Why we celebrate Halloween

Halloween is rooted in the Celtic celebration of the new year. Already for more than 2,000 years ago, the Celts celebrated Halloween and All Saints Day in late between October and November.

All Hallows Eve =  October 31

All Saints Day/All Hallows Day = 1st November

All Souls Day = November 2

Celebration of New Year 

The Celtic people, who lived in the British Isles and northern France for more than 2,000 years ago, marked the transition to a new year on November 1. The Celts believed that the old year died on the evening of the last day of October. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest, a time in which many lives were lost.

The Celts believed that the border between the living and the dead was the night before the new year. This was the night when ghosts returned to earth to cause trouble and ruin the crop.

Thanksgiving 

Originally it was Samhain on October 31, one Thanksgiving where the sun god was hailed for giving the people the fruits they would live by through a long winter. While the Celts would honor the dead and create peace around them. The farmers lit bonfires to ward off evil spirits. For not being recognized by ghosts, dressed themselves out in masks when they left the house.

A fest in memory of all the saints and martyrs 

All Saints Day or Weekend Messe is an ancient commemoration of all saints and martyrs. In the Greek Orthodox Church was days since the 4th century celebrated the first Sunday after Pentecost. In the Roman Catholic Church was All Saints Day introduced in the year 610 by Pope Boniface IV in memory of the martyrs. The celebration took place on 13 May. At 7-800-century date moved to November 1, after the harvest, so they had plenty of food and drink for celebration. Both the State and the Church in the Catholic Church's All Saints an exception, which is added to the first Sunday in November.

The tradition spread across the Atlantic 

During the great famine in Ireland 1854-1860, emigrated 700,000 Irishmen to the United States. They brought with them the traditions of Halloween. The evening before All Saints' Day is called Halloween or All Hallows Eve, hence the abbreviated name of Halloween.

Today is Halloween a modern party. It is a very popular celebration in the United States, where it reigns the pure carnival atmosphere at this time of year. Over the past few years, Halloween has come as an epidemic in Norway too. Children dress up in scary costumes and rings with neighbors while shouting "Trick or treat", where the main objective is to get as much candy as possible. Adults marks usually also by inviting the Halloween party costumed and serving of assorted tapas dishes, often with little intimidating feel.

Documentary - The History of Halloween

Ever tried to make Halloween pancakes?

About the Stave Church

Sharing a bit of history that I findt to be a very interessant subject

To start with, I want to tell you a little about what a stave church really is.. In countries where good quality wood is abundant, people developed outstanding skills to use this material in construction. History has shown that in the hands of artisan wood becomes as hardy and durable construction material as stone and bricks.

A stave church is a medieval wooden Christian church building once common in north-western Europe. The name derives from the buildings' structure of post and lintel construction, a type of timber framing where the load-bearing posts are called stafr in Old Norse and stav in modern Norwegian. Two related church building types also named for their structural elements, the post church and palisade church, are often also called 'stave churches'.

Originally much more widespread, most of the surviving stave churches are in Norway. The only remaining medieval stave churches outside Norway are those of circa 1500 at Hedared in Sweden and one Norwegian stave church relocated in 1842 to the outskirts of Krummhübel, Germany, now Karpacz in the Karkonosze mountains of Poland. (One other church, the Anglo-Saxon Greensted Church in England, exhibits many similarities with a stave church but is generally considered a palisade church.)

Borgund stave church - Source: Wondermondo

This is the best preserved and most authentic stave church is Borgund stave church in Norway.

This beautiful wooden building was constructed in the time period between 1180 and 1200 AD.

Don't forget to read about the Norwegian pride: Nidaros Church

Did you know that:

• The style of stave churches developed mostly in the 11th - 14th centuries?
• The stave churches are known to be among the most important respresentatives of European mediveal "architecture".
• The stave or "stafr" construction is not exactly architecture style, but rather a specific construction solution for buildings they wanted to last longer?
• The famous characteristics of the stave churches are neither dragons' heads or carved portals that many churches are decorated with, but the framework of the so-called staves or "sticks".
• Norway's oldest stave church (Urnes stav kirke) in Luster, beside the Sognefjord is listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage.
• Heddal stave church is the largest and is still in use for the people at Notodden in Telemark.
• Borgrun stave church is the most visited and most photographed of them all. It's also the best preserved stave church in Norway.
• In Borgrun stave church you can find several runic writings on it's walls.

Heddal stave church - Source: Wikipedia

Urnes stave church - Source: Wikimedia

Urnes Stave Church was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in 1979, both "architectural", art historical, and as a source. Urnes Stave Church is unique among the still existing 28 stave churches in Norway.

Video about Borgund stave church (3:37)

Here are some more photos from the inside.

