Elegant Elba

Sunday, 26 May & Monday, 27 May 2019

Of course we reset the hotel this morning. We woke up ahead of the alarm and striped the bed to begin washing the sheets. Then we took our showers and exchanged those towels to wash and dry.

We had some of the mini cinnamon rolls Liz had found at the Grocery Outlet. They were tasty if also a little tough but they were welcome and made the coffee that much better.

Liz was apprehensive driving on I-5 but she did very well and her confidence is building. I did agree that when we get back from Prague I will drive the freeway and back to the house. She does not need to agonize about that drive while we are on vacation.

We arrived at the Lufthansa desk about fifteen minutes before they opened. Since we had checked in on line we processed quickly through the baggage drop off procedures. We did ask if we could upgrade to Economy Plus but they didn't have that category with seats together so we didn't take them.

After we boarded the aircraft the plane was being towed out to the runway and we heard and feld a loud snap. The tow-bar cracked and we had to wait until they could locate another rig. That took about fifteen minutes and then we were off. Our luck held because when we landed in Frankfurt we did not get assigned to a ramp but were to b e picked up by buses and shuttled to the terminal. Someone forgot to order buses for out aircraft so we had to wait about 20 minutes for coaches to reach us before they would offload the aircraft.

Then, when we landed in Berlin we were assigned to a gate but there were no agents or bag handlers available to receive the plane. That was three for three for Lufthansa. It seemed a bit unprofessional in our minds today but we were met by Viking and all was well.

Simon James, our Program Director, met us at the Sheraton Berlin Grand Hotel Esplanade and boarded the bus to brief us. “I am British but I also speak American so we will easily understand each other.” He spoke of our events for the next three days. He had our keys and quickly sent us on to our rooms to catch our breaths.

This cruise will be our seventieth cruise or land tour and we are very familiar with the title of cruise director. This also is our seventh cruise on Viking so we have experienced several systems with them. On our China and Ukraine cruises we had tour guides who remained with us on board the ship and for all excursions. We have also had Viking representatives at the hotel for both pre and post cruises who would then host excursions and then hand us off to the ship staff or airport assistants to continue our journey.

This operation was new to us. Simon would be our program director for the duration of this entire trip. He would supervise our Berlin hotel stay and excursions for two days and remain with us as we toured Potsdam on the way to meeting Viking Astrild. Once onboard the ship he took on the duties of a “traditional” cruise director, hosting all onboard activities. He briefed us concerning the

397 next day activities and established the excursions and assigned coaches.

Once we would finish the final sailing, Simon would coordinate our last two days in Prague and insure transfer to our city excursions. Then he would meet us at 3:15 am on our last morning and insure we had an agent to assist our transfer through the airport.

Since the actual time on the Elbe was half the time that Simon would be with our tour group, I realized that Simon operated opposite another program director who would perform the same duties on the Viking Astrild while it sails back to Potsdam. There must be two more program directors performing the same mission on the Viking Beyla, the Elbe sister ship of our vessel.

But for today our group could choose to join a walking tour of the area at four o'clock. We went to our room but as soon as our luggage was delivered to our room but we went out early to explore the vicinity and to find a currency exchange.

In the lobby we met one of Simon's assistants, Luther, who is a local resident. We spoke of riding the US Army Berlin Duty Train several times in the 1980s and he inquired a bit about that operation. He gave us some directions of the local neighborhood and we set out for a walk.

We were not far from a favorite department store of our past, the KeDeWe (Kaufhaus des

398 Westerns). Similar to Bloomingdale, Macy's, or Herrods of London, we better realized where were in the city. We did not stop to reminisce but continued walking the area. Eventually we returned to the hotel shortly before Luther was to conduct his walking tour of the area. We converted some dollars to Euros at the hotel and joined his excursion.

As we left the hotel we crossed the Landwehrkanal, a 10 kilometer long canal parallel to the River Spree. It connects the upper part of the Spree at the Osthafen (Eastern Harbour) in Friedrichshain with its lower part in Charlottenburg, flowing through Kreuzberg and Tiergarten. As we walked Luther spoke of the division of Berlin and the establishment of the American, British, French, and Russian sectors of the city after World War II. Most people know of this history but they are not aware that so much of East Germany surrounded the divided city of Berlin. The US Army duty train went 110 miles through Communist East Germany in the dark of night.

We continued down embassy row past those representing Estonia, India, Italy, Japan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates before reaching the Tiergarten.

“The central district of Tiergarten is known for its huge park, home to the Berlin zoo, the Victory Column with its winged statue and the lively, lakeside Café am Neuen See. To the south, galleries and designer shops around Potsdamer Strasse attract art lovers and in-the-know visitors. Bordering Potsdamer Platz, the Kulturforum includes several State Museums and the Berliner Philharmonie concert hall. The park is 520 acres in size and is among the largest urban gardens of Germany.”

We did start the walk but left the tour to go back to the hotel and the Gastatts Ambrosius. We were hungry and still tired so planned to have an early evening. The restaurant filled our hopes as a familiar, small Gasthaus we learned to love when we were first stationed in Germany in 1971. They had a Müller-Thurgau and a Silvaner so we ordered a glass of each. Our second glasses showed our preference as they were both Müller-Thurgau.

I selected What Germans eat on Sundays: rolled beef with red cabbage and boiled potatoes. Liz ordered Wiener Schnitel from calf with French fries and salad. The red cabbage was odd tasting and dense. My feeling was that the menu was too ambitious for a small place and there was a lot of microwave cooking taking place here. The rest of our dinner was satisfying and met our search for a typical, German small restaurant. We were back in Germany after all.

On the way back from the restaurant we stopped at a market and bought a couple bottles of Müller- Thurgau for our room for the next two days. We would not and did not last long when we got back to the hotel. We were very travel tired.

399 Tuesday, 28 May 2019

Berlin is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3,748,148 (2018) inhabitants make it the second most populous city proper of the European Union after London. The city is one of Germany's 16 federal states. It is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg, and contiguous with its capital, Potsdam.

First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes, Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417–1701), the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933), and the Third Reich (1933–1945).[7] Berlin in the 1920s was the third largest municipality in the world.[8] After World War II and its subsequent occupation by the victorious countries, the city was divided; West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989) and East German territory. East Berlin was declared capital of East Germany, while Bonn became the West German capital. Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin once again became the capital of all of Germany.

All four Allies shared administrative responsibilities for Berlin. However, in 1948, when the Western Allies extended the currency reform in the Western zones of Germany to the three western sectors of Berlin, the Soviet Union imposed a blockade on the access routes to and from West Berlin, which lay entirely inside Soviet-controlled territory. The Berlin airlift, conducted by the three western Allies, overcame this blockade by supplying food and other supplies to the city from June 1948 to May 1949.[50] In 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in West Germany and eventually included all of the American, British and French zones, excluding those three countries' zones in Berlin, while the Marxist-Leninist German Democratic Republic was proclaimed in East Germany. West Berlin officially remained an occupied city, but it politically was aligned with the Federal Republic of Germany despite West Berlin's geographic isolation. Airline service to West Berlin was granted only to American, British and French airlines.

In 1961, East Germany began to build the Berlin Wall around West Berlin, and events escalated to a tank standoff at Checkpoint Charlie. West Berlin was now de facto a part of West Germany with a unique legal status, while East Berlin was de facto a part of East Germany. John F. Kennedy gave his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech in 1963, underlining the US support for the Western part of the city. Berlin was completely divided. Although it was possible for Westerners to pass to the other side through strictly controlled checkpoints, for most Easterners travel to West Berlin or West Germany was prohibited by the government of East Germany. In 1971, a Four-Power agreement guaranteed access to and from West Berlin by car or train through East Germany.

In 1989, with the end of the Cold War and pressure from the East German population, the Berlin Wall fell on 9 November and was subsequently mostly demolished. Today, the East Side Gallery preserves a large portion of the wall. On 3 October 1990, the two parts of Germany were reunified as the Federal Republic of Germany and Berlin again became the official German capital. In 1991, the German Parliament, the Bundestag, voted to move the seat of the German capital from Bonn to Berlin, which was completed in 1999. On 18 June 1994, soldiers from the United States, France and Britain marched in a parade which was part of the ceremonies to mark the final withdrawal of foreign troops allowing a reunified Berlin.

Irene was our guide and Stephen our driver for our morning tour: Panoramic Berlin Tour. We started promptly at nine o'clock and as we pulled away from the hotel Irene informed us she was born in East Berlin and well remembers what it was like to live in the Russian sector. She described how Berliners were able to meet and communicate with family and even move between sectors

400 (American, English, French, and Russian) until 1961 when the Berlin wall was installed.

This truly divided the city and it took several years and specific, if arbitrary reasons, to be authorized to visit relatives. Even telephone communication was difficult and time consuming because most people in the East sector did not have telephones but had to make phone calls from the post office. The most reliable communication was by letter and even that might take weeks to move just a few blocks in the city.

We drove through Spandau first. "Spandau is the westernmost of the twelve boroughs (Bezirke) of Berlin, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and extending along the western bank of Havel. It is the smallest borough by population, but the fourth largest by land area. The sprawling Spandau borough is known for its parks and waterways, plus the charming Spandau old town, with half-timbered houses and lively cafes. Spandau Citadel is a 16th-century fortress that hosts open-air concerts, is home to a history museum, and has a bat colony in its cellar. South along the Havel River in Kladow is the Military History Museum, with a vast collection that includes WWI and WWII airplanes."

