Three poplars at the bank of the river Neckar.
Three trees near the Citadelle de Bitche.
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Tag: Bitche
I’m not biching about the subject
Bitche, the French town has been in frontier country for many centuries. It is situated in Lorraine, in an area that has changed hands between French and German rule many times. The old people still speak a German dialect but since 1918 the area is French and the youngsters speak French for the most part, even at home. But some things last – like the tradition of celebrating “Hexenacht” (Witches’ Night or Walpurgis Night), the night from 30 April to 1 May, when witches are said to gather and celebrate. In the area, youngsters used to roam the streets and were up to a lot of mischief. Today, it is often celebrated with parties, dancing, and feasting.
Bitche is dominated by the citadel built in the 17th century by the French and is today still a monument to the fact that the town was always contested between the two countries. The massive blocks of the fortification are ever so slightly tapered towards the top.
The arrow slits in the walls are narrow apertures to allow a bowman to shoot through while being protected by the thick walls.
These triplets are dwarved by the citadel yet are big, strong trees if considered separately.
While I have no photo to illustrate gushing, I certainly have been gushing about a town which to English ears carries an unusual name: Bitche.
These photos were taken almost four years ago – just before I changed cameras as there was a spot looking like a water droplet almost in the middle which could not be fixed.
For Thursday’s Special: Pick a Word. Have a look here which words were picked by other bloggers.
The five are back
After the summer break, another: Pick a word from Thursday’s Special.
The fortress in Bitche, France. Fortified against the German/Prussian threat to the East.
The statue of Germania looking to French threat to the West.
Personally, I find him much more chic than any political manifest in stone.
The Alps are also “set in stone” – in this case, the famous Eiger and Jungfrau in the Berner Oberland in Switzerland.
SUBMERGED
The Rhine burst its banks in Düsseldorf, way back in 2016.
For more photos illustrating the five words, click here.
Once in Bitche, always in Bitche.
Two roads in the beautiful little town of Bitche in the East of France.
For Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge. For more paths, roads, walkways, streets click here.
Two of a kind?
Reading names of towns with a foreign language in mind can be quite fun. I am NOT going to show you the town sign of the famous town in Austria beginning with F (only because I’ve never been there). But I hear that to get there you have to go to Kissing and Petting in Germany first before your cross the border and arrive in F.
My town signs are not quite as rude. But I’ve always wondered whether this town in Brandenburg, Germany:
should be twinned with this one in the Alsace region of France:
This is for A Photo a Week Challenge. Nancy was asking for signs.
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