Dresden-Leipzig-Braunschweig.

Gardens and Fountain on the Bruehl Terrace.

It's back to Braunschweig today.  I am sorry to leave this lovely city but I know that I will return.  My hotel is opposite Dresden Mitte railway station, so I have only to cross the road to catch the 11.19 back to BS.  I travel via Leipzig, where I shall only see the station.  Shame, that's another city I would like to visit one day.  Back later.

No Longer Deaf in Dresden!

I took my last wander this morning, seeing the interesting things I wanted to see.  This monument is to Julious Otto, composer and director of Music in  the Kreuzkirche.  He  has some of his choir children with him. Towards the end of the war the metal was melted down and used for ammunition, but in 2010 the artist Niklas Klotz remodelled and cast it and it now sits outside the church in memory of the choir master.


The photo below shows the Procession of  the Princes.  It is made of individual Meissen tiles and miraculously survived undamaged the night of 13th February 1945.  It shows all the rulers of the House of Wettin. (This one section shows Augustus the Strong.)

This photo of the Frauenkirche shows clearly the pieces of the original building left standing on February 13th/14th 1945, in contrast with the new stone rebuild.   The church remained a pile of stones until 1985 when the decision and enough money had been raised to start the rebuild.  I managed to get into the 12 noon service today to hear organ music by Bach.  I have been deaf in my right ear for three weeks and during the service with Bach's music my ear suddenly cleared.  It is amazing the effect Bach's organ music  has on me.  I can cancel my appointment with the doctor next Tuesday. 

I have just returned from having a nice goodbye meal with Beate my email partner.  We  said "Aufwiedersehen" not goodbye.  I shall have to return to this beautiful city one day.

Wednesday Afternoon, Schloss Pillnitz.

"Blog Block" is chronic tonight, I cannot think of anything to write!  This is Schloss Pillnitz the summer palace, on the banks of the Elbe, of Augustus the Strong.  What a life of magnificance he led, whilst he poor subjects lived in poverty and were supposed to put up with it.  Anyway his money paid for this amazing building and I am completely bowled over by it all.  Please refer to Wikipedia for more information.  I've reached saturation point!

Dresden Wednesday Morning, The Golden Rider and Canaletto was Here.

Once again this evening I am bit lost for words.  There is so much to write about that I have "Blog Block."  This is Augustus the Strong on his horse.  I think you will all have to refer to your history books or Wikipedia to read about this man and his part in the history of Dresden.

I visited the places where Canaletto had painted, and stood in the great man's steps, a very interesting thing to do.  Two of the scenes are below.  The city was full of Japanese tourist this morning, and I could not get into the Frauenkirche to hear the organ service.  The queue snaked around the building and I didn't fancy standing in the sun.  Never mind I will try tomorrow.

Dresden Tuesday Afternoon (cont)

Cable car

On Tuesday afternoon I met Beate for the first time my email partner who lives in Dresden near the "Blue Wonder" bridge.  We were both a little nervous, but with her English and German and me with mine we got on like a house on fire!    We walked along the banks of the River Elbe to the bridge (photo left taken from Luisenhof) and then crossed the bridge to take a trip on the cable car (oldest in the world) up to the Luisenhof, once a royal residence but now a restaurant with a balcony that looks out over the city.   We came down again and wandered back to a Beer Garden on the banks of the Elbe where we downed a glass of beer each.  A lovely afternoon but hot!

View of the Blue Wonder Bridge from the Luisenhof.

View from the Balcony.

The cable car station.

Dresden Tuesday morning (cont)

Two views of the "Semper Opera House" which was completely destroyed in the war but rebuilt 40 years later with the original facade.  Weber was the music director here in 1842 and Wagner's "Flying Dutchman" and "Tannhaeuser" were first performed here. I hope to do a tour of the building on Thrusday afternoon.  At the moment I have a bit of "Blog tiredness"  There is too much to write, so photos will have to suffice for a couple of days. 

Dresden, "Zwinger" Schloss. (Tuesday morning continued)

The Crown Tower.

Photos of the Zwinger.  I wandered through the gardens of this palace built by Augustus the Strong in 1710-1732.  The day was comfortable, hot but with some cloud cover thank goodness.   The many tourist coaches had arrived, and at times I felt I was in Bath surrounded by people amazed at our historical buildings, just as I am amazed by theres.  One wing of the palace is still being restored and was clothed in scaffolding, but it's going to be lovely when finished and reminds me of the "Sansoucie" Palace I saw last year in Potsdam, built in the same style in 1745 as a summer palace for Frederick the Great.  I refer you to Wikipedia for all the history, there is too much for me to write.