Aperture: Scotts Germany-Czech Blog

This morning we left Berlin, Germany and landed in Amsterdam, Holland. We are heading home this afternoon and will be back in U.S. tonight.

Czech Republic was a blast! We celebrated new years in Prague then left early on New Years day. We traveled north and crossed over the northern track we were following earlier in the week. We dropped off the main roads and followed the Labe river into Děčín and then into Germany. The Labe river channels through a beautiful region in Czech Republic known as Labské pískovce. This region is made up of mountains and huge sandstone rocks / cliffs. The last time I was in Czech Republic I was on a train and the tracks followed the Labe out of Germany and into Czech Republic. There was a town that I was able to see across the river that was stunning and I wanted to find it so we could explore. Well we found it right on the border. The town is called Hřensko. Hřensko is located between to huge cliffs that form a ravine in the mountain. We hiked through Hřensko and into the national park beyond. I was very excited to find this small town.

We crossed into Germany and followed back roads up to Dresden where we got back on the Autobahn and drove to Berlin. New Years day brought snow to the region we were in and it made for a beautiful New Years drive through eastern Germany. We arrived in Berlin late in the afternoon. We dropped off the car, purchased metro cards and took the train to the place we were staying. We stayed in a new Hotel / Hostel that is across the street from the remaining section of the Berlin Wall called The East Side Gallery. Friday Jess and I strolled around Berlin. It was still snowing in the morning and the city was covered in a nice blanket of snow. Late in the morning the clouds cleared and the sun came out. We visited the Altes Museum and saw the Egyptian exhibit. We walked around the Holocaust Monument, Potsdammer Platz and the Reichstag. Later we found and Indian place for dinner on the east side of Berlin and drank *not-so-cheap beer.

This morning we left Berlin at 6:00am and landed in Amsterdam at 7:00am. We took the train into the downtown district and had Belgium waffles for breakfast. These were the best damn Belgium waffles Jess and I have ever had! After we ate breakfast we strolled around the Red Light district and were still surprised considering we were expecting the crazy. We remained in Amsterdam till 11:00am and left for the airport and our trip home.

We will arrive back in the U.S. tonight and back in R.I. tomorrow. When we get home I will go through my pics and videos and put together some highlights of our trip with a final blog entry.

Pictures:

Prague TV Tower.
Děčín
Downtown Děčín
Czech Village on Banks of the Labe River
Hřensko
Hřensko
Snowy Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin
Snowy Brandenburg Gate
Jess at Berlin Wall
Amsterdam, Holland
Amsterdam Red Light District
Amsterdam, Holland

-Scott

2009.01.03