By Train from Dresden to Leipzig

Today we had breakfast in Dresden, packed, then rode the bus to the train station and purchased tickets from Dresden to Leipzig. We were able to get a good discount on the tickets because it was the middle of the week, the middle of the day, AND we were willing to take the "slow" train, 16 stops in 90 minutes. It was a pleasant ride through the countryside on a rainy but beautiful day. I found a schedule at the station that listed all of the stops, so was able to follow our trip on the map.

We went through Kuhren, the county seat of the area where our Winklers lived before coming to America in the mid 1800s. We also passed through Wurzen, another town linked to our Winklers.

We arrived in Leipzig and found the train station (Bahnhof) information desk. They were able to direct us to the city of Leipzig tourist information office just across the street from the station.

At the tourist information office, we found and booked a room in a reasonably priced hotel very near the train station. By that time, it was after 1:00 pm, so we walked to the hotel and were able to check in. At all of the locations except the Dresden train station, we met people with good English language skills, so had no problems there.

Once in Leipzig, we took a stroll through the Alt Stadt or old section of the central city. Our first stop was the Nikolai Kirche, dating from the 14th centruy. Between 1982 and 1989, during soviet occupation of the area, up to 2000 people of various religions gathered weekly in this church to pray for peace. One Monday in October 1989, 10,000 people gathered outside the church with candles lit to work toward a peaceful revolution.

After the Nikolai Kirche, we went to the Thomas Kirche, where J. S. Bach was cantor for 27 years between 1723 and 1750 and is now buried. After the church, we visited the nearby Bach museum, an interactive experience where we viewed various hand written scores and other memorabilia related to Bach. The museum maintains an archive of Bach related materials.

Leipzig has been known for centuries as a center for commercial expos, book printing and binding, universities, and music. It was not bombed as much during WWII as Dresden, and today we saw very little evidence of nearly 40 years of eastern occupation, at least in the Alt Stadt. Business appears to be booming, resulting in a lively town center.

We ate dinner at the Cafe Apoteke, Fred had stroganoff and I had veal goulash with potatoes, all of which was yummy.

A stroll back to the hotel with a diversion to the mall in the train station for necessaries shopping and we are in tor the night.

HOW TO: When traveling in a country where you do not speak the language, use online train schedules to do your research before going to the train station, then write down your destination, possible times, etc, on a piece of paper or take a map so you can show the rail service agent where you want to go. Whenever possible, pick up the train schedule at the station showoing all of the stops so you don't have to guess where and when to get off the train. Trains only stop for a minute or two at most stations, so refer to your schedule, then just before your stop, gather your belongings and head for an exit so you are ready to detrain. Allow someone else to exit first or watch at a prior stop so you know how to open the train door. On most trains, using the restroom while the train is stopped in a station is forbidden. If you tend to get motion sickness, try to ride facing forward.

Dresden Day 2

Perhaps you are wondering what we are doing in Dresden. Our Winkler ancestors came from a small town in Saxony called Oelschuetz, which is near Wurzen, which is near Leipzig, which is near Dresden. Dresden is the capital of Saxony and a wonderful historical city, so this is where our journey began.

Yesterday started off great with a good cheap breakfast at the Imbiss below our room. Sandwiches on hard rolls with salami and lunch meat, boild egg, great coffee. Then, to save time and our legs, we took the bus to the Altstadt, but got turned around when we got off the bus and walked almost all of the way back to the hotel before we realized that. Anyway, we started the Frauenkirche, originally completed in 1763. It was destroyed in 1945 and after German reunification, was rebuilt and reopened in 2005. It is a Lutheran church, and very beautiful in pastel colors with lots of gold. The cost to rebuild was more than 100 million euros.

Next we walked past a mural called the Parade of Nobles, 24,000 tiles of Meissen procelain on the back wall of the royal palace, depicitng 700 years of Saxon royalty, constructed in 1871. As I walked past this mural, I see the people our Winkler ancestors were named after, Johann, August, Frederick, Wilhemina.

The mural led us to the Catholic church, the Hof Kirche, another beautiful church, all light and airy with a wonderful pipe organ that someone was playing. We sat and just listened for a few minutes.

Around the corner is the Zwinger museum, which is a beautiful place, built around an open square, somewhat like the Louvre. We spent an hour touring the collection of Augustus the Strong's chinese porcelain collection, then realized there was another hour of Meissen porcelain from the late 17th and early 18th centuries, beautiful stuff.

After the Zwinger, it was back to the fischhaus for lunch, grilled trout for me and the Captains plate for Fred.

After lunch, we walked and rode the bus along the Elbe river. There is a bike/hike path along the river, going all the way to Meissen. Lots of people out, even on a rainy day, walking, biking, rowing, etc.

Gotta go - breakfast calls.