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Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Netherlands Travel Idea - Working Replica of Noah's Arc


For all those interested in travelling to the Netherlands, check out this replica of Noah's Arc:

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269090,00.html


SCHAGEN, Netherlands — The massive central door in the side of Noah's Ark was thrown open Saturday — you could say it was the first time in 4,000 years — drawing a crowd of curious pilgrims and townsfolk to behold the wonder.

Of course, it's only a replica of the biblical Ark, built by Dutch creationist Johan Huibers as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible.

Reckoning by the old biblical measurements, Johan's fully functional ark is 150 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 20 cubits wide. That's two-thirds the length of a football field and as high as a three-story house.

Life-size models of giraffes, elephants, lions, crocodiles, zebras, bison and other animals greet visitors as they arrive in the main hold.

"The design is by my wife, Bianca," Huibers said. "She didn't really want me to do this at all, but she said if you're going to anyway, it should look like this."

A contractor by trade, Huibers built the ark of cedar and pine — biblical scholars debate exactly what the wood used by Noah would have been.

Huibers did the work mostly with his own hands, using modern tools and occasional help from his son Roy. Construction began in May 2005.

On the uncovered top deck — not quite ready in time for the opening — will come a petting zoo, with baby lambs and chickens, and goats. And one camel.
Visitors on the first day were stunned.

"It's past comprehension," said Mary Louise Starosciak, who happened to be bicycling by with her husband while on vacation when they saw the ark looming over the local landscape.
"I knew the story of Noah, but I had no idea the boat would have been so big."

In fact, Noah's Ark as described in the Bible was five times larger than Johan's Ark.
But that still leaves enough space near the keel for a 50-seat film theater, where kids can watch the segment of the Disney film "Fantasia" that tells the story of Noah.

Another exhibit shows water cascading down on a model of the Ark. Exhibits on the third level show ancient tools and old-fashioned barrels, exotic stuffed animals, and a wax model of an exhausted Noah reclining on a bed in the forecastle.

Genesis says Noah kept seven pairs of most domesticated animals and one breeding pair of all other creatures, plus his wife, three sons and three daughters-in-law together on the boat for almost a year while the world was deluged.

Perhaps it was only logical that the replica project would be the brainchild of a Dutchman: fear of floods are ingrained in the country's collective consciousness by its water-drenched history.
Lois Poppema, visiting from California, said she thought the Netherlands was exactly the right place for an ark.

"Just a few weeks ago we saw Al Gore on television .. saying that all Holland will be flooded" due to rising sea levels, she said.

"I don't think the man who made this ever expected that global warning will become (such an important) issue — and suddenly having the ark would be meaningful in the middle of Holland."
Under sunny clear skies Saturday, Huibers said he wasn't worried about another biblical flood, since according to Genesis, the rainbow is the sign of God's promise never to flood the world again. But he does worry that recent events such as the flooding of New Orleans could be seen as a portent of the end of time.

Huibers said he hopes the project will renew interest in Christianity in the Netherlands, where churchgoing has fallen dramatically in the past 50 years. He also plans to visit major cities in Belgium and Germany.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

What a weekend!





This past weekend was the first 4 day break for the Austrian Program and while the 160 fall students departed to all corners of the European globe, I decided I would take advantage of the local opportunities. Moreover, with the 2 children, it is getting more and more difficult to travel as if were single....staying closer to Gaming just makes sense.

Lucky for us, (and two students who happened to be staying back), we went to work in a vineyard which was owned by the Kartause some 800 years old in Pfaffstetten! We worked for nearly 5 hours picking the grapes and removing the the diseased or rotten parts. The weather was cool and refreshing and it just felt good to get our hands dirty in the vineyard. After picking, we took the wine to the press and ended with a BBQ.

As if we were not sated yet, we decided to hike the Otscher Mountain which is the highest mountain in our neck of the woods. Little did we (Prof. Cassidy, RD - Katie Hess, and I) know, but as we climbed higher and higher, we were entering the Arctic. It was blizzarding, and with wind chill in sub zero temperatures. Depending on where you would step, one would also step into between 3 and 6 feet of snow! It was truly unbelievable with our visibility impaired, the deep snow, and arctic conditions. Nevertheless, after nearly 3 hours of intense climbing, we summitted the mountain and began our descent. It was probably the most intense climb of my life!

The reason why I don't have any pictures is that whenever I turned on my camera, it would just close back up, I am guessing because of the cold!

The hike was supposed to prepare us for our hike this weekend up the Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. Look for a future post about this hike....

In doesn't get boring, even when you don't travel all around Europe; there is plenty of excitement in the back yard!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Creek Jumping





Every semester students are enthralled by the little river which sits across the street from the Kartause. It just so happens, or perhaps God purposely designed it so, but there is a spot near a bridge which is idea for creek jumping. The fact that the water is near freezing and direct mountain runoff or fresh spring water only entices the students further. It is such an odd phenomenon to the locals, but not to us Kartause regulars to witness students jumping in at all times of the day. Even for someone like myself, I have to admit I found it odd when after our all day excursion to Vienna, arriving back at 10 PM, students decided to have a go at it.

For those students who haven't jumped yet, perhaps you should. Parents, I don't know why, but no matter how many warnings we give them, they just smile and keep jumping....

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Happy Salzburg

The school sponsored excursion to Salzburg and Munich was great hit -- gorgeous weather, beautiful cities, history galore, cafes, restaurants, outdoor markets, churches, beer halls, tours, masses, prayers, shopping, exploring, relaxing, basking in all of God's created glory; Ah, such a trip reminds me of of the Catholic Priest and English Poet's poem, "Pied Beauty" which begins, "Glory Be to God for Dappled things...for skies of coupled colour...."
















Thursday, September 4, 2008

Kicking off the semester with the Bishop


As in the days of yore when pilgrims would begin their journey , Franciscan University faculty, staff, and students, kicked off the semester with our Bishop in the cathedral of St. Pölten.

After the Mass, we all crowded around the altar for a group picture. After Mass we headed to the Monastery of Göttweig in the Danube valley and then off to the Durnstein, the "pearl of the Wachau" or otherwise referred to as "one of the most romantic spots in Austria."

Below are some pictures, courtesy of our RD, Vince Granado: