Berlin

Checkpoint Charlie

“Checkpoint Charlie was the most well-known border crossing between East and West Germany. Again and again, [it] was the scene of demonstrations [such as] escape [that]attempts were either successful or a failure. On August 17, 1962 Peter Fechter bled to death at Checkpoint Charlie before the eyes of the world.” – Checkpoint Charlie Museum

Holocaust Memorial

Brandenburg Gate

Berliner Dome

Picture by KA

German Resistance Memorial

The German Resistance Memorial commemorates those members of the German Army who tried to assassinate Hitler in 1944. Particular attention is given to military resistance figures such as Stauffenberg, Ludwig Beck, Erwin von Witzleben, Günther von Kluge, Erich Hoepner, Hans Oster, and Friedrich Olbricht.

Jewish Museum

Berlin Wall Memorial

Dresden

A controversial Allied bombing towards the end of World War II killed thousands of civilians and destroyed the entire city center. Apparently the impact of the bombing and 40 years of urban development during the East German communist era considerably changed the face of the city, but some recent restoration work has helped to reconstruct parts of the historic inner city.

Praha = Prague

Jewish Quarter

Christmas Market

Photo by KA

Prague Library

Dinner at U Stare Pani

Prague Castle

St Vitus’s Cathedral

Old Royal Palace

Basilica of St. George

Golden Lane

Photo by RA

Photo by RA

Little Quarter

Charles Bridge

New Town

Memorial to Václav Havel

Václav Havel was a playwright, essayist, poet, politician. He was the ninth and last president of Czechoslovakia (1989-1992) and the first president of the Czech Republic (1993-2003). He died October 6, 2011.

Making rock candy

I absolutely loved Prague. It was definitely my favorite city we visited on this trip.

Stephansdom = St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Probably one of Vienna’s most recognizable symbols, St. Stephan’s Cathedral is a mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture situated in the heart of Vienna. The initial cathedral was built in 1137, although this initial house of worship has been transformed and renovated many times throughout the years before becoming the building that it is today.

Vienna Opera House

The Vienna state opera is one of the world’s leading opera houses, known especially for performances of works by Richard Wagner, Mozart, and Richard Strauss. The original theater was built in 1869, but wartime bombings destroyed the building in 1945. What we see today is the reconstructed building completed in 1955.