Eric Thomsen

Europe has many wonderful old traditions, and one of them is the Christmas market.Salzburg in Austria is one of the best places to go for quality and variety in Christmas markets. Here we show you no less than three different markets.One market is by the magnificent Baroque cathedral. Another by Andr kirche and the third out at Hellbrunn Palace, where the Bishop-Prince used to reside.Salzburg was an independent mini-state ruled by a Bishop-Prince until the Napoleonic wars.You can still feel this self-contained grandeur in the magnificent Baroque architectural pearls of Salzburg city.Christmas markets became a medieval tradition in German speaking lands and ushered in the four week church festival of Advent. In nearby Munich, Germany the Christmas market is first mentioned in 1310. There is only 150 km to Munich here from Salzburg.

Montreux is a city on the shore of Lake Geneva (Lac L man) with abt 25,000 inhabitants. It is part of Canton Vaud, which itself is abt the same area as the previous entity, Canton L man, with the administrative center Lausanne. Montreux was inhabited since the late Bronze Age and an important cross roads during Roman times.The main Montreux Christmas Market - March de No l in French - is called the Lakeside Christmas Market. It rained the day the authors visited but it does not always rain.Part of the Montreux March de No l is covered and illuminated.

The Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany. The pre-Christmas fair on Nuremberg's main market square can be traced back to the middle of the 16th century.Nuremberg is known for many things. The beautiful Gothic Frauenkirche was built on the site of a Jewish synagogue, also the site now of the Hauptmarkt where the main Christmas market takes place. This happened after the expulsion of the Jews from the city due the belief they were involved in the 1349 Black Death.The Nuremberg Christmas market likely evolved from the weekly market in the period 1610 to 1639 to become an independent market starting on St Thomas Day 4 Dec. It was not until 1973 the opening was moved to Friday before Advent, due to the large number of visitors. The traditional market had of course traditional goods for the season, like warrm hats, mittens and scarves. But the famous Lebkuchen - Honey Cakes - and toys were also there.

Whatever gospel you believe in or not, Christmas is for us a break at the end of the year, leading up to New Year.It is a period of holidays, where you can look back at the year'sachievements amidst the heavy shopping and merriment.It is a period where humans show warm feelings and generosity towards each other, and of decorating inside and outside.Animals join this warm spirit.We were feeding the birds and squirrels at the back of the house, close to the wood covered banks of the lake.Naturally our cats were discussing the idea behind the bird feeding house, and its use. They were no doubt disappointed that we didn't pay enough attention to the flow of free meals here. The point about a setting atrap is that you attend to it It's no good just to set a superb trap and then leave it. It's irresponsible

One of the wonderful traditions of Christmas is the Nativity. But you don't have to be Christian or a regular church-goer to love these wonderful displays. The creativity and artistry speak to all children and to the child in us all.Nativity is a scene from the stories of the birth of Jesus. They are in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. With inspiration in these stories you use either figurines or live people to create the scene and convey the story.These scenes excite especially the children. Their happy smiles and their joy is so wonderfully rewarding. But adults as well enjoy both creating and looking at the nativity scenes.This has developed into a huge handicraft industry in countries like Spain and Italy. Artists and craftsmen work all year round to create their next exhibits, which are sold especially at Christmas markets.Families collect figurines and accessories from the markets and create their own displays at home. We show you figurines from the Christmas Markets of Barcelona, Malaga, Sevilla and Madrid

The Malaga Christmas Market is a completely different experience from the Christmas Markets in the German speaking World. This is not only due to the lovely weather but also to significant cultural differences.Malaga is one of the oldest cities not only in Spain but in the World, inhabited for almost 3000 years.The Christmas Market appears to have started in the late Middle Ages in Germany. The Middle Ages is a long historic period in Europe starting abt 500 AD with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and lasting to abt 1500 AD when the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery took over.It started as the Welcoming of Christ the Child - "Christ Kind" in German - at the beginning of the four Sundays of Advent that ends with Christmas Day, which is the 25 December.The Christmas market is a fair connected with the seasonal period and infused with our religion, which very much organized everybody's lives back then.In Medieval times, rights to hold fairs were often granted by the feudal lords to convents and bishoprics both as income generation for the religious work and as a city development tool. Many towns trace their prosperity to the market rights. The close association between the local cathedral and the Christmas market is still evident although the taxes now go elsewhere.

