On our way to Dresden

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This Zimmer is a keeper, the owner fell in love with Kirsten. They talked German back and forth, Omi would have had a great time here. He knew all about Fulda; well he knew everything …..he’s German.

We had our first German Breakfast; soft boiled eggs, rolls, meats and strong coffee. Kirsten loves it.

I turned the phone on to check for messages and yes we have messages. Nothing pressing, so I turned off the phone. I like turning off the phone.

I go and load our bags into the car while Kirsten pays our bill. I’m done and waiting and waiting, so I walk back in and find Kirsten and the owners wife just talking away. Hello…. I thought you were in a hurry, oh, you’re done loading the car. She turns to the wife and says tschuss and wave goodbye. We pile into our Ford Fiesta and Kirsten tells me we need to make up time and point her toward the Autobahn. Every trip Kirsten has to open it up on the Autobahn and today is the day. I had no idea a Ford Fiesta could go 200 KMH. It’s like riding a skateboard down the steepest hill you can imagine.

Finally, I point toward the town of Erfurt, Mario I mean Kirsten nods an approval and lets up on the accelerator.

We’ve been here with Omi & Opa a couple years earlier but never saw the old town. Kirsten and I walked through the old town and had lunch, it was nice.

Back into the car Kirsten continued on toward Dresden, me I took a nap. When I woke up we were sitting in stau (traffic Jam). How’s that autobahn working for you now Kirsten?

We make it to Dresden and I start navigating toward the Ibis Hotel or where I think it’s located. Finally I see , and point toward it . Kirsten whips the car through the Fussganger (pedestrian Zone) up to the front of the hotel. Oh Yeah!

I jump out of the car acting like I don’t know this person. Of course she flips on flashers and looks like she owns the place.

I walk in and ask about my reservation and the receptionist says “uses don’t has ein reservation Herr Vaughan”. Not again…. I pull out my phone and pull up the conformation number, she looks at it and types a few letters. She then tells me I’m at the Ibis Budget and point in the direction of the hotel and how to get there all the time looking down her nose at me.

I climb back into the illegally parked car and explain the issue. Kirsten looks at me and says no problem I think I can get there if I cut through this alley. Well, that alley turns out to be a construction zone. Yes,Kirsten has stopped heavy earth moving equipment while we wiggle though this alley all the long the way Kirsten is making friends with the construction crew. Me, I’m hiding my face in my backpack.

We find our Ibis budget and park the car. We decide to check in first and make sure we have a room before dragging our bags to the hotel. You never know, maybe they didn’t get the notice we were coming.

Well they did and the room is nice, in fact the hotel is new and very modern. It has my favorite vending machine. I can buy a beer from the vending machine. If we only had this in America. I bet “the Donald” will bring them to America. IT’S HUGE, I can see it now.

Back to the plan, you remember the plan don’t you?

Ok, we’re checked in. But we have a car we need to get rid of. So Kirsten and I get back into the car and start heading to the airport. It’s about 10 miles out from the city center. In fact it’s modern and pretty nice looking. We follow the car rental return signs and pull in just like we always do, park the car where the attendant points and we climb out. I hand the attendant the contract and she looks at me like what’s this. I look back to her with my look of, its the contract dumb ass! She then begins to berate me on vhere’s da BOOK!!! I’m looking at her with my WHAT #*$%* BOOK!

Ok, never and I mean never has any body asked me for the book when returning a car in Europe. The book she’s referring to is the book all rental cars have that has the licenses, insurance and info that we never touch. Let me repeat ….that we never touch. It sits in the glove compartment we all know it’s there and we leave it there. Just like the Gideon bible in every hotel room. You know it’s there and you don’t touch it, you don’t know who’s touched that thing and with what. Leave it alone!

So after my 5-minute dissertation on how to properly return a car in Germany I walk away flipping off the attendant.

Good thing Kirsten wasn’t watching.

Into the airport we go looking for the subway. We find it and get our tickets back to Dresden’s Bahnhof (the main Train Station).

I think at this time we’ve started phase 2 of our project plan. How do we get to Prague, and when. Well Kirsten has that all figured out we walk up to the ticket machine and she starts pushing buttons selecting where we are and where were going. I’m looking over her shoulder trying to figure out what she’s doing but totally lost. Finally we have two tickets I think, on something, going somewhere. Yeah I feel good!

Kirsten turns to me and says let’s go see Dresden and can I buy you a beer. Now were talking!

Earlier today while riding on the autobahn I read the 5 to 6 pages from my favorite travel books DK about Dresden. DK books have lots of pictures, in Kentucky we were taught to read by looking at pictures. That’s why everyone there likes Trump.

So the story of Dresden is they were a crossroad city and some king made lots of money built his castle and cathedral and I’m sure he had few girlfriends or boyfriends along the way. The other main thing about Dresden is they were carpet bombed in WWII. Look it up on the Internet, which might make you rethink this whole war thing.

The city has been rebuilding over the last 60 plus years. We walk toward the river and Kirsten spots a beer garden up the hill over looking the river and city. Kirsten orders two beers and we find ourself a table to sit and relax. Relaxing and taking in our surroundings. Yep this is what vacationing is….

So there are lots of things you can see in Dresden, I will only give you the highlights. We started with the Zwinger, some garden/castle/museum. All the kids are playing Pokemon Go just like all the kids in America. We face time Bea, Omi & Opa while at the Zwinger. Omi immediately recognizes where we are and tells us all about when she was here. Before we sign off Omi tells us about this Sophia Keller place. She says it’s just outside the Zwinger. I’m thinking it’s some museum church in some basement. We walk by and WOW it’s an over the top beer garden. I mean an UBER Beer garden.

Kirsten and I enter and have a great meal, we shared a famous EisBein (Pork Knuckle) and plenty of beer.

We continue our walk around Dresden after dark. It’s a beautifully lit city.

We share an ice-cream cone and return to our room.

Ahhh….. this hard bed is going to feel good, sorry Kirsten

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Photos

Construction Zone
Construction Zone

Comments

[Annaliese Sager]

Envy!!! Jealousy!!!
So glad, You are having a good time. This should be an " unforgettable Birthday "! Love You, Annaliese.

[Mark]

Hi
FaceTime me when your in your cabin