Photos, videos and docs of m̌ ḫ, with the keywords: "2013"

Where Two Waters Become One

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:40:44 +0000

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At Devín in Bratislava, the Morava River meets the Danube, creating a striking contrast between their waters. The Morava is often noticeably muddier and more brownish, carrying fine sediment from its drainage basin, whilst the Danube can appear clearer and more blue-green.

The two waters do not mix immediately. Differences in flow, temperature, and sediment allow the contrasting colours to remain visible for a while before gradually blending downstream. This creates the distinctive two-coloured water effect that can be seen at the confluence, especially from above.

The Morava also forms part of the Slovakia–Austria border here, making the meeting of the two rivers both a remarkable natural sight and an important geographical landmark.

Winter maple

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:41:24 +0000

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A Rook Overlooking the Ruins of Devin Castle

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:51:29 +0000

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Perched dramatically above the Danube — like a medieval eagle that refused to come down — Devín Castle has witnessed everything from Roman legionaries to drunk poets reciting under the ruins. The site started its career respectably enough as a Roman military fort, part of the Limes Romanus, keeping watch over the empire’s northern frontier. The Romans left, but the view stayed first-class. In the 9th century, Prince Rastislav of Great Moravia fortified the rock, turning it into both a stronghold and a cradle of Slavic Christianity. Not bad for a cliff with a nice panorama.

Through the Middle Ages, the castle transformed into a Gothic residence for Hungarian nobles — think armoured banquets, not Netflix — and served as a royal border fortress for centuries. The Pálffy family turned it into a comfortable manor, but Napoleon’s troops had other aesthetic opinions and blew it to pieces in 1809. The result? The strikingly photogenic ruins admired today, which now attract photographers, hikers, and the romantically inclined who like a melancholy backdrop with their picnics.

Then there’s the Maiden Tower, or as locals call it, “that tower you definitely wouldn’t want to fall from.” Legend says a noblewoman jumped from it after losing her lover — a tragic medieval version of ghosting. Another tale insists the tower imprisoned maidens with questionable attitudes, which may explain why it clings to the cliff like a bad decision. Either way, the tower became so famous it even appeared on Slovakia’s 50-halier coin, proving heartbreak does have marketing potential.

Fast-forward to the Cold War, when Devín swapped fairy tales for wire fences. Its cliffs faced Austria, and the border below became part of the Iron Curtain. Locals could literally see freedom on the opposite bank of the Danube — close enough to imagine, far enough to die for trying. A solemn memorial now honours those who attempted the dangerous swim across. Today, exhibitions like “Attention, Border!” explore this chapter, where history took a grim turn at one of the most scenic spots in Europe.

Thankfully, modern Devín has returned to its more entertaining roots. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961, it now hosts open-air festivals, concerts, and wine tastings under the stars, proving that laughter (and good Riesling) can outlive empires. Curious visitors can even toss a pebble down the castle’s ancient well — wait a few seconds, and you’ll hear the splash far below. It’s a perfect metaphor for Devín itself: deep, resonant, and echoing through centuries of courage, legend, and love.

Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:34 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:28:39 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:45 +0000

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Morena’s Farewell: Ending Winter the Slovak Way

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:29:43 +0000

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The Morena celebration, literally meaning “the carrying out of the Morena effigy,” is an ancient Slovak spring ritual that symbolises the farewell to winter and the joyful arrival of spring. It remains one of the country’s oldest and most cherished folk customs, deeply rooted in pre-Christian Slavic belief, and continues to be practised in many Slovak villages today.

Morena, also known by other names such as Morana, Marmuriena, or Kyselica, represents the Slavic goddess of winter, death, and darkness. In traditional symbolism, she embodies the cold and lifeless season that must be overcome for new life to flourish. The ritual’s origins can be traced to early agrarian fertility rites, intended to ensure healthy crops, vitality, and prosperity once winter had passed.

The celebration typically takes place around the spring equinox, or about two weeks before Easter, often coinciding with Smrtná nedeľa (Dead Sunday), the fifth Sunday of Lent. In certain parts of Slovakia, it is connected with Passion Sunday, just before Palm Sunday. During this period, villagers create an effigy of Morena from straw, cloth, wood, and discarded clothing. The figure is deliberately made to look frightening or grotesque, capturing the bitterness and gloom of the departing winter.

Once completed, the effigy is carried through the village in a lively procession led by children or young women dressed in traditional folk costumes. They sing songs bidding farewell to winter as they proceed towards a nearby river or stream. Upon arrival, the effigy is ceremoniously burned or drowned, representing the destruction of winter and death. In some regions, participants tear pieces of her clothing or throw stones before submerging her in the water, a way of ensuring that she cannot make her return.

After Morena’s symbolic departure, villagers bring home green branches known as letečko – meaning “little summer.” These branches, often decorated with ribbons or flowers, represent the rebirth of nature and the awakening of spring. The use of both fire and water during the ritual symbolises purity, renewal, and the eternal cycle between life and death, highlighting the transition from darkness to light.

