Medieval Festivities

On Sunday, Ben and I decided to visit Bitche, France (yes, it's funny). The town was holding its annual medieval festival and who doesn't love a medieval festival. Especially in a part of the world where it isn't necessary to build a fake castle. And so we went to France. I believe Ben actually said, "So we'll feed Mac after church and then drive to France." Add that to the things-I-never-thought-I'd-hear category. It was about an hour away and a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Enjoy the pictures!

Everyday Amazement

It's quiet in our little hotel apartment. Mac is sleeping. And by sleeping I mean wailing as he fights the inevitable. Laundry, dishes done, cup of blissfully horrible coffee in hand. I woke up this morning and decided that today was a day to sit. No decisions, no rushing, no exploring, no Exciting European Day. Just coffee, Quiet, a good book, and some reflection. And later, the Bachelorette (I'm ashamedly unashamed). 

Yesterday was a thought-provoking day. We decided to take a day trip to Trier, the "Rome of the North." I visited Trier two years ago and it is one of my favorite cities in Germany. I walked the streets listening to lectures on early medieval Europe and immersed myself in Trier's architectural marvels. It was my long walk in the country. This time around, I had company.

Approaching the town square

*sigh*

Mac loved Trier so much he decided to eat his sunglasses, nap, and wear historical garb.

So sophisticated

Super tough Viking

Sir Toodles

Mac tests the laws of elasticity

Trier boasts several incredibly well-preserved Roman structures that are within a moderately easy walk of each other. We only made it to two of the structures this time, but they are perhaps the most striking.

The Porta Nigra

The Porta Nigra, or Black Gate, is a 2nd century Roman gate that contains the remnants of an 11th century church within. I love standing in front, imagining all the people over all the centuries who stood where I am standing and lived life in a way so different from mine.

The Trierer Dom

The High Cathedral of St. Peter is the oldest church in Germany and one of the oldest in the western world. Built by Constantine in the 4th century, the cathedral bears physical witness to centuries of architectural development. 

A Gothic arch replaces a Roman arch (you can see the remains of the Roman on the right and left of the picture).

The original classical architecture can still be seen even though Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque elements were added over time. 

The varied interior of the cathedral

The baroque western apse

The Church of Our Lady, which connects to the cathedral, was built in the 13th century and provides one of the earliest examples of the French High Gothic style. 

Ben takes in the Liebfrauenkirche.

The quiet beauty and reverence within the cloister is deeply moving. 

The arcade surrounding the cloister

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that stuff like this is an hour away from where I live. And that is why yesterday was so thought-provoking. When I visited Trier two years ago, it was a day of wonderful solitude, relaxation, and intellectual stimulation. Because I was on vacation. Now, I live amidst such sights. I am not on a break from my normal life. My normal life, with its struggles, messes, and frustrations, has tagged along. Perhaps even more confusing is that the mundanity of life has tagged along. I still have to feed my son, get along with my husband, and go grocery shopping. This experience is not a perpetual high, although there are flashes of joy. Part of this transition is learning how to adjust my expectations of myself and of my whereabouts. To realize that it's ok to not always be enthralled by my surroundings. To understand that this doesn't mean I don't love medieval history the way I used to. And to accept that a day of Quiet and coffee is sometimes just the ticket.