Another confession: I am a morning dawdler ... perhaps because I don't drink coffee, I like to ease into mornings. I like to take time to greet the day — meditate, play solitaire on my iPhone while brushing my teeth, reading a chapter or more of a book while bathing, and slowly deciding what "costume" I felt like wearing for the day.
Another gorgeous morning … Per my usual habit, before going to bed last night I packed all but toiletries in readiness to leave Prague today without rushing.
After breakfast, we checked out of the Dancing House and taxied this time to the train station passing by the gorgeous National Museum, which there was no time to visit. Next trip! Once we got our bearings at the Praha Main Train Station, we made our way to the platform and waited briefly for the train to arrive
After breakfast, we checked out of the Dancing House and taxied this time to the train station passing by the gorgeous National Museum, which there was no time to visit. Next trip! Once we got our bearings at the Praha Main Train Station, we made our way to the platform and waited briefly for the train to arrive
Seated on the same side of the train, there were plenty of familiar landmarks to view from the “opposite” direction. Between photographing and reading, the time sped by. I feel a special relationship, based on familiarity, with the town of Bad Schandau and the gorgeous nearby rock escarpment — this being my third passing.
Konstantin was there to meet us at the Dresden Train Station, missing his Juli after just about 24 hours. Ah, young love! Having sat for more hours than we’ve become accustomed, we opt to walk back to the Hotel Suitess — down Pragerstraße past the Centrum Galerie, across the Külz Ring, through the Altmarkt, across Wilsdruffer to Neumarkt, past the Frauenkirsche to our hotel on Rampischestraße.
After settling back in to my hotel room and a bit of reorganizing, I headed down to meet the others for lunch at our “usual” Kurfürstenschänke. Starving, I ordered Hähnchenbrust gefüllt mit Spinat und Schafskäse (chicken breast filled with spinale and sheep cheese on a bed of greens with braised cherry tomatoes and a sesame vinaigrette) and a Wellness-Limonade, which consists of fresh lemon juice, a wedge of lime, ginger, fresh mint leaves and a hint of elderberry syrup.
After our late lunch, we walked around Dresden, took photos, window shopped and bought a few last minute treasures. Some, even had enough room for a gelato … not me, still stuffed from yesterday’s calorie frenzy and our recent lunch.
That said, on our way back to Hotel Suisse, Juli took me to a Camonas Schokoladen shop across from the Frauenkirche and steps from our hotel. Damn ... I could have been having the most delectable thick, hot chocolates every morning while we were in Dresden!
Still way too hot for hot chocolate, I ordered three chocolate milkshakes — no, not all for me — and a box of chocolate truffles for our after dinner dessert.
Still way too hot for hot chocolate, I ordered three chocolate milkshakes — no, not all for me — and a box of chocolate truffles for our after dinner dessert.
Back at our hotel, the next two hours were spent organizing and packing for my flight home tomorrow. Not very hungry and the temperature still hot, Juli and Konstantin went off to bring back a traditional German take-out meal with wiener schnitzel, potato salad, sausages, cabbage and other stick-to-the-ribs fare, which we enjoyed al fresco on the patio. Perfect.
As I have an early plane to catch in the morning, I headed down to the hotel desk to settle my bill and head to bed. Task accomplished, I went back up to my room only to discover my keyless card had de-magnetized. Back down to the lobby to have my card reprogrammed, I headed back up to my room. Alas … the card didn’t work. Down to the lobby for another try … and voila — I was able to get in! Another quick shower (my third for today), I went to bed with air conditioning on high and visions of a photo sent from my Nuest’a friend Gypsy to ensure a good night's sleep! |