A Simply Eggcellent Discovery…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Just over the border from Kranenburg in Germany, and a few kilometers away from the Dutch city of Nijmegen, during the summer Himself and I drop in and visit a place that I heard about but hadn’t yet seen.

Back in January, after my operation, the kids visited with our friends and announced that they had seen a roadside vending machine that gives out fresh eggs, and  that they had bought some to cook back in the hotel kitchenette for breakfast!

For all the raves this place got you might have thought it was Disneyland, but they were genuinely enthusiastic and loved the ingenious way that this place operated. Over the next months Himself and I went back to Nijmegen many times for followup appointments, but it wasn’t until the last visit this summer that Himself managed to bring me here and show me what all the fuss was about.

The closest we had been previously had been a single fleeting glimpse with the kids yelling “See? Mama did you see it? “… um no I hadn’t seen it, mostly because I was literally looking for a dispenser of some sort on the edge of the road, and not a small shed.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

My summer visit revealed a small shed of the type located at the bottom of many a garden, which in turn housed the dispensing machine I had heard rave reviews about.

Naturally this wasn’t the kind of machine that drops the goods from a height into a catcher at the bottom, but one where a sort of turntable reveals small doors that open upon insertion of money and the typing in of the door code.

The long wall of the shed is almost entirely taken up with small shelves where probably several hundred egg cups are displayed, there is even a small basket of fresh eggs with a sign: “Ei kapot ruilen” (Egg broken, trade/replace) so that should you find a broken egg in the box you have just purchased you can replace it with a good one from here. There is also a box to the right of the dispenser for “lege doosjes” (empty boxes) so that egg containers can be recycled again and again.

All in all it’s a brilliant way for tourists and locals to get farm fresh eggs daily without having to pull the farmer away from his business. As testament to the popularity of this place, a car was pulling away as we arrived and new one arrived as I took the photographs, the man used the machine to get two boxes of eggs and didn’t mind that I took a photograph of him doing so.

My children know me well, they were right to get excited about finding something they knew I would really love and appreciate: organic and fresh produce direct to the public and delivered in a quirky and interesting way… Eggcellent!!!

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

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(photograph © Kiwidutch)

El Toro Restaurant On The Corner And The Bulls In The Plein…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Following  my post of yesterday, Himself and I enjoyed a meal at “El Toro” in Kranenburg, Germany just a few kilometers over the Dutch border from the city of Nijmegen.

We first discovered the place via friends the night before my operation but liked the food so much that we went back whenever we were in the area for subsequent treatment and check-ups.

The first time we visited, it was winter, dark and cold and I think that the fountain in the little square next to the restaurant had maybe been turned off for the winter months, so I completely missed seeing it. During our spring and summer visits however we noticed it and it posed an interesting thought: surely a large statue/fountain that looks reasonably new, located directly next to a popular restaurant called “El Toro” (The Bull) can not simply be a co-incidence?

The fountain and bull statue looks to have a very Spanish influence too, so which came first? the Bull restaurant or the bull fountain? I forgot to ask but assume that the restaurant had become such a focal point in the town that the fountain is in some way a tribute to their contribution? The fountain definitely looks newer… Then again maybe the area outside belongs to the restaurant and they decided to add a fountain that would double as an advertisement for their establishment? Who knows?It’s an interesting mystery. Since I love architectural design, fountains and strong architecture, this fountain pleases me on it’s own… strong and beautiful… what’s not to like?

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

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(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Restaurant El Torro (The Bull)… It’s Clear Why It’s So Popular…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Before my foot surgery in January 2015 we stayed in a hotel with friends close to Nijmegen, and since the day had been busy with travel and getting installed in our hotel, opted to eat out on the first night.

In January our friends had arrived earlier than we did and whilst waiting in the hotel reception for us to arrive, requested a restaurant recommendation from the staff.

The enthusiastic response was for a place called “Restaurant El Toro” in Kranenburg just a few kilometers across the border in Germany.

Apparently “El Toro” ( which translates as “The Bull”) has a varied cuisine with something to suit everyone and consistently good food, so our family didn’t take too much convincing once we heard this. In fact, Himself and I have returned here since, having had multiple trips back to the hospital for new plaster casts, x-rays and general check-ups. These later visits during the Spring and summer naturally coincided with longer daylight hours and better weather so in this post I’ve used photographs from all of our visits.

We can confirm that there is indeed something for everyone, in fact the menu is page after page after page after page after page. A menu like this often worries me, but we were reassured by the fact that not only was the place packed, there was a queue of people at the door asking for last minute reservations and being reluctantly turned away).There is a salad bar that offers a good selection to go with the mains, and the portions are huge… Since I was to be nil-by-mouth after midnight on our first first visit, I needn’t have worried: this was the sort of meal that you still feel full from at breakfast the next day. We also had lunch there twice: both times we arrived early and by the time our main course had arrived the place was full. Obviously it’s the tourist season but still, clearly we are not the only ones who are impressed.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

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(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

El Toro Restaurant

Adres: Große Str. 80, 47559 Kranenburg, Duitsland

Restaurant El Toro (Kranenburg / Duitsland)

A Cross Is Formed When A Boy Spits Communion Bread Into A Tree…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Himself and I are taking a break from a day long series of hospital appointments in Nijmegen.

We decided to drive around and enjoy the green countryside close by and by accident crossed the border into Germany.

In fact we only realised our error when we saw the name of the catholic church in the town, Petrus en Pauluskerk (The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul) in Kranenburg.
I learned earlier that the church has been a place of pilgrimage for more than 700 years because of the legend of the Holy Cross.
The legend goes as follows: “A shepherd boy received Holy Communion in 1280, but found the piece of bread too hard to swallow and spat it out into a hollow tree at the edge of the Reichswald forest.

