TRAVELS WITH TAM

featured

You Should Definitely Take a Trip to the Bastei!

By 11 Comments

Take a trip to the Bastei? Where, you ask, is that? And, what is it? Well, it is an amazing sight in the Saxon Switzerland National Park, which is in Germany. Only an hour from Dresden, it is well worth a visit! One can hike, rock climb, or just take in the incredible views. My travel buddy, Suzanne Stavert of Adventures of Empty Nesters, and I saw this incredible park when we did a Viking River Cruise in July 2018! I hope you enjoy the photos!

bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park

bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
It is such a beautiful, green area!

bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
Rock Climbing is a popular activity in the park.
bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
Preparation!
bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
Suzanne and I, taking in the incredible views in our Viking hats!

bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park

bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
How is this for a view? From the Bastei, we had a gorgeous view of the Elbe River.
bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
Very cool rock formations, I especially loved the unusual chimney rocks.
bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
Looking down from the trail.
bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
The height was a challenge for some!
bastei, trip to the bastei, saxon switzerland, national park
The Bastei Bridge gives unbelievable views!
PIN IT!

#4TravelChicas had an Amazing Tasting at Buccanos at Night, Cozumel!

 

Visit Beautiful Dresden, it is a City Reborn!

By 10 Comments

In this post you will find links to items of interest you may enjoy, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping me support Travels with Tam, my travel, and citizen science!

florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
A destroyed Dresden in 1945, from the Rathaus tower | © Deutsche Fotothek (www.deutschefotothek.de)/WikiCommons

Dresden is truly a city reborn. It was bombed to hell at the end of World War II, but Dresden has made a huge effort to rebuild, and they have created a miraculous city since Germany’s reunification in 1990. The East German government was not very interested in restoring historical Dresden, so much needed to be done.

Augustus II the Strong, Elector of Saxony, wanted to create a capitol that would impress foreigners as well as fellow Saxons. He spent a fortune making Dresden a center for culture and art. Porcelain became a staple of Dresden until it moved to the town of Meissen, but Meissen is still Saxony! Dresden became known as the “Florence on the Elbe” (Elbe River) and it is easy to see why, as it is known for its Baroque and Rococo grandeur. It is a magnificent city and I highly recommend visiting!

By the way, did you know that Vladimir Putin spent 5 years in Dresden as a KGB agent? It’s true, and fascinating to learn about. He was in Dresden when the wall in Berlin came down, and Germany reunified.

Here are some of my favorite Dresden sights with commentary about the city.

florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
Dresden is a beautiful city. Here you can see the dome and bell tower of the Frauenkirchen.
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
Wonderful Dresden.
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
Carriage rides available on the square. These horses are big!
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
A little horse love!

 

florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
This is the incredible Fürstenzug (Procession of Princes), a huge tribute to the rulers of Saxony. Originally painted in the late 1800s, the images were replaced with 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles! It is 335 feet or 102 meters long, the largest porcelain artwork on the planet!

florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises

 

florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
In the Eastern bloc, the areas held by the Soviet Union built these prefabricated buildings for people to live in. They were built in Russia and assembled in Dresden. The buildings have attempted to improve the appearance of these apartment buildings by adding balconies and paint, but they are still a reminder of life under the Soviet Union.
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
The Fraunkirchen of Dresden. In English, Church of Our Lady. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden_Frauenkirche#/media/File:20061126105DR_Dresden_Neumarkt_1%2B2%2B3_%2B_Frauenkirche.jpg)

 

florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
We had a street angel welcoming us to the Frauenkirchen!
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
The cupola of the famous Church of Our Lady, the Frauenkirchen.
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
The incredible organ.
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
The church is absolutely gorgeous.

 

florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
I loved the Frauenkirche Catholic Church. Stunning!

 

florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
Dresden Castle is still being restored.
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
The Blue Wonder Bridge taken from a local boat.
Florence on the Elbe is a good way to describe this area! The wineries are beautiful and right on the river.
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
The scenery on the Elbe River is beautiful! Check out Viking Cruise’s itinerary “Elegant Elbe”. I loved it!
The Saxon State Chancellery was directly across from our stateroom on the Astrild. We didn’t sail, but the views were gorgeous!
florence on the elbe, elbe river, dresden, viking cruises
Sunset over Dresden skyline from our Viking ship, Astrild.
Pin it!

 

 

Take a Sensational Viking River Cruise and Enjoy one of Your Best Vacations Ever!

