Post by: Josh Rebholz
Location: Travel Day from Berlin to Prague, Day 5
Location: Travel Day from Berlin to Prague, Day 5
Today marked the end of our stay in Berlin. We packed our
bags and headed south with a short (depending on how long you slept in the van)
ride to Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony. Located on the Elbe
River, Dresden has been a hotspot of German Culture for hundreds of years. Our
time in Dresden began with a brief tour of the town square. Some key buildings
in the square include the Opera House, the Royal Castle and an art museum known
as Zwinger. Much of the square has been destroyed during World War 2, but the
constant restoration and renovation of the destroyed building had them in
tip-top shape. After a break for lunch, we took a guided tour of the Zwinger.
Some highlights of the museums art collection were Rafael Sistine Madonna,
Rembrandt’s Prodigal Son in the Tavern and Vermeer’s Letter at an Open Window.
The entire collection was quite impressive despite not having all the pieces on
display due to the museum renovations.
Following some time for individual exploring, the group
loaded on to our bus as we began our journey to the Czech Republic. Our
poke-faced driver, Nioklai, managed to navigate the autobahn despite the pesky
rain.
As we zipped through the rolling hills of Eastern Germany, I
was lucky enough to reflect on the good times I have already experienced and
for that I say, “Danke Schoen Deutschland.” Keep the history alive, the culture
arresting, and the pilsners cold.
Photo 1: Touring Dresden in the town square
Photo 2: Touring Zwinger grounds