Irene didn't offer any information of Spandau Prison, built in 1876, which held Nazi war criminals after World War II until 1987, when it was demolished after the death of the last surviving prisoner, Rudolf Hess.

As we crossed the Spree Irene pointed out Museum Island, which Liz and I first visited in 1986 when it was in the east sector. It is famous for The Pergamon Museum, constructed in 1930. It contains multiple reconstructed immense and historically significant buildings such as the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. The Pergamon Altar is currently under restoration.

Other museums on the island are the Altes Museum (Old Museum), the Neues Museum (New Museum), and the Bode Museum (Antique and Byzantine art). In 1999, the museum complex was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Irene was pointing out that if we could, we should come back to visit the island. I agree, our favorite was the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, but we won't have time later this afternoon and the island really deserves multiple visits to see properly.

As our coach continued I recognized that we were about to turn into Friedrichstraße because I recognized the Wall Museum - Checkpoint Charlie. We were early and the coach was able to park 50 meters in front of a slightly smaller replica of the original Checkpoint Charlie. The

401 original has been moved to a museum. None of the rest of the checkpoint was recognizable.

Of course, after 30 years the concertina wire, barriers and vehicle serpentine are no longer present, But this is my memory of the east sector when we visited the area several time in the 1980s. Now the straße is wide, open and a through street. In my mind's eye I can see us drive through the checkpoint under the watchful eyes of Russian guards and proceeding the two kilometers toward a open Alexander Platz and later, the Soviet War Memorial Military Cemetery in Berlin's Treptower Park.

Irene related a story of her life in Berlin. After Berlin was occupied by the four powers its citizens could move through each sector, work anywhere in the city, and live where they wished. Your papers were your pass Throughout Berlin. They could visit family anywhere in the city. Once the city was divided in 1961, one might need permission from a local official and that might be given or withheld in an arbitrary fashion.

Such was the case when her aunt died in the American sector. She wished to attend the funeral but could not get permission to do so. She went to a flower shop and bought an arrangement for the grave. She appealed to an American lieutenant and he drove her to the cemetery. She remained in the jeep while he went to the graveside and placed the flowers for her. She could not get out of the vehicle.

Back to today, we proceeded to The East Side Gallery, an open- air gallery in Berlin. It consists of a series of murals painted directly on a 1,316 m long remnant of the Berlin Wall, located near the center of Berlin and has official status as a Denkmal, or heritage- protected landmark.

Irene pointed out that this section, "Conserved graffiti project by 118 artists covering part of the Berlin Wall and celebrating its fall in 1989.” There were too many people taking selfies of the famous mural My God, Help Me To Survive This Deadly Love by Dmitri Vrubel, which shows a kiss between Erich Honecker and Leonid Brezhnev. The old portion of the wall is now a symbol of its reunification. But I really appreciated the inlay of cobblestones indicating the route of the old wall. It gave me a better picture of how the wall split the streets and neighborhoods of old Berlin.

Our drive continued past The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It consists of a 200,000 sq ft site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or "stelae", arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The attached underground "Place of Information" holds the names of approximately 3 million Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Israeli museum Yad Vashem. It is very stark and needs

402 an explanation as you see it because it is not easily evident at first.

We continued on to review the Reichstag (parliament), German Chancellery (office of the chancellor), and the Haupt Bahnhof (Berlin Central Station) on the way to our last photo stop of the morning. That would be the Brandenberg Gate.

The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin, built on the orders of Prussian king Frederick William II after the (temporarily) successful restoration of order during the early Batavian Revolution. One of the best-known landmarks of Germany, it was built on the site of a former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin to the town of Brandenburg an der Havel, which used to be capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg.

It is located in the western part of the city center of Berlin within Mitte, at the junction of Unter den Linden and Ebertstraße, immediately west of the Pariser Platz. One block to the north stands the Reichstag building, which houses the German parliament (Bundestag). The gate is the monumental entry to Unter den Linden, the renowned boulevard of linden trees, which led directly to the royal City Palace of the Prussian monarchs.

Throughout its existence, the Brandenburg Gate was often a site for major historical events and is today considered not only as a symbol of the tumultuous history of Europe and Germany, but also of European unity and peace.

We finished our panoramic tour of Berlin at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. "The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is a Protestant church affiliated with the Evangelical Church in Berlin. The construction of the church was part of a Protestant church-building program

403 initiated by Kaiser Wilhelm II and his consort Augusta Victoria to counter the German labor movement and socialist movement by a return to traditional religious values. Wilhelm II decided to name the church in honor of his grandfather Kaiser Wilhelm I. The foundation stone was laid on 22 March 1891, which was Wilhelm I's birthday.

In World War II, on the night of 23 November 1943, the church was extensively damaged in an air raid. It was proposed to tear down the old spire but there was a public outcry to preserve the tower. Because of the distinctive appearance of the new buildings, it is sometimes nicknamed "Lippenstift und Puderdose" (the lipstick and the compact) by Berliners.

The last time we were in Berlin was shortly before I retired... 30 years ago. We couldn't believe how much change the city has had since the Berlin wall has been removed. What was the former East Berlin is unrecognizable. Irene said that at one time there were over 100 construction cranes building the “new” city.

Back at our hotel we rested for a half hour before our scheduled afternoon tour, A Taste of Berlin. we were to be joined by four other travelers but they did not arrive at the appointed hour of two o'clock. Simon called our guide and and when she arrived he introduced us to Uta, another native- born Berliner who grew up in the Russian sector of the city.

Uta was our personal guide for the afternoon and we took advantage of the opportunity to learn of her life in east Germany. As we walked to the bus stop she reinforced some of the comments of Irene, our guide for the morning. She spoke of how her family was mostly comfortable, safe and secure in the east. They felt they were well fed, received a great education, and lived as their neighbors did. I was reminded of the phrase, “we were poor but didn't know it. We were loved and with family. And lived like everyone else we knew.”

Uta said that when harvest time came about all the school children would help out with the work for no pay. They were disciplined and that was what was expected of them. If she picked ten baskets of strawberries she would be given some to take home to her family to share. That was always a proud moment.

The economy was centrally planned and increasingly state-owned. Prices of housing, basic goods and services were set by central government planners rather than rising and falling through supply and demand; and were heavily subsidized. Although the GDR had to pay substantial war reparations to the Soviets, it became the most successful economy in the Eastern Bloc.

Education was paramount and she was a good student. That meant that she was advanced through her studies to reach her potential. She was very happy with her life and never anticipated any other life but through the Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR (German Democratic Republic). That is, until the DDR collapsed. Then she was exposed to other realities.

As she sees it, she is well disciplined, educated, and a hard worker. Now she sees the younger generation, to include her own children, as less ambitious and less inclined to work as a group for their neighborhood or their city. She is not necessarily disappointed in her children but feels they do not realize what the older generation had to do to earn their way in the world. I am not sure how accurate my understanding of her comments are but I am reminded of my own thoughts that the

404 younger generation does not understand what is necessary to succeed. Is this just every generation's thinking that the younger generation “has life too easy.” Is this just human nature to think this way?

Uta had us get off the bus at Hackescher Markt as she told us of the shopping found in this area. We first went to Curry 61, a small chain of sidewalk restaurants which feature currywurst. “This is much like you think of hamburger in your country. It is our most popular street food.” Having had wurst the German way we easily adjusted to a currywurst eaten separately with brotchen instead of in a “hot dog” roll. And we could deal eating the specialty with our fingers along a side of pomme frites. The curry sauce prompted the need for several napkins and there were wooden picks to eat the wurst if it was sliced. They were delicious along with a bottle of Berliner Pilsner.

Walking further into the vicinity of the S Bahn station we came to what had been a neglected area but now Hackescher Markt, with its old buildings, has developed into a cultural and commercial center after German reunification, famous for its nightlife centered on the Hackesche Höfe courtyard.

Formerly a rather neglected area, Hackescher Markt with its old buildings has developed into a cultural and commercial centre after German reunification, famous for its nightlife centered on the Hackesche Höfe courtyard ensemble.

Uta then directed us toward Sawade, known for fine pralines, truffles, and chocolate specialties from Berlin since 1880. It was a nice introduction to the shops. We quickly learned not to admire anything too much as Uta would

405 immediately purchase the wishful thinking for us. We needed to be careful, and if necessary, insist on our own purchases. Tastes and samples would be appropriate but we didn't need her to supply the rest of our family.

Next we stepped into Eat Berlin, a small shop which offers sweet, sour, savory, and "high proof" products. We tasted sauces and flavored oils and curry, all made locally. The proprietress spoke an American English too well not to be an American and we exchanged travel experiences. I mentioned our travel journal and she asked if it was on the internet. I told her that it was and that it covered our travels over 35 years. I gave her one of our cards with instructions to link to our website.

We also continued speaking with Uta about her growing up in Berlin. She again reinforced her view that they were happy and felt they were doing well under the DDR system. She never believed there could be any other political system in her lifetime... until suddenly the wall came down. She is proud of the reunification of her country and well aware that life's opportunities are not yet fully equal between the former “west and east” Germany but the reunification was both right and necessary. And she is glad it took place in her lifetime.

Continuing our epicurean tour of Berlin, Uta led us to Lindner Esskultur. Where "Enjoyment is a homage to life. It's about a taste experience and the fine way to live pleasure. That is why we have created a world in which high standards of quality, taste and creativity can be perceived with all senses.

Regional and international products, seasonal focal points, theme collections and trends make a visit to our delicatessen all the year round a culinary journey of discovery."

