Among Germany's castles, few spots capture the character of Düsseldorf fortifications quite like Kaiserpfalz Kaiserswerth. Just north of the city, this site offers timeworn ruins and dramatic stories from the days of the Holy Roman Emperors. Even in its worn state, the castle stands as a powerful reminder of the region’s medieval strength and shifting tides of power.
Castle Kelinerei stands as one of the most recognizable pieces of history in Düsseldorf, Germany. Locals and visitors alike see it as much more than just an old building; it's a symbol of the city’s past and a hub of culture today. Düsseldorf, Germany, draws travelers with its artistic energy, rich tradition, and vibrant neighborhoods, but Castle Kelinerei is truly a highlight.
Rhine River, Düsseldorf, Germany: A Meandering Journey Through Culture, History, and Everyday Wonder One of the amazing places where I've explored the Rhine was in Düsseldorf, Germany. It always starts with a ripple, or so it seems to me, standing on the edge of the Rhine River in Düsseldorf, Germany, watching the lazy water slide by in a gray-green ribbon, both endless and familiar. The river feels more like a living friend than a feature on a map, winding its way across Europe, carving borders, shaping stories, sending scents of mud and memory into the spring air as if to remind me, here is where kingdoms were built and broken, where trade bustled and dreams floated downstream along with stray petals and tossed stones.
From the spirit-haunted caves of Homo habilis to the glowing circuits of techno-mystics, this groundbreaking work traces the evolving relationship between humanity and the unseen forces that animate our world. Drawing from a lifetime of mythic living and academic inquiry, shaped by the teachings of Anthropologist Bruce Grindal, the magical theories of Real Magic author Isaac Bonewits, and workshops attended with psychedelic visionaries Timothy Leary and Terence McKenna, author Thomas Baurley delves deep into the forgotten, the forbidden, and the freshly reawakened.
If you've ever shouted at your stubborn laptop or thanked your car for starting on a cold morning, you're in familiar company. Animism, the belief that objects, nature, and places can hold spirit, soul, or essence, slips quietly into daily life, often without notice. It's in our DNA. Thousands of years of evolved belief systems around this central focus. Across ancient and modern cultures, the idea of a supreme being (or numerous Deities and/or Spirits) watching over the living world has shaped stories, rituals, and how we speak to the things around us. We also often not only give inanimate items a life force, but we also often give them a gender.
August 1, 2011: Glastonbury Tor, Glastonbury, England. (http://www.technogypsie.com/reviews/?p=4287) (c) 2011-2012 - photography by Leaf McGowan, technogypsie.com. Glastonbury Tor, one of the most famous and sacred landmarks in the West Country. From the summit at 158 metres, you can get amazing views over three counties - Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire. What is the tor? "Tor" is a West Country word of Celtic origin meaning hill. The conical shape of Glastonbury Tor is natural - due to its rocks. It is made up of horizontal bands of clays and limestone with a cap of hard sandstone. The sandstone resists erosion, but the clays and limestone have worn away, resulting in the steep slopes. A historic landscape: Before modern drainage, the tor in winter would have towered as an island above the flooded Somerset Levels. The terraces on the slopes date back to medieval times when the hillside was one of the few dry places where people could grow crops and graze animals. A place of pilgrimage: The tor has been a place of pilgrimage for over 10,000 years. Many thousands of people still visit each year, some for its links with religion, legends and beliefs, and others because it is such a renowned landmark. History of the Tower: on the summit is St. Michael's Tower, part of a 14th century church. It was built to replace a previous church which had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1275. The second church lasted until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. At this time, the tor was the scene of the hanging of Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury. The Tor was the site of a 6th century settlement, the earliest yet found in Glastonbury. Some believe this was the first Christian community in the area, said to have been founded by Joseph of Arimathea in AD 63. 8th Century: The great Abbey: A stone church was built on the site of the present abbey ruins in the 8th century. It was rebuilt and became one of the wealthiest abbeys in Britain, but was destroyed in 1539