Berlin; Friday, 17 February, 2006

Another earlish start as I had to get to Berlin Zoologischer Garten station for my train to Dresden by nine. The major drawback with the hotel is the distance from it to the centre of Berlin.

I left just over an hour to make it; in the end, it took only a little over 35 minutes. The (long) train journey was uneventful and through particularly un-spectacular scenery! At almost midday, the train pulled in, on time, into Dresden Hauptbahnhof.

After a quick stop for a bite to eat, I caught the tram out to the suburbs to the "Blue wonder" a spectacular bridge across the Elbe. Here two funicular railways lead up into the hills above. One is the conventional type, the other hangs from a rail above! At the top of the Schwebebahn (the hanging one), you can visit the machine room where you are shown (in German) the machinery in action, as well as some background history. From the top of the station, there are spectacular views over the whole of the region, and from here, you can understand why Dresden was - before the Americans (and the British) flattened it at the end of W.W. II - called the Florence of the north with all the spires and domes.

I caught the tram back into town and visited the Frauenkirche, the most famous building in the city. All but part of one wall was destroyed in the bombing raids of 1945 and afterwards was left by the communist government as a reminder of (Western, Capitalist) aggression. Following reunification it was decided to rebuild the church to it's former glory. Work was finally completed during 2005 and the rededication ceremony took place less than 4 months before my visit. Unfortunately, as it is such a spectacular building it is being used a lot for concerts and other services, so I was unable to see inside. However, the dome has a viewing platform and this was open.

The views from the top are amazing, not only of the surrounding countryside, but also of the city itself. Dresden still bares the scars of W.W.II, and of over 40 years of communism, but they are working fast to remove them!

Just down from the Frauenkirche is the river Elbe, and running next to it at about second floor level is a terrace you can walk along. From here, you can get good views of many of the other spectacular buildings of Dresden. One of these is the Zwinger. Only 3/4 completed before the money ran out it is still an impressive palace to view.

I wandered round the city centre for about another 30 minutes, then the sun went down and it was time to head back to the station for the long journey back to Berlin, and the almost as long journey back to the hotel!