Tag Anna Potthoff

The Legend of…St. George, the dragon slayer

Anna--The Adventurer

St. George, a top a fountain, slaying the dragon.

St. George, a top a fountain, slaying the dragon. Ettlingen, Germany

St. George, doing his slaying, Karlsruhe, Germany

St. George, doing his slaying, Karlsruhe, Germany

According to the Golden Legend, the narrative episode of Saint George and the Dragon took place somewhere he called “Silene”, in Libya; the Golden Legend is the first to place this story in Libya as a sufficiently exotic locale, where a dragon might be found. In the tenth-century Georgian narrative, the place is the fictional city of Lasia, and the idolatrous emperor who rules the city is called Selinus.[7]

The town had a small lake with a plague-bearing dragon living in it and poisoning the countryside. To appease the dragon, the people of Silene fed it two sheep every day. When they ran out of sheep they started feeding it their children, chosen by lottery. One time the lot fell on the king’s daughter.[8] The king, in his grief, told the people they could have all his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared; the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon.[7]

Saint George by chance rode past the lake. The princess tried to send him away, but he vowed to remain. The dragon emerged from the lake while they were conversing. Saint George made the Sign of the Cross and charged it on horseback, seriously wounding it with his lance. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle, and he put it around the dragon’s neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a meek beast on a leash. The princess and Saint George led the dragon back to the city of Silene, where it terrified the populace. Saint George offered to kill the dragon if they consented to become Christians and be baptised. Fifteen thousand men including the king of Silene converted to Christianity. George then killed the dragon, and the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. The king built a church to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint George on the site where the dragon died and a spring flowed from its altar with water that cured all disease

(text is from Wikipedia)

A day in Ruins, Waldkirch, Germany

Anna--The Adventurer

Waldkirch, Germany

Marktplatz, the town center square where a lot of hubbub occurs, a great place to drink coffee and people watch

Waldkirch, Germany

The country road view of Waldkirch, a quaint small town

Waldkirch Church

A lovely church with lyrical bells chiming

Fortress--noble ruins Waldkirch, Germany

Fortress Ruins on the hillside above Waldkirch. Closed today but still beautiful. Just everyday life in Germany.

 

A day ‘ruined’ when taking an alternate route back to my abode. Absolutely Stunning!!!  I never found this place on a map for tourists or anything but with some digging, some history was learned and stumbling upon some ruins is a treasure—life off the beaten path sure has some old perks.

The people in this small town are also very friendly, it seems the further away from big cities, the better the atmosphere.

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.

Creativity and Coffee

Anna--The Adventurer

Anna Potthoff ---trying Turkish Coffee for the first time, Strasbourg, France

Anna Potthoff —trying Turkish Coffee for the first time, Strasbourg, France

I admit it, I am a coffee and postcard addict. I crave to sample and savor beans and caffeine wherever my feet go, taking a moment to send a postcard to a friend or family member.

  I also collect ‘smashed’ pennies, kind where you insert a coin and a payment, turn the crank, and out comes a small souvenir. They provide great souvenirs and I hope to collect enough to create a charm bracelet-

I am, in short,  an adventurer with with a yearning to expereince all. Alas, adventures are not free, so I am getting creative.

I go to local Flea Markets–held rather frequently and find goodies–putting them on eBay to fund my adventures.  A portion of every sale also benefits a charity–the treasures are forever changing, so please, check back frequently.

Happy shopping!!

my eBay

Writing a postcard and realizing I am out of coffee

Writing a postcard and realizing I am out of coffee

Penny Souvenir Crank, Strasbourg, France

Penny Souvenir Crank, Strasbourg, France

I purchase postcards to help me discover venues in new areas and to send notes to loved ones--one postcard always goes into my journal as a keepsake souvenir

Postcards Addict

Academie De La Biere Cathedrale

Anna--The Adventurer

Academie De La Biere Cathedrale

Chevre, honey Flammkuchen Amazing

The walking tour guide recommended that we eat here and he lead us in the right direction!! Absolutely amazing!!

A friend and I ordered 2 different Flammkuchens and Fries, amazing!!

Learning the Language

Anna--The Adventurer

My fellow students in my First German Course

My fellow students in my First German Course

Last Day of Second German Course

Last Day of Second German Course

 

 

 

 

Learning a new language is part of my bucket list (which also includes adventures.)  German is not an easy language to learn and pick up but there are plenty of opprotunities to practice here…and boy, do I practice!!!

Taking classes at a local venue-school has proven to be super helpful in building basic vocabularly and grammer–and I have made some really nice friends along the way–and what is life without human interaction?

