Dresden

I prematurely exited my train from Berlin at the Friedrichstrafze-Dresden Station on the north side of town. This gave me the opportunity to walk in the shadows of abandoned Eastern/Soviet architecture: gigantic, disgusting pre-fab apartment blocks. They overwhelmed the skyline, so I started walking towards one of two spires I could see. When I could see more than the spire, I concluded, because of the excess of neighborhood kabab stores, what I've gathered about Germany's politics, and its design that it was a mosque. I was wrong; it used to be a cigarette factory.

It seems I know nothing about German politics or Dresden (aside from the fact that the US and Britain firebombed it - one of the most ethically controversial actions of the Second World War).
In walking toward the second spire, I discovered the historical part of Dresden: a fortress. With the Elbe on one side and a moat on the other, it was the strong and safe seat of the Dukes of Saxony during the 15th Century and eventually became the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony. Inside, I found a palace with gardens, fountains, an opera house, theater, and church. At about 6 in the evening it was peaceful and calming; its proximity to nature and the concentration of German culture made it beautiful in ways Berlin cannot be. Although I did not catch the violin-viola duet, the Wagner opera, or the Heinrich Heine show on a river boat, I had the chance to relax.

After walking over the Elbe and through a few more blocks of dining tourists, I found a hip, college district (there was even a large green where dozens were playing frisbee and volleyball, sleeping, and reading). I found a hostel and had dinner (fish - Dorado) at a Morrocan restaurant across the street alone.

I'm tired and will probably head to sleep soon. I will either rent a bike in the morning or walk through the historical area again. It's hard to appreciate the beauty when carrying a heavy backpack. Afterwards, I'm headed to Prague to meet up with Emily.