Not Prague, Part 13: Return to Dresden

So much for following this piece of advice. The Guvnor and I were on the cusp of setting foot into the picturesque, historic area of Dresden when an older gentleman stopped us, asked The Guv where he was from (England), and then informed us that he was a survivor of the Allied bombings that set Dresden on fire at the end of World War II.

The man told us that he truly enjoyed saying "Good morning" to us, because when he was in school he had to greet everybody with a "Heil." No "Good day," no "Hello," no "Is Man City bottling it or what?" Just "Heil" (or perhaps "Sieg Heil" or "Heil Hitler"). He also assured us that he knew the Germans' role in starting the war. I mention this to illustrate that despite our initial fears, the man was bending over backwards to show he wasn't trying to be antagonistic. But he told his story long enough to end with this kicker: Out of his class of 30 children, three survived the bombings. And that was the start of our day in Dresden.

Of course, it's impossible not to mention the war when it comes to Dresden. The fire bombings destroyed a vibrant, cultural city, and during the Communist rule there was debate and/or foot-dragging in regards to rebuilding what had been reduced to burnt rubble. But today much of the historic center of this city, now in its ninth century, has been rebuilt -- the Zwinger in 1964, the Semper Opera House in 1985, and the centerpiece, the Frauenkirche, in 2005.

The historic center of Dresden.

We went on a Sunday, which means just about everyone walking around Old Town were tourists, and that the New Town district was a ghost town. Most places in Germany close on a Sunday, and the Guv and I briefly debated if we should tip our hat to the Germans' principles or ridicule them for losing out on a bunch of tourist money. Regardless, an Irish pub was open, which meant we got to watch Newcastle-Liverpool and Spurs-Swansea while consuming surprisingly affordable meals (less than 6 Euro for a cottage pie, half-liter German beers for less than 4 Euro).

Just to assure you we did more than watch football, you can check out my photo album here. There's a lot taken of the Zwinger and its remarkable views from the courtyard, including a statue-lined roofs, sculptures of mythical characters and symbolism such as flowers carved where the armpits should be. 

You can also read about my previous trip to Dresden, during the Christmas holiday, here.