Tag: globetrotter woman

Dresden and an Amazing Park

Penguin Enjoys the Outdoors

Let me just say first, I really liked Dresden. It’s got a great vibe about it and is very easy to walk around. I can’t quite put my finger on what is so great. It’s fairly modern, since it was pretty much leveled during the war, but there are some reconstructed old buildings and churches to keep it interesting. The people are friendly and there are a ton of little cafes for coffee or wine. It’s one of those cities you could keep going back to just because…

Slide show. Click on arrows to view.

As I said, the city was pretty much flattened by Allied bombing during WWII. To add insult to injury, after war, the city was in the East, and did not get much assistance to rebuild. I’m pretty sure the GDR received no funds from the Marshall Plan and the Soviets sure as sh#t weren’t going to help the Germans. Knowing all of that, it’s amazing how far the city has come since reunification in 1990.

The stunning Dresden Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, in central Dresden was destroyed by Allied bombs. From the end of the war until reunification, the rubble of the destroyed church lay in Dresden as a memorial. Reconstruction began in 1992 and used as many of the old, burned stones as possible. You can see them in the exterior of the church (picture in slide show below). The black stones are the old ones. When the church was rebuilt, the mangled cross from the dome was put inside as a memorial (and reminder). The cross that adorns the dome today was donated by the British. It was a British bomb that destroyed the church in 1945. Today, I think the church stands as a testament to peace, understanding and forgiveness.

Slide show. Click on arrows to view.

One of the best things on this stop was outside the city: The gorgeous Saxon Switzerland National Park. The park is on the border of Germany and the Czech Republic and is definitely worth a visit. I would have loved to have spent more time there. It is supposed to be stunning in Autumn, so I will have to make a plan to return for longer hikes in cooler temps. While Penguin did love being in nature, the heat was a little much for him. He, too, would like to return during a cooler time of the year.

Two of the days I was in Dresden were two of the hottest days of the year, 98F/36.5C and 101/38.3C. As I type this, we are in another heatwave. In Belgium, yesterday it hit 95F/35C and today it could reach 103F/39.4C. Europe is broiling, literally. I read yesterday that a runway melted at Luton airport in the UK. I am glad I bought that portable AC unit in April.

There should be some fun and interesting posts coming up in the next few weeks. Stay tuned and happy travels.

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TRIP TIPS

I used an online tour company to visit Saxon Switzerland Park. This is a good option if you are solo and don’t want to rent a car. The only problem with this approach is you have to follow someone else’s plan and you can only stay one day. If you have more time, rent a car and see more of the park. There are several options inside the park. If you want to stay in a town, Bad Schandau is a great option.

If you are going to go hiking and need any outdoor gear, there is a great shop in Dresden: Globetrotter Equipment. It is a German chain, similar to REI in the USA. The Dresden location is: Prager Str. 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany

Tulips & More!!!

Penguin in flowers

I will get to the tulips in a minute.

One thing that is very important to keep in mind when planning a trip in Europe: DO NOT TRY TO TRAVEL BY TRAIN ON MAJOR HOLIDAYS! Barb and I ended up having to cut our time in France short by a day so we could get to Belgium. Easter weekend is a four day holiday so our attempt to get a train with no reservation was akin to trying to fly stand-by in the US on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It wall worked out in the end and possibly for the best. But, as they say, lesson learned.

Since we had an extra day in Belgium, we went to Ghent. Bonus for Barb! She got to see St Bavos Cathedral and the famed Ghent Altarpiece. St Bavos is, in my opinion, one of the most incredible cathedrals in Europe. I love Ghent so I am always happy to go. I like it more than Brugge.

After two days and one night at my apartment, we headed off to Amsterdam. Keukenhof awaited and we were both so excited.

For those of you that don’t know, Keukenhof is called Europe’s Garden. I think this is a bit inaccurate since it is only open for about 7 weeks every spring, but it definitely impresses.. It is dedicated to bulbs and no place does this better. Every variety and color combination you can think of is here. There are 79 acres of flowers and after visiting, no other tulip garden will ever come close. Click through the slide show below and see for yourself.

Penguin even had fun tiptoeing through them.

We did other touristy things in Amsterdam, but MY STARS that city is crowded. All mask restrictions are gone so it can be a bit risky.

After 3 days there, I got Barb to the airport and took the train home. The day I got home, I tested positive for Covid. Barb tested negative that same morning so she was able to get on the plane. I spent the next 6 days in isolation in my apartment. Thankfully, since I am fully vaccinated and twice boosted, I didn’t get too sick. Sore throat mostly. Actually a froggy throat. I sounded a lot worse than I felt. A baritone Kermit.

Stay tuned for the next trip. Coming up very soon. Penguin can’t wait.

TRIP TIPS

Rail passes are a great way to get around, BUT, make sure you make reservations during busy seasons and on high speed trains. Most French trains require them and not having them can lead to disappointment and missed connections.

When visiting Keukenhof, get there EARLY!!!! It opens at 8am. Get there when the doors open. Have your ticket in hand (on your phone). To get there, go to Schipol Airport and take an Uber (yes, you can hail an Uber in the Netherlands). There is a shuttle, but it doesn’t start running until 8:30am. Taking an Uber at 7:30 will get you to the garden entrance just before opening. By 11am, the place is PACKED! Woodstock packed. To check on dates, times and ticket availability, click here. Tickets for the following Spring usually go on sale in November.

If, in Amsterdam, you want to visit the Anne Frank house, you absolutely MUST order tickets online and in advance. Tickets go on sale (and generally sell out) well in advance. According to the website, at time of writing, tickets go on sale the first Tuesday of each month for the following month. So, if you want tickets for June, you must buy them on the first Tuesday of May. We missed out. Learn from our mistake. Click Here for more details.

To visit Ghent, take the train to Ghent-St Pieters Station and from there take tram#1 to the center. You can buy a tram ticket from the machine at the tram stop and the machine takes credit cards (only ones with the chip) Buy a return ticket. At time of writing, one return tram ticket was 5 euro.

One final tip. I cannot, unfortunately, recommend the DoubleTree in Amsterdam. I chose this due to it’s proximity to the train station (about a 5 min walk). The hotel is a laundry list of mishaps and bad management. I feel for the veteran staff members, as most of them wanted very much to be able to help. Among the list of problems were non-working keys, broken safe in the room, cable tv that went in and out (mostly out) of service, broken coffee makers (so no coffee) at breakfast, and poorly trained new staff that didn’t know anything about the hotel. Many of the river cruise lines also use this hotel (again, location, location, location) so the reception area is frequently PACKED with confused, jetlagged tourists trying to get help from poorly trained staff. Points be dammed. Next time I will stay elsewhere.