Long weekend = Travel
Usually for our fall break I plan a trip somewhere to get away. However, since we have a conference in the Spring I am saving up my travel pennies and decided to hang around Prague this break. Though, there are many places nearby that beacon travel adventures so my flatmate and I hopped over to Germany for some exploring this weekend.
I was rather proud of myself for finding us cheap train fare. I had to keep asking the lady if there was a cheaper route to take and in doing so saved us 500 kc. If you just say you want to go to Rathen they will type it in and the first price that pops up on the screen is what they tell you. Travellers tip: ask for day passes, include that you have a local transit pass and any other discount cards you may have.
Our travel adventure highlights included seeing some interestingly clad people; getting to hold a stranger's dog on the train while she put on her hiking pack; missing one of our connections and playing charades with a train steward to find out when the next one would come; entering a small town train station welcomed by flashing lights and a DJ playing 80's rock.
It was a gorgeous day with a ferry ride across the river, a stroll in the leaf carpeted woods, serenaded by a German classical vocalist and taking in some breath taking views. Also got to play the point, smile, and nod game in order to buy ice cream. Wishing that I had learned German when I was a child.
So our destination was to see Bastei.
The Bastei is a rock formation towering 194 metres above the Elbe River in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains of Germany. They are situated near Rathen, southeast of the city of Dresden and are the major landmark of the Saxon Switzerland National Park which extends over the borders into Bohemia Switzerland in the Czech Republic.
The Bastei 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.
It was quite fascinating to see the stone work seemingly sprout right out of the rock.
<-- Our self portrait. The funny thing is I think we were both smiling for this photo :)
The rock climbers were everywhere and it was fun to watch them scale these amazing cliffs with such agility and speed.
Thought this car's take on the evolution theory was funny :)
Hard to believe it was the end of October! Around this time last year we were battling snow and now this year I am pulling out short sleeves!
What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday.
