...What better way to celebrate the transition between 2024 and 25 ( and the main conclusion to this project ) than a New Year getaway with the family back to Trêves, the oldest city in Germany. An appartment for a second time on the Mosel river, a wintry New Year's walk as far as the old Roman Bridge ( Römerbrücke ) , and then a fascinating visit to the Rheinlandes-Museum .
The aftermath of New Year celebrations : boxes and boxes of burnt-out fireworks. But the Mosel Clean-Up trailers were already in place .
Afetr lunch, the Dom ( Trêves Cathedral ) and - finally * - a visit to the Rheinlandes-Museum, a perfect way to 'oversee' the visible sites and hidden treasures of more than 2000 years of 'Trevirian' history ; the Trévires were a celtic people originating in Belgian Gaul ( Belgica ) who moved into the lower Moselle valley and adapted - happily for the most part - to the huge roman and latin influence on the region. Even their pagan gods were usurped or absorbed by their equivalent roman deities. At this time, the river was named "Musella" , "Mosella", or "Mosula" . A question of vowels !
*A habit l picked up, l think, from working on the facade of Rouen cathedral ( 2019-2024 ) ; after a long series of work inspired by Claude Monet, on the morning of my departure l finally entered the cathedral. Monet, apparently, never set foot inside; he was only interested in the 'envelope' between himself and the façade. I stayed outside of Strasbourg Cathedral too during many visits to work on that subject, before one day going inside. Then across to the Musée de l'Oeuvre de la Cathédrale. Highly recommended !
Model of the Rômerbrücke at the Rheinlandes-Museum
2 'Lothringen' ( Lorraine ) statues of Madonna & Child which were created in Metz, france, and then transported - by boat along the Mosel.le - to Trier and the Museum.
Time to head home. Loose ends were tied up, "les boucles bouclés" . Impatience was setting in. Next spring, l'll be impatient to set off again.
Auf wiedersehen, Mosel.
Happy New Year !
W
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