Bad Mergentheim seen from a Ferris wheel

Over the weekend my hometown celebrated "Heimattage Bad Mergentheim 2016",
literally translated into "home (country) days" or "native days".

So we had a Ferris wheel 35 metres high for two days in the town center and I took the opportunity to explore my hometown from an angle of view I've never had before.

Bad Mergentheim's Deutschordensschloss, the castle of the Teutonic knights, in the background behind the tiled roofs of the core town.

The old town hall right in front of the market place, the twin houses and the steeple of the minster St. Johannes.

And the view to the south where I live somewhere on the horizon... ;-)

Bad Mergentheim night illumination

I wish you all a colourful and de-light-ful weekend!

...a wee bit of Christmas decoration!

Are you already prepared for the Advent season,

are you already prepared for Christmas decoration???

The majority of people I've talked to isn't!

Maybe it has to do with our long and very warm late autumn weather this year - so somehow we are not prepared for winter, not prepared for the Advent season yet.

But: on Saturday morning we had two full hours of winter atmosphere in southern Germany - 

it was snowing in the morning at breakfast time.

So: doesn't matter if you are ready for the Advent season or not:

NO MERCY!

Here are my first 2015 photographs of "a wee bit" of Christmas decoration we've arranged in our living room... ;-)

This is why it's called "White Christmas" - even if the region you life is far away from getting any snow!

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Some red colour can't hurt...

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...aaaaand back to reduced colours again.

I hope you didn't suffer from an overkill of Christmas decoration too early this season!!! 

;-)

A pleasant, peaceful und happy Advent time!

Thank you very much SOMMERHAUS RAHMENMANUFAKTUR in Bad Mergentheim for letting me taking the photographs in your great and lovingly decorated Christmas exhibition!

Bad Mergentheim Sakura

Already one week ago, but nonetheless still beautifully.

This year's flowering cherry in the spa gardens in my hometown.

Sorry for not having too much time to answer your appreciated comments currently!

Enjoy a great springtime!

Pleasant Advent Season!

My hometown: Bad Mergentheim pedestrian zone with the Deutschorden Castle in the background,

this afternoon. 

Persian Poem 'Bani Adam',

the Children of Adam.

 

In Persian:

بنی آدم اعضای یک پیکرند
که در آفرينش ز یک گوهرند
چو عضوى به درد آورد روزگار
دگر عضو ها را نماند قرار
تو کز محنت دیگران بی غمی
نشاید که نامت نهند آدمی

A simpler translation that I like:

The sons of Adam are limbs of each other,
Having been created of one essence.
When the calamity of time affects one limb
The other limbs cannot remain at rest.
If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others,
You are unworthy to be called by the name of a Human.

- See more at: http://www.zaufishan.co.uk/2011/09/iranian-poetry-bani-adam-inscribed-on.html#sthash.yUMKKC5Y.dpuf

In Persian:

بنی آدم اعضای یک پیکرند
که در آفرينش ز یک گوهرند
چو عضوى به درد آورد روزگار
دگر عضو ها را نماند قرار
تو کز محنت دیگران بی غمی 
نشاید که نامت نهند آدمی

A simpler translation into English that I like: 

The sons of Adam are limbs of each other,
Having been created of one essence.
When the calamity of time affects one limb
The other limbs cannot remain at rest.
If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others,
You are unworthy to be called by the name of a Human.

Und auf Deutsch:

Die Menschenkinder sind ja alle Brüder
Aus einem Stoff wie eines Leibes Glieder

Hat Krankheit nur einzig Glied erfasst
So bleibt anderen weder Ruh noch Rast

Wenn anderer Schmerz dich nicht im Herzen brennt
Verdienst du nicht, dass man noch Mensch dich nennt.

 A Pleasant and Peaceful Advent Season to all of you!

In Persian:

بنی آدم اعضای یک پیکرند
که در آفرينش ز یک گوهرند
چو عضوى به درد آورد روزگار
دگر عضو ها را نماند قرار
تو کز محنت دیگران بی غمی
نشاید که نامت نهند آدمی

A simpler translation that I like:

The sons of Adam are limbs of each other,
Having been created of one essence.
When the calamity of time affects one limb
The other limbs cannot remain at rest.
If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others,
You are unworthy to be called by the name of a Human.

- See more at: http://www.zaufishan.co.uk/2011/09/iranian-poetry-bani-adam-inscribed-on.html#sthash.yUMKKC5Y.dpuf

In Persian:

بنی آدم اعضای یک پیکرند
که در آفرينش ز یک گوهرند
چو عضوى به درد آورد روزگار
دگر عضو ها را نماند قرار
تو کز محنت دیگران بی غمی
نشاید که نامت نهند آدمی

A simpler translation that I like:

The sons of Adam are limbs of each other,
Having been created of one essence.
When the calamity of time affects one limb
The other limbs cannot remain at rest.
If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others,
You are unworthy to be called by the name of a Human.

- See more at: http://www.zaufishan.co.uk/2011/09/iranian-poetry-bani-adam-inscribed-on.html#sthash.yUMKKC5Y.dpuf

Bani Adam

Bani Adam

In the Haunted Forest

One never knows what is going to happen in the haunted forest...

...shall we just have a look to see what's going on there???

You want to come with me?

ILLUMINA 2014

Bad Mergentheim, spa gardens / Kurpark

11. - 21. September 2014

 

Festzug auf dem Röttinger Gauvolksfest

Festive procession of Roettingen's County Festival on Sunday, 31.08.2014 

Roettingen / Röttingen is a small town in the district of Wuerzburg, northern Bavaria.

It's situated in the lovely valley of the river Tauber (Taubertal), approx 15 km east of my hometown Bad Mergentheim.

Röttingen is a wine growing community and they grow approx. 30 ha of Franconian wine on the vineyards called "Röttinger Feuerstein".

A local speciality is the "Tauberschwarz", a local sort of grapes that only exists in the area of the Tauber Valley.

Since more than 90 years Röttingen has been celebrating its local county festival called "Röttingen Gauvolkfest" on the last weekend of August.

The height of each festival is the festive procession / parade on Sunday afternoon,

 Large parts of the local population are involved in this traditional event.

This year's topic was: "Freizeitspaß im Taubertal" / "Recreational fun in the Tauber Valley".

So we were able to see a parade with 26 different groups and floats that thematised recreational fun / leisure time activities you can enjoy in the valley of the Tauber.

 How about going in for sports? ;-)

Swimming can be great fun (if the weather is much better)!

You can try out Bobby Car racing - if you are brave enough...

 ...and meet the motivated service team!

 For elderly people (like me) I can recommend...

...driving veteran, vintage or classic cars.

This one was built in 1908!!!

My personal highlights during the parade were the many old farm tractors decorated with locel late summer flowers!

Do you like "German Volksmusik"?

 Here you got it!
 

That was really a wonderful festive procession!

See you next year - end of August 2015 - in Röttingen on the Gauvolksfest!