Tag: Germany

Day 116. Leipzig, Germany

Tina and I having a picnic.

How I came to visit Leipzig is one of those serendipity moments.  I met a girl from my hostel in Vienna and she invited to visit Leipzig after Dresden.  It wasn’t on my plan, but why not I thought.  At times I think about how I travel before and how I travel now. I make more room to meet different people and have unique experiences. For example, I don’t have a concrete itinerary and I couchsurf through friends of friends. I’m glad that I had room in my schedule to see this city.

 

There was a free outdoor concert in the park to celebrate end of the season.

Tina showed me around her Leipzig during her off day.  We had lunch then we walked around the city center. We went to a museum about the GDR( German Democratic Republic), it was all in German but I had a translator with me. While traveling through Czech Republic and East Germany/ Dresden I am learning more and more about that time.  Tina said Germany is a young country when you think about the unification of the West and East sides. Germany is only 26 years old. Germany is a millennial?

Völkerschlachtdenkmal, the monument of the Battle of the Nations

She took me to see Völkerschlachtdenkmal, it’s a famous monument that symbolizes Napolean’s defeat in Leipzig.  I should read more about Napolean, his legacy is still lingering in Europe. He is one of those historical figures that I studied in History but I don’t remember the details. History tends to be buried underneath new history on top of present day news.  For it’s worth learning more about a continents history because in turn it affected the United States become what it is.

​Music was everywhere in Leipzig. Not only can you find it walking around down town or in the park, but when I was at the haupbahnhof and a traveling choir started singing in the atrium. It was an incredible experience that I can only give thanks to letting things go and see where things end up. I will definitely come back especially since I didn’t have time to train Jiu Jitsu.

Day 114. Dresden, Germany.

 

Thomas and I at Bastei.

Dresden, Germany. A city famed for being bombed on February 13, 1945.  I stayed with my friend, Thomas, on old Camino friend. We went hiking to Bastei and reminisced about the Camino. The weekend I came to Dresden there happened to be the biggest party of the year. I met some local Germans, had a picnic, and drank some beer. Dresden has the advantages of a small town and of a big city.

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Frauenkirche Church in Dresden.

I originally heard of Dresden in Howard Zinn’s You can’t be Neutral on a Moving Train documentary.  During the final weeks of the war, Dresden was bombed to great extent. The amount of casualties is still up to debate because of the amount of refugees from Czechoslovakia. Most of the old buildings were destroyed and the old town was leveled. Since the end of World War 2 and the fall of the iron curtain, the restoration has reinvigorated the old town and the city itself.

Thomas, Louis, (unknown friend), and I.

I walk with Thomas and Maria during my Camino hike last October. I visited Yun-Jin (Maria) last month in Seoul. I made a point to visit Thomas in Dresden.  It was great to go to a new city and already have friends. It’s one of those things I really appreciate traveling through Europe alone.  I slept on Thomas’s pull away Ikea couch. We saw another Camino friend, Louis, who studies in Dresden. It was during the biggest party of the year in Dresden.  It was a great experience. On Sunday, we went on a hike to Bastei. It was good to get out of the city and see nature. Thomas had to work during the week but we hung out when he came home.  We met up with Louis again my last night.

Frauenkirche building out of legos in the Karstadt.

We had a picnic BBQ next to the Elbe.  In central Europe it is very common to see people in the park having a picnic and drinking outside. Thomas has this small convenient grill that we used to cook some chicken, pork and steak. It was a perfect day for a picnic when the weather is perfect. I met Rebecca, Thomas’s room mate, and Thalia, Rebecca’s sister. I heard Rebecca’s au pair experience in Arizona. It’s interesting to hear other people’s travel experience of my own country.  Picnics are one of my favorite things to do. I have to do more when I get back to the States.

Rebecca,(Thomas’s roommate, Thalia?(Rebecca’s sister), and myself at BBQ

I spent five days in Dresden, but I felt that wasn’t enough time.  I saw some friends and met new people. I tried to train Jiu- Jitsu but google maps led me on wild goose chase. I was able to get some exercise by hiking and biking to the ghost gym. The weather was really excellent to enjoy with friends.  I don’t know when I’ll return to Dresden but I had good memories here.

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Thomas and Louis on the Elbe.