Tag: tradition
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Morning Coffee Talk~ 40/365
Good Morning, We were treated yesterday to a beautiful tradition of Dukhoon where incense was burnt on our arrival and several times throughout the day during our visit and the midkhan or incense burner was passed around to allow us to incense our hair and clothing following the example of our hostess. Dukhoon has a…
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Morning Coffee Talk~24/365
Good Morning, It’s cloudy here in North West Germany with clouds threatening to rain, and all feels ready to make a pause. Families are doing their last minute shopping and preparing for dinners at home with cozy lights, Christmas trees and gifts that get opened this evening. You can feel and see the excitement of…
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Morning Coffee Talk~ 21/365
Good Morning, Today the Winter Solstice takes place at 10:59 local time here in Germany. Our beautiful planet will start to swing her hips back the other way and tilt her axis to begin our journey into longer days. We start the astronomical winter today and changes are expected to happen, well because they actually…
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Morning Coffee Talk ~ 6/365
Good Morning! It is December 6th, and in this part of the world, a very important visitor appears to bring the Christmas spirit to children around Germany. Nikolaus (who is not Santa), but a (Sankt Nikolaus or der Heilige Nikolaus), who was probably born around 245 C.E. in the port city of Patara in what we…
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Chasing the Christmas spirit~
Europe loves its Christmas Markets, the festive mood, the warm drinks cuddled by cold hands, the delicious smells of roasted almonds and the magical lights that chase away the darkness of winter. From the first advent till the winter solstice, people try to spend as much time as possible out in the markets calling on…
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Shanghai Moments~
Visiting the city we called home for almost 12 years is nothing short of strange at first. But within a day or two I felt the streets call me back with their charm, unique flair and warmth of the people. So little of the old city is left as the large construction projects drive forward…
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The cloud maker~
During this weekend in Germany and other north European countries, bonfires are lit in celebration of the easter weekend. I have been asking locals about the origins of this tradition as well as Mr Google and it seems to be a pre-Christian ritual that welcomes the spring by burning away the lurking darker spirits of…
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Saffron dedication~
All over Asia where Buddhism abounds, the saffron color pops up worn by monks to symbolize their simplicity and detachment from materialism. They always look amazing in photographs and they are so kind to humor tourists and photographers. Day 78 of 365~ Images taken at Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
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Misplaced~
In Hongkou, part of the old city of Shanghai, was a set of grey narrow alleys that were a maze of tiny streets containing 2 or 3 story homes stacked side by side in a most claustrophobic manner. Hundreds of tangled electric wires dangled between walls that were decorated with phone numbers advertising services for…