We started a morning tour to Bastei, a famous rock formation. This area is in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains which are millions of years old. The area had sediment from when this land was covered by an ocean and then the land was eroded. The sandstone is yellow in color. This area is also called Saxon Switzerland, called this because of its beautiful landscape. It is within a national park with 30% in the Czech Republic and 70% in Germany. This area is known for its hiking and rock climbing.
We started by walking to an observation platform. We were able to see the various rock formations and the valleys. Then we climbed down to cross the famous stone bridge. We went to several other view points before returning to our bus and then the ship.
After lunch at the ship we went to a fortress called Königstein. Here we had to climb up the ramps into the fortress/castle. This was our first introduction to August the Strong, the ruling king of this region. He was very progressive and collected art and other things as well as building beautiful palaces all over the Saxony region. We toured the various buildings and squares. This was the first castle built by a Bohemian king. It has the deepest well in Germany. At one lookout over the Elbe River we saw our ship sailing between Bad Schandau and Dresden. It was used as a fortress until 1913, but now is a museum. It was never conquered and had the ability to store enough food for 1.5 years.
Then before reaching Dresden we stopped at another palace of August the Strong to see the beautiful gardens.
After dinner we went to a classical music concert in the Zwinger Palace in Dresden. We got to see the buildings lit in the main museum square. It was a beautiful evening and the music fantastic.
Bette and Bob See the World 
Recent Comments