We took seats in the delicatessen and Liz selected a tiramisu cheesecake and käse sahne torte to enjoy with good, strong, German coffee. We stepped back in time to our first tour in Germany, a trip that took us back almost 47 years. Nothing is better than conversation, a better understanding of how living here had been, and great memories. Uta was the perfect guide for the journey.

It was time to return to the hotel. Uta was on tap to conduct a brewery tour and dinner in another hour. We had opted for the smaller, afternoon food tour and were well pleased. We did not wish to continue on to another food tour but remained in our room to pack and get ready to meet our ship tomorrow.

Wednesday, 29 May 2019

We left the hotel and boarded our coaches early. Sanssouci Palace & Potsdam Walk was a seven hour excursion which would ultimately lead us to the Viking Astrild to begin our cruise of the Elbe. Luther was our guide for the day and he began describing the proximity of Potsdam to Berlin, historically, economically, and culturally.

Potsdam is the capital and largest city of the German federal state of Brandenburg. It directly borders the German capital, Berlin, and is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel 24 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Berlin's city center.

406 Potsdam was a residence of the Prussian kings and the German Kaiser until 1918. Its planning embodied ideas of the Age of Enlightenment: through a careful balance of architecture and landscape, Potsdam was intended as "a picturesque, pastoral dream" which would remind its residents of their relationship with nature and reason.

Around the city there are a series of interconnected lakes and cultural landmarks, in particular the parks and palaces of Sanssouci, the largest World Heritage Site in Germany. The Potsdam Conference in 1945 was held at the palace Cecilienhof.

Babelsberg, in the south-eastern part of Potsdam, was a major film production studio before the 1930s and has enjoyed success as a major center of European film production since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Filmstudio Babelsberg is the oldest large-scale film studio in the world.

We were fascinated with the drive through luxurious parks and along estate lined boulevards that spoke of the grandeur of Prussian kings. We also saw buildings which had been Russian occupied or housed the administration of the Deutsche Demokratische Republik.

The German Democratic Republic was established in the Soviet zone, while the Federal Republic was established in the three western zones. East Germany was a satellite state of the Soviet Union. Soviet occupation authorities began transferring administrative responsibility to German communist leaders in 1948, and the GDR began to function as a state on 7 October 1949. However, Soviet forces remained in the country throughout the Cold War. Until 1989, the GDR was governed by the Socialist Unity Party (SED), though other parties nominally participated in its alliance organization, the National Front of Democratic Germany. The SED made the teaching of Marxism–Leninism and the Russian language compulsory in schools.

The economy was centrally planned and increasingly state-owned. Prices of housing, basic goods and services were set by central government planners rather than rising and falling through supply and demand; and were heavily subsidized. Although the GDR had to pay substantial war reparations to the Soviets, it became the most successful economy in the Eastern Bloc. Emigration to the West was a significant problem – as many of the emigrants were well-educated young people, it further weakened the state economically. The government fortified its western borders and, in 1961, built the Berlin Wall.

Of course, none of this was accessible to us when we were stationed in Germany. It was noted and remained in

407 my mind. All of my ancestors immigrated in 1841 and were listed as Prussian in my genealogy files however none of them were from the traditional Brandenburg-Prussia. They were all from western Germany.

As we cleared the old section between what had been West Berlin and East Germany we dismounted from the coach to walk across the Glienicke Bridge across the Havel River in Germany, connecting the Wannsee district of Berlin with the Brandenburg capital Potsdam. It is named after nearby Glienicke Palace. The current bridge, the fourth on the site, was completed in 1907, although major reconstruction was necessary after it was damaged during World War II.

During the Cold War, as this portion of the Havel River formed the border between West Berlin and East Germany, the bridge was used several times for the exchange of captured spies and thus became known as the Bridge of Spies. After we reached the other side we re-boarded our coach to continue to the palace.

We arrived at Sanssouci Palace as the staff was ready to welcome us and before they were open to the public. Our guides informed us that Sanssouci was the summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. “It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it too is notable for the numerous temples and follies in the park.

It was built between 1745 and 1747 to fulfill King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court. The palace's name emphasises this; it is a French phrase (sans souci), which translates as "without concerns", meaning "without worries" or "carefree".

Sanssouci is little more than a large, single-story villa—more like the Château de Marly than Versailles. Containing just ten principal rooms, it was built on the brow of a terraced hill at the center of the park. The influence of King Frederick's personal taste in the design and decoration of the palace was so great that its style is characterised as "Frederician Rococo", and his feelings for the palace were so strong that he conceived it as "a place that would die with him".

408 During the 19th century, the palace became a residence of Frederick William IV. The town of Potsdam, with its palaces, was a favorite place of residence for the German imperial family until the fall of the Hohenzollern dynasty in 1918.

After World War II, the palace became a tourist attraction in East Germany. Following German reunification in 1990, Frederick's body was returned to the palace and buried in a new tomb overlooking the gardens he had created. People lay potatoes and turnips daily on his headstone out of respect of the fact that he introduced them to Germany. Sanssouci and its extensive gardens became a World Heritage Site in 1990 under the protection of UNESCO.

After leaving Sansoucci we drove to Cecilienhof, “built from 1914 to 1917 in the layout of an English Tudor manor house. Cecilienhof was the last palace built by the House of Hohenzollern that ruled the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire until the end of World War I.” This had been the home of Crown Prince Wilhelm, and the site of the Potsdam Conference.

Held near Berlin, the Potsdam Conference (July 17-August 2, 1945) was the last of the World War II meetings held by the “Big Three” heads of state. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (replaced on July 26 by Prime Minister Clement Attlee), and U.S. President Harry Truman—met in Potsdam, Germany, from July 17 to August 2, 1945, to negotiate terms for the end of World War II. The leaders arrived at various agreements on the German economy, punishment for war criminals, land boundaries and reparations. We walked the grounds of the estate for an hour before continuing to Potsdam.

409 We had time to walk the pedestrian zone on our own and had time to have lunch on our own, we looked through several blocks to find a simple gasthaus. Then we shared Schnitzel Wiener Art: Schweineschnitzel paniert, knusprig gebacken, mit Zitonenscheibe, wahlweise mit Pom Fritz oder gemischtem Salat (Wiener Schnitzel: Pork schnitzel breaded, crispy baked, with lemon slice, with either Pom Fritz or mixed salad) and Champignon-Rahm-Schnitzel: Schweineschnitzel paniert mit Champignon-Rahm-Sauce, wahlweise mit Pom Fritz oder gemischtem Salat (Mushroom cream schnitzel: pork schnitzel breaded with mushroom cream sauce, either with Pom Fritz or mixed salad).

Our coaches then lined up for the 90 kilometer convoy to Lutherstadt – Wittenburg. We reached the Viking Astrild (Astrild (Love-fire) is a relatively late Nordic name for Amor or Cupid. Astrild does not appear in Norse mythology.) around 15:30. Captain Martin Bousa met us at the gangway to welcome us aboard. Craig Bennet (Wales), the Hotel Manager, was at the service desk and processed our arrival and then handed off our keys to our room steward (Ella) to lead us to our room.

After Ella explained the controls and fixtures of the stateroom she went back to the desk to assist other new guests. For this operation it is all hands on deck. Everyone of the staff, from the captain to the deck hands, offloads luggage to be taken to the rooms. Once we secured our backpacks we went to the lounge to check out the ship. We signed up for the silver beverage package and relaxed... and stayed out of the way. There was a Welcome Buffet of freshly prepared sandwiches and salads in the lounge but we had a filling lunch before we left Potsdam so we just mingled and met other passengers. We had joined Ken and Kay, Scots who now live in Toronto, back in Berlin at the hotel and we continued getting acquainted with them. After an hour we went back to our room and began unpacking the suitcases Ella had now brought to the room.

A few minutes after six o'clock Simon introduced the captain for a welcome toast. Captain Bousa then introduced his staff. We had seen all of them working to help us to our rooms but now we formally met them. These included Craig Bennett (Hotel Director), Diana Bilikova (Housekeeper), Vladimer Camer (Maître D'), and Patrick Marsel (Executive Chef [from Dresden]). Drinks were served and toasts were raised.

This was followed by the daily briefing, a brief talk about the ship and what one may look forward to the next day. Once Simon finished that portion he turned over the microphone to Chef Patrick who described the main portion of the evening's menu along with beverage suggestions for the

410 evening. Then everyone proceeded to the dining room for dinner. After which we were invited to return to the lounge for an after-dinner drink with music featuring our onboard musician, George.

Thursday, 30 May 2019

Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Wittenberg is situated on the River Elbe, 37 mi north of Leipzig and 56 mi south-west of Berlin, and has a population of 48,501 (2008).

Wittenberg is famous for its close connection with Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, for which it received the honorific Lutherstadt. Several of Wittenberg's buildings associated with the events, including a preserved part of the Augustinian monastery in which Luther lived, first as a monk and later as owner with his wife Katharina von Bora and family, considered to be the world's premier museum dedicated to Luther. Wittenberg was also the seat of the Elector of Saxony, a dignity held by the dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg, making it one of the most powerful cities in the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1502 Elector Frederick founded the University of Wittenberg, which attracted some important thinkers, such as Martin Luther—a professor of theology beginning in 1508—and Philipp Melanchthon—a professor of Greek starting in 1518.

On 31 October 1517, according to legend, Luther nailed his 95 theses against the selling of

411 indulgences at the door of the All Saints', the Castle Church – an event taken as marking the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. The Anabaptist movement had one of its earliest homes in Wittenberg, when the Zwickau prophets moved there in late 1521, only to be suppressed by Luther when he returned from the Wartburg in spring 1522. The Capitulation of Wittenberg (1547) is the name given to the treaty by which John Frederick the Magnanimous was compelled to resign the electoral dignity and most of his territory to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin.

