Sunday, October 16, 2016 – Berlin, Germany

What a wonderful two days so far in Berlin! There is much to do and see in this capital city of Germany. Wide boulevards, large platz (plazas) and much green space give the city an easy graciousness. The buildings are stately and grand. Everything is quite orderly. The River Spree runs through the city spanned by creative bridges, often with the intent to show the joining of the West to the East.

Much history dominates and defines the city. While the recent history of World Wars I and II are alive in the city: ie, the rebuilt Reichstag (Parliament) with bullet holes still in the facade and with its rebuilt glass dome; the ruins of the Gestapo (Nazi secret police) building; remnants of the wall built by the Russian-backed East German government to keep people from escaping the tyranny of oppression; plaques on the ground where people died trying to cross the dividing line of the oppressive East to the free West, and Checkpoint Charlie, a visible reminder of the way station where people with proper identification could cross between West and East. Berlin, however, has an important distant history as well, where Kings and Kaisers helped shape modern day Europe. This distant history is alive in grand palaces and magnificent churches and world class museums.

The Berliner Dom, an Evangelisch (Lutheran/Reformed) Church, is huge. An impressive multi- domed exterior and a gold and marble interior make it one of the largest Protestant buildings in the world. Its crypt is awe-inspiring; Kings (later Kaisers), Queens, Princes and Princesses are buried in beautiful bronze sarcophagi in orderly rows. Centered in the rear of the crypt is a large and beautiful statuary of an angel sitting on a stone slab with the script (in German), “He is not here…He is risen…,” in reference to the angelic announcement of the resurrection of Christ and in testimony to the royalties’ (mostly Lutheran) Christian faith. With all the tourists milling the crypt, it was eerily silent.

The Reichstag dome is a wonder of glass and steel. We had an appointment to visit and went through the security process to enter. We walked the spiral interior walkway that curves its way upward until we reached the top platform where we received impressive views of the city. The center of the dome has a shard of reflective mirrors that reflect light into the German Parliament Hall below.

We walked a great fair that was set up in the Alexander Platz. Requirements to set up shop must be stringent. Every tent was impeccable, and all tents matched. Interspersed were wooden shops in German country design. I could not resist a Thuringer bratwurst with spicy mustard on a hard roll, nor could I resist the dark chocolate-covered apple.

We were happy to disembark our hop on, hop off bus at the Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of the German nation. There were many protests going on. Sandra and I photobombed the Vegan demonstration. The rest of our group were like, “Really?!” I wanted to photobomb the Yemeni demonstration against Saudi Arabia, but everyone refused to take my picture. From the Gate, we strolled down Unter den Linden Boulevard, walking under the Linden trees, for which it is named, and past beautiful buildings. We stopped for pastries and hot chocolate before heading back to the hotel after a fulfilling day. WEG

Friday, October 14, 2016

When we were in Wittenberg three years ago, the entire city was under scaffolding and construction wraps. Today, most of it is gone, as the refurbished city prepares for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation next year, with the posting of the 95 theses (statements) by Martin Luther on the Castle Church door. A beautiful (small) city has emerged. We are astonished.

Much has happened during the past two days. At the Old Latin School, an outreach headquarters for The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod in Wittenberg, we ran into the International LCMS president, Matt Harrison, who proceeded to give us a personal tour of the Old School. Dating from the 1400s, the School houses a library, chapel, meeting rooms and sleeping quarters for guests. It just so happened that the Old School was hosting a gathering of Lutheran Seminary presidents from around the world, and I was able to visit with Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, President Larry Rast. I had served as Chair of the Regents of this seminary for a decade before retirement, and so this was an unexpected pleasure. Mike and Sandra were with Kathy and me, and so they were able to meet and experience along with us. That late afternoon, we attended an English devotional service in the St. Mary’s Town Church (Lutheran) sacristy chapel. In the early evening we were invited to attend the closing Vespers of the International Lutheran Seminaries Leadership Conference in the main church. What more Lutheran experience can there be than singing Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress,” in the church were Luther preached most of his sermons, with Lutheran leaders from around the world from every tribe and race. A blessing indeed. St. Mary’s is also know as the Cranach Church because there are many paintings by Cranach the Younger in the Church. The altar painting is the most famous and has recently been restored. Art lovers from around the world come to gaze upon it.

