Dresden

A two hour train ride takes us to Dresden, former lavishly wealthy center of state of Saxony, largely destroyed in WWII but miraculously restored. 

A museum in the baroque palace displays the treasures of August the Strong, 17th century ruler of Saxony, and father of at least 365 children.

The artistry of these treasures is stunning, a tiny sample that interested me is shown below.

41 carat diamond green from natural radiation.

Mother of pearl inlay

Ivory carved skeleton

Ivory construction

Reticulated blown glass.

Birthday of an Indian potentate with hundreds of jewels.

Tomorrow we visit the famous porcelain museum.

I

Varied, fun day

This morning was mostly devoted to getting care for a minor infection June has. Our hotel referred us to a doctor who was not in the office, but his receptionist then sent us to someone who saw June after an hour wait and efficiently managed the problem. 

This evening was totally delightful, playing string quartets with some competent and fun people for an hour and a half and then enjoying a delicious and jovial time eating dinner together. Google made navigating transportation to and from their suburban home easy. 

Helmut, me, Ursula, and Ludmilla.

By the way they have in their front yard a post that was once part of the Berlin Wall, so their entire neighbourhood has been rebuilt in what was previously the so-called "death zone"  between the walls. 

Post from "the Wall." 

Settled in Berlin

We are staying in a lovely neighborhood in Berlin, quiet with beautiful trees and flowers. 

This famous brewery was the last refuge of the Wehrmacht as Berlin fell to the Allies.  Maybe the beer offered them some solace.

Supposedly there was a riot of Berliners when there was a threatened closure of the  wurst stand that made this famous curry wurst, but we were disappointed that the nice sausage was mostly covered with ketchup with a little curry powder sprinkled on top.

You can see a photograph near a remnant of the Berlin Wall of people surging through the opening on the 11th of November 1989 as well as remnants of the existing wall.  

Departure

Due to my habitual anxiety about early departure at airports and our forgetfulness that the beginning of our flight is not international, we are here two hours early, by ourselves, at Gate 1 of Honolulu International Airport, with no other passenger in sight.  Maybe I can now destress.