Known as the "Birthplace of the Reformation", Martin Luther played the most important roles of his life in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, from monk, student, professor, and priest to husband, father, author, and reformer. Legend has it that Luther nailed his 95 Theses to Wittenberg's Castle Church door, an act that would go down in history as the beginning of the Reformation. While the original wooden door no longer stands, a massive bronze memorial door marks the spot that changed the course of history.

Today, Wittenberg is an industrial center and popular tourist destination, best known for its intact historic center and various memorial sites dedicated to Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon added to the UNESCO world heritage list in 1996.

Khristina was our guide for the Wittenberg Walking Tour. As we drove the short distance to the Castle Church we observed a huge stork nest about a block from the river. Most of the passengers had never seen a stork nest nor did they know Germany was on the migration route of these birds. Kristina briefed us about our plan for the tour.

The coach stopped at All Saints' Church, (Schlosskirche) sometimes known as the Reformation Memorial Church, is a Lutheran church and is the site where, according to Philip Melanchthon, the Ninety-five Theses were posted by Martin Luther in 1517. There were preparations ongoing for an Ascension Day service in the inner courtyard so we did not go inside the church.

“The main portal was often used by the university staff to pin up messages and notices; it is generally believed that on 31 October 1517, the eve of All Saints' Day, Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the doors of All Saints' Church. This act, meant to promote a disputation on the sale of indulgences, is commonly viewed to be a catalyst for the Protestant Reformation. Whether

412 the event actually took place or not, however, cannot be conclusively established. Nevertheless, Luther sent his objections in a letter to Archbishop Albert of Mainz on the same day.”

The original wooden doors were burned and destroyed in 1760 during Europe’s Seven Years’ War (1754-1763). In 1858 King Frederick William IV ordered commemorative bronze doors to be mounted onto the jambs where the original wooden ones had been located. These 2,200 pound doors now contain the original theses in their original Latin form.

Many of the shops were closed and men gathered in bicycle groups to ride through the town center. Ascension Day in Germany is also Father’s Day, or Men’s Day as it’s called in some places, and the traditional way that Germans like to honor Dad is with lots of beer. Since it was too early to drink beer Liz and I found Wittenberger Kartoffelhaus and had coffee and kuchen.

A statue of Martin Luther looks over Wittenberg’s main Market Square. 2017 marked the 500th anniversary of Luther’s public plea that triggered the Protestant Reformation. We discovered Kimstädt, Inhaber Sven Blümner around the corner from our café and went to check out possible souvenirs. There were a lot of Martin Luther themed t-shirts, dolls, notebooks, tote bags, and even related honey liquors. But the interesting thing we found were a pair of Luther ducks!

“Rubber ducks following the outer appearance of Martin Luther and his wife Katharina von Bora are on offer outside a shop in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, eastern Germany, on May 18, 2017 [and still today] ahead of church day. This year's Church Day comes as Germany commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, a seismic theological shift started by Martin Luther who criticized the indulgences of the Catholic Church and challenged the authority of the Pope and place of the saints.”

413 Our group reassembled and joined Khristina to continue our walk to the home of Lucas Cranach the Elder and Lucas Cranach the Younger who were both renowned painters in medieval Germany. “The Cranach family housed Katharina von Bora after she left the nunnery; the Cranachs became close friends to the Luther family. The Cranachs would also become painters and artists for the Reformation. Cranach Senior was also an astute businessman as he purchased a variety of properties in town. Of his many holdings, two are now owned by the town”.

Our final stop would be the home of Martin Luther, now UNESCO World Heritage site and museum dedicated to the life and works of the Protestant Reformation leader.

When the University was opened in 1503, the monks of the Order of Saint Augustine were given land previously belonging to the Heiligegeisthospital (Hospital of the Holy Spirit) located near the Elster Gate. There, they began building a cloister, known as the Black Monastery because of the color of the monks' habits, which was to be a residence hall and academy for the Augustinians studying in Wittenberg. In 1507, after his ordination as a priest, Martin Luther was sent by Johann von Staupitz to continue his study, and he took up residence in a cell in the southwest corner of the new monastery. By 1512, he had graduated as a Doctor of Theology and was part of the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg, having the official position of Doctor of Bible. He began developing and preaching the basic tenets of the Protestant Reformation and published his 95 Theses while teaching here.

Luther lived with the Augustinians in the Black Monastery until 1521, when he was forced to hide at Wartburg Castle [Eisenach] due to political tensions surrounding the Protestant Reformation. As the Peasants' War gained strength, parts of the Wittenberg University, including the monastery, were abandoned. In 1524, after Luther had returned to Wittenberg, the Electorate of Saxony gave the empty residence halls of the Black Monastery to the Luther family, where he lived until his death in 1546. It was here that, beginning in 1531, Martin Luther held his influential Table Talks with his students. Luther taught and wrote throughout his time there, including many revisions of his translation of the Bible. He also expanded and added to the Lutherhaus, most notably building the Katharinenportal, a carved entryway that was a birthday present to his wife.

After Luther's death in Eisleben, the Lutherhaus was sold back to the university in 1564 by his heirs. Within a year, major remodeling was begun to turn the Lutherhaus into a boarding school. The imposing exterior spiral staircase was added, the refectory was given a new vaulted ceiling, and the great hall, which had been Luther's lecture hall, was redecorated and modernized. The Lutherstube, Martin Luther's living room, was left as it was, although it was frequently used to host important guests.

Following restoration, the decision was made to open a museum at the Lutherhaus

414 chronicling the Reformation and Luther's lives. The first exhibits were opened to the public in 1883, and were mainly confined to the second floor, most notably the Lutherstube. Beginning in 1911, the museum gradually expanded throughout the building. To mark the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's birth and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the museum, major expansions and renovations were carried out in 1983. In 2002, a new entrance area was completed, designed by the Berlin architecture firm Pitz and Hoh. Its very modern style was designed, in the words of the architects, to allow "function and history [to] stand visibly by each other" and was awarded the Architectural Prize of the State of Saxony-Anhalt.

The Lutherhaus is currently the world's largest museum relating to the Reformation. It contains many original objects from Luther's life, including his pulpit from the Stadtkirche, his monk's habit, several paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder, and numerous bibles, pamphlets, and manuscripts.

After an hour of touring the museum it was time to return to our coaches and our ship. We would have lunch while the captain set the course for Torgau, our next stop. While we cruised we saw many people setting up small tents along the river. People were obviously preparing to extend Father's Day through a weekend of camping and fishing.

We, on the other hand, took our places on the upper deck of the ship for our safety instructions. Yesterday, after we boarded, we received a briefing on how to wear our life vests. Today we put them on and listened to the full briefing and heard the alarm signal should we have an emergency. Liz noted specifically that the captain said that at many points, should we need to leave the ship, we could wade ashore.

After the safety briefing and later, the daily brief and dinner, those who wished could take an “evening stroll” of our port stop, Torgau, with Simon.

Torgau is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district Nordsachsen.

During the Reformation, the town council closed all cloisters in 1523. Citizens of Torgau destroyed the paintings and statues of saints in the churches and stormed the Franciscan monastery. After Luther had driven Andreas Karlstadt (Bodenstein) from Saxony in 1524, he enforced the expulsion of Karlstadt's followers in Torgau in 1529. Katharina von Bora, the wife of Martin Luther, died in Torgau and is buried there in St. Marien, Torgau.

Outside Germany, the town is best known as the place where, on April 25, 1945, U.S. and Soviet forces first met near the end of the Second World War.

415 Sights include the historic town center, restored since German reunification, a brewery museum, the monument for the meeting of the Russian and American troops on the Elbe and a Russian military cemetery. The early Renaissance Hartenfels Castle dominates the town. The chapel was built in 1544 (designed by Nickel Gromann) and combines late Gothic with early Renaissance elements. It was consecrated by Martin Luther on 5 October 1544. Brown bears are still kept in the moat.

Martin Luther declared that the buildings in Torgau were more beautiful than any from ancient times. That is still true today. With five hundred Renaissance and late-Gothic buildings, Torgau in Saxony is an architectural gem of international standing.

A highlight of this impressive architectural ensemble is Hartenfels Palace with its grand staircase. The stone spiral stairway elegantly winds its way upwards and at the top is the oldest sculpture of Luther.

The palace chapel was consecrated by the great reformer himself in 1544. However, it is not just Luther himself who is honored in Torgau. In 1552, to escape the plague, his widow, Katharina von Bora, fled with her children to Torgau, where she died a short time later. A museum in the house where she died commemorates the 'most famous clergyman's wife in the world'.

Our ad hoc group gathered at the gangway and proceed along the Elbe we came upon the Denkmal der Begegnung (Monument to the Encounter), as explained, "Elbe Day, April 25, 1945, was the date Soviet and American troops met at the River Elbe, near Torgau in Germany, marking an important step toward the end of the World War II in Europe. The first contact was made between patrols near Strehla, when First Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue crossed the River Elbe in a boat with three men of an intelligence and reconnaissance

416 platoon. On the east bank, they met forward elements of a Soviet Guards-rifle-regiment of the First Ukrainian Front under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Gardiev.

On April 26, the commanders of the 69th Infantry Division of the First Army and the 58th Guards Rifle Division of the 5th Guards Army (Soviet Union) met at Torgau, southwest of Berlin. Arrangements were made for the formal "Handshake of Torgau" between Robertson and Silvashko in front of photographers the following day (pictured). Statements were released simultaneously in London, Moscow, and Washington that evening, reaffirming the determination of the three Allied powers to complete the destruction of the Third Reich." Across the river, where the actual meeting took place, are three flag poles with German, American, and Russian flags.

