Today we traveled about two hours south of Berlin to Dresden in the state of Saxony. The city sits on the banks of the Elbe River, and today's weather was perfect for sightseeing--sunny and warm (by German standards) with a breeze.
We began with a horse-drawn carriage tour of the city center. As we moved slowly over the cobblestones, our guide shared a glimpse of the city's history which includes many contributions to the modern world (some inventions attributed to Dresden include the coffee filter, tea bag, carbonated beverages, and rat poison). The city is also known for perhaps its darkest hours when at the tail end of World War II an onslaught of Allied bombing raids reduced much of the city to rubble. The main cathedral collapsed in flames, its cupula crashing to earth from hundreds of feet.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, civic groups launched a lengthy planning and fundraising campaign aimed at rebuilding the cathedral. In 2005 the restored cathedral was finally consecrated. The reconstruction process was painstaking in its detail and awe-inspiring in its scope: each stone from the rubble was measured, labeled, and catalogued. A computer generated plan then incorporated as many of the original stone fragments as possible. The years-long rebuilding process managed to place nearly half of the original stones in their places with a high degree of accuracy.
I was deeply moved by the story of the cathedral and its renaissance. It stands as a testament to the power of forgiveness, imagination, hope, and persistence.
After completing the city carriage tour and exploring on foot, we watched the first game of the 2010 World Cup, South Africa vs. Mexico. The teams played to a 1-1 tie, with goalkeepers on both sides deflecting several ferocious shots. I look forward to watching Germany play on Sunday, hopefully at an outdoor public viewing. My Germany soccer jersey is all ready to go, thanks to Frau Schafer and Frau Goehler.
Tomorrow we are taking a boat tour of Berlin, followed by an evening cultural event. I plan on getting up early to explore another area of the city on my run.
Thanks to all who have been following along on this adventure, and especially the students at AEACMS.
Warmly,
DS
I wasn't sure what to think when this knight starting swinging the sword.
Some of my new friends from the Middle Ages.
A fine soccer-viewing establishment. I saw several South Africa jerseys but I think Principal Vaughn and I were the only ones cheering for Mexico.
A controversial work of public art. When it was being constructed, many in Dresden thought it was simply intended as a temporary scaffolding for a construction project.
The center of Dresden.
View from the top of the cathedral.
Reconstructed cathedral. Note the darker portion along the left side--this is a piece of the original structure, darkened through oxidizing. The rest of the building is expected to match this hue in fifty years or so.
Dresden as it appeared after the Allied bombings (above), compared to before.
Our transportation in Dresden.
