Passau

Marc's Journal

I started out my day with my first run of the trip. I found a trail along the Danube River and ran till it ended (in an rather modern looking housing area.)  Along the way I enjoyed the luscious views, which included this stream (above). 

Even on trails, Europeans are bike-friendly. Note the ramps on the steps leading to and from the trail. In Washington, I'd be bumping down those stairs on my bike with my head wobbling off!

And for those fans of the new Jesus series, The Chosen, you'll be happy to see it's alive and well in Germany too.

St. Stephan's Cathedral

Diane and I stumbled into St. Stephan's Cathedral in Passau yesterday. It was yet again another incredibly ornate and beautiful church. I began to think more about the purpose of these places.

Drawing close to God

It is interesting to note that the majority of art and beauty in every city is centered around these grand religious displays. Tradition and faith made these locations a routine place for assembling the community. Today, if one attends a Protestant or non-denominational church, the gaudy display of these medieval churches seems over-the-top, particularly for a congregation trying to raise money for its building or missionary programs. Yet centuries ago the architects and artisans had a noble goal in mind: to bring the believer closer to heaven. These are facilities in which one may experience God. The height of the ceilings and the flow of the column work have the appearance going on forever. Just like heaven. The ceilings permit natural sun light often through stained glass windows, like the glow or dance of color of the divine. The paintings are of heavenly or biblical scenes; reminders of the upper realms and previous times which continue to influence us profoundly. The acoustics sound like angels singing. Some of the best music is produced and experienced in cathedrals. Add the gold, ornamentation, cavernous size, throw in a little incense, and the whole experience is surreal. 

The video link (above) includes a sample from one of the world's largest pipe organs. We visited during the organist's practice.

Walking the ally ways of Passau, there are "Art walks" of painted bricks leading the visitor to the many art shops in the city. 

Diane's Journal

Today we stayed in Passau which borders Austria. It’s a cute, small, quaint town and  accessible from the boat. The weather is sunny and warm upper 80’s, but as hot as Tucson. :) 

This town is located where three rivers meet: the  Danube, the Inn and the Ilz  rivers (above). The Danube river is brown and the Inn river is green (you can see the two colors meet (below).

It was a good slower pace day. I’m loving the town and the weather.