A Funny Thing Happened in Worlitz, Germany!
Did You Know that the Bridge of Spies is Real?
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Did you know that the Bridge of Spies is real? It’s true! Just 3 years ago the Academy Award nominated film, Bridge of Spies, was released and became a success! Tom Hanks played James Donovan, the Irish-American lawyer who played a big role in the Nuremburg Trials, negotiations over the Bay of Pigs prisoners, and yes, he negotiated the exchange of a U.S. Air Force pilot whose CIA U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960 in exchange for a convicted Soviet spy whom Donovan represented. Francis Gary Powers was the pilot, and Rudolf Ivanovich Abel was the Soviet Intelligence Officer. Donovan went to Berlin in 1960 to negotiate the exchange, and while he was there, the Berlin Wall went up.
Glienicke Bridge
The Glienicke Bridge connects the Wannsee neighborhood of Berlin to Potsdam over the Havel River. After World War II and the division of West and East Berlin, the Havel River was the border between east and west, and because of this, it was the site of many exchanges between the Free World and those behind the Iron Curtain. The East Germans called it the “Bridge of Unity”. Citizens of Berlin and Potsdam used the bridge to go back and forth, and the Allies used it for missions to East Germany. In 1952 the East German government closed the bridge to West Berliners and West Germans. When the Berlin Wall was built, East Germany closed the bridge to East German citizens as well. From that time onward, only Allied Military personnel and foreign diplomats were allowed on the bridge. The Americans and Soviets used the bridge for the exchanges of “spies” and prisoners, and so it became known as the Bridge of Spies.
On my recent trip with Viking Cruises to Germany, I had the opportunity to see and stroll on the famous, and infamous, Bridge of Spies. It is quite a lovely spot, and history remains intact by showing the Eastern bridge vs. the Western Bridge. They were painted different shades of green. The bridge was opened for East and West on the very evening of 10 November 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down. After visiting the former East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary, I will never forget that date as it is the date when they all celebrate their freedom.
Why Haven’t You Visited Awesome Potsdam, Germany, Home of Frederick the Great??
*This post contains affiliate links, which means I will receive a small percentage of sales, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me in my travels, and my mission to encourage others to explore this incredible world, experience other cultures, and help to make it a better place!
Why haven’t you visited awesome Potsdam when visiting Germany? Truthfully, I had never even considered it until I went on Elegant Elbe with Viking Cruises! I would certainly go again, it is so charming!
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Visiting the Fascinating City of Berlin with Viking Cruises
*This post contains affiliate links, which means I will receive a small percentage of sales, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me in my travels, and my mission to encourage others to explore this incredible world and help to make it a better place!
The fascinating city of Berlin is a place I have always wanted to explore. When I was growing up, Berlin was two cities, West Berlin and East Berlin. Learning about living in a separated city, and country, was mesmerizing. Our tour guides were Berliners, one from the West, and two from the East. Learning about the divided city from these fascinating individuals was a real treat.
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Get Into The Sea! Here are a Few of the Best Places In The World To Experience Sea Life
Get into the sea! Everyone knows how I love to get in the Sea! As an avid diver, ocean conservationist, and animal lover, I can recommend some pretty amazing places! Life is always good when you are surrounded by water. If you are heading out on an adventure, picking the best destinations for your vacation needs to cater to both the inexperienced and experienced travelers in the group. When you think of the word adventure, do you consider it scaling up mountains, looking at new cultures, or heading into the sea? While we all have our own perception of what constitutes an “adventure”, heading into the sea to see animals always counts!
Take a Sensational Viking River Cruise and Enjoy one of Your Best Vacations Ever!
I have always wanted to take a Viking River Cruise, so I was thrilled when my blogger friend, Suzanne Stavert of Adventures of Empty Nesters, and I were invited to sail! I chose the ship and itinerary, Elegant Elbe, and prepared for an exciting and fun trip! I was not disappointed! And best of all, I learned so much along the way, and for me, that is one of the best things about travel.
The Elbe River is not as famous as the Rhine or the Danube, but I loved the itinerary which took us from Berlin, Germany to Prague, Czech Republic. I hadn’t been to Europe for 10 years, and it was so wonderful to experience places I had never been before. Our exploration of the cities of Germany and Czech Republic, all behind the Iron Curtain of the Cold War, was nothing short of a revelation. It was my first real look at how people lived in places controlled by the Soviet Union. Of course, the trip was full of beauty and wonder, too, incredible countryside, castles, palaces, vineyards and ancient town squares. However, a funny thing happened on this trip, we didn’t sail at all.
Yes, I know, it’s a river cruise, but the drought in Europe had lowered the Elbe River to a point where we could not sail. There was much disappointment, but Viking handled the situation with seamless hospitality. After staying a couple of nights in Berlin, we went to the Viking ship, the Beyla, docked in Wittenberg, Germany. I was bowled over by the elegance of the streamlined luxury ship. It was truly, truly a beautiful ship. Suzanne and I were fortunate to have tours of the bridge and the kitchens, and they were so clean, so perfectly appointed, it was amazing. Our stateroom had a balcony and was absolutely gorgeous! The dining room, lounges and bar were spotless and very luxurious. The food was delicious. We met so many new people, most of whom were dedicated Viking passengers, having sailed with Viking at least once, and most had gone on more than one trip. That is certainly a testimonial to the excellence of Viking Cruises.
After two nights on the Beyla, we switched to her sister ship, in Dresden, the Astrild. Actually, it wasn’t like changing boats at all, the ships were exactly the same, and Viking handled everything smoothly. The crew was different of course, but both crews were absolutely fantastic. Our program director, Benne Bennison, remained for the entire trip, and she was absolutely professional and very enjoyable to travel with. She did an amazing job with ninety people who were disappointed not to sail! After three nights on the Astrild, we went to Prague and a hotel there.
Comfortable Viking coaches took us to all the sights that had been originally planned, and so we had a fantastic time on our non-cruise cruise! I do hope to take a Viking Cruise that actually sails at some point, but hats off to Viking Cruises for making this trip absolutely wonderful! I cannot think of a single thing that wasn’t perfect. Every passenger enjoyed the trip, and planned to take another Viking Cruise. Thank you, thank you Viking River Cruises, for a marvelous experience! Take a Viking Cruise, y’all, and #traveltamstyle!
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Why Haven’t You Visited Awesome Potsdam, Germany, Home of Frederick the Great??
