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Friday, 12 April 2013

Loving the Czech Food [Prague Part 1]

Lunch is traditionally the main meal in Prague. Czech cuisine is typically based around pork or chicken with starchy side dishes such as dumplings, potatoes, or fries.


Salad as we thought of using the leftover CZK and not change for more currency since it's a unique currency and we won't be using that anymore.

However, as you can see later, we couldn't resist the temptation to have a decent meal and paid the bill in euro.


The beer girl is appearing again!




Lunch the other day. Went back to this restaurant for my second visit in Prague. However, the menu was slightly different. Perhaps the chef is different from the one that we had last time. Or the menu has been changed. This time, I felt, it was just acceptable and not sumptuous.


My favourite dessert served warm.



Beer again! Such round face for happy time.




Trying Our Luck in Neustadt [Germany Part 2]

The story goes like this...

Initially, we thought we are really unlucky for not being able to book a hotel online for Dresden. Dresden actually has quite a few big hotels, however, obviously, we weren't able to know before we arrive. The internet wasn't being helpful as well.

The closest one that we can find is in Neustadt. Contemplated whether we should book that or even hop off the train at the station. We weren't sure whether even this station is on our route. Furthermore, the sky was turning dark when we were about to arrive Dresden.

Happened to see the timetable in the train. We decided to be the brave girls and took the risk to hop off the train.

Luck came to us!  A middle-aged uncle gave us the direction while chatting with us along the way. He just finished working and took the train home. This uncle is actually a graduate from Oxford and has worked in a few banks before! He also shared with us on how we can get to the town.

Moral of the lesson.

Take the risk. Sail through challenges. There might be surprises awaiting!

Dresden [Germany Part 1]

Dresden became a city in 1206 and recently celebrated its 800th birthday in 2006.

It was home to many Saxon princes and kings, the most famous of them being August der Starke (Augustus the Strong), whose kingdom included Poland as well. They apertained to the family of the Wettiner and were closely related to many other European royal families. Many buildings date from their reign and especially the rich art collections are testimony of their extreme wealth. The "Madonna Sixtina" was for instance bought by the son of August the Strong. The last Saxon king abdicated in 1918.

The historical center of Dresden was 75% destroyed by Allied bombing in 1945. These events are deeply marked in the history of the city and are still remembered each year in processions and ceremonies. More than 30,000 people died in the bombing - the exact number is unknown.

For many years the ruins and now the newly rebuilt Frauenkirche, with its donated gold cupola from the UK, act as a call for peace among the different nations of the world.

The historical center is nowadays largely restored to its former glory, however some parts are still under reconstruction.







Happy beer time during holiday! Now it's all about work and work and work and weekends and work.