I loved Dresden. I arrived on a gloomy rainy day, got lost and then finally found the best Hostel in the world, literally. When I arrived the first thing I thought was "oh....fucking great....hippies."
I suspiciously eyed the receptionist's dreads as she explained to me that I was to go into the door with the white rabbit on it. It took every muscle in my body to stop my eyes from rolling a huge rainbow of hippie love, I smiled politely said danke and hauled my baggage up two flights of stairs. Looking for the white rabbit, (which was just a sticker) I entered a place where Hostels go to die.
Satisfied with my sleeping quarters and bed head, I walked on down to the Altestadt (old city). Dresden was drastically bombed on February 13th, 1945, nearly the entire city was destroyed. The amazing thing is that some of the old city was restored, there are just a few beautiful buildings all blackened from age. Honorable mention goes to a 100 metre long ceramic wall mural showing all the kings of Saxony over 600 years, ending in the 1800's. I stayed in that evening speaking with a nice Australian couple whilst drinking the local brew. (I sound like an alcoholic)
The next day was probably the best day that I have had on this trip of course excluding all the times I was with my amazing friends and family. I walked the Neustadt (new city) marveling at the graffiti and art everywhere, went home just before the thunder storm hit, had a nap, showered, went downstairs for a free dinner made by Andre, the Hostel manager, and then went not on a "pub crawl", but a "bar tour". Dinner was absolutely delicious, Andre made pasta and this mustard carrot pasta sauce, and a spinach sunflower seed medley of delight decked in Army pants and a belly top, [German Hippies are the worst (I of course am being sarcastic, Andre was lovely)] it was entirely free and he cooks twice a week for his guests! The tour, was hilarious, we basically walked all over the Neustadt and saw some of the famous works of art on the buildings, and then he took us to the outsides of bars, told us how cool they were inside and then we went on to the next one... We did get a few drinks and end up at a couple of bars so it wasn't that ridiculous but I did laugh quite a bit.
I am proud to say that I was fortunate enough, again to make some friends so on my last night I went out to some of the recommended bars and hot spots with two Italians, one German and an American. The Italians first made us a dinner, pasta with eggplant, peppers and tomatoes tossed in olive oil and then we headed out to Lebowski, a bar where they serve White Russians and screen The Big Lebowski in German and English from 7:00PM til 5:00AM every day. Then we climbed the tower of the Martin Luther church and got a stunning view of the city, all I can say is thank god we were only tipsy and not yet drunk, the stairs were narrow, I had not yet encountered such a small winding staircase, and at night after a couple.... Then we went to a Communist bar where I had home brew Hemp Beer. A few more pubs, a few more buddies, then stumbling home on the worlds most uneven cobblestones, Doner in hand.
Luckily this time I did not miss breakfast. The strange thing about my Dresden breakfasts; day one, four buns, day two, three buns, day three, two buns...
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