The Trip is Over

The journey ended last night when I arrived back in Florida.  What a great time, but glad to be back and see Tulsa and friends. 

Back in Dresden

After coming back to Dresden I actually ran into the same journeymen that I met in Quedlinburg.  Small World!  I am back at the Sunshine Hostel where there are two dogs to play with in my spare time.  They make me miss Tulsa.

The Return to Dresden

This morning I got up and decided to go on to Alternburg.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altenburg
I really wanted to see it but when I got there, there were no baggage lockers in the station, and I had to walk 2 km from the Train Station, with all my baggage to the tourist information center.  I don't know why, but Info centers are not located in the stations, but usually in the center of town.   When I got there I found that there was only one hostel in the area and it was actually in a town about 5km in the other direction from the station, and the least expensive hotel room was 68 Euros, which is definitely not in my budget.  Totally annoying!  So when I came  back to the station I decided to get the next train home.  Although I will probably want to go back there sometime I just wasn't in the mood.  It is good to be back home.

Weimar

Goethe's House

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weimar

Weimar was the home to Goethe, Schiller, Listz, Beethoven, Hans Christian  Anderson, Walter Gropius, Etc.  It was one of the most important centers of the enlightenment in the 18th and Early 19th Centuries.  While I was there I made a new friend at the Hostel, and we went to a political comedy at a small cabaret the first night I was there.  It was a little difficult to get.  I probably only understood about 60%, but it was fun.  Then next morning we bought city tickets and set out to see the sights of Weimar, covering about 10 km, and 10 or 11 of the more than 30 museums there.  Kind of an exhausting day.  The next morning I walked out to Belvedere Palace and Gardens, which was really one of the nicest I have visited, but forgot to put the disk in my camera, so no photos there.

Quedlinburg

Quedlinburg was truly and amazing city.  There are so many fachwerk (half-timbered)  houses some that are over 500 years old, it was unbelieveable.  I think that the oldest house in Germany is here.  While I was there I ran into a couple of Journeyman Chimneysweeps at the Ritterfest. (Medieval Faire)  It is supposed to be really good luck to talk to them, so I said  hi.  Fest was actually in an old Noble's House and  courtyard.  I spent two days there and really saw a great deal of the city.  The castle and castle church were really interesting. Next stop Weimar

Hannover

After visiting Tim I went to Hannover, the capital of Lower Saxony.  It was a really beautiful and peaceful city.  I stayed there for three days, seeing all the sights.  It was also the Maschseefest while I was there, so of course I visited and had a few beers.  I was trying to upload a photo, but the connection here is so slow i almost fell asleep!  From Hannover I went to Quedlinburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is known for its half timbered buildings.  There are over 1400 of them ranging from the 1400's to the Today.  I stayed there for two days and saw as much as I could, then moved on to Weimar.  Weimar was the first home of the Bauhaus school, and the first bauhaus building is here.  Today I will go to see some museums and do a little more sightseeing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quedlinburg

Koeln

Koeln from the top of the Dom (Cathedral)

Since Friday evening I have been in Koeln visiting my friend Tim Berkenhoff.  Tim has come to Tampa a few times to visit Horst, who's father was a prisoner with Tim's grandfather during WWII.  He really spent some time and effort treating me like a King!  On Saturday we went to the House of German History in Bonn, where we saw exhibits on the History of Germany from World War II until today.  It was really very interesting.  Saturday night we went to a dance party and on Sunday stayed in, it was raining and we were tired.  On Monday we went to Schloss Burg which is an enchanting fairy-tale sort of castle begun in the 13th century.  We also went to see the tallest Iron Work Bridge at 107meters high.  Tuesday we spent at the Dom and German Roman History Museum, and walked around the city center where we met Tim's cousin.  We really had a great time. Photos on Picasa.  Unfortunately Tim had to leave today to go for training for his new job, so I took the train to Hannover.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover