Books, Castle, cathedrals, food and drink, fortress, History, Home page, Travel

Exploring the Franconian wine capital of Bavaria: Würzburg, Germany

Technically, or administratively, the city belongs to the state of Bavaria but truly there is nothing about Lederhosen, Weißwurst, Bier and Biergartens. Würzburg, the wine capital of Franconia in the northwestern tip of Bavaria, will show you that there’s more to life than beer and sausage. The dialect is different, the choice of sausage is Bratwurst and here you’ll find endless rows of vineyards and … Continue reading Exploring the Franconian wine capital of Bavaria: Würzburg, Germany

RED RIDING HOODJanuary 23, 2024Leave a comment

abbey, Books, food and drink, Travel

Salon-de-Provence, following Nostradamus’ prophecies

Michel de Notre-Dame, as we all know as Nostradamus, was an apothecary by profession, and published in the year 1555 a book called Les Prophéties (The Prophecies). In his collection of 942 poetic quatrains, he predicted various future events that experts, and many amateurs, find a way of interpreting into related events occurring in the present day. Some historical evidence suggests that Nostradamus may have served Catherine de Medici indirectly through … Continue reading Salon-de-Provence, following Nostradamus’ prophecies

RED RIDING HOODApril 1, 2023Leave a comment

Books

The Lady of the Rivers

The Lady of the Rivers is a historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series The Cousins’ War. The story is narrated by Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother of Elizabeth Woodville, and covers the reign of the Lancastrian King Henry VI. The novel serves as a prequel to The White Queen, the story of Elizabeth’s reign as Queen consort of England. Fourteen-year-old Jacquetta, whose noble family claims descendance from the water goddess Melusine, learns the secrets of her … Continue reading The Lady of the Rivers

RED RIDING HOODFebruary 9, 2021February 9, 20214 Comments

Books, Castle, cathedrals, kings and queens

Master of All Desires

by Judith Merkle Riley In 1556 France, Queen Catherine de Medici spies on her husband, King Henri II, and his lover, Diane de Poitiers. Driven nearly mad by jealousy, the queen, who is “very fond of do-it-yourself magic,” is frustrated with her court astrologer’s ineffective powers, until he reveals his knowledge of the magical object called the Master of All Desires. This is a centuries-old … Continue reading Master of All Desires

RED RIDING HOODAugust 10, 2019October 3, 201922 Comments

Books

The Secret of the Turin Shroud

At the beginning a bit borring but then you get into the secrets of the Vatican and catholic church. As the most spectacular murder in Los Angeles happens, the detectives are on their way to end up in Turin, Italy where the shroud of Jesus Chirst lays…. in all its secrets… Shroud of Turin is a length of linen cloth bearing the image of a man who is … Continue reading The Secret of the Turin Shroud

RED RIDING HOODNovember 12, 2017February 17, 2020345 Comments

Books, History, kings and queens

The Bourbon Kings

For generations, the Bradford family is the synonym for the best world wide bourbon. The spirit that comes from Kentucky, USA and made of corn. The sustained wealth of the Brandford family has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the … Continue reading The Bourbon Kings

RED RIDING HOODNovember 6, 2017August 13, 20175 Comments

Books, Castle, History

The Salt Road

The magnificent Sahara and the Berber tribes that belongs to it are wonderfully described in this book: Izzy discovers that her amulet is a Tuareg artefact containing an inscription in Tifinagh, a language of the ancient world used for poetry and magic, understood now only by nomads in the deep desert. The desert routes once travelled by caravans of camels bearing ivory, gold and salt … Continue reading The Salt Road

RED RIDING HOODOctober 29, 2017July 9, 201712 Comments

Books

Burial Rites

by Hannah Kent Even though this book is a fiction, it is based on true events. Agnes Magnúsdóttir is the last person executed on Iceland, accused of participating in the murder of Nathan Ketilsson and Peter Jonsson on the night between 13 and 14 March 1828 in Illugastadir, on the Vatnsnes peninsula in northern Iceland. The story about her confessions live in the nowadays Iceland. Her tomb … Continue reading Burial Rites

RED RIDING HOODOctober 20, 2017September 16, 20176 Comments

Books, Castle, History, kings and queens

Sultan’s Wife

Morocco, 1677. The tyrannical King Ismail resides over the palace of Meknes. Through the sweltering heat of the palace streets, Nus Nus is his slave. He is circumsized, of course, and as eunuh fights his emotions. Meanwhile, young, fair Alys Swann is captured during her crossing to England, where she is due to be wed. Sold into Ismail’s harem, she is forced to choose: renounce … Continue reading Sultan’s Wife

RED RIDING HOODOctober 13, 2017October 14, 20176 Comments

Books, History

Russian Concubine

Russian Concubine and the Secret of a Concubine are 2 beautiful novels that start in St Petersburg right after the First Russian Revolution and the aristocracy is killed to give the room to communism and shared state property. The beautiful pianist Valentina Ivanova somehow managed to escape and buy a five-year-old daughter, Lidija, with her jewels, and her husband was allegedly killed. The fugitives found … Continue reading Russian Concubine

RED RIDING HOODSeptember 27, 2017July 11, 20176 Comments