Thursday 18 April 2024

A colourful journey by train through farming country of brown ploughed paddocks, green crops and fields of yellow canola. Also a sustainable journey, past solar farms and wind turbines. When we pass through villages we see that all the houses have garden plots, of varying tidiness and plantings.

The train travels at 165kmh and we are in Dresden in two hours. We are checked into the hotel, bags in room, by 11am. It’s drizzling, and freezing cold. It was 25 degrees in Dresden last week. Today it’s 7 degrees. I must dispense with my short sleeved rain coat and replace it with something warmer, which I do. Waste not want not, I donate it to a beggar. With short arms.

Dresden is the capital of the state of Saxony, and in days gone by was known as the Florence of Saxony, such was the wealth and beauty of the city. It was the city of Kings.

And a gorgeous princess

In February 1945 Britain and America bombed the be-you-know-who out of Dresden and killed 25,000 people in the process. This beautiful city, with its palaces and castles, its artistic splendour, was wiped out. Rebuilding did not start until the reunification of Germany in the ‘90s and the restoration is remarkable. The damage is not hidden, buildings are both burnt black and new sandstone clean. The black is what remained of the original and the new sits in stark contrast.

We do the HOHO bus which takes us high above the Elbe Valley, where the city sits. Three castles remain in tact, as do many truly beautiful houses. It’s evident that this was indeed the playground of the rich. Perhaps is once again.

This fellow does something at night. I just can’t remember what it is

We walked along the Elbe River, with its beautiful meadows either side.

The restoration work throughout the city is meticulous and astounding

Not all building work is yet complete

Throughout Berlin, and now in Dresden, we see large overhead pipes snaking their way through the city. Both cities sit by a river and a quick Google search reveals that the pipes ensure the level of the ground water stays within safe bounds. Extra water is pumped back into the river. In Berlin these pipes also deliver drinking water to several areas. These photos are from Berlin…I forgot! No photos of the Dresden pipes. I forgot!

There are other pipes in Dresden too

The Dresden Short Film Festival is currently on. It’s an outdoor affair and we feel sympathy for the organisers as it’s wet and cold. Only a very few sit on the deck chairs for a viewing.

Friday 19 April, 2024

These photos are for Bryan and Garry.

This beautiful architecture

Makes for happy travellers

The Museum restoration is one that is not yet complete and the building remains closed. This is as far as we can get inside

But carefully fenced areas allow us to observe external areas

A tour of the Royal Palace is extraordinary. The lavishness explains much about why the peasants revolted in 1849 and overturned the Monarchy

These clothes are original. Dating back to the 16th and 17th century. Spot the codpieces

We also visited what is called The Green Vault within the Palace. No cameras allowed. High security to get in. It contains the largest treasure collection in Europe, founded in 1723 by Augustus the Strong of Poland and Saxony. It took all our strength not to over react to this gauche collection. It was severely damaged in the 1945 bombing, three of the eight rooms were totally destroyed. At the end of the war the collection was confiscated by the Red Army and transferred to the Soviet Union. Returned to Dresden in 1958 and reopened to the public in the early 2000’s.

Yikes

The Opera House

has been rebuilt three times. The first was destroyed by fire in 1869, caused by workmen in the roof welding with gas. The second was destroyed in the 1945 disgrace and this is the third. It’s lavish, both in the foyer and the auditorium, and again a replica of the original

1300 seats and as usual the rows are so close as to cause seated audience members to stand in order to let others pass. No issue during the performances though, as Germans are never late

The clock over the proscenium arch is a curiosity. So many men were opening their fob watches during the performances, and then closing them, that the clicks of the gold cases irritated His Majesty. Hence he ordered the installation of the clock

The stage is being set for the ballet tonight – Romeo and Juliet.

Even in this lavish house, there is a plywood facade as the front border

Don’t jump

What a truly beautiful city is Dresden. We could have filled another day here, but on to Munich now by plane to be transferred to our boat.

A curious touch of home at Dresden airport.

We have struggled to upload this post as the wifi on the boat, which we boarded yesterday, is shocking. A Turnbull/Abbott travesty relived.