St Servaas Brug, Maastricht

A few photos from our trip to Maastricht (NL).


One of the most remarkable views (next to the big church) is the St Servaas Brug


The Sint Servaasbrug (or the St. Servatius Bridge) is an arched stone footbridge across the Meuse River in Maastricht, Netherlands. It is named after Saint Servatius, the first bishop of Maastricht, and (despite being largely rebuilt after World War II) it has been called the oldest bridge in the Netherlands.

The Romans built a wooden bridge across the Meuse in what is now Maastricht, in approximately AD 50, and the Latin phrase for "crossing of the Meuse", "mosae trajectum", became the name of the city. For many years this remained the only crossing of the lower Meuse. However, the Roman bridge collapsed in the year 1275 from the weight of a large procession, killing 400 people.Its replacement, the present bridge, was built somewhat to the north of the older crossing between 1280 and 1298; The Roman Catholic Church encouraged its construction by providing indulgences to people who helped build it. The bridge was accoladed in honor of Saint Servatius  this time.

The bridge was renovated in 1680, and in 1825 a wooden strutwork section on the east side of the bridge was replaced by a stone arch. In 1850, as part of the construction of the Maastricht-Liège Canal, a channel was cut on the west side of the bridge.

When in the early 1930s the bridge had been relieved of its function as the city's only river crossing by the construction of the Wilhelmina bridge, 300 metres (1,000 ft) downstream, a major renovation was performed. The arches were reconstructed in concrete, covered with the original stones. Underwater, counter-arches were constructed to prevent erosion of the river bed on which the bridge was built. Two arches on the eastern end of the bridge were removed and replaced by a vertical-lift bridge. Between the two bridges, on the eastern side of the river, a levee was built to separate the navigable eastern channel from the rest of the river.

During World War II the bridge was severely damaged by the German army as they retreated from the Netherlands in 1944, but it was rebuilt in 1948. In 1962, the shipping channel to the east of the bridge was spanned by a steel drawbridge attached to the main bridge

Dicke Bohne

Dicke Bohne?

Ahh broad beans ( forever connected to O.F.L. Jon )

Yesterday, me and Markus made a little photowalk in Schloss Benrath, one of the beautiful residences/castle parks that are here all around.

Beautiful buildings, a great place for wedding photos (and before you start guessing, nope, we won't do that!), and for photos in general (yay!).

We were there, had, as usual, a nice time and good photographing.

In the biologic garden, we were asked, if we wanted those Dicke Bohnen, fresh cropped, too much for sale in the stand there.
Well, no, I mean yes, sure! 
And so we both were carrying a meal of broad beans between our photo equipment, during the rest of the walk.

Then we had a chat, about climate change, alternative packages, and I looked to the broad beans, packed in a white plastic bag.

D@m that!

It takes a very long time to think in the better way! 

The more, when I realized, that I do have such a re-useable mini bag, as standard, in my photo bag.

Sigh, how much we forget to take effort, or, in my case, forget to think?
How long it needs, before grocery stuff is NOT offered in plastic anymore?

Do we have time, to waste?

The beans tasted delicious, with the liver (calf, of course, from our local butcher, local meat), yum!

And the plastic bag is used again, of course, but it gave the meal an unexpected taste!

Give peace a chance

Did the title bring you an earworm?

Then you might be in an age, that you know about meditation.

I not  talk  about LSD or yoga teachers, but I recently picked up meditation again.

I think my mind deserves 15  minutes each day for itself.

Good readers may have noticed, that I struggle with several things, and they did not get better.
It is not a cold, or a flue, I refuse to name it here, but many of us know what I mean.

I think everything happens for a reason. A few months ago, I had  good chat, and we talked about methods, to make our minds feel more relaxed and positive.

So, I looked up at google, found too many "solutions" to heal, until one day, that I read something intresting.
Telling that not your brain is the master, but that I, myself, can (and should) control the brain.

I decide what the brain should think.
When my brain takes free play, I can tell my brain, to stop that.
When things get bad, I can observe, what the brain is doing. This way I also can see, what exactly is happening.
At that moment,  I am no part of the madness, but I am the controller, and I can decide what my brain will do, in the next minutes.

After a few days repeating, I start to see how it works.

The 10 minutes become a part of life, it is like drinking coffee, without coffee.
The moments of drifting away, not need to do anything, and especially no thinking (I can decide what my brain should do or not, remember?), give room in my brain.
I can use this space, to put my thoughts together. Less chaos, more space... see where it leads to?
When I open my eyes, look into our tiny room, seeing the chaos....
What I can do with my brain, I can do with the mess as well.
Because the only one, who decides how things go...
Is me.

japan Tag 019

Japan day in Düsseldorf

Due to technical issues, my photo site www.saturnsworld.de, can not be updated 

Coffee to no.

Let's talk about the climate.

Let's talk about the name climate change, and never use that word again.