Hiroshi Yoshida was born 19 September, 1876 in Kurume, Fukuoka. He died 5 April, 1950 (aged 73) in his home in Tokyo.Hiroshi Yoshida was born Hiroshi Ueda. At the age of 15, he was adopted by the Yoshida family after his talent for painting was discovered by Kasaburo Yoshida, a junior high school art teacher.In 1920, at the age of 44, Yoshida presented his first woodcut at the Watanabe Print Workshop, organized by Shōzaburō Watanabe (1885-1962), publisher and advocate of the shin-hanga movement.Yoshida believed that the painter should have supreme authority and assume the role of director, not the publishing house. Yoshida was known to be meticulous about the process and quality of his finished prints. He did not give his prints the "seal of approval" or the stamp of his name, "jizuri" (self-print), unless he was extremely satisfied with the end result.At the age of 73, Yoshida took his last sketching trip to Izu and Nagaoka and painted his last works The Sea of Western Izu and The Mountains of Izu. He became sick on the trip and returned to Tokyo where he died on 5 April, 1950, at his home.

The largest and oldest Christmas market in Munich was first documented as a Nikolaimarkt (Nikolausmarkt) in 1310, making it one of the oldest Christmas markets in the German-speaking world.It started as the Welcoming of Christ the Child - "Christ Kind" in German - at the beginning of the four Sundays of Advent that ends with Christmas Day, which is the 25 December.The Christmas market is a fair connected with the seasonal period and infused with our religion, which very much organized everybody's lives back then.In Medieval times, rights to hold fairs were often granted by the feudal lords to convents and bishoprics both as income generation for the religious work and as a city development tool. Many towns trace their prosperity to the market rights. The close association between the local cathedral and the Christmas market is still evident although the taxes now go elsewhere.

Eleanor of Aquitaine is considered one of the most fascinating and accomplished rulers in world history. In just 15 years she became the Duchess of Aquitaine, one of the most cultured provinces in Europe, the Queen of France, which she heavily cultured, and the Queen of England, which she changed from a primitive outpost to a cultured center of Northern EuropeShe travelled extensively as part this impressive career including a crusade to the Holy Land.In this volume we follow Eleanor of Aquitaine first to her wedding in Bordeaux and then to Paris, her new home. Then she embarked of a crusade with her husband, Louis VII, with an arduous and eventful tour through Europe on horseback until they reached the Holy Land. Louis VII was nearly killed in an incredibly bloody ambush. From they sailed to Antioch to meet her uncle Raymond. By now there was very strong disagreement between husband and wife and after Louis VII's participation in the failed siege of Damascus, they sailed each on their own ship for Europe

There is a companion volume for adults, also called Birds of Play.If you like animals and want to give your child the experience of meeting animals you should consider having outpets.Activities like feeding ducks creates an important bond between a child and the natural world and it stays with them long after the activity is over. If done the right way, it won't impact heavily on our native fauna.Outpets are defined below. Basically, they are the animals around us and with whom you can interact - for your benefit and for their benefit as well.There are many places around the World where you can enjoy outpets.It is especially important if you live in a city. People who live close to Nature have a lot more opportunity to meet and interact with animals. Therefore, you need to consider the access more carefully when you live in a city.

Eleanor of Aquitaine is considered one of the most fascinating and accomplished rulers in world history. In just 15 years she became the duchess of Aquitaine, one of the most cultured provinces in Europe, the queen of France, which she heavily cultured, and the queen of England, which she changed from a primitive outpost to a cultured center of northern EuropeShe travelled extensively as part this impressive career including a crusade to the Holy Land. This volume will try to follow her footsteps until she became Duchess of Aquitaine probably at the age of 15. She was born either in Poitiers or Bordeaux and travelled with her father around his lands as well as vacationed at their castle by the sea.Imagine Eleanor of Aquitaine travelling with her father through these lands and visiting the important cities and castles.

This version of the title is censored on the demands of self-publishing platform BOD.es in Spain, which is a subsidiary of the German self-publishing platform BOD.de. Formally the demands are for covering up nipples on old Japanese prints. There is no improper content. The authors believe that the real reason however, is politically motivated, because it was a condition of publishing and not a result of the identification of any special audience opportunity.However, there may just be such an audience, which this issue of the title will then accomodate. Shinsui Ito was born 4 February 1898 in the Fukagawa district of Tokyo and died 8 May 1972.Shinsui Itō was his pseudonym.Shinsui designed mostly bijin-ga and only more occasionally landscape prints, see Shinsui Ito Landscapes by authors. Bijin-ga is "pretty ladies", akin to pin-up art.Bijin-ga (美人画, びじんが, "beautiful person picture") is a generic term for pictures of beautiful women (bijin) in Japanese art, especially in woodblock printing of the ukiyo-e genre.At the age of ten, young Hajime found employment at the Tokyo Printing Company after his father s business went bankrupt, and here he began to show serious interest and talent in Nihonga, Japanese-style painting.In 1911 he was introduced to Kaburagi Kiyokata, a renowned painter, and became Kiyokata's student. It was Kiyokata that gave Hajime his artist's name, Shinsui. When Shinsui was eighteen years old, his paintings were seen by the publisher Watanabe Shozaburo at an exhibition at Kiyokata's art school.Ukiyo-e itself is a genre of woodblock prints and paintings that was produced in Japan from the 17th century to the 19th century. The prints were very popular amongst the Japanese merchants and the middle class of the time.

Shinsui Ito was born 4 February 1898 in the Fukagawa district of Tokyo and died 8 May 1972.Shinsui Itō was his pseudonym.At the age of ten, young Hajime found employment at the Tokyo Printing Company after his father s business went bankrupt, and here he began to show serious interest and talent in Nihonga, Japanese-style painting.In 1911 he was introduced to Kaburagi Kiyokata, a renowned painter, and became Kiyokata's student. It was Kiyokata that gave Hajime his artist's name, Shinsui. When Shinsui was eighteen years old, his paintings were seen by the publisher Watanabe Shozaburo at an exhibition at Kiyokata's art school.Shinsui designing mostly bijin-ga and only more occasionally landscape prints, see authors book Ito Shinsui Bijin-ga.The landscapes are absolutely wonderful and the carving technique and printing technique is the best ever. We hope you will enjoy our selection of prints.

Shinsui Ito was born 4 February 1898 in the Fukagawa district of Tokyo and died 8 May 1972.Shinsui Itō was his pseudonym.Shinsui designed mostly bijin-ga and only more occasionally landscape prints, see Shinsui Ito Landscapes by authors. Bijin-ga is "pretty ladies", akin to pin-up art.Bijin-ga (美人画, びじんが, "beautiful person picture") is a generic term for pictures of beautiful women (bijin) in Japanese art, especially in woodblock printing of the ukiyo-e genre.At the age of ten, young Hajime found employment at the Tokyo Printing Company after his father s business went bankrupt, and here he began to show serious interest and talent in Nihonga, Japanese-style painting.In 1911 he was introduced to Kaburagi Kiyokata, a renowned painter, and became Kiyokata's student. It was Kiyokata that gave Hajime his artist's name, Shinsui. When Shinsui was eighteen years old, his paintings were seen by the publisher Watanabe Shozaburo at an exhibition at Kiyokata's art school.Ukiyo-e itself is a genre of woodblock prints and paintings that was produced in Japan from the 17th century to the 19th century. The prints were very popular amongst the Japanese merchants and the middle class of the time.

Come with a small boy and see all theconstruction vehicles that are so exiting. The trip is mainly in Denmark, but he also visits Miami and otherinteresting places.Authors own pictures - this storyreally happened.

The wonderful cakes from Andalucia are pure luxury. Many of them were developed in rich towns where the citizens indulged not only in cakes but in all kinds of luxuries.Today these luxurious cakes are available to everyone. From being the creations of a few master bakers for a small elite the recipes are followed in pastelerias all over Andalucia. By all means enjoy them Remember to exercise These cakes are very rich, that is why they taste so good But let us make one thing clear. We find it a detestable practice to use margarine instead of manteca de cerdo (lard) and butter and to add extra sugar to try to cover this up. We understand margarine is cheaper, but the cakes do not taste the same. It is a kind of fraud on the consumer. Be sure to ask for the real thing Besides cakes, Andalucia has so much to offer the visitor and its own residents. You will enjoy a visit

Napoleon Bonaparte s campaign in Russia in from 24 June to abt 5 December 1812 remains one of the greatest military disasters of all times. The hot weather and the forced marches making the soldiers sick reduced Napoleon s Grande Arm e fom abt 450.000 to only 120.000 a the time he reached Moscow. More famous is the bitter winter during the withdrawal which reduced his fighting force to an est 1.500 and only abt 100.000 made it back. Napoleon didn t have the supplies the Russians had. The great battles were few as the Russians avoided most of them and instead they employed scorched earth and guerilla tactics to beat Napoleon. His Russia campaign would lead to the end of his grip on Europa. The campaign is full of great names on both sides and it is impossible to do justice to them all in a small book like this one. Many famous artists have depicted this epic war. We hope the readers will enjoy our selection of art work.

Albert Rieger was born in Triest on 6. May 1834 and died in 1905 in Vienna. He also used the pseudonym A. H bart. Albert Rieger was a well-known Austrian landscape and marine painter of his time. Already at a young age he was already widely known for his precision and artistic rigor. His style is romantic. Little is currently published about him, but many auction houses follow him and publish prices that his art work achieves. Whether you like his romantic paintings of roaring streams in the Alps and cute Tyrolian peasant cottages or not, he is worth considering for your art investments. Albert Rieger was introduced to the imperial family and began to work for both Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz Josef. We have selected some works of art showing children at this most enjoyable passtime and hope the reader will enjoy them with us. We hope you will enjoy our selection of works by Albert Rieger.