Summer has finally arrived in Dresden. Just to let you know, its too hot. There isn't air conditioning anywhere, and people don't take showers, and everyone and everything is smelly and hot.
I am hot... the kitties are hot... inside is hot... outside is hot... I need a kiddie pool in my living room.
The silly thing is, its not even THAT hot. How did I live in Texas? I miss air conditioning. Time for popsicle laziness...
29.5.11
A Saturday at...
You guessed it, our favorite bier garten!
Unfortunately, the weather wasn't as nice as forecasted- it was a little cool and partly cloudy, BUT I have to say, I'd much rather it be cooler than hotter, so I wasn't complaining.
On our way to the bier garten, we saw a parade- the start of Deutcher Evangelical Kirchentag which starts on Wednesday. It's a big festival that's held in a different city each year- this year in Dresden.
Once we arrived at the bier garten, we realized they're going all out for this celebration. We might just have to check it out.
We spent the day relaxing in the semi-sunshine with our friends.
Unfortunately, the weather wasn't as nice as forecasted- it was a little cool and partly cloudy, BUT I have to say, I'd much rather it be cooler than hotter, so I wasn't complaining.
On our way to the bier garten, we saw a parade- the start of Deutcher Evangelical Kirchentag which starts on Wednesday. It's a big festival that's held in a different city each year- this year in Dresden.
Once we arrived at the bier garten, we realized they're going all out for this celebration. We might just have to check it out.
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| The beginnings of a stage and bleachers |
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| Covering a giant cross |
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| My 6 year old friend picked this bouquet of flowers, beautifully arranged in the imported coors light can |
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| Bob practiced his building skills on some ponies |
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| and the guys got thoroughly involved in a silly game called fox-tail that they take WAY too seriously |
26.5.11
Transportation Museum
Spring is the time for visitors in Dresden. The tourists are all out taking pictures, my mom came to visit, Bob's parents are here, and a bunch of other people we know are in town.
Yesterday I went with one of our friends and her kids to the Transportation Museum.
They had all sorts of types of transportation- some life size and some models- everything from cars to ships to planes, old and new.
It was really cool to see everything, and while I could tell what was old and what was new, most of the signs were in German, and even though my German is a lot better than it used to be, it was too much work to try to translate everything.
So... I leave you with... pictures.
Yesterday I went with one of our friends and her kids to the Transportation Museum.
They had all sorts of types of transportation- some life size and some models- everything from cars to ships to planes, old and new.
It was really cool to see everything, and while I could tell what was old and what was new, most of the signs were in German, and even though my German is a lot better than it used to be, it was too much work to try to translate everything.
So... I leave you with... pictures.
23.5.11
The International Dixieland Festival
Sunday was the last day of the International Jazz Festival in Dresden. Bob's parents are in town, so we took them down by the river to see the parade. (along with a bazillion other jazz fans!)
It was actually one of the better parades I've seen! The nice thing was that it was mostly made up of big trucks with jazz bands playing in the back. AND it was pretty much JUST BANDS! Not that I don't like to see groups of marching boyscouts and girlscouts (which I used to love when I was a girl scout) or guys in fancy military uniforms, but bands are definitely the best part of any parade.
It was well worth the wait and sitting in the heat and having some guy keep kicking me in the butt...
Later on, we went to a dixie land concert by the river and sat on the grass on a blanket. It was actually the Air Force band stationed in Germany- they were pretty awesome, but not quite as good as the parade!
It was a great day of Dixieland :)
It was actually one of the better parades I've seen! The nice thing was that it was mostly made up of big trucks with jazz bands playing in the back. AND it was pretty much JUST BANDS! Not that I don't like to see groups of marching boyscouts and girlscouts (which I used to love when I was a girl scout) or guys in fancy military uniforms, but bands are definitely the best part of any parade.
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| A one man band |
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| A Feldschloßchen Band (too bad all the bands faced the other way) |
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| A dixieland umbrella dancer |
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| The zoo truck (complete with band) |
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| A marching band |
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| This weird guy that walks around with a horn that sounds like a bird... everywhere... not just in parades. |
Later on, we went to a dixie land concert by the river and sat on the grass on a blanket. It was actually the Air Force band stationed in Germany- they were pretty awesome, but not quite as good as the parade!
It was a great day of Dixieland :)
19.5.11
Back in Dresden
We arrived back in Dresden and took it easy on Monday night- traveling is exhuasting!
Tuesday we took a day trip to Freiberg, about an hour away, to see the cute town and visit Schloß Freudenstein. The castle houses a museum of minerals. Like millions of rocks with crystals. It was pretty incredible to walk through, though I'm not sure how some of the visitors were taking the time to read every label.
Yesterday we squeezed in some last minute shopping before I had to bring my mom to the airport.
AND... today I'm in a funk. I'm a little sad to not be in Dubrovnik by the sea, and a little sad not to have permanent company, and really upset as I realized today that in exactly TWO MONTHS I will be boarding a plane with my kitties to go back to the US for good :(
So that concludes my "frowny face" post for today. Maybe I'll feel better after I get rolling on planning our last few trips...
But to end on a happy note, in Freiberg we saw some baby ducks. AWWWWWWW!
