Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz

Königstein Fortress from Königstein

Saturday was our Goethe-Institut Ausflug ("Outfly" or "exkursion") to Königstein Fortress and Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz. Six of us ditched the tour of the fortress (we felt kind of bad for doing so) in order to go explore other parts of Sächsische Schweiz like the sandstone mountains and the Bastei bridge. It was totally worth it! The fortress was neat, but the bridge and mountains were unbelievable.  There are so many pictures I want to share!

As much as I dislike walking, this was good, more like climbing than anything else. Up and up and up... There was a point where I wished for my friend, Becky.  Long story short, she carried me piggy-back style part way up to Harney Peak during our trip to South Dakota.  All because I was complaining about her and my mom making me walk that far.  I went because they told me there was a gift shop at the top of the mountain.  All we found were BLACK clouds followed closely by a hail storm.  There we were in our shorts and sandals and nothing but cameras on top this crazy mountain.  Pure tourist.  Anyway, there wasn't a gift shop at the top of this climb either, but there was a bar.  Almost as good.  We didn't stop long.  We were running out of daylight which meant we were also running out of heat.  The view was breathtaking, both out of beauty and height.  I'm usually the one seeing how far over the edge I can hang.  I didn't do that here...completely.

Little orange "spot"?  That's a rock climber.

Then there is the bridge...the Bastei.  This is what initially motivated me to plan additions to the Goethe-Institut's tour of the Königstein Fortress.  After a couple hours of hiking and climbing, we reached the bridge.  Only, I didn't know it was the bridge.  It's hard to see when you're standing on it.  We got our tea and candy at the bar (to the music of a Baptist group out "evangelizing" tourists--I can't imagine climbing all that way carrying instruments!) and then I made the group backtrack across the bridge to the gate to the "real" view.  Go figure.  It's free to walk across the bridge but there's a fee for seeing it?  €1.50 later I was on metal bridges looking very far down between the grates under my feet.  The only thing that would have made them better is if they were swinging bridges.  ("What is your name?  What is your favorite color?...")  Anyway, it was all worth it.  The loop back to the main trail from "The View" also took us through the ruins of a rock castle.  I can't imagine living that high up with cliffs every few feet!

Bastei Bridge among the sandstone mountains.

This was a needed trip and was very refreshing.  In Dresden, I am beginning to go a little stir-crazy like I tend to do in cities.  What a perfect day to be out exploring the beauty of Saxony.  Class continues to be enjoyable and some days are easier than others.  So soon this course will end and I will move on to Neuendettelsau...about the time I get things figured out in Dresden!  By the way, I managed to buy the right milk after class today.  I'm sure my friends were wondering about my sanity as I had a refrigerator full of cheese and a carton of lactose-free milk.  Oh, and my latest plan...I'm picking up glass bottles along the side of the road as I walk.  I'm learning which ones I can turn in for money.  Thanks to Richard, I'm up to €1.36!

Pax