We continued our walk a short distance from the monument we came upon Schloss Hartenfels (1534) and entered the courtyard. The chapel or castle church of Hartenfels Castle was built in 1543-1544 by Nikolaus Gromann. It is considered the first Protestant church construction in the world. The castle chapel was inaugurated in 1544 by Martin Luther himself.

Of particular note is the Wendelstein, a nearly 20 meter high self- supporting stone spiral staircase. “This is one of the architectural 'main achievements of the early renaissance in Germany'. The Wendelstein (parapets and pilasters) is made by Dresden sculptors from Elbe sandstone”.

We then crossed the courtyard to the castle moat. There are three doors built into the wall facing the interior. Here live three brown bears intended to guard the moat. The tradition began as early as 1425 but was discontinued after the Battle of Torgau (1760) but re-initiated in the 1950s.

We then passed by Katharina- Luther-Stube, now a museum. “Torgau was of great importance for Katharina von Bora [Luther] in two ways. This is where she began her life after escaping from the monastery. And she also died here around 30 years later.”

Katharina bore six children to Luther. She also took care of four adopted children.

Nevertheless, by 1552 the situation in Wittenberg again became dire. The yearly crops failed and there was an outbreak of the plague. Katharina escaped to the city of Torgau, where she was unfortunately involved in a deadly cart accident at the city gates. Although she held onto life for three months, she eventually died at the age of 53.

We returned to the Elbe and made our way back to the ship. It was a good, informative walk which

417 fit in well with the information we learned about Wittenberg earlier this morning. It was a worthwhile add-on.

Friday, 31 May 2019

The Astrild cast off at 03:30 this morning. The Astrild is a “baby longship” with half the passengers (95) of their standard river boat. It is a shallow draft boat built to sail the Elbe specifically, At some points the river is about as wide as a six lane highway. We have not seen any other boats except small pleasure craft and fishing boats; no barges, no cargo ships.

We wouldn't arrive in Meissen until 13:00 so we could sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. At ten o'clock we attended an Optional Excursion Briefing by Simon. He told us of optional excursion still available for sign up. We didn't plan on any additional programs but he also spoke of buying the Viking Certificate for future cruises and, as we have done in the past, we bought two for a future sailing.

Meißen (Meissen) is a town of approximately 30,000 about 16 mi northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche.

Meissen is sometimes known as the "cradle of Saxony". The city grew out of the early Slavic settlement of Misni inhabited by the Glomacze tribe and was founded as a German town by King Henry the Fowler in 929.[2] In 968, the Diocese of Meissen was founded, and Meissen became the episcopal see of a bishop. The Catholic bishopric was suppressed in 1581 after the diocese accepted the Protestant Reformation (1559), but re- created in 1921 with its seat first at Bautzen and now at the Katholische Hofkirche in Dresden.

Meissen is famous for the manufacture of porcelain, based on extensive local deposits of china clay (kaolin) and potter's clay (potter's earth). Meissen porcelain was the first high-quality porcelain to be produced outside of the Orient.

Chinese porcelain had gradually developed over centuries, and by the seventeenth century both Chinese and Japanese export porcelain were imported to Europe on a large scale by the Dutch East India Company and its equivalents in other countries. It was a very expensive product by the time it reached European customers, and represented wealth, importance and refined taste in Europe. Local attempts to produce porcelain, such as the brief experiment that produced Medici porcelain had met with failure.

Meissen porcelain or Meissen china was the first European hard-paste porcelain. It was developed starting in 1708 by Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus. After his death that October, Johann Friedrich Böttger continued von Tschirnhaus's work and brought porcelain to the market. The production of porcelain at Meissen, near Dresden, started in

418 1710 and attracted artists and artisans to establish one of the most famous porcelain manufacturers known throughout the world. Its signature logo, the crossed swords, was introduced in 1720 to protect its production; the mark of the swords is one of the oldest trademarks in existence.

Meissen remained the dominant European porcelain factory, and the leader of stylistic innovation, until somewhat overtaken by the new styles introduced by the French Sèvres factory in the 1760s, but has remained a leading factory to the present day. Among the developments pioneered by Meissen are the small porcelain figure, and the introduction of European decorative styles to replace the imitation of Asian decoration of its earliest wares.

Meissen's historical district is located mostly around the market at the foot of the castle hill. It contains many buildings of Renaissance architecture. Also imposing is the view from the 57-metre-high tower of the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), situated in the old market-place. This church, not to be confused with the Dresden Frauenkirche, was first mentioned in a 1205 deed issued by Bishop Dietrich II and after a blaze about 1450 rebuilt in the Late Gothic style of a hall church. Its tower hosts the world's first porcelain carillon, manufactured in 1929 on the occasion of the town's 1000-years- jubilee. Another popular tourist sight is the world-famous Meissen porcelain factory.

After lunch everyone boarded the coaches for the Meissen City Tour & Porcelain Manufacturing. Our coach began at the factory and we were escorted to the first of several demonstration rooms. Individual artisans demonstrated different aspects of porcelain preparation and assembly of simple and then complex pieces. They threw the pieces while a recording was played in one of multiple languages, English in our case. That way the demonstration was able to be given in any language as the artist did not need to be fluent, they didn't speak.

The first demonstrator showed how to mold porcelain with complex figures, ie, an arm, a limb, a head, and then apply that part to a larger figure. Then, once assembled to the final figure, this would be sent for its first firing. Another demonstrator show how to apply color to a figure or a dish. These colors would change once firing took place so the understanding of the colors and their result after firing is a science of itself.

419 One of the things that was evident was that porcelain manufacture is a laborious, detailed process which takes long processes to reach a finished work of art. That helped one better understand why pieces were expensive. Many man-hours are used to make even the simplest designs. That knowledge didn't soften the blow to our pocket books when we reached the Meissen store. It made us appreciative of the art though. Our purchases were modest but representative. We did want a souvenir after-all.

We also had the opportunity to go through the museum pieces. Here we saw world class works of art which are priceless. We saw the Saxonia Statue of Liberty. It is the largest freestanding porcelain sculpture in the world. It was created for the 25th year of the Germany's reunification. Its dress has 8000 handmade Meissen porcelain blossoms. We were in awe of how such figures could be pieced together and fired to make beautiful, finished items. It was an amazing tour... but most items were well out of our reach. Still, it was fun to imagine owning some of the lovely figures. We had time to shop before returning to our coach and the tour of the city.

The Albrechtsburg is a Late Gothic castle located in the town center of Meissen in the German state of Saxony. It is situated on a hill above the river Elbe, adjacent to the Meissen Cathedral. "Built in the 15th century, Meissen Albrechtsburg Castle is regarded to be Germany's oldest castle. It set trends in the course of time – and not only from an architectural view".

As we climbed the streets of the city to the castle we observed the red tile roofs of the city. Our guide pointed out one derelict building that hadn't been restored yet so we could see the extent of the restoration done on each building. These have been repaired and restored primarily after the reunification of Germany.

420 This was made obvious earlier as we came into our berth in Meissen. We saw a row of buildings beautifully restored across the river. One home in that row had yet to be repaired despite the displayed hard work of neighbors hoping to show off their work. There was an elderly woman down the hill of the frontage road. She had piled debris into a wheelbarrow and struggled to roll it uphill before a neighbor came to help her with her project. Even now only a few buildings seem yet to be repaired and the city appears both vibrant and historic. A great deal of effort has been given to restoring the historical buildings and German culture.

This afternoon the Captain, Hotel Director, and the Program Director hosted a gathering of the Viking Explorer Society for those who have cruised with Viking in the past. A toast of Akavit is offered as a tradition of Norway. Akvavit is a distilled spirit principally produced in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century. Akvavit is distilled from grain and potatoes, and gets its distinctive flavor from spices and herbs. The dominant flavor must come from a distillate of caraway and/or dill seed.

After the cocktail party Simon gave the daily port talk. Then Chef Patrick announced that we would be served A Taste of Germany as our evening buffet. Our tables were already set with a rack of pretzels, mustard, and a selection of cold cuts and cheese as appetizers. Craig, the Hotel Director, was in lederhosen and carrying a Maßkrug (one liter mug of bier). Our room steward wore a Dirndle and we were entertained by two musicians with an accordion and a clarinet.

The buffet offered steak, schnitzel, and chicken plus several wurst choices. Spätzle and red cabbage was also served. Chef Patrick and his team produced an excellent German selection for dinner as

421 one would expect of a German chef and staff.

Saturday, 01 June 2019

Dresden is the capital city of Saxony, Germany, on the River Elbe near the Czech border.

Dresden has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony, who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendor, and was once by personal union the family seat of Polish monarchs. The city was known as the Jewel Box, because of its baroque and rococo city center.

The bombing of Dresden was a British/American aerial bombing attack on the city of Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony, during World War II in the European Theater. In four raids between 13 and 15 February 1945, 722 heavy bombers of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and 527 of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) dropped more than 3,900 tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices on the city. The bombing and the resulting firestorm destroyed over 1,600 acres (6.5 km2) of the city center. Three more USAAF air raids followed, two occurring on 2 March aimed at the city's railway marshaling yard and one smaller raid on 17 April aimed at industrial areas. After the war restoration work has helped to reconstruct parts of the historic inner city, including the Katholische Hofkirche, the Zwinger and the famous Semper Oper.