We also visited the Castle Church (Lutheran) down the street from the Town Church. The wooden doors where Luther posted his earth-changing 95 theses have been replaced with bronze doors inscribed with the theses. The Castle Church is now beautifully refurbished. It contains the graves of many important historical figures, but none more important than Luther. We enjoyed chilling out in this quaint city, whose inhabitants changed the course of history. WEG

Wednesday, October 12, 2016 – Dresden, Germany

Dresden is famous for one of its historic art collections known as the Green Vault, which is filled with unusual art objects, such as ostrich eggs covered in gold design and a royal jewel collection that is the most complete in Europe. Under ground in marble rooms that turned green with time, the collection was removed prior to the fire bombing of the city in World War II. The vault rooms were heavily damaged, but were rebuilt to former glory and the art reinstated.

Noon time found our group at the magnificent Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady–Lutheran) for a devotional service. The organ music was wonderful and, although in German, we could make out the psalm reading and the prayers and even recognized the hymn setting. It was a great meditative time seeing the wonderful statuary at the altar, especially Jesus praying at the Garden of Gethsemane, with cherubs flying near and the all-seeing eye of God in a Trinity triangle peering down.

Our group did various activities during the day as each individual determined what was their interest. Kathy and I went to a street fair and walked in the old town. We came upon a stall that made “fried bread,” something my mother made when I was a child and which I had not eaten in like, forever. How good a memory it brought! We also sipped a cup of hot gluwein, a mixture of wine and liquor. It was very good on an unseasonably cold day. It was also rather potent. We walked back to our apartment and took a nap! Rhonda, Allen, and Sherlene went to the Saxon Historical Museum and an outdoor market, and Mike and Sandra went to the Green Vault.

Our evening meal was in a cozy restaurant, and we ate mostly traditional foods. Unfortunately, the waiter did not understand that I only wanted fried spatzle as a side dish without the rest of the featured meal; so he brought each of the foods on the menu that accompanied fried spatzle on separate plates, far more food than one could consume. An English-speaking waiter helped clear up the matter; however, I know it caused them apoplexy. Allen gave me grief over the order, saying, “Next time, just order the whole meal. I’ll even pay for it.” I took that to mean he is paying for all my meals for the rest of the trip :-). WEG

Tuesday, October 11, 2016 – Dresden, Germany

Raphael, Cranach, Rubens, Durer, Van Dyck, Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Holbein, Cranach the Elder, Cranach the Younger, Titian, Rembrandt, and the works of other great artists make the Old Masters’ Gallery in Dresden an exquisite museum. The collection of art is not overwhelming in number, but it is high quality. Set amidst the grandeur of the Zwinger Palace, the royal home of the Saxon kings, it was a time well spent. We walked through Dresden’s old town and marveled at the splendor of the baroque buildings. It is an appealing atmosphere.

We loved spending part of the day in a shopping mall, marveling at the electronic directory where you simply touched the name of the store you wanted to visit, and the board produced a map from your location to the specific store. We loved people-watching and visiting local stores to compare with our American experience. We noted that the food areas had very little that we would find in our malls, or that it was presented quite differently. You could watch bakers making the breads and pastries. Restrooms are sparkling clean, and you pay 50 cents to enter. There were name brand stores we would know, but also many we would not. Taking this time is one of the reasons we like to arrange our own travels, so that we are not rushed through to simply see the sites.

We loved our evening meal, set in an antique-filled space. Sauerbraten, rouladen, potato and sausage soup, pumpkin soup, red cabbage, potato dumplings, and local Dresden beer and wine combined with laughter and good company made for a delightful evening. WEG

Monday, October 10, 2016

Our comfortable train ride from Prague to Dresden took us along the Elbe River and through what is called the Saxon Alps (there are no Alps in Saxony) because of the unusual rock formations that make up the high rolling hills. The ride was smooth and the scenery was pleasant, what more could one ask for?

