More of Germany...Dresden

It was sad to leave Berlin but I had my ticket booked so I headed south to Dresden lugging my now very heavy bag with me. It was a crowded train trip but I was sitting next to a really nice English couple who not only helped me put my bag in the overhead compartment. The polite greetings turned into an animated conversation for the whole two hours as we chatted about travel, AFL (he is a Collingwood supporter but still very nice) and teaching as they are both teachers in Newcastle. Travel opens up these opportunities to have great conversations and then you just go on with your lives as I don't actually think I even found out their names! The advantages of travelling alone is that you end up falling into these interactions and it is such a bonus. 

Dresden was an interesting city to visit. It was rebuilt after getting heavily bombed in World War 2 and there is a mix of new and old but it has an interesting feel to the place. There are obviously references to World War 2 but limited references to the history of Eastern Germany that I could see. I did see one mural that reflected this past but not as much as what I saw in Berlin. The warm weather was good but also the humidity has started to kick in so after spending the day exploring (including seeing the largest porcelain tile artwork in the world as included in the pictures below and that is my fun fact!) I took refuge in the cooler art galleries and museums such as the porcelain museum and other associated museums. While I was in Dresden there was a summer festival and I took part in Salsa Night! So, those of you who know me well would know that me taking part means watching it, enjoying the music and then making a quick getaway when there was a whiff of audience participation! The packed two days also included a boat trip along the river and just sitting and soaking up the atmosphere.