Round the Globe: Dresden

A few words about our hotel - Our hotel is an absolute stunner. Since the downtown area was completely destroyed in WWII and reunification did not happen until the 1990's, the redevelopment of old town really didn't catch on until the new century. Therefore, visiting now, everything looks and feels new. Even the structures that look old are recreations.

At checkin, the clerk upgraded us to a junior suite but told us the room would not be ready until 2:00PM. No problem as we wanted to go out and see the city. When we arrived back at 2:30PM, we were told sorry, the room would not be ready for another hour. Tired, cranky Dubowe came out and the result was we were upgraded to a spectacular suite. Not bad for 219 euros including breakfasts and 20% off on a dinner.

Jeff waving from a different time zone

Ok, do you really need a sitting room too

Apology gifts - Champagne, candy, fruit, fresh flowers

Our suite is all those windows on the 2nd floor above the cars

Today's museum visit was to the Residenzschloss, located directly across the street from our hotel. The "home" was the former residence of the rulers of Saxony in the late 15th to the 17th centuries. Inside is a vast collection of royal jewels, gems and table decorations that these rulers assembled. The building was almost completely destroyed in the war except for a few rooms and left in disrepair until 2004.

Jeff and I have never seen such an incredible collection, way more spectacular than the Gold Room in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Green Vault (Grunes Gewolbe) requires prior reservations, which we had. Only 100 people at a time are admitted to help preserve the artifacts. You enter through an airlock. The rooms, even back in the 1500's were arranged to have an ebb and flow of senses. One of the rooms contains all amber pieces, another all ivory, another all jewels. Not to be missed.

There is an equally impressive collection of secondary pieces on another floor that does not require a reservation.

Entry to the Residenzschloss

Pexiglass covers a courtyard used as the ticketing area

We then took a stroll over the Elbe River to the other side of town to see if Jeff could find anything artsy to purchase. None of the stores ship to the U.S., so no purchases were made.

Jeff on the hunt for food for me

On our way back to old town, the skies opened up and we had to run for cover. Of course our umbrellas and rain ponchos were back at the hotel packed neatly in our suitcases. After 15 minutes, the sun returned and we were able to get to old town. Jeff found some stores that interested him.

Disgusted look as negotiations failed

The old synagogue in Dresden was burned to the ground by the Nazis in 1938 on Kristallnacht. There is little left of the original synagogue. All traces of the community were deliberately and permanently erased, even the synagogue stones were used to surface streets. Dresden was never a Jewish center but at its height, it had a population of 6,000 Jews. After the war, the Jewish population slowly rose to today's 700, mostly Soviet Jews.