Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press, July 11, 2023

A Traverse City hair salon is receiving backlash after announcing on social media that its business will no longer serve transgender and queer people.

"If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman please seek services at a local pet groomer," Studio 8 Hair Lab stated in a now deleted Facebook post. "You are not welcome at this salon. Period. Should you request to have a particular pronoun used please note we may simply refer to you as 'hey you.' "

Numerous individuals voiced their disapproval online, accompanied by screenshots of the original post. One user expressed their shock, stating, "Comparing people to dogs?? It's disgusting!" 

 Another user posted Studio 8 Hair Lab's message to the Overheard in Traverse City Facebook group, to which the owner, Christine Geiger responded: "I have no issues with LGB. It’s the TQ+ that I’m not going to support." Geiger also encouraged those who disapprove of her beliefs to visit other salons and stylists "willing to cater to what (she) will not."

In an email to the Free Press, Jocelyn Link, a chairperson at Polestar LGBTQ+ Community Center in Traverse City, said Studio 8 Hair Lab's comments are not welcome in the community.

(Photo: Christine Geiger, owner of Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City, Michigan. Credit: LinkedIn)

"Hate has shown time and time again to be a losing business strategy and we must not allow this blight to take root in our town," Link said. "Traverse City has a vibrant and thriving queer community thanks in part to our many allies and queer friendly businesses. Statements like the one from Studio 8 undermine the hard work that has been put in to make Traverse City the absolute best that it can be."

In July 2022, Michigan's Supreme Court ruled in favor of expanding the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to protect members of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination in employment, public accommodations, public services, housing and educational facilities.

 However, on June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with a Denver web designer who refused to create websites for same-sex weddings, citing that it violates her religious beliefs and First Amendment rights. The court's findings in the Colorado case have significant implications for when businesses can refuse service to customers.

"The business argues, and a majority of the court agrees, that because the business offers services that are customized and expressive, the free speech clause of the First Amendment shields the business from a generally applicable law that prohibits discrimination in the sale of publicly available goods and services," Justice Sonia Sotomayor said during the late June ruling. "That is wrong. Profoundly wrong."

Further backing its stance, Studio 8 Hair Lab's Instagram biography now says: "A private CONSERVATIVE business that does not cater to woke ideologies." The business' Instagram and Facebook accounts are currently set to private.

Geiger did not respond to the Free Press for comment.

Contact Nour Rahal: nrahal@freepress.com

Hero of the week- Good Samaritan Saves man's life following fiery crash

This week's hero is a person who was witness to a crash and pulled the driver out to safety.

(PHOTO: A Good Samaritan is being credited with helping to save the life of a man who was on fire following a crash in Brownfield. (Oxford County Sheriff's Office))

Good Samaritan credited with saving man's life following fiery Brownfield crash

by Ariana St Pierre, WGME Wed, June 77, 2023, 6:37 AM EDT 

BROWNFIELD (WGME) -- A Good Samaritan is being credited with helping to save the life of a man who was on fire following a crash in Brownfield, Maine.

Emergency crews responded to a crash on Center Conway Road just before 6 p.m. on

The Oxford County Sheriff's Office says the vehicle went off the road and hit a large rock, which caused the vehicle to vault into the trees where it landed nose-first and burst into flames.

The driver, a 60-year-old Brownfield man, was initially trapped, and by the time he got out, he was on fire.

Deputies say a Good Samaritan who lived nearby quickly responded and put out the flames on the driver.

The Good Samaritan was able to drag the driver away from the still burning vehicle and stayed with him until emergency crews arrived.

Also read: Good Samaritan helps save father and 6-year-old from Hallowell house fire Oxford County Sheriff Christopher Wainwright says the actions of the Good Samaritan “without a doubt saved the life of the individual involved.”

The driver was taken to a hospital via Life Flight with life-threatening injuries. He is currently listed in critical condition

Viking Cruise #17: Middle Rhine River: The Healing Tale of Pfaltzgrafenstein Castle!

Today's blog is story of healing about a castle in the Middle Rhine River of Germany. On our Viking Cruise in May, 2023, we voyaged down the Middle Rhine River, which had about 40 castles. Today's blog is about the Pfaltzgrafenstein Castle and how a tower brought about healing two feuding family members.