Since German reunification in 1990 Dresden is again a cultural, educational and political center of Germany and Europe. The Dresden University of Technology is one of the 10 largest universities in Germany and part of the German Universities Excellence Initiative. The economy of Dresden and its agglomeration is one of the most dynamic in Germany and ranks first in Saxony. It is dominated by high-tech branches, often called “Silicon Saxony”. The city is also one of the most visited in Germany with 4.3 million overnight stays per year. The royal buildings are among the most impressive buildings in Europe. Main sights are also the nearby National Park of Saxon Switzerland, the Ore Mountains and the countryside around Elbe Valley and Moritzburg Castle. The most prominent building in the city of Dresden is the Frauenkirche. Built in the 18th century, the church was destroyed during World War II. The remaining ruins were left for 50 years as a war memorial, before being rebuilt between 1994 and 2005.

After the Second World War, Dresden became a major industrial center in the German Democratic Republic (former East Germany) with a great deal of research infrastructure. It was the centre of Bezirk Dresden (Dresden District) between 1952 and 1990. Many of the city's important historic buildings were reconstructed, including the Semper Opera House and the Zwinger Palace, although the city leaders chose to rebuild large areas of the city in a "socialist modern" style, partly for economic reasons, but also to break away from the city's past as the royal capital of Saxony and a stronghold of the German bourgeoisie. Some of the ruins of churches, royal buildings and palaces, such as the Gothic Sophienkirche, the Alberttheater and the Wackerbarth-Palais, were razed by the Soviet and East German authorities in the 1950s and 1960s rather than being repaired. Compared to West Germany, the majority of historic buildings were saved.

From 1985 to 1990, the future President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, was stationed in Dresden by the KGB, where he worked for Lazar Matveev, the senior KGB liaison officer there. On 3 October 1989 (the so-called "battle of Dresden"), a convoy of trains carrying East German refugees from Prague passed through Dresden on its way to the Federal Republic of Germany. Local activists and residents joined in the growing civil disobedience movement spreading across the German Democratic Republic, by staging demonstrations and demanding the removal of the non-democratic government.

422 We arrived in Dresden as we were having breakfast. Simon conducted a scenic tour bridge commentary as we entered the city. We approached the bridges and palaces with the knowledge that Dresden had been flattened with a firestorm of bombs at the end of World War II. Simon commented that his grandfather had flown with the British Air Force during that raid.

The view of the Elbe entry into the city was amazing. Billions of Euros have been spent to restore the cultural aspects of Saxon capital. A tremendous effort has been taken to rebuild what had been lost to appease the pride and soul of the city.

We immediately noticed the spires of the city over Marienbrücke, the railway bridge built in 1902. As we got closer Simon pointed out the newly reconstructed Frauenkirche (1992) had been a Catholic church which then became Lutheran after the Reformation. The restored Baroque architecture has encompassed the original construction material, as have most of the other buildings. Sandstone blocks have oxidized as had their predecessors, and the blacked structures look as ancient and realistic as the buildings they replaced.

Restoration of the Dresden Frauenkirche was completed in 2005. Reconstruction of the area around the Neumarkt square on which the Frauenkirche is situated, will continue for many decades.

The Versailles-inspired Zwinger Palace is one of the most excellent examples of late Baroque architecture in Germany. Built between 1710 and 1728, the Zwinger was used for court festivities

423 and tournaments. Today it houses museums including Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, exhibiting masterpieces of art like Raphael’s “Sistine Madonna.”

We learned that "The United Nations' cultural organization UNESCO declared the Dresden Elbe Valley to be a World Heritage Site in 2004. “After being placed on the list of endangered World Heritage Sites in 2006, the city lost the title in June 2009, due to the construction of the Waldschlößchenbrücke, making it only the second ever World Heritage Site to be removed from the register. UNESCO stated in 2006 that the bridge would destroy the cultural landscape.”

As we sailed toward the Viking pier Liz enjoyed seeing the buildings along the river. The Sächsische Staatskanzlei (Saxon State Chancellery or Saxon State Chamber) is the office of the Minister-President of Saxony. It is located in Dresden on the northern Elbe river banks and was established in 1995. The Staatskanzlei is managed by the State Minister and Head of the Staatskanzlei.

The Free State of Saxony also established a Staatskanzlei between 1918 and 1945. The building was used by the Rat des Bezirkes (Board of the Bezirk) of the Bezirk Dresden after the German Democratic Republic had established the Bezirk subdivisions in 1952.

Building of the Staatskanzlei is the Gemeinsames Ministerialgebäude or Gesamtministerium (Joint Ministry Building'). It was built between 1900 and 1904 in Historicistic style. The golden crown on the roof was a visible symbol of authority in the Kingdom of Saxony during the last years of the German Empire. The building is still lettered as Königliches Ministerium des Inneren (Royal Ministry of the Interior) today.

As we reached the Viking owned pier we passed Japanisches Palais on the port side. This is a Baroque building on the Neustadt bank of the river Elbe. Built in 1715, it was extended from 1729 until 1731 to store the Japanese porcelain collection of Augustus the Strong that is now part of the Dresden Porcelain Collection. Now it is part of Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD), a museum complex with an international profile, comprising altogether fifteen museums.

We had a few minutes to gather our day packs and water before boarding our coach for the Panoramic Dresden tour. Simone Rozenkranz was our guide for the day and our vehicle set out for Neustadt district on the right bank of the Elbe to admire beautiful 19th-century residences and cultural institutions. We viewed terraced vineyards leading to several palaces on the high ground overlooking the river.

424 Later we passed Yenidze (cigarette manufacturing factory, with Moorish and art nouveau design), now an office complex. At one time this location was one of “100 cigarette companies” operating in Dresden. They must have cornered the tobacco market for eastern europe.

Making our way back across the Elbe we parked the coach near the Zwingergarten and walked a short distance to Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden. Initially built in 1841, it was destroyed by fire in 1869 and a new opera house was completed in 1878 and was considered a classic example of “Dresden Baroque" architecture. The building was an empty shell after the 1945 bombing and after the reunification, exactly 40 years later on 13 February 1985, the opera's reconstruction was completed. In front of the opera house is a large bronze equestrian statue of King Johann (John), who ruled Saxony between 1854 to 1873.

After admiring the architecture we entered the grounds of the Zwinger Palace.

The Zwinger is a palace built in Baroque style and designed by court architect Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann. It served as the orangery, exhibition gallery and festival arena of the Dresden Court.

The location was formerly part of the Dresden fortress of which the outer wall is conserved. The name derives from the German word Zwinger (an enclosed killing ground in front of a castle or city gate); it was for the cannons that were placed between the outer wall and the major wall. The Zwinger was not enclosed until the Neoclassical building by Gottfried Semper called the Semper Gallery was built on its northern side.

425 Today, the Zwinger is a museum complex that contains the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Picture Gallery), the Dresden Porcelain Collection (Dresdener Porzellansammlung) and the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon (Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments).

Simone spoke of how the orangery was set up with orange trees in large pots to serve royalty with fresh oranges in season. Then in winter, they would be moved into the palace greenhouses to survive the season. Elaborate picnics would be held on these grounds as well. We admired and then walked through the Glockenspielpavilion (Carillon pavilion) with a collection of bells made by the famous Meissen porcelain factory, and onto Sophienstraße to walk to the Residenzschloss (Royal Palace).

Dresdner Residenzschloss is one of the oldest buildings in Dresden, *Germany. For almost 400 years, it was the residence of the electors (1547–1806) and kings (1806–1918) of Saxony of the Albertine line of the House of Wettin.

Today, the residential castle is a museum complex that contains the Historic and New Green Vault, the Numismatic Cabinet, the Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs and the Dresden Armory with the Turkish Chamber. It also houses an art library and the management of the Dresden State Art Collections.

The original castle was a Romanesque keep, built around 1200. The Hausmannsturm was built at the beginning of the 15th century. From 1468 until 1480, the keep was extended by the master builder, Arnold von Westfalen, becoming an enclosed four-wing construction. In the middle of the 16th century, an addition was added in the Renaissance style.

After a major fire in 1701, Augustus II the Strong rebuilt much of the castle in the Baroque style.[1] The collection rooms were created at this time in the western wing. The Silver Room, Heraldic Room and the Pretiosensaal were built from 1723–1726 and the Kaminzimmer, Juwelenzimmer (Jewel Room), Ivory Room and Bronze Room were built from 1727–1729.

Most of the castle was reduced to a roofless shell during the February 13, 1945 bombing of Dresden in World War II. Three rooms of the Green Vault were destroyed. However, the collections survived, having been moved to safety at Königstein Fortress in the early years of the war.

The Green Vault (Grünes Gewölbe) is a museum that contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. Founded by Augustus II the Strong in 1723, it features a unique and rich

426 variety of exhibits from the period of baroque to classicism. The museum consists of the Historic Green Vault and the New Green Vault.

Simone collected time sensitive tickets for our group entry to The Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault), a unique historic museum that contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. Founded by Augustus the Strong in 1723, it features a rich variety of exhibits from the Baroque to Classicism. It is named after the formerly malachite green painted column bases and capitals of the initial rooms.

"The Historic Green Vault has on display approximately 3,000 masterpieces of jewelry and the goldsmith's art, as well as precious objects made of amber and ivory. Gemstone vessels and elegant bronze statuettes are presented without showcases in front of ornate mirrored display walls.

The New Green Vault complements the Historic Green Vault. It contains the unique works of the royal goldsmith Johann Melchior Dinglinger and other outstanding works of Baroque jewelry. The almost 1,100 masterpieces are presented in neutral rooms to focus attention on the objects themselves."

Our tickets gave us access to the new green vault for a little more than an hour. Simone was able to guide us through the dozen rooms and give us an explanation of the major pieces.

Augustus' most valued possession was a miniature diorama depicting the unlimited riches of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Augustus' contemporary on the Indian subcontinent. Aurangzeb, who was referred to as the "world-sizer," is seen at his 50th birthday celebrations during the height of the empire.

From his throne, he receives rajahs and princes; dishes filled with gold coins and elephants draped in gems are presented as gifts. In an unusual twist, the walls of the court are decorated with Chinese dragons, so that a dream of Orientalism becomes even more fantastic.

This diorama was created over seven years by the great goldsmith and royal jeweler, Johann Melchior Dinglinger, and features rubies, emeralds, pearls, over 4000 diamonds and a single sapphire. Only 58 centimeters tall, it cost Augustus more than the construction of the opulent Moritzburg Castle.

427 I also was impressed by Jacob Zeller's Ivory Frigate. The Ivory Frigate is made of ivory, gold and iron. In the rigging are approximately fifty sailors also of carved ivory. It dates back to 1620 and was commissioned by Elector John George I of Saxony. It is Jacob Zeller's best known and last creation, as he died short after its completion. Featured in a special display is the famous Dresden Green Diamond. It was acquired by Augustus III of Poland from a Dutch merchant in 1742 at the Leipzig Fair. In 1768, the diamond was incorporated into an extremely valuable hat ornament, surrounded by two large and 411 medium- sized and small diamonds.

After lunch back at the ship Liz and I walked to the gate in Brühl's Terrace. Nicknamed "The Balcony of Europe", the terrace stretches high above the shore of the river Elbe. Then we walked through the pedestrian zone through shops and restaurants for an hour before returning to the ship. We were walked out for the day and easily reached our step goals.

Sunday 02 June 2019

After breakfast we took our places in the lounge. Simon conducted a disembarkation briefing. This gave us the schedule for placing our luggage outside of our door tomorrow morning. We also received coach assignment instructions.

Chef Patrick, with Simon as his sou chef, planned a BBQ lunch while we were sailing. We enjoyed the lovely view of the river and again watched people still apparently celebrating the Father's Day holiday. We would enter the Czech Republic (Czechia) and we noted a flag painted cliff-side as we crossed the border.

The grill held a huge amount of shrimp on skewers which Simon was charged with cooking. He also quaffed beer to ease his wrist after turning so many and transferring them to a pan for distribution. Patrick was in charge of the steaks, chicken, and hot dogs. They did a good

428 job. The lines were a bit long but everyone seemed to have enough lunch.

Around one o'clock we arrived at Bad Schandau. This would be an opportunity to visit the Saxon Switzerland National Park.

Bad Schandau is a spa town in Germany, in the south of the Free State of Saxony and the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge (Saxon Switzerland). It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, at the mouth of the little valley of the Kirnitzsch. It is on the edge of the Saxon Switzerland National Park in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains; the National Park Center is located in the town. The original town center nestled on the steep, towering sandstone rocks on the right-hand, northern bank of the River Elbe.

Saxon Switzerland National Park is a National Park in the German Free State of Saxony, near the Saxon capital Dresden. It covers two areas of 93.5 km² (36.1 mi²) in the heart of the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which is often called (the) Saxon Switzerland.

The Bastei is a rock formation towering 194 meters above the Elbe River in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains of Germany. Reaching a height of 305 meters above sea level, the jagged rocks of the Bastei were formed by water erosion over one million years ago. They are situated near Rathen, not far from Pirna southeast of the city of Dresden, and are the major landmark of the Saxon Switzerland National Park. They are also part of a climbing and hiking

429 area that extends over the borders into the Bohemian Switzerland (Czech Republic).

Our excursion was actually the Bastei itself. Our guide pointed out, “The Bastei (bastion) has been a tourist attraction for over 200 years. In 1824, a wooden bridge was constructed to link several rocks for the visitors. This bridge was replaced in 1851 by the present Bastei Bridge made of sandstone.” The formation is 10 kilometers from Bad Schandau however we were able to observe the sandstone rocks along the Elbe for miles as we sailed the river.

When the coaches parked in the lower lot from the hotel we would have over two hours to tour the site. Our guide gave us a running dialog up to the hotel and onto the overlook where we could watch climbers hanging from ropes as they maneuvered their way up the side of the cliffs. On another overlook we could see the Elbe far below as a single boat perfectly displayed how narrow the river is at some points.

We thought of climbing down to the Bastei Bridge and did climb down some fifty feet before the loose gravel and the sliding dirt convinced us that we were not up to the challenge. We just watched others clamber across the terrain and the bridge while we observed them through the bottom of a beer stein at the café. The view is breathtaking and some of the rock formations are reminiscent of the Grand Canyon.

When we returned to our ship it immediately cast off for Děčín, Czechia. Above here the Elbe is joined by the smaller Ploučnice River. After dinner we retired to our room to finish packing and tagging our luggage. After an overnight we will disembark from Viking Astrild. The ship will reverse its course and sail back north to Lutherstadt Wittenberg while we board our coaches for the 120 kilometer drive to Prague.

430 Monday, 03 June 2019

Breakfast was at the normal time and while we relaxed and had a 2nd cup of coffee our luggage was assigned to the proper coaches. We closed our bill and stood by until our coach was called and then set out for the two hour drive to Prague.

Simon James was already at the Hilton Prague Hotel and had coordinated with the hotel staff. Our room keys were distributed and our luggage was delivered to our room well before our scheduled Panoramic Prague excursion.

Prague, capital city of the Czech Republic, is bisected by the Vltava River. Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” it's known for its Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core, with colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches and the medieval Astronomical Clock, which gives an animated hourly show.

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad) has been an important symbol of the Czech state for more than a thousand years. It was founded in the 9th century and became the seat of Czech rulers and later presidents. The castle, one of the largest complexes in the world, is made up of historical palaces, offices, church and fortification buildings, gardens and picturesque spots. It

431 covers an area of 45 hectares. The panoramic view of Prague Castle is one of the most spectacular in the world.

Charles Bridge (Karlův most), Prague’s oldest bridge was built to replace the Judith Bridge that had been badly damaged by floods in 1342. The Stone, or Prague, Bridge, called Charles Bridge since 1870, was begun in 1357 by Charles IV and was completed in 1402. The bridge is built of sandstone blocks, flanked at each end by fortified towers (Lesser Town Bridge Towers, Old Town Bridge Tower). From 1683 to 1928, 30 statues of saints were carved to decorate the bridge, the most famous of which is the statue of St John of Nepomuk.

Tomas, our guide, conducted our tour of the castle grounds. We assembled at a trolley stop outside of the gate and he tried to tighten “our herd of cats” to present a solid group of tourists without losing people as we cleared a two man security screen of handbags and backpacks. Once through that choke-point we all walked across the dry moat to Prague Castle.

We were in time for a changing of the guard which consisted of two guards in place at their posts as a officer marched to their post with two replacement guards goosestepping in file. These then exchanged posts with the "old" guards who then fell in beside the officer and

goose stepped back to their headquarters. All this time they were over-watched by armed regular soldiers who would shoo away tourists who would stand too close to the watch area of the ceremonial guard. Picture taking was allowed but one could not interfere with the guard post.

We entered the castle grounds near the Saint Vitus Cathedral (Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert). “This cathedral is a prominent example of Gothic architecture and is the largest and most important church in the country. Located within Prague Castle and containing the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors, the cathedral is under the ownership of the Czech government as part of the Prague Castle complex.”

When we first came to Prague in 1979 we easily entered the Baroque cathedral and admired the altar of Good King Wenceslaus, and later went to the Vladislav Hall (Old Royal Palace). The hall was used for banquets, receptions, coronations, and other events of the Bohemian court. It was even large enough to accommodate tournaments between knights; the "Knight's Stairway" was built wide enough to accommodate horses to facilitate such activities.

432 On 23 May 1618, in the second room, Protestant nobles rebelling against the Bohemian estates and the Hapsburg emperor threw two of his councilors and their secretary out of the window. They survived, as their fall was broken by the dung-filled moat, but this Defenestration of Prague sparked off the Thirty Years’ War.

The most striking fact of our trip today was that there were so many people within the castle grounds that the lines to enter were too long for us to gain entry in the two hours we had to tour. Instead we saw the architectural features and listened to some of the history of the castle.

Our tour continued around the castle grounds and we returned to the guard post we had passed when we came into the castle proper. Tomas then led us back to the coach where he planned to lead the group to the Old Town for a continued walking tour of that location plus an opportunity for lunch on our own... or we could return to the hotel. We took that option because yesterday we had learned the Viking ran a shuttle to the Hotel Intercontinental Prague, on the edge of Old Town, and we could see the sights on our own. That shuttle was for one day only and fit our needs perfectly.

Back at our hotel, we asked the Viking desk if there was a grocery store nearby. We learned there was a drugstore/market just across the street so we went there to buy some snacks and a bottle of Müller-Thurgau for later. We dropped off our purchases in our room and then took the shuttle for the 2 kilometers to the Intercontinental.

A short walk later we recognized Staronová Synagoga (Old-New Synagogue), Europe's oldest active synagogue. Now we knew where we were in the city. We had come here and compared this old, historic building and cemetery with another, almost as old complex, we found when we lived in Worms.