TAKE A LOOK AT 10 CREDIT CARD REVIEWS. WHAT ARE THE BEST CARDS FOR YOU?

 

 

 

 

 

Viking Cruises took us on a Royal Visit to Moritzburg Castle and Saxony!

By 4 Comments

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
Moritzburg, the Hunting Lodge of Augustus the Strong of Saxony, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Lithuania.

A royal visit to Moritzburg in Saxony, Germany! Augustus the Strong, or Augustus II der Starke, in German, loved his hunting lodge! (Stark….hmm, wonder if that relates to the Starks of Winterfell on Game of Thrones…..)
Winter Is Coming

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
Augustus the Strong established Dresden, a beautiful city, as the capital of Saxony. Stay tuned for my next post!

Frederick Augustus II was of the House of Wettin, a dynasty of German royalty and nobility, and was incredibly strong. He got his nickname by showing how he could break horseshoes with his bare hands. He was known as the “Saxon Hercules”. In addition to being Elector of Saxony, he was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. My travel buddy, Suzanne, and I loved strolling around his hunting lodge. I was sad we were not permitted to take photographs in the lodge. I have never seen so many stag “horns” or “racks” in my life, but happily there was also art, and beautiful architecture. The setting itself was majestic.

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
These are not “real”. I really am not a fan of seeing artifacts from dead animals.

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
Suzanne of Adventures of Empty Nesters and I at Augustus the Strong’s hunting lodge in Moritzburg.

Augustus the Strong was instrumental in the production of Meissen Porcelain, one of the finest porcelains in the world. He “rescued”, or kidnapped, depending on the version,  Johann Friedrich Böttger from Frederick I of Prussia. Bottger ended up in jail as Augustus the Strong tried to force him to tell him how to manufacture gold. Bottger never manufactured gold, but he did discover the temperature at which to bake the clay to achieve the finest porcelain results. Meissen Porcelain is still manufactured in Meissen, Germany, and Viking Cruises took us on a tour of the town, and of the factory. We watched artists creating the clay pieces prior to baking.

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
The makers mark at Meissen Porcelain has always been the two crossed swords of Saxony.
augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
This life size Meissen figurine is absolutely stunning! It sits in the lobby at Meissen.

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
Meissen is famous for its tiny clay flowers.
augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
This gentleman showed us how he made the items out of molds. I have to say, though, that he was the grumpiest person Meissen could have put in front of the public!
augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
Showing how the painting of the pieces occurs.

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
Having a drink at the “Stadtplatz”, the city square of Meissen.

After our lovely visit to Meissen, we went to beautiful Dresden! Stay tuned.

augustus the strong, moritzburg castle, meissen, a royal visit
A beautiful Stadtplatz.

A Funny Thing Happened in Worlitz, Germany!

By 1 Comment

worlitz, swans, swan, worlitz germany, germany
On our Gondola we watched a beautiful family of swans!
worlitz, swans, swan, worlitz germany, germany
The area was so pretty. What a peaceful scene!
worlitz, swans, swan, worlitz germany, germany
We got close to the swans.
worlitz, swans, swan, worlitz germany, germany
I guess we were too close because one of the parents came to the boat and attacked the oar, then attacked the boat!
worlitz, swans, swan, worlitz germany, germany
Pissed off Swan!
worlitz, swans, swan, worlitz germany, germany
Even angry, they are just beautiful!
worlitz, swans, swan, worlitz germany, germany
“Stay away from my family!”
worlitz, swans, swan, worlitz germany, germany
Worlitz!
PIN IT!

Did You Know that the Bridge of Spies is Real?

By 7 Comments

*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!
Glienicke Bridge, aka the Bridge of Spies!

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.

The history of the Bridge of Spies
The entry to the bridge is quite beautiful
Entry, from West heading East.
The East painted their half light green, the West dark green.
Germany divided until 1989.
The bridge spans a beautiful waterway.
A view of the Babelsberg Palace

Visiting the Fascinating City of Berlin with Viking Cruises

 

TRAVEL RESOURCES

 

Why Haven’t You Visited Awesome Potsdam, Germany, Home of Frederick the Great??

By 5 Comments

*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!
Potsdam is a lovely and quaint town. The shopping area feels like a movie set!

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!

[Read more…] about Why Haven’t You Visited Awesome Potsdam, Germany, Home of Frederick the Great??

DMCA PROTECTED BLOG

DO NOT COPY OR PLAGARIZE

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 7 other subscribers