Source:

- Wondermondo

- Wikipedia

- Norges Verdens Arv

Hum, Croatia - The Smallest City in the World

On a hill above the Mirna valley, you find a small town called Hum

This small fortified habitation has maintained all the features of medieval urban architecture and organization. It has a population of only 17 people in 2001, 23 people in 2009 and 25 people in 2013 but is officially a town.

Do you know the population today?

So what makes a City?

City gate, City walls, Urban center, parish church and Hum has it all!

• Country: Croatia/Istria
• Population: 23
• Elevation: 349 m (1145 ft)
• Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
• Source: Wikipedia (2009)

Hum street view

Nice to know:

- Hum is officially listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest town in the world.

- Hum is only one hundred meters long and thirty meters wide. With its eternal citadel, narrow streets and quiet churches.

- On its western side the town is enclosed by walls and on the remaining sides houses are built into the defensive walls.

- A bell and watch tower was built in 1552 as part of the town's defenses beside the town loggia.

- Apart from being famous for being the smallest city in the world, recently it became popular for “biska”, brandy spiced with mistletoe and made according to the old recipe originating from Hum. Every year at the end of October, the Grappa festival takes place here, presenting brandy producers from all over Istria.

- It's not only the home to the medicinal mistletoe grappa, but an agent story tells that the secret recipes were brought by powerful Druids 2000 years ago.

- Despite such a small number of residents it preserved the old ritual “Election of the prefect for a year” when all the men from the parish gather at the Municipal Loggia to elect the village superior by carving their votes into a wooden stick.

"Once upon a time, when  fairies, magic and dragons ruled the earth, giants gathered stones and built towns on beautiful green hills. People came to live in the towns while the giants escaped into the dense woods where they still hide today… This is one of the legends about the magical history of Istria. Her magic is present today: sleepy stone villages on emerald hills wake up covered by veils of fog and the gentle tenderness of the sun’s hot rays." - Histrica

This is a great video describing Hum

More photos from Hum

Source:

• Histrica
• Wikipedia
• Johnnie
• Coloursofistria

New VS Old "Pier 17" NYC, Manhattan

Big changes - Pier 17 in New York, Manhattan

Monday, September 9, 2013 was a sad day for lots of people in NYC. The shops and tourist stores at the South Street Seaport, Pier 17 had their last day under the old roof that reminded you of Christmas decoration at nighttime.

The shopping mall on Pier 17 has been one of Manhattan's quintessential tourist traps for over 25 years, but will the new building attract the same amount of tourists?


This is what i'll miss most about the old Pier 17:

• Christmas in New York - The all year round Christmas ornaments shop in 2nd floor.
• Tabasco Grill - I remember the tasty food at the 3rd floor.
• Pacific Grill - Twas a great place for a cold beer on a hot summer day on the first floor.

Christmas in New York, 2nd floor

Beautiful view from Pier 17

Photo: panoramio.com

Old Pier Almost Gone (May, 2014)

Photo: http://ny.curbed.com

Pier 17, Summer 2014

Source: http://ny.curbed.com/places/pier-17

"Everything we once knew about Pier 17 is gone forever. The Howard Hughes Corporation told Community Board 1's Seaport/Civic Center Committee last night that they have completely removed the old pier, and construction of the new pier will commence this October"

East River Waterfront and Brooklyn Bridge (1903)

Left VS Right

Which one do you like the best?

                     

The New South Street Seaport, Pier 17

A multimillion-dollar glass shopping center planned to replace the mom-and-pop shops and souvenir stores. If everything goes as planned, the project will be finished within year 2016.

Here are some renderings to show you how it will look like when the project is done.

Rendering by Neoscape, Inc.

Interresing links:

• http://pier17group.com/v2/c-9-history
• http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/pier-17-goodbye-mom-and-pops-upscale-shops-article-1.1450294
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Street_Seaport

The Ultimate Christmas Movie List

The Ultimate Christmas movie list, last updated 2014

This Christmas movie list is made for you to get new ideas for cozy Holiday movies for this Christmas season 2014.

If you vote for the movies you like the best, you get to see what everyone else like the most. Maybe you get new ideas for your next movie to watch?

NB: The links behind the title are trailers.

The Ultimate Halloween Movie List

This is the updated Halloween Movie List for 2014!

I made this list that many of you associate with the typical Halloween type of movies! I just want to see what people like when it comes to this kind of scary movies and maybe get a few tips for what movies I should watch on Halloween 2014.

After you have voted on the three movies you like the most, you too can see what type of movie that is the most popular ones.

NB: The links after the movie title is the trailer in case there are movies you haven't seen yet!

Thank you very much for participating :) If you should have any other tips for a movie that should be on the list, i'd appreciate your feedback!

Zen Garden - Japanese Rock Garden

Many of us know the name Zen Garden and have some idea of ​​how it might look, but do you know what the meaning of a Zen Garden?

