holycity – rene bauer photography

Israel – Holy Places In Jerusalem (1/2)

Jerusalem isn’t that huge, but full of spots, which considered to be holy to religions as Jews, Christians and Moslems, and if you want so, also the many markets, which could be considered as places to worship the capitalism 😉

To visit most places and get more informations i joined a tour group for the day.. Tour guide Tania lead the group to the many interesting places. Starting in the Armenian quarter, stopping by at ancient Roman columns, we arrived one of the highlights on this tour. The Western Wall, also known as Wailing Wall!

The Jews coming here to pray, because it’s the closest spot to the former most holy place within the ancient temple. It’s not only a place to pray, but also to study and teach. A rabbi appears with a big group of young believers. A film team is following them. Seemed to be quite a famous guy.

Left to the open square, the wall continued behind a big gate into great halls, or tunnels respectively. More prayers inside there. To my surprise, there’s also a big library with books and texts to study.

On the top of the temple plateau lies not only the famous Dome of the Rock, but als the third important mosque of the islam, the Al-Aqsa mosque. There’s no way to get in for non-believers, but at least i got look on it and the square in front of.

Around the temple plateau are narrow streets with markets. Between all the tourists and local shoppers a procession of pilgrims carry a wooden cross along the Via Dolorosa.

I come trough one of the city gates past playing children. Outside are big cemeteries, jewish and muslim ones. Between them lies the Garden of Gethsename with its old olive trees. Just behind it the ascent of Mount of Olives starts. From the top is a stunning view back to the old city, the city wall and the temple plateau with the Dome of the Rock. But more about it tomorrow.

März 17, 2023März 16, 2023 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, history, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, portrait, reportage, tradition, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: alaqsa, armenianquarter, christianity, holy, holycity, holyplace, islam, israel, jerusalem, judaism, middleeast, mosque, mountofolives, pilgrim, pilgrimage, renebauerphotography, viadolorosa, wailingwall, westernwall Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Israel – Nazareth And The Basilica Of Annunciation

When in Nazareth, one can’t miss a visit in the Basilica of the Annunciation.

Entering that huge church, a big hall surrounded a deepened grotto. To my surprise not many people are in there right now. Just a few believers who taking pictures and send short prayers towards that holy place. Some murmurs coming from a dark corner. Praying believers gathered in a side chapel. Over my head i noticed a big round opening. Just then i realized there’s a second floor.

On the upper level of the church are more groups. Some of them taking group photos, while others just went silence in prayers. I was hoping to hear the huge organ with its tall pipes, it stayed silent too. On the other end of the church was to admire a big window with colorful glasses, showing saints and stories from the bible.

Out in the streets again it was time to find a place for overnight. Small alleys lead me trough a market area with all small shops closed down. What’s happened here, i ask later a local guy. The capitalism is destroying the market here, he said. All are going to the big shopping malls nowadays. Even here in Nazareth. The small shops can’t barely survive, if at all.

The hostel i found is a gem. In old walls are rooms for guests, but the best is the lovely courtyard with lounge. Another traveler was playing a drum when i sat down for a short rest. We shared some experiences and talked about further travel plans. But soon we also got in more philosophical topics. I’m not saying we found out the meaning of life. But at least we agreed, that meeting new, open minded people, sharing and learning from each other and having time for yourself to reflect, is was making us humans.

März 14, 2023 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, history, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, reportage, roadtrip, tradition, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: basilica, basilicaofannunciation, believer, bible, cafe, church, graffiti, holycity, hostel, israel, jesus, middleeast, nazareth, pilgrim, renebauerphotography, virginmaria Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

The Vatican Museum

If in Vatican, or Rome respectively, you must go to the Vatican Museum, they said.

But be prepared for very long queue in front of the entrance, they warned me too.

Well, when i arrived there on this cold, but beautiful winter morning, there was only a few people wanting into the museum. I just could walk trough the entrance, literally.

And so i got a glimpse of all the treasures the Catholic church collected over the past centuries and the art, sculptures and paintings they got from various artists in many of the rooms and halls.

The first section i visited was the Egyptian museum. Does these even belongs here to the Vatican, i’ve been thinking. But then more and more sculptures, paintings, mosaics and huge tapestry followed on the other rooms.

The tourists been waving with their phones, tried to capture the beauty of art in their pockets. So did i, more or less. But honestly, it’s hard to get a proper picture from the huge paintings in the wall, if you can’t inhale the spirit of the hall. In this way, it was just right to forbid to make photos in the amazing and world famous „Sistine Chapel“ There are guards, who not only watch out for illegal photographers, but also remind the visitors to be silent.

Februar 23, 2023 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, europe, history, reportage, roadtrip, travelTags: ancient, art, culture, davinci, europe, holycity, italy, leonardodavinci, mosaic, museum, paintings, renebauerphotography, sculpture, tapestry, Travel, vatican Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Indien, Pushkar: Blue Lotus Festival

Weihrauch und Duftkerzen umwehen die Nase,

würziger Masala Tee umspült den Gaumen,

farbenfrohe Kostüme wirbeln vor den Augen,

dumpfe Bässe lassen die Haut erzittern

und laut dröhnt der fröhliche Gesang im Ohr.

Mit viel Glück durfte ich sehr kurzfristig als Festival-Fotograf teilnehmen. In sechs Tagen fanden 40 Konzerte mit 350 Musiker auf verschiedenen Bühnen, vor Tempeln und auf der Strasse statt. Daneben wurden Workshops, Filme, sowie Yoga- und Meditationsstunden angeboten.

Das Blue Lotus Festival fand das erste Mal überhaupt statt. Trotz der geringen Besuchermenge, wetterbedingten Schwierigkeiten (wer erwartet schon Regen in der Wüste?) und einigen behördlichen Hürden (die Polizei unterbrach ein Abendkonzert wegen „fehlender“ Bewilligung, das aber nach kurzer Unterredung weitergeführt werden konnte) waren sich alle Beteiligte am Ende einig: Dieses Musikfestival war ein tolles Erlebnis das keiner missen wollte! Schwer in Worte zu fassen und in Sätze zu quetschen, wie diese Musik das Innerste erzittern, der Rhythmus die Füsse schweben und die Farben die Augen blenden liessen.

Ich hoffe die Bilder und Impressionen geben etwas von der Atmosphäre wieder, die für die beteiligten ein unvergessliches Erlebnis bleiben wird.