Geo: 48.22, 16.37Took two linked Bus Tours of Vienna to get to know the city, as the key attractions are more widespread than Prague or Dresden. Vienna was and remains a very wealthy city, with much of the wealth generated in the middle ages via the salt trade. The Habsburgs ruled most of Europe for centuries and evidence of their wealth is all around Vienna. Vienna is a very well maintained city with very efficient transport links. The people were very friendly. Tourists everywhere in the city. Hot sunny day at last. ... read more

Geo: 50.0878, 14.4205 We caught the tram into Prague Old City to catch up with one of the Walking Tours. We fronted up to a young girl with a Yellow "English" umbrella, and asked her about the walking tour, which she proceeded to describe in a perfect Aussie accent. She was born in Czechoslovakia, her parents having fled the country when she was three years old, ending up in Australia. She now lives in Czech Republic and was a great guide around the old city, being a wealth of knowledge about the history of Czech Republic. After lunch we fronted up for a walking tour of Prague Castle, and was greeted by another Aussie tour guide, a young Uni Student from Melbourne. Hence my blog title for today, Czech Mate. He gave a detailed tour and ... read more

Geo: 51.051, 13.7337Dresden was once described as Germany's Florence. On the night of Feb 12 1945 over 700 Allied planes bombed 90% of Dresden's town centre out of existence, part of Churchill's plan to create terror within Germany as a means to end the war. Dresden has been rebuilt to the point where little of the damage can be seen. We visited the Zwinger Palace and visited three world class museums within. The first was the Gemaldgalerie Alte Meister, which is probably the finest collection of old master paintings outside of the Louvre. The feature painting is The Sistine Madonna painted by Raphael, a master work that the Saxony King paid 140 thousand franks for in the mid 1700's to add to his collection. Also contains Girl at a Window Reading a Letter by Jan Vemeer ... read more

Geo: 52.3966, 13.0579 In Germany, Potsdam had a similar status that Windsor has in the United Kingdom. It was the residence of the Prussian Kings and German Kaisers until 1918. Potsdam is France's equivalent of Versailles. Potsdam was also the place where the Wannsee Conference took place, a meeting between Churchill, Truman and Stalin to carve up Europe following the Second World War. It was also home to the Bridge of Spies, where captured Cold War spies were exchanged between East and West. The Neues Palais was built between 1763 and 1769 to celebrate the end of the seven years war between Prussia and Austria. Indian for dinner tonight.... read more

Geo: 52.52, 13.4049 First stop was Check Point Charlie, the divide between east and west during the Cold War. It is sobering to think that the wall only came down twenty four years ago, and how difficult life would have been in East Berlin. Berliner Dom was next stop. Next stop was Museum Island, which contains five world class museums. Located on an Island in the River Spree, the five museums rival the Louvre. The island contains the Altes (Old) Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte National Gallery the Bode Museum and the highlight, the Pergamon Museum. The Pergamon Museum contains the Pergamon Altar, and the unbelievable Ishtar Gate, built by King Nebuchadnnezzar II. On the side of the altar is an inscription by the King that states "I Nebuchadnezzar laid the foundation of the gates ... read more