Amazing!

I can't believe it! Flickr actually has photos of the kleine berg (little village) in Germany where I was born nach dem kreig (after the war).

Kloster Mallersdorf
The kloster (cloister) in Mallersdorf serves several functions: a school for young girls and women who want to become sisters, a retreat center when the sisters participate in silent reflection once a year to renew and strengthen their spirits, and a hospital and nursing home for sisters who are sick and/or elderly. In the 1940s, the hospital served as a "lying-in hospital" where pregnant women would go to await their babies.

Sigh . . . those were the days when women enjoyed two weeks or more at a quiet and clean hospital, with excellent food and much pampering. Now, it's in-and-out the hospital door, pop goes the weasel!

I found this photo of the interior of the kloster at Bistum Regensburg, which contains a number of other photos of the church, posted oddly enough on my birthday.

The train station in winter - What a winter wonderland!

The train in winter - I took this same train (or one like it) from Munich to Mallersdorf in 1980 to see the place where I was born for the very first time.

I next searched for photos of Straubing, Germany, which is where my parents and I lived until my father finished his tour of duty with the Air Force. What a beautiful place! I'm sorry now that I didn't make time to go there.

The old city of Straubing from the air - Thankfully most of it was spared during the heavy Allied bombing raids towards the end of the war. Much of that took place farther north, near Berlin and Dresden.

Straubing , Niederbayern, Deutschland - Look at all the bicycles! No wonder many Europeans manage to stay so slim! Saves on petrol, too, which cost around 3 Deutsch marks per liter (about $5.35) in 1994. And we think that $3.59 per gallon is high! [I sure hope I did the math correctly; currency conversion always throws me for a loop.]

The flowers of Straubing - Isn't this a lovely view? Everywhere one goes in Europe, one can see beautiful flowers in neat and tidy windowboxes.

Beer garden at Chinese Tower, Munich, Germany - Of course, a trip to Germany wouldn't be complete without a pleasant afternoon spent at a German biergarten.

Verdict on Flickr? Very cool, especially the capability of archiving one's photos on a secure site where earth, wind, and fire cannot disturb them. If I had the money to blow, however, I'd spring for a subscription to SmugMug. Not only do the creators of SmugMug offer unlimited storage, more security, and greater privacy, they also keep 4 backup copies of each photo in 3 states! Great idea!