I am often a little shy in using my German my language level is defintily not at a very high standard yet–but I can now order food, ask and give directions, and reading signs and packaging is much easier now. Woohoo!! The essentials are in practice as I continue to expand my language skill…and that the vocabulary grows.

 

Kirch & Kloster (Ruins) and town of Bad Herrenalb

Anna--The Adventurer

Video Link

A fellow tourist summed it up perfect (excerpt from German Eagle)

The Cistercian monastery, origin of the town, was founded in 1149 by Berthold III von Eberstein and his wife Uta. It became economically successful, in the 14th and 15th century it prospered. However, the end came soon: In 1525 farmers plundered it, as a result of the Reformation it was closed down in 1534 and turned into a school. In the 30-years war the Swedish troops burned it almost completely down.

So, not much is left of the monastery buildings. The still existing choir of the former monastery church was incorporated in the construction of the ev. parish church. Best preserved is the so called “paradise”, the entrance hall of the former monastery church (pics 1 – 3). The “paradise” was built about the year 1200, in 1462 the beautiful gable in Gothic style was added. Portal and windows are still in Romanesque style. Inside are some old epitaphs.

The monastery grounds are still the heart of Bad Herrenalb. But nowadays you find things like the Kneipp bath (pic 4) and a monument (pic 5) on the grounds. Relics from the Cistercian era are also the parsonage and the adjoining house, some remains of the walls and a barn.

Access is free, always open. For the ev. church see separate tip.

Directions: Central location in town

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.
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Inside the church.Photography by Anna Potthoff.

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.Photography by Anna Potthoff.

Kneipp Bath

Anna--The Adventurer

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Splashing around in a Thermal Pool Together

Spending time with my sweetheart is such a joy–I asked a local woman what the open-air foot/leg bath and arm bath-trough was intended for–and she answered (with a smile) that it is for health and refreshment….exactly what we needed on a hot, hot summer day.

Thomas and I sluffed off our shoes and went for it. Wowser!! That water is cold but awesome–the floors of the pool (only about knee deep) is covered in bumps, creating a lovely, slighlty ticklish feeling…and it is truly refreshing… and it exfoliated our feet…no more callouses….Thomas is a trooper, for sure, willing to try anything and adventuring with my sweetheart makes it so much more enjoyable, laughing and trying it all.

Neither of us has ever been here before today…an adventure with laughter, beautiful scenery and soft feet after adventuring all day….it does not get any better than this–and it is a free venue located in Bad Herrenalb.

Thomas getting into the pool

Thomas getting into the pool

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Thomas enjoys the ‘arm bath’–very refreshing on a hot day.

A cool summer meal

Anna--The Adventurer

Cooking is like snow skiing: If you don’t fall at least 10 times, then you’re not skiing hard enough.

Guy Fieri

Summer Pasta Salad

Summer Pasta Salad

Summer Pasta Salad..My Recipe

1 pkg spirally pasta–cooked accordingly to the package directions–drained and cooled

2 small ripe tomatoes, chunked

1 can of sliced, pitted black olives

Sunflower Oil

6 large basil leaves, minced

1 small clove garlic, minced

the lemon juice of 1 large lemon (with pulp)

Pepper Jack Cheese, sliced into thin strips, small pieces

I mixed all ingredients with the pasta, and let chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator–absolutely delicious—and my cooking adventures continue.

Check Out My eBay!!!

Open Air Event, Ittersbach, One Intense Over time Game

Anna--The Adventurer

soccer-nightWhat an intense night!!!

Thomas, Monika ( a friend of ours) and I drove to Ittersbach, with the intent of watching the Euro-cup match at the Pub— and happened upon an open air event playing the Germany Vs. Italy match at an open air event!!!

The soccer match was a big deal, going into overtime!!! Goal kicks from the marked lined were made, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats, with boos made when Italy scored and cheers erupting when Germany made goals!! Germany won…by the skin of the teeth and the success of a final shot!!!

After the winning kick was scored, fireworks erupted, a live band started playing cover tunes and the crowd went wild…a fun night full of unexpected delight.

 

 

Kloster-Monastary Ruins, Fraunalb, Germany

Anna--The Adventurer

Riding the tram (www.kvv.de) around the area has proven to be such a joy–it takes me to places I would have never known about before–like the quaint village of Fraunalb in Baden-Wurtämburg.  The videos show case some of the wonderful and beautiful aspects of the monastary ruins–

 

 

Treasure hunting is so much fun–and it is helping to create great and awesome products on my eBay.