Berlin, Dresden and Prague

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Trip start
May 25, 2018
Berlin, Dresden and Prague
Arrival in Berlin
May 25, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
This was the day of our arrival in Berlin. We didn't have time to do a lot, because we already arrived in the evening. Started with traditional Italian food in the German capital city. After dinner, it was still possible to go on foot around the neighbourhood. It was quiet and there was not a lot of car on the streets...Read more
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
Berlin
May 26, 2018 in Germany ⋅ 🌙 18 °C
We arrived in Berlin the night before and took the S Bahn to the Warschau metro station just to get a dive into the area of East Side Gallery - we didn’t know about it at the time - and feel the decadent mood in the station and the surrounding area.
The morning was wonderful. At the Brandenburg Gate we met Christina, who came from Hamburg, and went around the city for the most interesting spots alinda town. We had lunch in the Island of Museums and relaxed by the riverside across the museum of arts, drinking a german beer in Amplemann Biergarten. Another long stroll across the Berlin Dom and the City Hall area through Alexander Platz led us to Höffbräu house - a replica of the famous Biergarten in Munich.Read more
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
Still Berlin...
May 27, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
On the second day in Berlin, we used the day card to go around the city and see the city from inside. Actually, this was the plan, but we ended up walking as much as the day before. The previous day there was a demonstration in Unter den Linden (about the lack of kindergartens in Germany - and Hitler's parade Avenue was closed. On the second day, the demonstrations went on (about racism and immigrants), this time in Tiergarten - the great city park - and we walked around the loud caravans to reach Reichstag building by the end of the day and see the panoramic view from its top. It is an amazing thing you can do in Berlin for free ;). Besides this, we visited the Olympic Stadium area, Charlottenburg Castle, passed by the Victory Column, Bellevue Palace - residence of the President -, the Philarmonic building with its tentlike roof and the Sony building with the breakfast room of the Esplanada Hotel - a memory of a luxury hotel before WW2 - within the glass walls that protects it from falling apart. Also "funny" is the way they left the Emperor William Memorial Church. It was severely damaged during WW2 and they only made sure that the ceiling of the ground floor was kept in a way that you can feel how splendorous it was, but they didn't rebuild the outside and you can have an idea of how the city looked like after the war. We had dinner on East Side gallery, not before taking a stroll along the remains of the Wall... We couldn't go to the hotel before visiting Checkpoint Charlie... It was our second and last day in Berlin...Read more
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
Only Eastside Gallery
May 27, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
In the 1.3 kilometres length of the East Side Gallery one can rediscover art and the history of the Berlin Wall.

It is on the banks of the Spree in Friedrichshain and is the longest continuous section of the Berlin Wall still in existence. Immediately after the wall came down, 118 artists from 21 countries began painting the East Side Gallery, and it officially opened as an open-air gallery on 28 September 1990. Just over a year later, it was given protected memorial status.

In more than a hundred paintings on what was the east side of the wall, the artists commented on the political changes in 1989/90. Some of the works at the East Side Gallery are particularly popular, such as Dmitri Vrubel’s Fraternal Kiss and Birgit Kinders’s Trabant breaking through the wall. They are not just a popular subject for postcards – you’re sure to want to photograph them yourself.Read more
TravelerWearing a T-shirt in Berlin?? That's weird😃 No sun here, supposedly a nice weather corner😢😢😢😢
6/7/18Reply
Maria Marques30º most of the days... :D
6/7/18Reply
Traveler😤😤😤 need i say more?
6/7/18Reply
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
On the way to Dresden...
May 28, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
From Berlin to Dresden it was possible to stop in the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam. The city is beautiful, small and well kept and the Palace and its surroundings are astonishing.
Sanssouci Palace was once the summer home of Frederick the Great, former King of Prussia. On the grounds of the complex, the Renaissance Orangery Palace overlooks Italian-style gardens with fountains. Historic Mill offers city views. English gardens surround neoclassical Charlottenhof Palace. The 19th-century Roman Baths were built in several architectural styles.
The New Palace is situated on the western side of the Sanssouci Park. The building was begun in 1763, after the end of the Seven Years' War, under King Friedrich II and was completed in 1769, and although we didn't have time to get inside and explore it, it is definitely a place to explore if you are into this architectonical style.
We also were in Moritzburgh, a castle 13km away from Dresden - the capital of Saxony. It lies on a symmetrical artificial island and is named after Duke Moritz of Saxony, who had a hunting lodge built there between 1542 and 1546. The surrounding woodlands and lakes have been a favourite hunting area of the electors and kings of Saxony.
In 1972 Moritzburg Castle was one of the locations of the Czechoslovak-German film "Three Nuts for Cinderella", which became a popular fairy-tale movie in Central Europe.Read more
TravelerVery true Mary Jong... a big hug to all of you ...yes I've a very big harms 😘
6/13/18Reply
Traveler😕my comment is to the wall photo about little things 😁
6/13/18Reply
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
Dresden
May 28, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Dresden, capital of the eastern German state of Saxony, is distinguished by the celebrated art museums and classic architecture of its reconstructed old town. Completed in 1743 and rebuilt after WWII, the baroque church Frauenkirche is famed for its grand dome. The Versailles-inspired Zwinger palace houses museums including Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, exhibiting masterpieces of art like Raphael’s “Sistine Madonna.”

