Merry Christmas to all of you!

Afrikaans: Geseende Kerfees!
Albanisch: Gëzuar Krishlindjet!
Apache: Gozhqq Keshmish!
Arabisch: I'D Miilad Said!
Aragonese: Nabidà!
Armenisch: Shenoraavor Nor Dari!
Asturisch: Bones Navidaes!
Bandang: Mbung Mbung Krismie!
Bengalisch: Shuvo Baro Din!
Bislama: Mi wisim yufala eerywan one gutfala Krismas!
Bretonisch: Nedeleg laouen!
Bulgarisch: Vasel Koleda!
Chaha (Äthiopien): Bogem h n mh m!
Cherokee: Danistayohihv!
Cheyenne: Hoesenestotse!
Dänisch: Glædelig Jul!
Deutsch: Fröhliche Weihnachten!
Englisch: Merry Christmas!
Eskimo: Jutdlime pivdluarit!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon!
Estnisch: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi!
Faroer: Gledhilig jól
Finnisch: Hyvää Joulua!
Flämisch: Zalig Kerstfeest!
Französisch: Joyeux Noël!
Friaulisch: Bon Nadâl!
Friesisch: Noflike Krystdagen!
Georgisch: Gilotsavt Krist'es Shobas!
Griechisch: Kala Christougenna!
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma!
Hawaiianisch: Mele Kalikimaka!
Hebräisch: Mo'adim Lesimkha!
Herero: Okresmesa ombwa!
Hindi: Shubh Naya Baras!
Holländisch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest!
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal!
Irisch: Nollaig Shona Dhuit!
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson homungradon nagwutut!
Italienisch: Buon Natale!
Japanisch: Shinnen omedeto!
Javanesisch: Sugeng Natal!
Jiddisch: Gute Vaynakhtn!
Kantonesisch: Seng Dan Fai Lok!
Katalonisch: Bon nadal!
Kirundi: Noeli Nziza!
Kom (Kamerun): Isangle Krismen!
Korsisch: Bon Natale!
Krio: Appi Krismes!
Kroatisch: Sretan Bozic!
Kurdisch: Seva piroz sahibe!
Ladinisch: Bon Nadel!
Lakota: Wanikiya tonpi wowiyuskin!
Lettisch: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus!
Littauisch: Linksmu Kaledu!
Luganda: Amazalibwa Agesanyu!
Luxembourgeois: Schéi Krëschtdeeg!
Malaysisch: Selamat Hari Natal!
Maltesisch: Nixtieklek Milied tajjeb!
Makassar: Salama' Natal!
Mandarin: Kung His Hsin Nien!
Manx: Nollick ghennal!
Maori: Kia orana e kia manuia rava!
Mazedonisch: Streken Bozhik!
Monégasque: Festusu Natale!
Ndogo: Esimano olyaKalunga gwokombandambanda!
Nepali: Krist Yesu Ko Shuva Janma Utsav Ko Upalaxhma Hardik Shuva!
Norwegisch: God Jul!
Palauanisch: Ungil Kurismas!
Polnisch: Wesolych Swiat!
Portugiesisch: Boas Festas!
Quechua: Sumaj kausay kachun Navidad ch'sisipi !
Rapa-Nui: Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi!
Rätoromanisch: Bella Festas daz Nadal!
Roma: Bachtalo krecunu Thaj!
Rumänisch: Craciun fericit!
Russisch: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva!
Sámi: Buorit Juovllat!
Sardinisch: Bonu nadale!
Schottisches Gaelisch: Nollaig chridheil!
Schwarzfuß: I'Taamomohkatoyiiksistsikomi!
Schwedisch: God Jul!
Schwyzerdütsch: Schöni Wienacht oder E guëti Wiënachtä!
Serbisch: Sretam Bozic!
Sizilianisch: Bon Natali!
Slowakisch: Vesele Vianoce!
Slowenisch: Vesele bozicne praznike!
Spanisch: Feliz Navidad!
Suaheli: Krismas Njema Na Heri!
Tagalog: Maligayang Pasko!
Tahitisch: Ia ora i te Noera!
Thai: Suksan Wan Christmas!
Tschechisch: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce!
Ukrainisch: Veseloho Vam Rizdva!
Ungarisch: Kellemes Karacsonyiunnepeket!
Vietnamesisch: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh!
Walisisch: Nadolig LLawen!
Weißrussisch: Winshuyu sa Svyatkami!
Yupik/Sibirisch: Quyanalghii Kuusma!
Zulu: Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle!

