12 Mai 2011
Atlantic ocean at south-west coast of Portugal
09 Mai 2011
Beach days
... in southern Portugal.Besides Lisbon, we spend some days here, in the fantastic landscape of the Costa Vicentina Natural Park.
05 Mai 2011
Lisbonne story
We were happy enough to spend Easter in this most wonderful city - and even had some sunny days.
11 April 2011
Running towards spring
25 März 2011
Heartbreaking: Rikuzentakata today
Rikuzentakata was reported to have been "wiped off the map" by the tsunami following the Tōhoku earthquake.[1] According to the police, every building smaller than three stories high has been completely flooded, with buildings bigger than three stories high being flooded partially, one of the buildings being the city hall, where the water also reached as high as the third floor. The Japan Self-Defense Forces reports between 300 and 400 bodies have been found in the town.[2]
On 14 March, an illustrated BBC report showed a picture of the town, describing it as "almost completely flattened." "It is not clear how many survived."[3] The town's tsunami shelters were designed for a wave of three to four metres in height, but the tsunami of March 2011 created a wave 15 metres high which inundated the designated safe locations. Local officials estimate that 20% to 40% of the town's population is dead. "Rikuzen-Takata effectively no longer exists."[4] Although the town was well prepared for earthquakes and tsunamis and had a 6.5 metre high seawall, it was not enough and more than 80% of 8,000 houses were swept away.[5]
A BBC film dated 20 March reported that the harbour gates of the town failed to shut as the tsunami approached, and that 45 young firemen were swept away while attempting to close them manually. The same film reported that 500 bodies had been recovered in the town, but that 10,000 people were still unaccounted-for out of a population of 26,000.[6]
- Staff Reporter (12 March 2011) "Wiped off the map: The moment apocalyptic tsunami waves drown a sleepy coast town". www.dailymail.co.uk, Retrieved 12 March 2011
- www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Japanarmysays300-400bodiesfoundinRikuzentakata_Report/Article/ Japan army says 300-400 bodies found in Rikuzentakata: Report
- www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12729784 Picture 6 of the series
- Tsunami preparation leads citizens into low-lying death traps. www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/tsunami-preparation-leads-citizens-into-low-lying-death-traps/article1943381/
- ShelterBox Response Team operational in Iwate Prefecture News update from charity ShelterBox, 22 March 2011
- The floodgate that didn't work to stop the tsunami. www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12801085
20 März 2011
Beach of Rikuzentakata, 2008
Before ..............and after the tsunami. Not much left.(Click on the photo to enlarge.)
19 März 2011
Goishi Kaigan, between Ofunato and Rikuzentakata
18 März 2011
Shrine close to Rikuzentakata. We went there often. I hope it's still there.
23 November 2009
Review: July 2009
Birthday cake ...
and dinosaur food:
Best friends
Summer at the Lake of Constance
Getting ready for a ride:
18 November 2009
Review: June 2009
Backyard barbecue
...and fine dining:
Cute Jakob
... and strange Thomas:
Summer by the lake:
17 November 2009
Another year almost passed by, let's have a look back
... and in Portugal:
Oni fight in our apartment:
Flowering trees (at the lake of Constance),
bicycle race, 
the promising start of a soccer career
and japanese style gardening:
30 April 2009
Cool hello from Jakob
28 April 2009
Some photos finally...
Above, you see the small front garden belonging to the house, where the children (there are now four living in the house, all in the same age) play and the friends from across the street come over for spontanous visits, while the mums sit together and chat (while the fathers work at the maintenance of house and garden) - it feels just like in Uenomachi in Kitakami.
There a big old trees at all corners of the house and in front of all windows; but not too dark, just beautiful. Our bedroom:
Jakobs room, during winter and with fresh green chestnut decoration in spring.
The dining room:
