This week’s prompt for Friendly Friday Photo enthusiasts calls for Alternative version. When I thought of alternative , it means a second option for me, a second choice, a quick substitute when the ones that I want is unfortunately not around. It’s like better than nothing.
Alternative choices maybe is the right word.
It might not served as the original purpose for me but then it would do good, for a while, or for a time being. I thought for a while what can I write about this subject and after watching the rain continues to drop outside,my mind goes blank, but then I just kept on writing.
The Dhow ships in Kuwait are done with sailing, but still standing.
Alternative version : Done with Sailing but still standing
Suddenly I thought of alternative purposes. I searched through my gallery and found the photos I’ve took about Kuwait sailing boats, the Dhow .
Before, Dhow boats main purpose is for maritime sailing vessels.It’s history is long lost but during my stay in Kuwait, I was surrounded with its rich cultural heritage. I was able to see them and marvel at their beauty and significance to Kuwaiti culture. I even got my wedding reception inside the Guiness World record Al Hashemi Dhow boat in Kuwait overlooking the Arabian Gulf. I thought it was a great idea since this country has such a huge impact on our early days as an expat family.
Serving its alternative purposes
These boats have done their purpose for a while, they have sailed against the winds gracefully through endless voyages, looking for pearls and brought home harvest from the sea. But now, they just sit on the banks, still, unmoved, probably bathed in dust during sandstorms. They are only displayed for touristic purposes.They may not bring you to vast seas but learning about them can bring you to old tales and far away maritime saga.
One thing for sure, during their sails, they had their best times.
Now they are serving their purpose on Alternative versions.
Have you ever seen such a thing where it’s only there as an alternative version from its original version?
Power of the Dam Admiring the stunning views of Kaprun’s Mooserboden Hochgebirgesstauseen.
In between high peaks and lush greens, my eyes feasted on this view. I felt so small and weak compared to the powerful force of nature. It’s so primitive and yet so striking. This is the view of the mountains surrounding the Hochgebirgsstauseen in Kaprun, the high water reservoir dams which took my breath away but then also had a sad forgotten history. As I was reading more about how these amazing Dams were built, I got more hooked knowing that it has a sad history worth telling…and should not really forgotten…Ever.
Let me tell you more why and what’s so special about this place.
The Glacier above in between the mountains is one special thing about this place.No question why this place is called the birthplace of a Legend.
The Mooserboden reservoirs sit at an altitude of 2040 meters and have a sad and dark history. First building plans were drafted in the 1920’s but it was only during World War II that they were realised. The Nazi regime forced around 4000 prisoners of war and 6300 forced foreign labourers to construct the dams. The commemorative plaque on the Pagan Church tells you that over 120 prisoners died here between 1940 and 1945. German speakers can find detailed information about the Nazi past of the reservoirs here. After the war, the dams were finished and became a symbol of post-war reconstruction, and until today many people are not aware of the dams’ Nazi past .Some just appreciate the beauty that they see and doesn’t care about the past anymore. But come to think of it, it is so great that the process of building this giant reservoirs has a sad story and that makes it even more important to know and remember history!
Climbers trying to climb up in the Dam
The Tauern power plants were originally regarded as one of the most important projects of the East-German electricity industry and were declared “preferred hydraulic engineering“. Forced labourers and prisoners of war were used to build the power station and work on the dam above it in the valley. These workers came from twenty-four (24) different nations, including Polish, French and Soviet POWs, Italians, people from the territories of the Soviet Union (‘Ostarbeiter’) and Jews. An unknown number died due to the harsh conditions, particularly in the mountain camp where the dam was being built. At one point a British air raid triggered a flash flood in which 1,200 people, half of them Soviet forced labourers, were killed.
Living here in Germany have opened my eyes for so many things. Before, I never knew in details about the victims of war and Nazi regime. Our knowledge about Germany is so limited. When I studied German, I have read so many books about it and watched many films about the dark past of Germany and sad stories about war, let alone forced labor and concentration camps.
It is no joke working hard ( deadly working conditions) up in the altitudes of the mountains. Imagine these people forced to work in winter times.
During the war, the Nazis transferred thousands of slave laborers to Kaprun where they worked under very harsh conditions. Despite supply problems towards the end of the war, the first unit of the Kaprun Hauptstufe power plant “went online” in 1944.
For most, we always took the easiest way and expect to see great views.
Everything that is great takes a little bit of time.
Paradise up above in between water reservoirs and high mountains in Kaprun. Today, the Kaprun power plants produce 700 kWh a year, which makes them an important element in Salzburg′s power supply. Most of the water in the Kaprun reservoir, by the way, has come off the Pasterze glacier by Mount Großglockner
Looking at the beautiful in front of me made me feel grateful, grateful for nature, for the powerful force of the mountains, and high respect for those people who have worked hard, in worst conditions, probably even through ice cold temperatures just to build this dam. I saw lots of people around the world visiting this place and wondering about the beauty of the dam, but I wondered who appreciate the history behind it.Most of all, the story is past behind us now.No more wars.