 

Wintervogerl - winter birdies

Yellowhammer - Goldammer - Emberiza citrinella

...as far as I know... 

 

collared dove and magpie in cosy togetherness

 

Bäd Mergentheim winter impressions

Actually we really have something you may call "a winter feeling" these days prior Christmas in our part of this planet: a little snow, combined with arctic temperatures down to -20°C (-4°F) - even in the lowlands.

For Christmas the weatherman promised us much higher temperatures again in our parts of Germany so that we are in "good hope" to get the usual muddy weather we are used to have during December.

So enjoy the winter impressions of my hometown before the snow will melt again!

 

 

Bäd Mergentheim Christmas illumination

This historic fountain in the town center of my hometown Bäd Mergentheim is known as the "Kiliansbrunnen" - the fountain devoted Saint Kilian.

Saint Kilian was an Irish missionary bishop and the apostle of Franconia (nowadays some of the northern parts of Bavaria and a bit of Baden-Wuerttemberg), where he began his labours towards the end of the 7th century.

Why ever, the Bäd Mergentheim city administration, which is normally everlasting short of money -  have spent a new Christmas illumination to the three or four main fountains of the town center this year.

This is one of the results of their generosity.

The fountain of Saint Kilian is located on the "Gänsmarkt" (market of geese), direct opposite of the world's famous book store of Moritz & Lux, which is known pretty well far beyond the town boundaries of Bad Mergentheim.

Christmas crib

Any idea where (in Germany) this Christmas crib with real little sheep in front of it might be located?

It's direct in front of a huge and impressive church with nothing less than the world's tallest steeple / church tower.

 

 So with this information you should be able to google it within seconds...

 

A bit of Christmas decoration...

...auch etwas für Frauen dabei, Robert???

;-))

 

We decorated a little our living room for Christmas.

 

 Do you think it's too modest???

 

Is' schon ein wenig schlicht, oder?

Summer memories - part 2

A very special experience: land sailing on the endless beach of the Danish island Rømø 

 

I had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to try out the dragster-style blokart (Strandsegler) of the reigning vice world champion in the standard class of blokarts.

 

I felt like Michael Schumacher - on sand.

 

Photo finish at a (felt) top speed of about 500 km per hour... ;-)

 

The queen of blokart dragster.

 

Land sailing as well as kite buggying obviously really can be addictive!

 

Hundreds of blokarts and kite buggies populate the Rømø beach in summer time. But there's still enough free space for everyone. 

 

Summer memories - part 1

Recent weekend the winter really found its way into whole Germany with temperatures below the freezing point and the first snowfall even in the lowlands.

The sky was (and still is) covered with an uninspiring grey and it's lousily cold when you move a foot in front of your doorstep.

So why shoud I not create some "good vibrations" by bringing back some summer memories???

If you like, please accompany me on my trip back to this year's summer on the North Sea coast.

In August 2009 we went on an excursion by ferry from the German island Sylt to the Danish neighbour island Rømø.

 

Blue sky, sunshine, quiet/calm/silence/rest, the sea, sandy beaches - what more could one want??? 

Rømø is known for its incredible wide sandy beach.

The North Sea continuously washes up tons of sand with each flood ahead of the island of Rømø, so that it grows and grows permanently.

Sylt in contrast suffers under the constant loss of sand with each massive storm tide.

Although they are neighbours within sight, the two sandy islands Sylt and Rømø are of a totally different character, especially their beaches.

 

 The Sylt-Rømø ferry travels apparently over land.

 family beach happiness

The sandy dunes in the background are from the island of Sylt!

 

 photographer's beach happiness / fortune

 Rømø beach - a paradise for shell seekers.

 For those who are to weak / feeble to walk to the shoreline...

 No mountain blocks the free sight to the horizon!

Café Voltaire - Koffiehuis midden in 's-Hertogenbosch

Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard - regerend Koningen der Nederlanden

 

Café Voltaire is een koffiehuis die je niet snel zult ontdekken als je Den Bosch niet goed kent maar het is zeker voor iedereen de moeite waard!

 

Pictures speak louder than words!

The furnishing of Koffiehuis (coffee house) Voltaire in the middle of 's-Hertogenbosch is really unique and (a little) eccentric!

 

 

 

 

 

The best tuna sandwich ever!