Dresden and Leipzig........a visit to what had been East Germany

 Dresden is an easy 2 hour train ride from Berlin. So we decided to check it out!

We had an amazing view from our hotel windows........ the Frauenkirke

We were in the center so exploring was easy....... first stop the interior of the Frauenkirke

It was close by!!

Then on to the Furstenzug......amazing!

Then a visit to the historic Stallhof......the stables.......

Then the Opera House

before going in to the Zwinger......

It is a huge area!

We needed a little rest afterwards and so took a short cruise down the Elbe........

We needed a drink when we returned! Lots of places to choose from in the market square.... and we had some music!

Our evening meal was in the more expensive Tashenbergpalais  hotel

There was a lot of interesting architecture... albeit a lot of Baroque!

Then on to Leipzig... a short train ride away!

The market square with the Town Hall........

We visited the Thomas Kirke...... where Bach had played the organ and is buried!

There were lots of churches........

Then back to Berlin where they were celebrating the World Cup!

Visiting the Berlin Wall... what's left of it!!

 Having got a thick Germany DK series  book as a Christmas present I decided I should take the hint and visit parts of Germany unknown to me! Having lived in Basel for many years I was familiar with the western part of the country up to Luxembourg but had never actually been tempted to check out what had been the Soviet part of the country.

So first off had to visit the Berliner Mauer, or what's left or rebuilt of it........graffiti laden...

I don't think I had remembered/thought of the fact that western Berlin was actually surrounded by East Germany.

...we stayed in a hotel close to the Brandenburg Gate in the Mitte area of Berlin, definitely in what had been East Germany! The hotel Chateau Royal was great and walking distance to everything!

Then of course a visit to Checkpoint Charlie which had been the part between the US controlled area and the Soviet area.

Of course we had to check out other Berlin landmarks, 

First the Brandenburg Gate...... which couldn't be accessed by either the West nor the Soviet side when there was a wall!

We had a great sunset from the rooftop of our hotel looking towards the Bundestag...

Then on to our walk to see as much as possible....

The French Dom on Gendarmenmarkt ....

Then onwards......

..to our lunch place at the Hackescher Markt which was interesting.........

........as was the food....

The Luna d'Oro restaurant in the Clarkens ballroom offered an interesting place for dinner...

but it had a quiet shady garden courtyard..... needed in 35C weather

However the piece de resistance was the visit to the fabulous Philharmonic!