Tuesday we took a day trip to Freiberg, about an hour away, to see the cute town and visit Schloß Freudenstein. The castle houses a museum of minerals. Like millions of rocks with crystals. It was pretty incredible to walk through, though I'm not sure how some of the visitors were taking the time to read every label.
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| A tower as we entered Freiberg |
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| some rocks glow in black light! |
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| so many rocks! |
Yesterday we squeezed in some last minute shopping before I had to bring my mom to the airport.
AND... today I'm in a funk. I'm a little sad to not be in Dubrovnik by the sea, and a little sad not to have permanent company, and really upset as I realized today that in exactly TWO MONTHS I will be boarding a plane with my kitties to go back to the US for good :(
So that concludes my "frowny face" post for today. Maybe I'll feel better after I get rolling on planning our last few trips...
But to end on a happy note, in Freiberg we saw some baby ducks. AWWWWWWW!
18.5.11
Dubrovnik: Lokrum
Saturday morning we got up early (at 5am!) to see the sunrise. Unfortunately, even though the guy working the front desk at the hotel said that we could see the sunrise from our balcony if we looked left at 5, he was wrong. We never would have been able to see the sun, and even though dawn was at 5, the sun didn't even rise until almost 6! But the sky was still pretty anyway.
After a quick early morning nap, we ate a good breakfast and walked down through the old city to the port. We hopped on a boat to the island of Lokrum, a green island with lots of trees and paths, no cars, a monastery and a fortress.
This boat ride was much quicker than the ride to Cavtat, and in 15 minutes we were roaming the island. The first thing we heard was a bunch of squaking- the island was filled with peacocks!
After feeding the peacocks and taking lots of pictures, we stopped at the "Dead Sea," a cute little "lake" in the middle of the island with cool sea water.
Then it was on to the rocky coast for some climbing and awesome views of Dubrovnik.
We walked through the botanical garden and saw the monastery.
Before heading back to the "beach" for lunch, we climbed a giant hill up to the fortress for the best views of Dubrovnik and the Croatian coast.
We were exhausted after trekking around the island, and after lunch it was nice to relax on the boat ride back to the city.
At the hotel, the weather was nice and toasty, so I decided to take a swim. It was FREEZING!! but refreshing... in a really cold kind of way...
We headed back to the city for our last roam around Dubrovnik and found dinner at the Taj Mahal, which unlike the name suggests, was actually a pretty authentic Croatian restaurant. We had "bureks," a traditional pastry filled with meat, spinach, potatoes or cheese (we got some of each). Our evening wouldn't have been complete without ice cream and some photos of the seaside at night.
It was a great last day in Dubrovnik.
After a quick early morning nap, we ate a good breakfast and walked down through the old city to the port. We hopped on a boat to the island of Lokrum, a green island with lots of trees and paths, no cars, a monastery and a fortress.
This boat ride was much quicker than the ride to Cavtat, and in 15 minutes we were roaming the island. The first thing we heard was a bunch of squaking- the island was filled with peacocks!
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| Feeding a peacock |
After feeding the peacocks and taking lots of pictures, we stopped at the "Dead Sea," a cute little "lake" in the middle of the island with cool sea water.
Then it was on to the rocky coast for some climbing and awesome views of Dubrovnik.
We walked through the botanical garden and saw the monastery.
Before heading back to the "beach" for lunch, we climbed a giant hill up to the fortress for the best views of Dubrovnik and the Croatian coast.
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| Looking down the hill |
We were exhausted after trekking around the island, and after lunch it was nice to relax on the boat ride back to the city.
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| Almost back to the city! |
We headed back to the city for our last roam around Dubrovnik and found dinner at the Taj Mahal, which unlike the name suggests, was actually a pretty authentic Croatian restaurant. We had "bureks," a traditional pastry filled with meat, spinach, potatoes or cheese (we got some of each). Our evening wouldn't have been complete without ice cream and some photos of the seaside at night.
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| Taj Mahal |
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| The port and coast |
It was a great last day in Dubrovnik.
17.5.11
Dubrovnik: A Boat ride to Cavtat
Friday after walking the wall we hopped on a boat for a trip to Cavtat, a coastal town about 15km from Dubrovnik.
The boat ride was a nice change on a hot day with the breeze from the sea. It took about an hour to get there, but it was worth it.
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| Cavtat from the boat |
Cavtat is a tiny little town with lots of restaurants and souvenir shops. It's on a peninsula, and from the town, you can walk around the peninsula to see beautiful views of the Agean see from all directions.
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| The walking path |
Cavtat also had a bunch of beautiful rocky beaches to walk on.
When we got back to Dubrovnik, we walked around a bit before heading back to the hotel for an afternoon nap. We saw a lot of cats getting ready for an afternoon nap (or snack) as well.
Even though we were tired from a big morning, we decided that on the way back we'd climb up the fortress to see the city from another angle.
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| The fortress |
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| The city from the top |
After a shower and a nap we were ready to head back down for some evening sight-seeing and an italian dinner at Pizzeria Toni, which was delicious.
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| Sunset on the way down to the old city |
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| Awesome building lit up at twilight |
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| Cute street at night |
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| Spagetteria Toni |
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