We strolled around the city that is called the German Florence because of its general appearance. It is a magnificent city centre. Wherever you look all is beautiful! Despite the bombing of Dresden by the British and the American during World War II that destroyed over 6.5 km2 of the city centre, the Germans made a spectacular rebuilding of the area and made it a fairyland city.

We were just in time to get into Frauenkirche. Actually, we were the last people inside.
From the outside, it was also amazing to see the Semperoper and the Zwinger. We walked along the Procession of Princes (Fürstenzug) - the largest porcelain mural in the world, depicting a parade of Saxon princes and dukes to commemorate the 1000-year long reign of the Wettin dynasty. It is composed of 25,000 tiles from the porcelain manufacturer Meissen. The mural covers the exterior of the Royal Mews in Auguststrasse. It is a pitty that it lost its status of World Heritage by UNESCO.Read more
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
Dresden by daylight...
May 29, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
This was only the morning of the 29th because we were already leaving to Prague with a stop at the Saxonic Switzerland.
But we still went along Brühl's Terrace (Brühlsche Terrasse) which is set between the river Elbe and the Old Town and it was amazing to feel the buzz of the city and walk again the city's streets, now with full daylight and the Chinese tourists all around... Near the Zwinger, there was the car from Back to the Future...
After a coffee break and sending the postcards back home, it was time to say bye-bye Dresden...Read more
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
Saxon Switzerland
May 29, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
The National Park of Saxon Switzerland in eastern Germany, south-east of Dresden is a 93 km region between Pirna and the Czech border and one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe. More than 700 summits are available to rock climbers, while for those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground, there are 400 km² of marked hiking trails, steep treks, paths and some cycle routes through the National Park.
We went directly to the Bastei bridge, with its bizarre stone formations and spectacular views. From the Bastei rocks and the Bastei Bridge, you have a wonderful panoramic view over the mountains. It is surely one of the most beautiful landscape in Saxony.
The name of Saxon Switzerland was given to the place by two Swiss painters Adrian Zingg and Anton Graff, who worked at the Academy in Dresden and painted the landscape along the Elbe in the 18th century. By the way, this painting is reproduced in this viewpoint...
Anyway... it is worth it to make the detour from the national road to enjoy this stunning view!Read more
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
Prague
May 29, 2018 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
We arrived in Prague by the end of the afternoon. After checking in and figuring out how the tram system worked, we took the 22 to the city centre. This is a good way to see the city centre, just to position yourself in the city. But actually, we didn't do it on the first day.
This time we headed towards Charles Bridge, full of tourists even though it was almost dusk. We came here at least two more times and we took numerous pictures of it from different angles. After studying the statues along the bridge, it was time to find a place to eat traditional Czech food, and that's what we did, directly in the city centre.

Just a cultural tip about the bridge: Czech legend has it that construction began on Charles Bridge at 5:31am on 9 July 1357 with the first stone being laid by Charles IV himself.Read more
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
One more day in the Golden City
May 30, 2018 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
The city centre of Prague is not so big, so you can visit most interesting things on foot.
St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, exhibition "The Story of Prague Castle", St. George's Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower, Rosenberg Palace are all part of the visit to the Prague Castle. Legends say that Golden Lane’s trinket shops were once home to alchemists.
It is a UNESCO monument with a tradition of more than 1000 years that was most likely founded in around 880 by Prince Bořivoj of the Premyslid Dynasty (Přemyslovci). According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle complex in the world, with an area of almost 70,000 m².

But later on, when we headed to the Astronomical clock all of us were extremely disappointed because it was completely covered because of the cleaning and maintaining that was going on... Lucky the ones who go there in August... it will be done by then :(

For the rest of the afternoon, we decided to use the 22 until the end station... It was really far away. Wolfi could "rest" a bit on the way there!!! But this was the chance to see a bit beyond the Golden city and see the Soviet presence on the outskirts of the city.Read more
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Berlin, Dresden and Prague
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Bye bye Prague...
May 31, 2018 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Designed by Czech architect, Vlado Milunić, and the legendary Frank Gehry, Dancing House was inspired by film idol dance partners, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This was the morning start... Afterwards we strolled along the Wenceslas Square, where the entertainment and nightlife centre of Prague, and the main shopping and commercial district are.
Ever since it has been a parade ground for all kinds of organisations and political parties. From anti-communist uprisings to celebrations of national sporting achievements, Wenceslas Square is where the Czechs gather to let off steam. The square can hold up to 400,000 people!

At the top of Wenceslas Square is the monumental National Museum, and just off to the left is the Prague State Opera.

In the neighbourhood we also passed by this franchising restaurant named after The Good Soldier Švejk - the main character of the most translated novel of Czech literature. The story begins in Prague with news of the assassination in Sarajevo that precipitates World War I. Švejk displays such enthusiasm about faithfully serving the Austrian Emperor in the battle that no one can decide whether he is merely an imbecile or is craftily undermining the war effort.

Just before we left the city centre we crossed again Charles Bridge, for the last time, and a one-man band was there for the final farewell... Nice way to say "bye bye Prague"...Read more
Traveler They look soooo tasty!!😋😋😋
6/29/18Reply
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Trip end
May 31, 2018