Dresden, Germany

Last month I accompanied some colleagues and students on a field trip. This field trip was way different than any previous ones I chaperoned, mainly because I went to a different country for one day as opposed to a nearby state in the United States. I mean, how cool is that?! We went to Dresden, Germany, which is roughly four and a half hours from Strakonice by bus.

I, of course, noticed some differences about field trips here. For one thing, the school plans the trips through travel agencies, which probably makes life a lot easier for the teachers in charge. We had a tour guide for the entire day. Given she did not speak English, but my colleague, Milena, translated most information for me. What truly bewildered me was that the idea of chaperones does not really exist here. There were about fifty students and just three teachers; no parents were asked to join their children on the trip. This is quite different from the United States, which usually requires one teacher/adult per every ten students. The students usually have to stay with their chaperone at all times, too. While in Dresden, the students were given roughly three hours of free time to explore some parts of the town. They were basically in charge of their own welfare and safety as they were free to roam the streets with their friends and were simply told a designated place and time to meet up before heading back home. 

Back to the Dresden field trip. Our first stop was the Volkswagen transparent car factory, Die Gläserne Manufaktur. Now, let's be real. My concerns about cars generally involve their comfortability, style, color, etc. However, I was intrigued by this factory.

Typically, car factories are built on the outskirts of town in industrial areas as to avoid tourists and the disruption of normal city life. But, this car factory is unique. It was built in the middle of the city on the Elbe river and directly on the land of the Great Garden. The factory is surrounded by gorgeous nature. One might think the factory disturbs the tranquility and peace found in the Great Garden, but this has not been the case in Dresden. The factory was intentionally built in the most environmentally-friendly manor possible.

The factory only manufactures and assembles the Volkswagen Phaeton, which is approximately $90,000 at its most basic form. It's a high-end vehicle that can have a variety of amenities ranging from heated seats for each passenger to having a refrigerator in the back. The Phaeton is only assembled once it is purchased and each one is custom-made. With this in mind, there were a surprising number of Phaetons on the conveyor belt. Nevertheless, it's not something I would ever buy.

 I found the factory itself to be most impressive. It was ridiculously clean and quiet. I mean, I expected an atmosphere of dirty workers and noisy tools, much like at a mechanics. Yet, I felt as if I could hear a pin drop and if I swept a finger for dust, there would be none. You know, now that I think about it, it reminds me of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. All the workers were dressed in white overalls, too!

As you can see below, the weather wasn't so grand for the field trip. It was pouring virtually all morning and afternoon. Regardless of the weather, we tried to make the best out of our trip, and went on a short walking tour of the city center. I discovered that Dresden is one of the oldest cities in Germany, and possibly one of the most beautiful. Unfortunately, the entire city was firebombed by the Allied forces during World War II. It was the third most destructive and casualty-filled event during the war after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. However, the Germans prevailed and re-built the entire city back in its original Baroque- architectural fashion! 

Royal Palace of Saxony Rulers

Semper Opera

Zwinger Palace

I was so cold!

This is the Procession of Princes. It's a 394-foot mural along the wall in the Royal Mews courtyard and depicts a parade of Saxony rulers, some walking and some on horseback. It's actually made from tiny porcelain tiles, which makes it even more awesome. Miraculously, it survived the 1945 bombings!

After the walking tour, we went to Dresden Royal Palace, which museum holds a Turkish exhibition. We stayed for about an hour looking at the various clothing, armor, weapons, horse-dress, and intricately designed battle tents from the Ottoman Empire. It was definitely my cup of tea. As usual, I was not allowed to take pictures inside, but I did take this one picture before entering because it's interesting. They may look like wooden statues, but they are actually bee keepers!

One of the main reasons we went to Dresden is because it's home to the oldest Advent/Christmas markets in all of Europe. They even had rides like the ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and small trains for children. I loved the jolly atmosphere, and it stopped raining just in time for us to explore the stalls outside!

Something you may notice-- Czechs never seem to smile for pictures. Here we enjoyed svařák, or hot, spiced wine, which is a typical favorite drink as the cold weather begins throughout Europe. Though delicious, it is extremely strong. One cup is more than enough to warm your insides.

Dresden is definitely a lovely place to visit in Germany. I had a lot of fun as I absorbed the city's culture and history and roamed the Advent markets. It's always a great idea to get a sausage on a roll in Germany since it's amazing and they're well known for them. Also, during the holiday season there is a particular sweet bread that is made called Stollen. We tasted all the samples of Stollen at the various stalls. :)