Zen Garden photo source: Conferodezso

Unlike a traditional garden with flowers and water, the Japanese rock garden or "dry landscape" garden, often called a zen garden, creates a miniature stylized landscape through carefully composed arrangements of rocks, water features, moss, pruned trees and bushes, and uses gravel or sand that is raked to represent ripples in water.

Source: cmemag - A nice example of how a Zen Garden might look like.

When the word garden is mentioned, the first thing often think of is green scenery, which includes plants, trees, a pond, grass, several types of flowers in all kinds of colours.

Japanese Rock Garden or Zen gardens however, are created with little plant material, and have neither pond nor river. This garden has only rock, gravel, sand, and perhaps a few pieces of moss. The dry garden dates back to the Muromachi period, the 14th century.

Its physical form represents Zen Buddhist philosophy, spiritual refinement, and enlightenment. The meaning of a Zen garden was originally created as an aid to meditation and to teach the basic principles of the religion.

Quick facts:

• Other names for a Zen Garden is: Japanese Rock Garden and Dry Landscape Garden.
• The first Zen Garden (dry landscape garden) was an ink landscape painting from the 9th centuries.
• Japanese Rock Garden was originally inspired by Chinese poetry.
• The first Zen Garden was created in the 14th century by the Zen monk and garden maker Muso Soseki.
• The most famous example of the Zen Garden is at Ryoan-ji in Kyoto, Japan.
• Ryoan-ji or "Temple of the peaceful dragon" was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.
• Even though the garden might have been designed over five hundred years ago, it still attract many thousands of new visitors every year from around the world.

Ryoan-ji - Zen Garden at the "Temple of the peaceful dragon" (video)

Ancient story about Zen

Student - "How do I enter the way of zen?"

Teacher - "Can you hear the flow of the instant stream?"

Student - He sits quiet for a while to listen, and he hears the stream down in the walley on the other side of the hill. "Yes" he says quietly.

Teacher - "Enter from there" the teacher instrukts the student.

Student - "And if I have not been able to hear the stream?"

Teacher - "Then I would have told you to enter from there"


Read about: Lao Tzu - The father of Taoism



This is the visitors response after visitting the Japanese rock garden at the Tree Wheels Temple in London, UK..

“ It is very hard to explain why this Zen garden affects you. Suddenly you feel a great peace and feel completely happy just to be sitting there… All your mind wants to do is to be there and take in tiny details like the shapes of the rocks and little patches of purple in the dark green of the moss.”

Three Wheels Temple in London, UK

Related links & source:

• How to build a Zen Garden (video)
• Three Wheels Temple (official site)
• Nidaros Cathedral in Norway

Professor Splash in Trondheim

Darren Taylor, also known as Professor Splash

Name: Darren Taylor

Born: 1960

From: Denver, Colorado, US

Occupation: Show diver

World records: over 20 records and counting

Darren Taylor is the talent behind Professor Splash. Taylor, who hails from the great state of Colorado, has more than 25 years of professional high diving experience. He has traveled the world breaking world records and entertaining millions.

Right after a new world record at the University in Trondheim, Norway.
Photo credit: nrk.no

Just about 5 min walk (south) from the famous Nidaros Cathedral in Norway, you come to NTNU which is the university in Trondheim. This was the place that Darren Taylor was going to beat his old world record.

World Record Jump - 10th February 2011 at 11:03 - Trondheim, Norway

 

Quick facts:

• Professor splash is the only diver that has mastered the art of shallow water diving.
• He dives from over 11 meter high towers.
• The pool is only 30 cm deep (1ft).
• He hit the water traveling at approximately 53 km/h (33 mph).
• He had a blackout after a dive in Tokyo.

Here are just a few of the national and international television shows on which Professor Splash has appeared:

• Russia's got talent
• America's got talent
• Germany's got talent
• Travel Channel
• Jay Leno
• Discovery Channel
• History Channel
• Jimmy Kimmel

Photo credit: professorsplash.com

Related links:

• Professor Splash (official site)
• Wikipedia
• Japanprobe
• Collection of Professor Splash clips on YouTube

Lao Tzu - The old master and father of Taoism

About Lao Tzu

Most of us know him as author for the masterpice "Tao Te Ching" also called "Laozi".
It's because of "Tao Te Ching", he is traditionally considered the philosophical Taoism founder.

Lao Tzu statue photo by Blackobull

Tao Te Ching is based on the Tao (The Way), which is the creator and sustainer of all things in the Universe, and the practice of doing by nondoing (wu-wei) that enables the disciple to unite with the Tao.

Historians are not mutually agreed about the legendary Laozi/Lao Tzu. Some believe that he is a synthesis of a number of historical figures and others that he is a mythical figure.

