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to Holidays & Visits Holidays &Visits Group 2013 May 1st to 7th DRESDEN |
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6 nights Half Board at the Koenigstein
Hotel.
On May Day 2013 a group of 30 members flew to Prague where a coach was waiting to take us over the mountains to Germany.
Our hotel in a wide pedestrianised shopping area of Dresden caused problems for the coach driver who,in endeavouring to find the entrance,drove into an underground car park and then across the tram tracks!!
Dodging
numerous bicycles we walked to the older part of Dresden,the 800 year
old capital of Saxony,with its wealth of museums,churches and
palaces.We particularly admired the mural made of 25000 Meissen
porcelain tiles portraying the Saxon rulers on horseback.
Probably
the most famous building in Dresden is the Frauenkirche,a Baroque
church,completely destroyed in the air raids in 1945 and beautifully
restored 60 years later.Public transport was excellent and cheap in comparison with the UK.
We
went by train to visit Meissen for a tour of the porcelain factory
which makes exquisite and expensive items for export.Meissen is a
medieval city with narrow cobbled streets and a long climb to the
fairytale-looking Albrechtsburg palace and Gothic cathedral.Fortunately
we found a lift to carry us down.
Music
and bicycles were everywhere on Sunday as Dresden hosted a jazz and
Dixieland festival.We went by tram and then walked across the Blue
Wonder Bridge over the River Elbe to the funicular railway.At the top
station a Dixieland band was playing so we enjoyed the sunshine and the
views of Dresden to the 
sound of "Alexander's Ragtime Band,"Minnie the Moocher","Lady Be Good"etc. Of course we couldn't leave without another slice of wonderful German cake.
IRENE BENTLEY