While we explored the area we fell upon Gizem Zlatnictvi (Gizem Goldsmiths), a jewelry store, and went in to see if Czechia had a unique gemstone we could incorporate into our souvenir ring collection. It turned out they do, the blood red garnet is the official Czech national gem. We found two lovely garnet rings we liked and bought them.

While we were paying for them the goldsmith prepared the tax refund papers for us to claim the taxes on the purchase. He informed us that we could get the required tax stamp from a nearby shop “at the Starbucks across from the cathedral. It turned out their were two Starbucks, one at each end of a city block. With a little local guidance we found the correct Starbucks and then the tax

433 processing office to prepare the necessary paperwork to be turned in at the airport when we are about to leave the European Union.

That done we window shopped through several blocks of other lovely businesses. After a while we got hungry and began looking for a restaurant. At one alley of the old town we saw a back-hole vehicle was doing some roadwork. It appeared the street was being blocked so people avoided going down the street but an older man was attempting to ask customers to try his restaurant... please!

We decided to check it out and found a place with sidewalk seating empty and luring us to lunch. Restaurace U Dvou velbloudů (Restaurant At Two Camels). "We offer Czech and international cuisine. All meats including fresh fish are prepared on a lava grill. We serve draft Czech beer and good Moravian wines. You can find the current menu in our restaurant according to the daily offer."

We were intrigued by the dinner for two; The Sword of Charles IV (beef, pork, chicken, bacon, sausage, onion, bread and potato dumplings, pepper, fresh vegetables, roasted potatoes, pepper sauce). We also ordered Czech Budvar (Budweiser) which shares the logo and competes for the rights to the name outside of the United States and Canada. The dispute continues over multiple court cases since 1876.

We enjoyed the beer and the dinner but object to the description. It was advertised as a dinner for two but I didn't see the two giants they intended the dish to feed. It was too much for Liz and me and we left a lot on the platter and we were too full to eat dessert.

Tuesday, 04 June 2019

Today is our last full day in Prague and we have scheduled one excursion; Privileged Access: Lobkowicz Palace.

The Lobkowicz Palace is a part of the Prague Castle complex in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the only privately owned building in the Prague Castle complex and houses the Lobkowicz Collections and Museum.

The palace was built in the second half of the 16th century by the Czech nobleman Jaroslav of Pernštejn (1528–1569) and completed by his brother, Vratislav of Pernštejn (1530–1582), the chancellor of the Czech Kingdom. It was opened to the public for the first time on 2 April 2007 as the Lobkowicz Palace Museum. Set in 22 galleries, the museum displays a selection

434 of pieces from the Lobkowicz Collections, including works by artists such as Antonio Canaletto, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Diego Velázquez, as well as decorative art, military and hunting paraphernalia, musical instruments, and original manuscripts and early prints of composers including Beethoven and Mozart.

After World War I, and the abolition of hereditary titles in 1918, Maximilian Lobkowicz (1888- 1967), son of Ferdinand Zdenko, 10th Prince Lobkowicz (1858-1938), demonstrated his support for the fledgling First Republic of Czechoslovakia by making several rooms at the palace available to the government headed by Tomas G. Masaryk. In 1939, the occupying Nazi forces confiscated the Palace, along with all other Lobkowicz family properties. The Palace was returned in 1945, only to be seized again after the Communist takeover in 1948. For the next forty years, the Palace was used for a variety of purposes, including State offices and as a museum of Czech history.

After the Velvet Revolution of 1989 and the fall of the Communist government, President Václav Havel enacted a series of laws that allowed for the restitution of confiscated properties. Following a twelve- year restitution process, the palace returned to the ownership of the Lobkowicz family in 2002. On 2 April 2007, after four years of restoration and refurbishment, the palace was opened to the public for the first time as the Lobkowicz Palace Museum, home to one part of The Lobkowicz Collections. The 17th century baroque Concert Hall of the Lobkowicz Palace hosts regular concerts of classical music, and the premises are also used for weddings.

Today, there are four main branches of the Lobkowicz family: of Roudnice, Křimice, Dolní Beřkovice and Mělník. Notable Lobkowiczs of today include:

Mikuláš Lobkowicz (b. 1931), philosopher, rector of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, president of the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.

Jaroslav Lobkowicz (b. 1942), MP 1998–2006 and 2010-present, head of the Křimice branch of the family.

František Václav Lobkowicz (b. 1948), O.Praem., Bishop of Ostrava and Opava.

Jiří Lobkowicz (b. 1956), businessman and politician, head of the Mělník branch of the family.

William Lobkowicz (b. 1961), current heir and manager of most of the Lobkowicz

435 lands in the Czech Republic, including the Lobkowicz Palace, Nelahozeves, Roudnice, and Střekov Castle.

Charles-Henri de Lobkowicz (b. 1964), son of Prince Edouard de Lobkowicz and Princess Françoise of Bourbon-Parma, proprietor of the château de Boszt in Besson, heir to the Manoir d'Ujezd in Goderville,[6] and to the château de Lignières.

Michal Lobkowicz (b. 1964), MP 1992–2002, Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic in 1998.

We were ushered into a small banquet room with three eight place tables set for our lunch. Our hostess from the museum staff introduced herself and welcomed us to the palace. She explained some of the history of the family and I was fascinated how this family was able to survive the loss of nobility after World War I; occupation of the Nazi's in World War II; and subjugation by the Communists after the defeat of Germany and Russian occupation.

She pointed out that after the Velvet Revolution of 1989 the family began petitions to restore their confiscated properties. This apparently is still an ongoing legal issue and the extensive record keeping of the family for the past 700 years has been the major resource of the restitution. Not every property has been recovered and some of the old lands may never be returned but much has been and this palace museum is just one example.

These recovered `estates included the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle (now a museum with a famous art collection), Nelahozeves Castle (also a museum), Roudnice Castle, Střekov Castle, Mělník Castle, Bílina Castle, Křimice Castle, Dolní Beřkovice Castle (inherited by the Thurn und Taxis family), Jezeří Castle (sold by the family), Vysoký Chlumec Castle (sold by the family), Hasištejn Castle, Chomutov Castle, Líčkov Castle, Felixburk, Neustadt an der Waldnaab, Horšovský Týn Castle, and Zbiroh.

We were served a delightful lunch of Mixed green salad with aceto balsamico and cherry tomatoes, Lobkowicz-style Czech goulash served with houskový knedlík (bread dumplings), and Homemade cheesecake with wild berry sauce. The dumplings were the most delicate we have had in three visits to Prague over the years. Most often I have described them as white hockey pucks but these were perfect and the excellent gravy made them scrumptious. Beer or wine were included and we enjoyed the room, the atmosphere, and the excellent service.

Our group of 21 then went upstairs to a concert room which held twice as many seats as we could

436 occupy. Our hostess introduced a trio playing Violin, Viola, and Cello. They performed for twenty- five minutes as we listened to their classical performance.

Joseph Haydn Trio op. 53, Allegretto W. A. Mozart Divertimento KV 563, Menuetto L. van Beethoven Trio op. 9, Allegretto Franz Schubert Trio no. 1, Allegro Antonin Dvorzikz Terzetto op. 74, Allegro

We then toured the museum for two hours. Audio players were available to listen to descriptions of the exhibits. "The Lobkowicz Collections museum features world-famous paintings by Brueghel, Canaletto, Velázquez and more; ceramics spanning five centuries; and an exceptional collection of arms and armor. Favorite highlights include hand-annotated manuscripts by many of the greatest composers of the 17th – 19th centuries, including Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart."

Upon completion of the afternoon's events our Viking guide again met up with us and led us out of the Prague Castle grounds. We walked along a different path which was a steeper, cobble-stoned roadway designed for vehicle traffic. We walked along a narrow grass shoulder to avoid slipping. When we reached a lower roadway we walked a short block to a bus stop where our coach was able to park and allow us to re-board. A short ten minutes later we were back at our hotel. We reconfirmed tomorrow's departure schedule with our program director and retired to our room to finish packing and retiring early.

Wednesday, 05 June 2019

We woke at 2:00 am and were showered and fully packed out to go to the lobby at three o'clock, fifteen minutes before the requested time. Simon James was coordinating the assembly of 12 early departures to the airport. They handed out large, paper shopping bags with a bag of three brotchen and another of three pastries; yogurt, orange drink, jars of jam, and individual butter containers. The sack lunch breakfast was huge and we only selected the drink. When the last couple arrived we all boarded the coach and set out for Václav Havel Airport (PRG). We were accompanied by a new Viking representative who would assist us through the check-in process.

I had my tax refund paperwork for the new rings and while waiting in line thought I could make it through the process. I did not realize I had to show our rings to the agent and had to go back to Liz to get her ring while I located mine from the case I carry my jewelry before going through airport security. That done, I dropped off the completed paperwork for refund to our credit account.

The flight to Frankfurt was only an hour and we listened to our Vince Flynn book, Red War, while we drank good German coffee, the best on an aircraft we have had in a long time. Then we arrived and boarded coaches to the main terminal.

We had three hours so we made our way to the next gate before looking for a breakfast/lunch opportunity. The closest, decent restaurant to our gate was Lucullus Nero. We had Arabiatta and a seafood pasta for a late breakfast. We didn't want a standard meal plus the huge bottle of German

437 IPA wouldn't have gone with ham and eggs.

Lufthansa played games with us as we left the gate. We had to walk down two sets of stairs and then climb aboard coaches to be driven to the aircraft where we then climbed stairs to the aircraft. Then, as we got underway, the close seats were made worse as the passenger in front of me threw her seat back for the rest of the flight. When they served a meal we had to ask the stewardess to have the row of seats in front of us be raised to the full height. It made for a long flight.

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