Other names he goes by:

• Lao Zi
• Lao-Zi
• Laozi
• Lao Tsu
• Lao Tzu
• Lao Tse

Qick facts/myths:

• According to Chinese legend, Laozi left China for the west on a water buffalo.
• A legendary Chinese thinker and a wise man who should have lived around the 6th century BC .
• Some people belive that he came from the village of Chu Jen in Chu.
• At the western gate of the city (or kingdom), he was recognized by the guard Yinxi. The sentry asked the old master to record his wisdom for the good of the country before he would be permitted to pass.
• He then composed in 5,000 characters the Tao Te Ching (The Way and Its Power).
• Tao Te Ching was the only book he wrote before he walked away from the Chou empire that he served.
• A well known myth claim that he was reborn 13 times after his first life during the days of Fuxi. In his last incarnation as Laozi, he lived nine hundred and ninety years and spent his life traveling to reveal the Tao.
• According to legend, Lao Tzu was keeper of the archives at the imperial court.
• The Taoist philosophy can perhaps best be summed up in a quote from Chuang Tzu (nr. 5)

Famous quotes by Lao Tzu:

1. "If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve"

2. "At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want"

3. "In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present"

4. "Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power"

5. "To regard the fundamental as the essence, to regard things as coarse, to regard accumulation as deficiency, and to dwell quietly alone with the spiritual and the intelligent - herein lie the techniques of Tao of the ancients"

6. "If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading"

7. "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage"

8. "Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy"

9. "Silence is a source of great strength"

10. "I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures"

11. "Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment"

12. "Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good"

13. "When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you"

14. "He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know"

15. "A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving"

16. "Music in the soul can be heard by the universe"

17. "Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses"

18. "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step"

19. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"

20. "By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning"

21. "When the best leader’s work is done the people say: We did it ourselves"

22. "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be"

23. "To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders"

Related links:

Lao Tzu: Father of Taoism

Laozi - Wikipedia

Buy a book about Lao Zi (not affiliated)

Nidarosdomen, Trondheim, Norway

About Nidarosdomen in Trondheim, Norway

Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Nidaros Cathedral, really, is the most important church, because it is St. Olav's grave church. It is today a Lutheran cathedral and parish church and regarded both as Norway's national sanctuary and as the coronation church (although it no longer carried the royal coronations in Norway). The Norwegian Constitution of 1814 established that the Kingdom of Norway regent be crowned in Trondheim. Nidaros Cathedral was last used as the coronation church in 1906, when Haakon VII was crowned. After Parliament in 1908 abolished the coronation ceremony, the church has been used for the signing of the Regent. The Norwegian Crown Jewels have been kept in the church and is now on display in the Archbishop's Palace, just a few meters away.

After the Reformation

After the Reformation continued the church as a cathedral in Trondheim staple for the Lutheran superintendent , who replaced Bishop . From 1578 , the church parish church of a Lutheran parish - Nidaros Cathedral church - and still is . Superintendent - office of bishop regained the title in 1660 in the Lutheran Diocese , but the Lutheran bishop had not archbishop's rank and was not primate . King in Copenhagen was head of the church , and Trondheim was no longer present ecclesiastical capital.
Nidaros Cathedral is a cathedral in the European context , although the size can not compete with the largest and most magnificent cathedrals in France, Germany and England. Of the medieval episcopal churches in the Norwegian church province has otherwise only Stavanger Cathedral Magnus Cathedral in Orkney who have survived . Cathedral of Bergen is almost entirely disappeared, and Hallvard's Cathedral in Oslo cathedral in Hamar , only ruins remain. Nidaros Cathedral is the only church in Norway that has a fully developed Gothic basilica with aspire arches. Unlike any other Lutheran parishes in Norway is the structural responsibility not a municipal responsibility , but from 1869 attended the national budget , with the creation of building the cottage Trondheim Cathedral Restoration Workshop . From 1929 is the name of building the cottage of Nidaros Cathedral Restoration Workshop .

See one of Europe's largest musical instrument be mounted in the cathedral

Quick facts about Nidarosdomen:

• Until 1537, it went under the name "Cor Norvegiae" meaning the heart of Norway.
• Nidaros Cathedral, with its size and construction is the only real cathedral in Norway.
• The church was originally just a small chapel of wood that was built around the year 1030.
• Nidaros Cathedral has undergone five major fires.
• After the 1719 fire from a lightening strike, the Protestants rebuilt the top of the octagon with a Baroque dome.
• Octagon to the east is the best preserved part from the medieval age.
• The church was an important pilgrimage destination for Northern Europe in the early days.
• Nidarosdomen church organ have over 9600 organ pipes.
• It was built over the burial site of Saint Olaf.

Related links:

• The official page for Nidarosdomen
• Nidaros Cathedral Girls' Choir
• Nidaros Kirke Photographs

More Photos

Nidaros Cathedral - Anno 1892

Nidaros Cathedral - Anno 1857