Later on he confessed his sin, and 28 years later a wooden crucifix was found in the very same tree. Ever since, this crucifix has taken a prominent place in the church. The cross is carried by the parishioners in a procession through the town of Kranenburg every year. The grounds of the church also houses a small graveyard, and a few amazing statues… although I did think that one of the Jesus statues looks rather looks like it has shades of Michael Jackson in the modelling.  I also took some extra photographs of the roof on the top of the tower… detail everywhere, drool…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

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(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul / Petrus en Pauluskerk (Kranenburg)

Oooh, These Gargoyles Are Pulling Some Very Funny Faces…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Himself and I are in Kranenburg, situated just over the German border close to the Dutch city of Nijmegen, where I have some time to kill between hospital appointments.

Our attention was first drawn to an old mill tower, and closer inspection revealed a late Gothic style church just around the corner.

Of course, being a detail fanatic I had to stop and take a look. The Roman Catholic church is called “St Petrus und Pauluskirche” (The Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul) and I’m delighted to find a wealth of stone carving and architectural detail.

After a while I managed to tear my eyes away from doorways and windows and looked further up, discovering some wonderful stonework near the roof and surprising myself when I saw gargoyles.

These were clearly not 15th century gargoyles because they didn’t fit at all with the Gothic style of the rest of the building, in fact I’d hazard a guess that the linear style suggests maybe a Deco influence.

What’s even more surprising is the quirky nature of the  gargoyles, they are cheeky and very stylised and really rather appealing. I can see a strange mixture of dog and bat in one of the figures, and a pig… one that might be a wolf but with wings, and several other stylised ones. Then there are several others that are completely different…. one a nude female figure holding back her long hair and a naked horned male figure holding onto his long flowing beard in his hands. Other stylised forms are leafy things of much older origin, and some sort of figure or forms even in the wrought iron door handles. There are also a small stone balcony and other decorative stonework such as balustrades and finials.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

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(photograph © Kiwidutch)

 

The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul / Petrus en Pauluskerk (Kranenburg)

The Curves In Wood And Stone: Happiness For The Soul…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Continuing from yesterday’s post, I’m learning more about the St Peter and St Paul’s church in Kranenburg, Germany.

We didn’t go inside, but Wikipedia (link at bottom of this post) tells us:

“The gradual decline in the number of pilgrims prevented the completion of the original church plan.

A large-scale ambulatory was not built and the tower remained unfinished as a stand stub, increased only at the beginning of the First World War with the current tower.After centuries of neglect, the church was fully renovated at the end of the 19th century.

The war winter of 1944-1945 brought great devastation to the roofs, vaults and walls.
The reconstruction in 1949 and 1970 took bought the church closely back to it’s original condition.

The high altar dates from around 1900. The large upper altar wings however, date back to 1563 and some of the images from the 15th century.
The altar cross is from a 16th century Antwerp altarpiece. During the Second World War, the shrine and the painted wings were destroyed but the altar rosette was able to be reconstructed because most of the images were recovered.

The Maria altar is a work of art from the workshop of Ferdinand Langenberg and dates from the early 20th century.
Many of the sculptures and paintings have been preserved. Particularly noteworthy: an image of St. Christopher from the first half of the 16th century, and an altar table with the representation of Calvary from around 1430.

The western bay of the nave contains a hexagonal font from 1448, richly decorated with tracery.
The church has three bells. The big bell from 1474 was cast by Geert van Wou. De Maria Bell was cast in 1644, the youngest in 1959. Valuable ivory works were sold in the early 20th century and gone to New York and Münster.” As usual I’m interested in the detail of the building, in especially in the doors and larger archways, there is plenty of that.

The carvings on the curved sections are amazing and one wooden door the tracery of vines captivates my arty brain.The careful workings of these flowing images both in wood and stone are so very tactile and irresistible. I get a great sense of satisfaction every time I see things like this… in fact it’s more than just satisfaction, it’s a happiness in my soul.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

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(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul / Petrus en Pauluskerk (Kranenburg)

Opps, The Church Tells Us We Have Crossed The Border By Accident…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Himself and I are checking out a small village outside Nijmegen because it looked interesting and we saw a tower we wanted to investigate further.

We had some time in between hospital appointments back in the city and after an early start and several hours of consultations and waiting room chairs decided to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine on what was a very agreeable day for late October 2014.

It was only when we walked up to the church noticeboard that we realised that the village we were in was Kranenburg, and it dawned on us… we were now no longer in the Netherlands we had crossed the border without noticing and arrived in Germany.

Rather ironically the noticeboard we were reading had been put up by a Dutch organisation with information telling me: “Want to find out more information?

Then surf website spgs.nl “and then later…”Spannende Geschiedenis, Het historisch Belevenis Network in de regio Arnhem Nijmegen” (Exciting History , Historical Experience Network in the region of Arnhem Nijmegen).

Because I’m on paid Medical leave, I’m supposed to apply for permission from my employer to leave the country, but I’m sure that they will forgive an accidental infringement a few kilometres over the border whilst in this part of the country for a day of medical appointments.

The church round the corner from the old mill tower we found earlier is called “St Petrus und Pauluskirche” (The Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul) and is located in the parish of Kranenburg.

The first church here was built in 1277 and with the discovery of the Wondrous Cross in 1303 a constant stream of pilgrims started to arrive in the town, so in the 14th century a new church was built. This building was replaced again in the first half of the 15th century
by the current pseudo late Gothic basilica.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

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(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul / Petrus en Pauluskerk (Kranenburg)

Spannende Geschiedenis (Exciting History , Historical Experience Network).