In modern Slovakia, the tradition has been adapted into schools, community events, and folk festivals, particularly in regions such as Prešov, Kysuce, and Horehronie. Here, the custom is celebrated with local creativity and enthusiasm, often including effigy-making contests and river ceremonies. Though the Catholic Church once tried to suppress it as a pagan practice, the Morena ritual survived through folklore and rural memory. Today it stands as a cultural emblem of seasonal renewal and a vivid reminder of Slovakia’s deep connection to its ancient Slavic roots.

In Svätý Jur, a historic wine town near Bratislava, the ancient Morena celebration has evolved into a vibrant event embraced by young adults, who mix tradition with creative, social energy. Each March, they gather in small groups to craft the straw effigy, often adding witty or artistic details before parading it through the old streets to the stream below the vineyards. Accompanied by local drummers or musicians, the procession becomes a lively display of youthful spirit and connection to heritage. Once the effigy is set ablaze or symbolically drowned, the evening often continues around bonfires in the woods or in the wine cellars, where friends share local vintages, sing, and play acoustic music. This modern reinterpretation of the Morena ritual reflects how Svätý Jur’s younger generation keeps folklore alive while celebrating community, creativity, and the coming of spring.

Read further:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morana_(goddess)

wheelandcross.substack.com/p/episode-17-spring-equinox-eastern

spectator.sme.sk/culture-and-lifestyle/c/taking-out-morena-ends-winter-welcomes-spring

Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:28:44 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:28:40 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:38 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:36 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:35 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:31 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:28 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:20 +0000

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Morena celebrations in St. Jur

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:27:24 +0000

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One bird does not make the Spring

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:23:13 +0000

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Starting the trek

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 16:46:32 +0000

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We did 4 day hiking of this eponymous trek in Scottish Highlands in April 2013. It was a fantastic experience. Despite the relatively low altitude as well as forestation, the Highlands can offer many unique sides - its vast valleys, and a very Northern feeling of these majestic old mountains. Also the colours are astonishing, the contrast between a picturesque sky of all shadows of blue, grey, yellow or black... with the natural tones of the greenery, flowers, rocks, soil... A weather issue must be mentioned also. The april weather was quite cold, with rain and wind, but we saw sun every day, even if it was for a 15 minutes (after whole day of rain, one enjoys this moment like never before). Plus we got soon into appreciation of the Scotch whisky. And an important positive was that in this time of the year, there aren't any infamous little flies known as midges. It's recomended as a gateway trek in Scotland, and it's worth it... Truly, a strong side of Scotland lies in the countryside. What better place to experience it than in the mountains.

...

Some facts (www.walkhighlands.co.uk)

The West Highland Way was Scotland's first long distance route and remains by far the most popular. Stretching for 151km from Milngavie on the edge of Glasgow to Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis, the route offers a fabulous introduction to the Scottish Highlands. Those wanting to add an extra days walking could even begin in the heart of Glasgow, reaching Milngavie by following the Kelvin Walkway.

It offers tremendous variety, beginning in the pastoral landscapes beneath the Campsies, past the serene beauty of Loch Lomond, and on into increasingly rugged and majestic Highlands. It then crosses the vast, awe-inspiring expanse of Rannoch Moor, with a glimpse down Glencoe, before crossing the hills to lovely Loch Leven. The route finally reaches Fort William via beautiful Glen Nevis. The very keenest could continue from the town by walking the Great Glen Way, or the unofficial East Highland Way.

Looks like Himalaya

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 16:46:31 +0000

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The Highlands lie to the north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, which runs from Arran to Stonehaven. This part of Scotland is largely composed of ancient rocks from the Cambrian and Precambrian periods which were uplifted during the later Caledonian Orogeny. Smaller formations of Lewisian gneiss in the northwest are up to 3 billion years old. The overlying rocks of the Torridon Sandstone form mountains in the Torridon Hills such as Liathach and Beinn Eighe in Wester Ross.

These foundations are interspersed with many igneous intrusions of a more recent age, the remnants of which have formed mountain massifs such as the Cairngorms and the Cuillin of Skye. A significant exception to the above are the fossil-bearing beds of Old Red Sandstone found principally along the Moray Firth coast and partially down the Highland Boundary Fault. The Jurassic beds found in isolated locations on Skye and Applecross reflect the complex underlying geology. They are the original source of much North Sea oil. The Great Glen is formed along a transform fault which divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands.

The entire region was covered by ice sheets during the Pleistocene ice ages, save perhaps for a few nunataks. The complex geomorphology includes incised valleys and lochs carved by the action of mountain streams and ice, and a topography of irregularly distributed mountains whose summits have similar heights above sea-level, but whose bases depend upon the amount of denudation to which the plateau has been subjected in various places.

Shapes of a Scottish midday

nobody@ipernity.com (m̌ ḫ) — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 16:46:30 +0000

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