WHAT IS THE STORY OF PFALTZGRAFENSTEIN CASTLE? 

Pfalz Island is located in the middle of the River Rhine near Kaub, Germany, and that's where you'll see Pfalzgrafenstein Castle! It was built to collect revenue from boats traveling along the river. The story starts with a feud and forbidden love.

Sometime in the 1400s, the castle only consisted of one tower. According to Great Castles dot com, because of an ongoing feud, Cousins Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa and Duke Henry, the Lion of Brunswick, were enemies.

Love knows no bounds.  The Count's daughter Agnes was attracted to young Henry, the son of Henry the Lion. Of course, her dad (the Count) was enraged his daughter wanted to marry his enemy's cousin. 

The Count's wife, however, supported their daughter. So, the Count locked his wife and Agnes in the tower on the island.  

One moonlit night, a ferryman rowed Henry to the island. Agnes was overjoyed to see Henry and fell into his arms. The mother witnessed their happiness and, consequently, provided her blessing. A few nights later, the ferryman transported a priest to the island, and young Henry and Agnes were married.

Nine days later, the Count came to the island to meet his wife and was shocked to learn of Agnes and Henry's marriage.  Agnes explained he had not only gained a son-in-law but a grandchild as well. Upon hearing the news, the count was speechless.

Upon learning of the marriage, the Emperor (Henry's dad) was ecstatic and insisted on becoming the child's godfather. A huge celebration was held at Burg Stahleck as everyone rejoiced. 

The key to the happy ending was the Island Tower, which enabled the marriage and subsequent birth of the count's grandchild, which ultimately reunited the families.

In the old tower of Pfalzgrafenstein, you can visit the room where the child's cradle once stood.

Viking Cruise #16: Middle Rhine: Ghost of Reichenstein Castle!

Today's blog continues the cruise down the Middle Rhine River, which was filled with 40 castles, each with a fascinating history of its own. However, Reichenstein Castle has a good ghost story (and I like ghost stories). Great-Castles com website provided the story of the ghost of Dietrich von Hohenfels, a robber who haunts the castle. 

THE GHOST STORY - Dietrich von Hohenfels' ghost hasn't been seen but has been heard in the castle. Guests have reported that they've felt a presence, and windows and doors have been reported to open and close on their own! 

Von Hohenfels was a robber knight defeated by Rudolf von Habsburg. After his defeat and capture, Hohenfels begged for his nine sons to be spared, knowing his fate was sealed. But Habsburg knew the sons were taught to rob, loot, and murder by the father and wanted to set an example that would deter other robber knights and so he refused Hohenfels request.

(Photo: Jim, the Captain of the ship, and Sue. While we were looking at castles, Jim and Sue got a great picture with the Captain of the Viking Cruise Ship! Wish we did, too.)

Instead, the sons were aligned in a row. Habsburg declared, "Look, you murderer, here are all your sons. In a moment, your head will roll in the sand, but should you manage to walk past your sons headless, I will keep every one of them alive that you manage to pass."

Hohenfels looked each son in the eye and then at the path he must walk to save them. Moments later, the robber knight's head was struck from his body with one stroke. But instead of collapsing to the ground, his body swayed a little, then managed to walk by each of his sons, one by one, before falling to the ground. And to his word, Habsburg pardoned the nine sons.

Now, von Hohenfels' ghost walks the castle and if he showed himself, he may be headless! 

NEXT:  The Ghost of Pfaltzgrafenstein Castle!  

Viking Cruise #15: Castles Along the Middle Rhine: Cat and Mouse Castles

In today's blog of our Viking River Cruise on the Rhine River, I'll talk about the Middle Rhine River, where there were many castles that we saw from the cruise, and point out a bit of history. Today's blog will provide background on the Middle Rhine and explore Cat and Mouse Castles! 

(Photo: Rob and Tom ready for the castle tour on the top deck of the Viking Cruise ship on the Rhine River! Credit: R.G.) 

(Image: Map of the castles of the Middle Rhine. Credit: Hotel Castle Leibenstein)

WHAT IS THE MIDDLE RHINE? The "Middle Rhine" is one of four sections (High Rhine, Upper Rhine, Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine) of the river between Lake Constance and the North Sea. The upper half of the Middle Rhine (Rhine Gorge) from Bingen (Rhine-kilometer 526) to Koblenz (Rhine-kilometer 593) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a striking cultural landscape with more than 40 castles and fortresses from the Middle Ages, unique terraced vineyards, and many wine-villages. For two millennia, it has been one of the most important routes for cultural exchange between the Mediterranean region and northern Europe.

THE CASTLE "RUN" - This area runs from Koblenz to Rudesheim and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowhere else in the world, you can find as many castles as close together as along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley in Germany. 

MOUSE CASTLE'S HISTORY - Mouse Castle is located above the village of Wellmich in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It lies on the east side of the Rhine, north of Katz Castle (Cat Castle). Construction of the castle was begun in 1356 by Archbishop-Elector of Trier Bohemond II. Kuno von Falkenstein completed the castle construction between 1362 and 1388.

HOW IT GOT ITS NAME - The castle became known as Burg Maus due to the cat-and-mouse rivalry between the Catholic Church and the powerful counts of Katzenelnbogen who owned nearby Katz Castle (Burg Neukatzenelnbogen).

CASTLE CHANGES OVER TIME - According to great-castles dot com, the castle fell into disrepair starting in the 16th and 17th centuries. By 1719, the castle was dilapidated and empty. In 1806 it was auctioned off for demolition and used as a quarry, but only partially demolished. Around 1900 it was bought by the architect Wilhelm Gärtner who restored the castle between 1900 and 1906 in great historical detail. Burg Maus also suffered damage during World War II.

CASTLE USES TODAY - Burg Maus is privately owned and not open to the public daily, but does occasionally host events which sometimes include guided tours. The Knights' Hall can also be rented for weddings, anniversaries, or conferences.

THE "CAT AND MOUSE" HISTORY -  Burg Neukatzenelnbogen was constructed around 1371 by Count Wilhelm II of Katzenelnbogen. Just down the River Rhine, the Archbishop of Trier built Mouse Castle. Shifting power and antagonism between respective castle owners, Counts of Katzenelnbogen, and Archbishop of Trier fueled much hostility. The "cat and mouse game" between them inevitably resulted in the assignment of nicknames to castles that are still popular today.

EXTENSIVE HISTORY - There's a lot of back and forth in Katz Castle over time until 1806, when Napoleon Bonaparte ordered Burg Katz to be obliterated during his battle with the Prussians, reducing the castle to ruins. The ruins had several owners until 1896 when Landrat Ferdinand Berg purchased it, who performed various restoration efforts based upon drawings by Dilich. Since 1989, Burg Katz has been under private ownership. 

NEXT: The Ghost of Reichenstein Castle! 

Viking Cruise #14: The Gondola Ride in Koblenz, Germany

Today's blog is a wrap-up of our visit to the Ehrenhreitstein Fortress in Koblenz, Germany. In yesterday's blog, you learned how absolutely disappointed we were that tourists are not allowed to even go in one building. The redeeming part of this tour was the gondola ride from the high hill where the fortress sits, down over the Rhine River to the shore. 

TAKE THE CABLE CAR KOBLENZ - You can travel from Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer at the Deutsches Eck up to the fortress plateau in one of the most modern cable car systems in the world. The cable car connects visitors to the cultural experience of Ehrenbreitstein and the ancient fortress. It opened in 2010 and has an 890m (2,919 feet) length and elevates 112 meters (367 feet).  

OUR EXPERIENCE - take a bus up to the top of the hill where the fortress is located, skip the fortress, and take the gondola ride down. The Koblenz Cable Car is open year-round with longer hours between April and October.

GONDOLA VIDEOS - Today's blog also features several short videos that I took while we were descending to the banks of the Rhine River from the Fortress. You can see the city of Koblenz clearly in one of them.

NEXT: The River Tour of Castles Along the Rhine

Viking Cruise #13: Koblenz, Germany and a Disappointing Fortress

Today's blog takes us to the next port on the Rhine River. the city of Koblenz, Germany and a disappointing Fortress that was an outside-only tour in frigid weather. That day in May it was only near 48F/8.89 C with wind chills in the upper 30s (around 2.7 C). Sweatshirts in May with that kind of cold didn't make for a comfortable outside tour. Regardless, today's blog will highlight the fortress, and a gondola ride, and tell you about Koblenz.