Why not?  Because a change, is a natural thing. We change the place we live, we can change our job, our attitude, all kind of things that we can change, and that we can live on with.
The crisis in the climate is different.  That 'change'  is not a choice.  It is happening and we can not change the change.  It is a crisis, because we all can see what is happening, and it shows now rapidly, everywhere.  What we all neglected, in the past, now is reality for us.  It is a crisis, more then a change.

Crises seem to be a red ribbon in my present, and the climate is not different.  I should love to change things, but maybe, for some changes, it is too late...

Wrong Hans!  It is not too late!  It only is too late if you give up, ignore, and let it happen.
A change can be made now, and it is wonderful to see so many people participating. More and more people help, in their way, think and take some action.

As you know, I love photography. 
As you might know, I like to add my minion to some photos.
As you know, when you know me long enough, I am always willing to voice against things that happen, of what I think that they are no good.
So, why not combining those all.
As you all know, or SHOULD know, I love coffee.

From now on, I will act, peacefully, at Coffee to go.
Personally I will not take any Coffee takeaway anymore, if I can not have it in my own mug. Yes, I need to carry it with me, and I have to clean it, clean my hands and so more.   So what?  Nothing wrong with that, and cleaning up is a thing where it is all about, right?

I just want to drop this idea here.  Just as an example from that it is not always big, what we need to change. We must just act. 

Here are the photos about Coffee to no, from my sunday morning walk.  I made (of course) more photos, but these are the coffee mugs, that I gathered and put into a waste bin.
You will see them more, in the future. And my target is reached, when I can not find any one at all anymore.

Let's make this world better, let's just start, and not wait until others do.

So, now I deserved my coffee, I think. 
Coffee to no.  Because we are worth it!

Mothers' day

Today it is Mothers Day

Not in England, not in the UK at all. Brexit is nothing new :) :)

But, in a lot of countries, it is mothers'  day. We could all see it in the shops, the past weeks, the prices of perfumes, chocolate and flowers went up, and all the sudden Mother seemed to be the most important word of business.

We all have a mother, also we all are able to rely on this. When our mother is gone (likemine), it is a day on what we can look back, and think for a moment, at what she meant for us.
When our mother is there, we can celebrate it. We can give gifts, and we can visit our mom.
And I personally think, that the best thing that people can give their mom, at Mothers' day, is to make sure, that she will not be forgotten. That gift lasts longer then a bunch of flowers, or a weekend in a wellness oasis (what the......, I should be angry with such gift, I  think I am good enough 'the way I am'  :) LOL) 

And then, I read at facebook. 
Mothers who feel not like being mothers, because their children hurt her. Sometimes I hate Facebook, for giving us the possibility to share our sadnes.  Is it helpful to get a thumb up when you are feeling low and out?
 Mothers with big cakes. Next week we see the photos of mom in the gym., the gift from the other child..
Mothers with (grand)children.  Ah yes, lovely.  Happy faces!  I love happy faces!
Every day of the year.  And I love my mother. Even when no one in my family believes me.  Oh oh.... Now I do the same.... Telling my blog my private sorrows..  Or not? 
I did my good deed, for my mother today.  Making a step into the direction, that she always loved to see me in. It is up to me. I have the chance to make things better.   I can not tell her anymore about it, but I think she will see it. And, if I am lucky, she sends me a sign, like she always does, when it is good. 

I look to it, until I find it.  And it not necessarily needs to be mothers' day, to find it.  And, I not only love my mother, today, and every other day of my life.  Just saying :)

Letting go

There is that song that goes .. the hardest part of love, is letting go.

Who has children, can rely on that.
Who has lost a lovely person, as well

But, it is as well the only way we can go.  Letting go, is what to do, when you really want the other to be free.
And, most important, if you, yourself, need a freedom, what you can not gain with the other.

I think that is the magic word in this.. Freedom.
What is a relation, or a friendship, worth, when it all depends on the wishes and desires of one?
What is a friendship worth, if the other is so busy with his own doings, that (s)he barely takes time for you? What when you ask for a word, and there is never time for it, when YOU need it, but it has to be at the time that the other has nothing (better) to do?

People can call me friend, and I love it, but it is not always friendship, what the other means.
We learn it the hard way.  I have not many friends, but the friends that I do have, are loyal, and always there when I need them.  They let me free, I let them 'go', and we know that we will always be able to find each other again. When it is needed, an open  ear or eye is there. And then is distance not an excuse. Either is 'I have no time'.
If you really want to be there for the other, lend him/her an ear.  Listen to what (s)he has to say.  Just listen.. you need not to solve the problems from others.

Sometimes friendships change. And then, all the sudden, it is a one way love.  You will get hurt from it, until the moment that you realize, that you are acting all the way to please, or get attention from, the other. You change your schedule. You answer the phone when (s)he calls, and when you calls, there is no time.
Let it go.
If you love yourself, then don't let yourself being hurted by the other.
You are too much worth, to dance the rythm of someone else, who is dancing at his/her own music.

Kick the ball in the goal of the other, instead of waiting for the shot at yours.

Break free..  Let go.  It is the hardest way, but it is very much worth it!