About 120 forced labourers were killed between 1940 and 1945 on this construction site. The suffering and trauma of these people is often forgotten when telling the success story of Kaprun. These people, who were abducted by the Nazi regime to work on this building site, should be given special consideration now. The memory of the terror of the Nazi regime remains awake even at this place.”
It’s the blend of human engineering with natural creations that makes the dams above Kaprun such a special part of Austria.If I will show Austria to a friend, then I would definitely bring them to Kaprun! My daughter enjoyed playing in the playground in the Mooserboden. She doens’t know yet the story about this place.Maybe when she grows old and revisits this place then I hope she would appreciate this place as much as I did.
Can’t get enough of Kaprun? see the gallery online Here and another Post about Hochgebirgsstauseen Here.
Typical Bavarian Breakfast Weisswurst, sweet mustard and a freshly baked Pretzel!
Today, 3rd of October is a national holiday here in Germany. We are commemorating the “Tag der Deutschen Einheit”or the German Unification Day. The day of coming together of Germany as one country. The time when the Berlin wall fell and East and West Germany finally reunited to become one solid nation as it is now.No more cold war. No more divisions. As the whole world know, Germany had a share of tragedies, morbid war stories and dark past. But now everything is different. It is a new Germany and became a home for many migrants, foreigners, including me. But then this post is not about history, its all about Food! Food that Germans and Ausländer like me enjoy here everyday!
So I thought of writing something about this land that became my home for the last 3 years up to now. Germany is really more than Football, great cars, castles, and Autobahn. This beautiful country has lots of worthwhile places to see, things to do and great nature and yes—lots of delicious food that meets more than the eyes and appetite!
Do you want to know another special about Germany? What do Germans eat for breakfast?
What’s in their table for breakfast?
Pretzel with butter, sauerkraut and sausages! Always a perfect combination.Mahlzeit!!!
Beer, cheese, sausages,musli and bread, lots of dark, seedy breads; these are the staples in every German table every day. I am also a certified convert now. I have been converted into this German, or rather Bavarian diet. Believe it or not, I think I eat more bread now than I eat rice!
A typical German breakfast includes different kinds of cold cuts ( ham, bacon, salami etc.), different slices of cheese–Emmentaler, Gouda, weiss Käse ,camembert,cheddar cheese, Obazda and sweet mustard. They also love sliced veggies like paprika, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Of course Germans never forget to eat bread ( Brot) or Brötchen in many different sizes plus freshly bakes Pretzels! There is no other taste that I love other than Bavarian Pretzels–they are really good.With bread, they love different kinds of marmelades, spread cheeses and butter. Some people love also to eat Musli and jogurt plus sliced fruits.All of these should come with a warm cup of Coffee or tea. Do you love the German way of having breakfast?
But do you know that somewhere down south, people eat something “unusual” before they start their day?
Is that an orange juice? apple juice? or lemonade?! What do you think of the Beer culture of Germany?
I am living now here in Bavaria ( or Southern Germany) for almost 3 lovely years now and one thing that really caught my eye is the traditional Bavarian “Weisswurst Frühstuck“or in English we can say it as “white sausage breakfast”.
This beloved Bavarian breakfast is composed of white sausage boiled in water, lots of sweet mustard (senf) , freshly baked Pretzel and yes– would not be complete without a Weissbier ( or wheat beer!). Some omit to drink beer but normally you can always find this breakfast meal in restaurants, bakeries and during Volksfest or festivals. During weekend markets, there is always a food stall that sells these combo and it’s pretty cozy to see them eating this way. Add the fact that people here are seen in Dirndls and Lederhosen almost as often as they enjoy sitting in Beer gardens!
Every country has its own delicacy when it comes to breakfast and main dishes they eat everyday. Way back home, we opt for a warm breakfast. This means our love for everything with “rice” seemed to be a normal choice. Fried rice, with sunny side up eggs and hotdogs, sometimes with “Tuyo” (dried fish) ,a cup of Coffee and a slice of mango or bananas . In Holland, I’ve learned to eat bread with “Hagelslag”or chocolate sprinkles. I remember my days in Kuwait, we eat lots of Khubz (or Arabic bread) with almost everything , of course with milk, Chai and Gahwa coffee.
Ein leckeres Frühstuck! ( A deliscious breakfast!)
What do you usually eat for breakfast?
What is the native specialty in your place?
More of the Food culture in Germany in these Posts :
Make sure to hit the Follow button for more Expat stories and travel stories on this Blog. If you are an Expat Mama, you might want to be featured in this Blog for our series on Expat Mamas around the World! Drop me an email at justbluedutch@gmail.com.
Are you interested in Art? Please like our page and browse on my original Paintings Here.
Don’t forget t follow me on my Twitter and my Instagram for more updates. Thanks for dropping by and until next time! Tchüss!