(Photo: Rob and Tom, freezing in the outdoor tour of the Fortress in Koblenz, Germany. Credit: R.G.) 

ABOUT KOBLENZ - Koblenz is a German city on the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle, a multinational tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman military post by Drusus around 8 B.C. Its name originates from the Latin cōnfluentēs, meaning " confluence." The population is 114,024. In World War 2, up to 80 percent of the city was destroyed and had to be rebuilt. 

EHRENBREITSTEIN FORTRESS - Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is a huge stone-built complex located high on a hill that overlooks the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle River.

HISTORY OF THE FORT - The location was settled as far back as the 4th Century B.C. and a Roman fort existed there between 400-500 A.D. Construction on the current fortifications began around 1100 A.D. In 1801, the fort was partially destroyed by Napoleon and the French took possession of it for about 18 years.

WHO BUILT UP THE CURRENT STRUCTURE? - Between 1817 and 1828, Ehrenbreitstein was built up by the Prussians.

(Photo: Entrance to the fortress. Credit: R.G.)

USE OR NON-USE - It was really a storage place. After January 1923, Ehrenbreitstein was occupied by the French Army. During World War II, the fortress served as a place of safekeeping for archives and cultural objects (1943–56) but also harbored three flak guns (1943–1945). 

OUR EXPERIENCE - We had to take a bus to the top of the hill and when we got to the fortress we were greeted by an actor with a good sense of humor, who led the group of 20 or so on a frigid walk around the outside of the fortress. The weather was BITTER cold. What's more irritating was that we learned that we were not allowed to go inside the rooms of the fort (to see how people lived or worked in it), ONLY to walk around the outside for over an hour or two. It was so uncomfortable that we couldn't wait for it to be over. 

VIDEO TOUR: I found this unnarrated video view of the fortress online. It was created by Zabiullah Hamidi.  WATCH:   https://youtu.be/HcnhbRGnRSk

NEXT: View from the Gondola and Video

Idiots of the Week: Store Clerks Take & Try Cashing $3 Million Winning Lottery Ticket, Accidentally Left behind

This week's idiots are 2 store clerks who have been indicted on charges that they schemed to steal a winning lottery ticket and attempted to cash it in at Massachusetts State Lottery Headquarters, Fortunately, this pair of idiots were caught. Here's the story.   

(PHOTO: Carly Nunes, 23, of Lakeville, Mass. and Joseph Reddem, 32, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Credit: Courtesy Plymouth County D.A)

Man forgot a $3M lottery ticket, and clerk claimed the prize. Now she and a coworker were indicted

Boston Com, June 14, 2023

The lottery winner walked out with barbecue potato chips, but unknowingly left his winning ticket behind. A Randolph, Massachusetts man pleaded not guilty Monday as prosecutors accused him of trying to extort a coworker out of part of a $3 million prize from a stolen lottery ticket.

Joseph Reddem, 32, is facing one charge of attempted extortion. He was released on personal recognizance and ordered not to gamble or have contact with witnesses and his coworker, Carly Nunes, who was also indicted in the scheme, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.

After a brief search for his missing tickets, the man assumed they were lost, prosecutors said. His Mass Millions numbers were called that evening, earning him a $3 million prize.

Two days later, Reddem allegedly drove Nunes and her boyfriend to the Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters to redeem the ticket, which appeared torn and burned. Surveillance video captured Nunes and Reddem arguing in the lobby, with Reddem allegedly demanding part of the jackpot and Nunes informing him she would “only pay him $200,000,” the DA’s office said.

After overhearing the argument and taking note of the ticket’s condition, state lottery officials decided to investigate.

Nunes allegedly told officials she bought the tickets toward the end of her shift, tore the winning ticket while removing it from her wallet, and burned it by accidentally placing it on a pipe. However, the DA’s office said she later admitted she obtained the ticket inadvertently.

Investigators tracked down the ticket’s true owner nearly a month later. The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission intends to honor the victim’s claim on the $3 million jackpot.     

Nunes was indicted in May 2023 on charges of larceny from a building, attempted larceny, presentation of a false claim, and witness intimidation. She is slated for arraignment in Plymouth County Superior Court Wednesday, and it was not immediately clear whether she had retained an attorney.