Breaking with the rainy tradition that it had set during the previous few days, Germany was stunning the next day, with blue skies, few clouds and dazzling sun. It was the perfect day for a trip to Dresden and after some minor mishaps with tickets and public transport, we climbed on the bus and headed out.
The bus-ride there was uneventful but quite lovely. We used a different company than the one I had been on for my previous trip to Hamburg and it was much nicer. For one, the wifi actually worked, and the accommodations were better. I read Harry Potter (was on Half-Blood Prince at this point), and gazed out the window at the green and flat land of east Germany.
We arrived after a few hours at the main station of the city and after adventuring around the station, which was quite impressive, we wandered towards the old city center with vague idea of our plan for the afternoon. In one of the main platzes, we discovered the Alt-Markt, literally, the old market, and explored it for a bit before setting off towards the Frauenkirche, one of Dresden's most famous landmarks.
The church is circular, and was finished in 2005 although it replicates the style of the church that was destroyed in World War II. Around it, is a plaza with many cafes and shops. There, we browsed for souvenirs (I got some postcards and a pair of Ampelmann earrings - they're so cute!), and had gelato. We also wandered through the impressive interior of the church, marveling at the gorgeous interior. Then, I decided to climb to the top of the dome, while my grandfather and Barbara grabbed a snack and a drink at a local cafe.
My trip to the top was begun by communicating through broken German and smiles with an older gentleman who with me in the elevator. Then, we kept about the same pace as we walked up the spiral ramp and stairs to the dome, although I went a little slower just to make sure that he was okay. Eventually, after peering into the interior of the church from the upper chapel, I made it to the top and the view was stunning. Dresden, due to the fire-bombing, was demolished, and the new city today mimics its destroyed predecessor. It is located along the river Elbe, and the banks of the river are extremely green and free of buildings. It's a fairly small city, especially compared to Berlin and was very refreshing.
I descended to the ground level, reunited with my companions and we walked along a raised river walk next to several older-looking buildings, passing by the city's cathedral, theater and other impressive structures. Our destination was the art gallery, which I wished to see, as it had two paintings by Johannes Vermeer, my favorite artist. I was (and is) my goal to see as many paintings of his as possible in my lifetime. So far, I have seen about eight. The gallery itself was impressive, and quite doable for a museum, as it was a little smaller than most. It has quite a lot of excellent works and I highly recommend it.
Afterwards, we walked back towards the main station, and had an early dinner at the old market, from several of the booths. Barbara and I had crepes, and my grandfather had a much-desired bratwurst, all of which was followed by a beer or two at a local cafe to kill time before our bus departed. Then, we made the slow walk back to the stop, as it had been quite a long day, and caught the more crowded bus back to Berlin.
All in all, the day in Dresden was highly enjoyable as I had long desired to go, was with my grandparents and on a beautiful day. The majority of the city's attractions are within the old city center, which is quite small and the entire place is very walkable. It is an excellent day or overnight trip, especially from Berlin and I'm very happy I was able to journey there.
Next post: as always promised, catching you up to the present!
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