We left our Berlin hotel just before 8am, took almost an hour to get on the highway going to Dresden by bus, including a drive-by of the East Side Gallery, a 1316 m long section of Berlin Wall painted in 1990 by artists from all over the world.
1. The bus that drove us from Berlin to Dresden on Day 4, from Dresden to Prague on Day 5, from Prague to Cesky Krumlov on Day 8, and from Cesky Krumlov to Vienna on Day 9.
2. East Side Gallery, Berlin.
3. East Side Gallery, Berlin.
We arrived in Dresden before noon and were able to check into our hotel, and then quickly regrouped to meet our local guide, Liane, at the square in front of the Opera House. Liane took us on a walk around Dresden, pointing out various interesting places to see. The tour ended around 2pm. Since we were leaving tomorrow morning to go to Prague, we really just had 4 hours to see Dresden, so I chose to see the New Green Vault for its jewelry collection. My Gosh, what an amazing collection they had! I don't know what I missed at the Historic Green Vault and the Zwinger Museums, but I sure was happy that I got to see the New Green Vault. I wish we had another day at Dresden so I got to see the other things too.
4. My hotel room in Dresden.
5. Our local guide, Liane, waiting for us at the square in front of the Opera House.
6. A slow moving Meissen porcelain figure in Dresden.
7. Procession of Princes, a large mural of a mounted procession of the rulers of Saxony. Made from around 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles, it is known as the largest porcelain artwork in the world.
8. Procession of Princes.
9. Procession of Princes.
10. Neumarkt with Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) on the left of the picture. The church was destroyed in the bombing of Dresden during World War II. The rubble sat there for 50 years as a war memorial, and the church finally got rebuilt after the reunification of Germany.
11. Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady).
12. Neumarkt.
13. Neumarkt.
14. Bruehl Terrace overlooking the river Elbe where our walking tour ended.
15. A drinking vessel at the New Green Vault.
16. A rolling ball clock at the New Green Vault.
17. An ivory frigate at the New Green Vault.
18. The golden coffee set at the New Green Vault.
19. Zwinger Complex.
20. Terrace overlooking the Zwinger Complex.
21. Zwinger Complex.
22. Zwinger Complex.
23. Zwinger Complex.
24. Zwinger Complex.
25. Zwinger Complex.
26. The Opera House again.
27. Dresden old town.
28. Dresden old town.
29. After a long day, reward myself with a Roasted Pork Knuckle with Crispy Skin. :)
(To be continued)
