Dresden, Germany
Hello everyone,
I am so excited about this post because Germany has been on my travel bucket list for too long. A few people know that 80% of my family lives in Germany. Despite this, I have never visited them before. There never seemed to be the right time.
This February we have decided to change that for many reasons. One of them was my mother 50th birth day. This was the main reason actually. We wanted to surprise her and did not tell her we were coming. She was very impressed and we were glad we could make her such a lovely bday gift.
Well, we got to Germany by car. It was a relatively long ride. 12 hours to be more precise. This was our 1st road trip longer than 4 hours and I must admit I was very anxious in the beginning. I had no idea how our Oliver would behave in the car. But I have prepared myself very well and I was ready to anything. Luckily he slept almost all the way there and we could ride in peace.
Although I have many relatives and friends in Germany, i was not sure what to expect from this country. I knew it should be very different from the rest of the countries we have visited before because a) we don't speak German and b) we had no idea about their culture. All we knew before were the most known cliches about German people like they are rigid and perfectionists and that they always drink beer (i blame all the tv comercials and movies for that).
In reality, I have discovered that German language is very pleasant to hear, and that there are words I could actually learn in such a short time ( i had to keep repeating them and I am sorry for my family who had to listen to that :D ).
My family lives in Dresden, a very beautiful city in the Eastern Germany. Before going there, I have read that Dresden was totally destroyed by aircraft bombs at the end of WWII. As a consequence, the city was rebuilt and it is relatively young. However it has the same charm and elegance as it used to have many years ago. It is often compared to a phoenix for its strength to rise back from its ashes. The Old Town is the main attraction of the city. And if you are not afraid of the height you can admire the beautiful crowded streets of Dresden from the Duomo rooftop. I was really impressed by the combination of classic and modern architecture. It is something unique and very different from what we always see in Italy.The cathedral itself is fascinating! Definitely a 'must see'.
Besides the Old town, we have also visited the Volkswagen Glass Factory. It is the place where E-cars are created. We took a tour around the Factory and we saw how the new E-Golf is being put together. I am not too into cars, but i enjoyed the tour. Walking among car pieces and workers makes you feel part of the story. It is incredible to see how all the robots function and create the future.
People in Dresden are interesting too. They all are very different. You can see crazy hairstyles and piercings everywhere. However, they always smile and seem very positive. But I have to admit that there were a lot of tourists too, this thing made me feel even better. It was one of the few times when we really felt tourists as well. And I love this feeling.
So here is a list of things which I liked or found very curious during our journey in Dresden:
- you can easily get directions and order food if you speak English. Almost everyone understands it;
- the coffee is more expensive than in Italy (and it is not always good);
- unlike Italy where the sales period is only twice a year, in Germany you can find sales almost all year round;
- people are very friendly and willing to help;
- you will be often asked to pay for using the WC at the gas stations or shopping centers;
- the restaurant and bars work all day long;
- the prices for fuel are lower than in Italy;
- we did not see any mountains on our way to Dresden and the beautiful landscapes covered with snow reminded us of a fairy tale. Why is this so special? We are surrounded by mountains in Piemonte and we seldom get to see any landscapes;
- the free ways in Germany don't always have speed limit. This is CRAZY :) i would be so scared to drive there.
Well, at the end I can add only that it was a well-deserved vaccation. I was glad we got to see my parents and Germany at the same time. Whould I repeat it? Yes!
Take care,
Alina.
I am so excited about this post because Germany has been on my travel bucket list for too long. A few people know that 80% of my family lives in Germany. Despite this, I have never visited them before. There never seemed to be the right time.
This February we have decided to change that for many reasons. One of them was my mother 50th birth day. This was the main reason actually. We wanted to surprise her and did not tell her we were coming. She was very impressed and we were glad we could make her such a lovely bday gift.
Well, we got to Germany by car. It was a relatively long ride. 12 hours to be more precise. This was our 1st road trip longer than 4 hours and I must admit I was very anxious in the beginning. I had no idea how our Oliver would behave in the car. But I have prepared myself very well and I was ready to anything. Luckily he slept almost all the way there and we could ride in peace.
Although I have many relatives and friends in Germany, i was not sure what to expect from this country. I knew it should be very different from the rest of the countries we have visited before because a) we don't speak German and b) we had no idea about their culture. All we knew before were the most known cliches about German people like they are rigid and perfectionists and that they always drink beer (i blame all the tv comercials and movies for that).
In reality, I have discovered that German language is very pleasant to hear, and that there are words I could actually learn in such a short time ( i had to keep repeating them and I am sorry for my family who had to listen to that :D ).
My family lives in Dresden, a very beautiful city in the Eastern Germany. Before going there, I have read that Dresden was totally destroyed by aircraft bombs at the end of WWII. As a consequence, the city was rebuilt and it is relatively young. However it has the same charm and elegance as it used to have many years ago. It is often compared to a phoenix for its strength to rise back from its ashes. The Old Town is the main attraction of the city. And if you are not afraid of the height you can admire the beautiful crowded streets of Dresden from the Duomo rooftop. I was really impressed by the combination of classic and modern architecture. It is something unique and very different from what we always see in Italy.The cathedral itself is fascinating! Definitely a 'must see'.
Besides the Old town, we have also visited the Volkswagen Glass Factory. It is the place where E-cars are created. We took a tour around the Factory and we saw how the new E-Golf is being put together. I am not too into cars, but i enjoyed the tour. Walking among car pieces and workers makes you feel part of the story. It is incredible to see how all the robots function and create the future.People in Dresden are interesting too. They all are very different. You can see crazy hairstyles and piercings everywhere. However, they always smile and seem very positive. But I have to admit that there were a lot of tourists too, this thing made me feel even better. It was one of the few times when we really felt tourists as well. And I love this feeling.
So here is a list of things which I liked or found very curious during our journey in Dresden:
- you can easily get directions and order food if you speak English. Almost everyone understands it;
- the coffee is more expensive than in Italy (and it is not always good);
- unlike Italy where the sales period is only twice a year, in Germany you can find sales almost all year round;
- people are very friendly and willing to help;
- you will be often asked to pay for using the WC at the gas stations or shopping centers;
- the restaurant and bars work all day long;
- the prices for fuel are lower than in Italy;
- we did not see any mountains on our way to Dresden and the beautiful landscapes covered with snow reminded us of a fairy tale. Why is this so special? We are surrounded by mountains in Piemonte and we seldom get to see any landscapes;
- the free ways in Germany don't always have speed limit. This is CRAZY :) i would be so scared to drive there.
Well, at the end I can add only that it was a well-deserved vaccation. I was glad we got to see my parents and Germany at the same time. Whould I repeat it? Yes!
Take care,
Alina.
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