Saxony Switzerland

From Germany Photos

So yesterday Elaine's mentor Jean picked us up from 7^th Floor at 11:00am. He took us all throughout an area of the Saxony State (where Dresden is) and up into the mountains. He went on to tell us that this area is called Saxony Switzerland due to the fact that so many of the classical painters would actually walk the same trails and create beautiful works of art with the landscapes as their subject matter. We stopped at a small gallery before we went hiking to see some of the paintings. Really beautiful stuff. Then we headed UP. UP and UP and UP. His little VW hatchback was a trooper for sure. We pulled off on the side of one of these dirt roads and walked through the woods for some time and ended up at these "ruins" we would call them. He used to play there as a child and the view was fantastic. From there we stopped at another scenic river area and walked along the banks, found a small little restaurant, and had a wonderful little lunch. I had a Souljaya soup…I think it was called, and a Tomato w/Sheep Cheese salad. Ha, Elaine, who is a vegetarian by the way – got stuck eating the fish of the day there – something Jean suggested. She didn't want to be rude and ate the whole thing. Fish is served whole here – if you didn't realize by the photo =) After that we went hiking in the mountains and ended up stopping for Jean to show us from a distance a HUGE rock formation. An hour later we were standing on top of it. Amazing. There were climbers everywhere tackling the sandstone. Standing on a mountain in the middle of Germany was one of the strangest events of my life. Strange in a good way though. I love this country. Later we went back to Jean's where he cooked us dinner (a whole salmon wrapped in newspaper and cooked over an open pit fire, basmati rice, fresh basil, Saxony Wine, watermelon, Esresso, german beer, amazing – simply fucking amazing). German hospitality is something we could learn a thing or two from. We got back late but still went out to meet some of the Artist's from 7^th Floor at a bar that some of them work at. Had a blast just conversing over life, love, art. Good stuff. Went to bed at 3:30. And then……..