chc3

Some shots of Prague’s Old Town and New Town taken this morning. I also added some shots of the Prague Metro, which still uses Soviet carriages. Later that day I headed out by metro and bus to the countryside to visit the site of the village of Lidice, which the SS razed to the ground on June 10, 1942 in a reprisal for the assassination of Nazi governor Reinhard Heydrich. It was especially moving. I was the only visitor. It’s obviously not a tourist site. I just posted the sign, which is ominous in itself. The memorials are a bit much to post.

Arrived in Prague by train from Dresden yesterday afternoon. I was last here right after 9/11, so many changes. Pot shops, since marijuana is now legal, more retail and restaurants, and throngs of tourists. I spent most time way up the hill at Prague Castle, then made my way to the atmospheric neighborhood of Nový Švet, which enthralled me 23 years ago. I still remembered the way. The last shots are of Novy Švet. Since the number of churches and palaces is mind-numbing, I’ll just show some highlights.

90% of Dresden was razed to the ground in a series of US-British bombing raids in February 1945, with 25,000 confirmed dead. After the war, the DDR had neither the funds nor the desire to rebuild the Altstadt (Old Town) of this beautiful baroque Saxon capital. Only after reunification, and particularly after 2000, did the meticulous restoration begin. Today, a tourist would never know that the center had been completely rebuilt.

Stunning! If only we could spruce up the Jefferson Street bridge and impose traffic calming on Jefferson westward from the bridge to Rosa Parks, that whole stretch would be just about perfect!

Yesterday I took a long walk to look at Die Spinnerei, a former spinning mill that was built in the 1890’s and was Europe’s largest. It was shut down in 1990, but has been repurposed as a center for artists, galleries, art shops, theater and a high-tech incubator. I often take long walks through the middle and working class sections of foreign cities to gain a greater understanding of the urban environment. I usually walk, but occasionally grab buses and trams. The last group of pictures was from last night. The tall building is the 468’ City-Hochhaus, built in 1972 during DDR times to resemble an open book, since Leipzig had traditionally been Germany’s publishing center.

Took a walking tour of the historic core on Wednesday morning, which was a national holiday. Views include the Gewandhaus Orchestra hall and the opposite-facing Leipzig Opera, on Augustus Platz. Both were rebuilt during the DDR era and are reasonably attractive. Leipzig was probably the most important musical center of its time. From Bach to Wagner, many classical composers either lived there or were born nearby. Other pictures are of the new and old town halls, two historical churches and an Art Nouveau building. In the late afternoon I took a 5-mile round trip walk to the giant monument commemorating Napoleon’s defeat in the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. Along the way, I snapped some photos of new urban development. Leipzig has become a boom town.

I arrived in Leipzig yesterday afternoon on the ICE from Berlin. My initial impression is that Leipzig is a real hidden gem. I’m looking forward to spending three nights here. The weather is now sunny and in the high 70’s. The first two pics are of the station, the largest in Europe, then an impressive Stalinist neo-classical building that fronts the 1862 structure that houses my beautiful Airbnb, a high rise hotel built in the DDR era and some street shots in the inner city, inside the Martin Luther Ring. Lots to explore on May Day, the national holiday.

Yesterday, I took the U-Bahn deep into the heart of the old East Berlin, which is full of neo-classical Stalinist buildings, prefabricated “Modernist” housing blocks, and old Communist-era cinemas. The broad Frankfurter Allee turns into the even wider Karl-Marx-Allee, where the DDR held its massive military parades and May Day demonstrations. The route starts at the Magdalenstraße U-Bahn station and continues 3.5 km to the Alexanderplatz. Few tourists ever venture into this part of town, which is shabbier but completely safe. The first stop was the former Stasi secret police headquarters, which had an excellent Stasi Museum. At its peak, 180,000 East Germans either worked or informed for the Stasi, 1% of the population.

Yesterday I took the S-Bahn to Potsdam, then walked to the vast Sanssouci royal park built by Frederick the Great in the middle 18th c. Frederick was quite a personality: military genius, philosopher, musician, composer, humanist and patron of the arts. He’s worth reading about. He built two palaces in Potsdam: the Neue Palais and his favorite, Sans Souci. The park encompasses 400 hectares. Frederick also built the Orangerie and filled it with neo-classical statues. He’s buried at Sans Souci. The first pics are of the Neue Palais, followed by the Orangerie and, finally, Sans Souci. The area is now spelled as one word, Sanssouci.

Everyone who I’ve met in Germany so far has heard of Nashville!

I’m on my 4th day in Berlin, which is truly a monumental and beautiful city. I’m currently staying in Schöneberg, where JFK delivered his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” address on June 26, 1963. Most of the famous buildings, including the Brandenburg Gate, were in the former East Berlin. On Saturday I walked 15 miles, in addition to taking a three-hour bike tour. The S-Bahn and U-Bahn networks are immense.

The Rathaus

Some views from the last two days. I really love Hamburg. Beautiful urban environment and spotlessly clean. Great food and world-class amenities. I head to Berlin for 5 nights tomorrow, so stay tuned. The first group of pics are from yesterday, including the Rathaus, views of the developing Hafen City, and the Museum of Art and Crafts.

A few pics from last night’s “orientation” walk. Descending: St Michael Church 433’; Elbphilharmonie 361’;Heinrich-Heinz-Turm 916’; unknown residential tower; S-Bahn station with arriving train.

Arrived in Hamburg this afternoon. Partly sunny and in the 40s. Will start warming up by the weekend. Lots to post about this great town, but I thought I’d share some great urban design in the neighborhood where I’m staying, Ottensee. The local market is nicer than Whole Foods. They redeveloped an old gasworks into residential, retail and office. The last picture is my building, which was built in 1898. Nowhere in Europe, not even in K’yiv and Minsk, do they use poured concrete. All sidewalks are made of pavers. Everything in America is done on the cheap.

Some views of the delightful city of Münster, a university town in Westphalia. The cages on the steeple of St Lambert’s Church have a macabre history. After the Anabaptist occupation and rebellion was subdued in 1535, the imperial forces under the Hapsburg emperor tortured the ringleaders of the rebellion and then hoisted them in iron cages up the steeple where carrion birds feasted on them. The Anabaptists rejected violence and turned to pacifism soon after.

Spent a few days in Amsterdam. Some views from a river cruise and a bike tour. Teeming with tourists. Now in a lovely city in Germany: Münster.

Looking north to Bicentennial Mall and Germantown from Capitol Hill this morning.

Looking east from 12th Ave North

Great catch, Ron!

I was in Sarajevo in early August 2018. Hiked up to the 1984 Winter Olympics venue and snapped pics of ruins from the Serb siege of the early 90s. The Latin Bridge is where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in June 1914..

Views of Tempe from Tempe Butte this morning and eclipse watchers on the ASU campus. Valley Metro light rail activity can also be seen.

The former Power Electric Co. on the corner of Monroe St and 3rd Avenue N is being demolished. Million dollar+ townhomes planned. Looking SW.

Easter morning looking NE towards the Tennessee State Museum

I spend summers on Whidbey Island and often take pics of Rainier from Double Bluff Beach. Even in mid-summer, it’s snow covered. It has the greatest prominence in the USA after Denali.