Today’s adventure found us docked at Bad Schandau, a small spa village on the River Elba. After breakfast (the best Eggs Benedict I’ve ever eaten), we took a 30-minute motor-coach ride to The Bastei, a National Park in Germany. It was magnificent. We took a short hike to the historic bridge, which offers many panoramic views.
After lunch and a safety muster, we continued down the Elba towards Dresden, Germany, where we will dock tonight.
We’ve become very attached to our British friends Stuart and Deb. We’ve been sitting together during meals and excursions. They are so much fun. Stuart is an excellent storyteller; we’ve heard many these last few days. We still haven’t sat down for our afternoon tea, but they did encourage me to try the Marmite at breakfast. (We think it’s similar to Vegemite.) Yuck. I don’t need to try it again.
This ship is designed for 98 passengers, but only 81 of us are on board for this trip. There is a crew of 31 who come from 11 different countries. There is one couple that is quite irritating. (The wife in particular.) We’ve taken to making fun of each other when we get stuck next to them in line or in a conversation. I guess there’s always one in every group, right? The key to life is to ensure you’re not the irritating one in every group!
After lunch, I napped while Leroy enjoyed the sun on the top deck, watching the countryside pass by. I finished some writing and enjoyed a few FaceTime calls with the kids. I interrogated my British buddy some more about the royal family. We agreed The Princess Royal (Anne) is a badass. He said, “She’s just like her dad.” And everyone loves Sophie.
After dinner, we took a stroll through Dresden’s city center. (Just a short walk away from our boat.) I’ve learned much about this historic city in the past year and look forward to tomorrow’s tour. Allied bombers virtually decimated the city during the war, with the English bombing at night and the US bombing during the day. Our new friend’s father was in the RAF and a part of that controversial bombing raid. Every time we talk about this bombing, Stuart points in his wife’s direction and says, “Deb’s dad.”