The baroque beauty of Dresden is uplifting. Sometimes the ambiance of a place hints at a certain character and the fine buildings of Dresden say, “culture.” Walking into the old city, there is the immediate sensation of history, planning and beauty. Wide squares, cobblestone streets, architectural integrity and quality of building are immediately evident. We saw an entire city block under an architectural dig in order to save every brick and stone from past centuries that could be reused in rebuilding the block exactly like it was prior to 1945 when Allied bombing (resulting in a fire storm) completely destroyed the city. Workers with small trowels and whisk brooms were painstakingly uncovering items for future use. Since the fall of the Communist hold on East Germany about 30 years ago, Dresden has been recreating the historic city, block by block.

We could not withstand going to the Frauenkirche, the magnificent Lutheran Church that is the icon and emblem of the city. A stunning and worshipful space, the baroque atmosphere is a tranquil mix of pastels. The altar and organ are a brilliant display of statuary in pastels, white and gold. We were able to watch a short film in the media area about the history of the church and the rebuilding efforts that resulted in the church as it stands today. We left the church emotionally moved and inspired.

We ate our evening meal in a wonderfully warm and Saxon-decorated restaurant. The cheese soup was excellent and the roast boar, veal liver, hunters meat loaf and rosti (fried potatoes in a cast iron skillet) with fried eggs were a treat. It was new beer, both dunkle and wheat, both refreshing none the less. We look forward to our days in this glorious city. WEG

The Blue Danube splits Budapest into two parts, the hilly Buda side with the castles and towering monuments and the flat Pest (Pesht) side with its government, university, civic, cultural and business iconic buildings. Towering church steeples are everywhere. The beautiful bridges that span the Danube link the two sides into one beautiful city.

Allen, Rhonda, Sherlene, Mike and Sandra marveled at the Great Synagogue just down from our lovely apartments. It is the second largest in the world and is quite beautiful. Unfortunately, it tells the story of the holocaust that claimed the lives of over 600,000 Hungarian Jews during World War II. The graveyard is left just as the Nazi’s destroyed it. The memorial to the Jews who were murdered is touching yet, at the same time, uplifting. The silver tree with silver leaves that bear the name of a lost friend or relative on each leaf and the memorial stone, “Never forget,” leave a lasting impression. We tried to eat at a highly regarded Hungarian Jewish restaurant, but being the Sabat (evening meal before the Sabbath) it was booked out.

The group also enjoyed the Grand Market. Huge by any measurement, it is filled with foods important to the Hungarian cuisine. It anchors one end of the beautiful pedestrian thoroughfare that winds its way through Pest. In the evening, Mike and Sandra attended a wonderful organ, trumpet and opera concert at the magnificent St. Stephen’s Basilica that featured Mozart’s Requiem. The rest of us watched an artist carve an ice sculpture to music and lights in the Basilica square. We all are in awe of the beauty and gracefulness of this city. WEG

As soon as our dinner cruise on the Danube pulled away from the dock, the string quartet began to play, “The Blue Danube” by Johanne Strauss. We enjoyed a very good buffet meal as we cruised by the bright lights of the Chain Bridge, Buda’s Castle Hill, the Parliament and the city monuments that grace the river. It was a delightful evening!

During the day we rode the “hop on hop off” bus and hopped off by the funicular that ascends to the top of the Buda hills. What an unexpected pleasure to find that soon after our arrival, the palace was conducting the changing of the guard and we had an “up front and personal” view!The guards were precise in their movements and gun maneuvers. Rhonda and I thought that it was better in some ways than the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in London. The uniforms were not as colorful, nor were there as many guards, but the maneuvers were excellent.

St. Matthias Church on the hill is such a beautifully painted church on the interior. Every surface is painted with bright colors on gold backgrounds. The views outside the church looking out from the “Fisherman’s Bastian” down onto the Danube and across to Pest are stunning. The huge and iconic Parliament building with its copper red roofs and spires and St. Stephen’s Basilica stand out on the horizon. Budapest is simply a stunningly beautiful city.

Our meals on the trip have been excellent; each country is so different in its native meals. We have enjoyed that variety. We have noted that Hungarian food tends to incorporate a rich variety of ingredients. I ordered hot plum soup and “wow.” Duck is common on the menu. Hungarian goulash is not what your mother made–it is a cubed beef base with a few vegetables in a rich paprika broth. Tortes of cherry or poppy seed or creamed cottage cheese are yummy. We walk enough to eat up the calories, thankfully! WEG