Dresden, Germany: June 26

This morning we were off to Castle Pillnitz, about 15 km east of Dresden's city center.  We wanted to go by boat, so we went down to the landing bridge to see what we could catch.  We were able to secure two seats on a steam paddle wheeler, the Dresden, for noon.  As we had about 2 hours before departure, we strolled around a park in the vicinity of the Zwinger, walked around the Italienisches Dörfchen or Italian village, where Italian craftsmen working on various building projects in the city had lived during their time here, and then went to a small mall, where we finally located a coin purse for me and then procured a lunch of salmon on baguette for me, grilled shrimp with curry sauce on a baguette for Alexandra, a Fanta and grapes for us both.  We boarded at about 11:45 and departed promptly at noon to the chimes of the Hofkirche.  Lots of people on board, including a class of what looked like about 10-year-olds who were making so much noise that I could not hear the commentary that was offered.  However, they exited at Blasewitz and we continued on in piece, Alexandra writing more postcards and I following the route to Pillnitz on a German guide of the river I had bought.  We arrived at the castle at about 2:00.  Schloss Pillnitz was the summer residence of many electors and kings of Saxony.  With our 48-hour card we were able to secure free admission to the gardens, the Palm House, the chance to see the 230-year-old camellia, and the Museum of Decorative Arts.  The palace complex consists of three main buildings which enclose a Baroque garden and are surrounded by a large public park.  As early as the 4th c., a modest residential fortress existed on the site of today's castle.  It was enlarged in the 16th and 17th c. to a four-winged building. The castle was acquired by the Wettin dynasty in 1694, and for several years was used to house the mistresses of various electors.  Eventually, Augustus II ordered the castle to be converted into an oriental summer palace for riverside festivities.  The buildings surround a Baroque flower garden whose centerpiece is a pond with a large fountain.  From this, a chestnut allee approximately 1600 feet long runs parallel to the river bank, flanked by parterres.  The park surrounding the main buildings contains botanical attractions from all over the world, including a camellia tree more than 230 years old, complete with its own greenhouse that can be moved in place over the tree when conditions are adverse to its well-being.   There was an English garden with English pavilion; a Chinese pavilion, a conifer garden, and an orangery.  There is also a palm house built between 1859 and 1861, the largest greenhouse in Germany at the time it was built.  We spent all afternoon exploring both exterior and interior spaces, then stopped in several crafts shops on the premises--Alexandra bought a very neat gift for her boyfriend in a wooden toy shop featuring all kinds of wonderful objects fashioned in Saxon Switzerland adjacent to Dresden.  One hour before departure  for Dresden, Alexandra and I went to a wonderful restaurant in the vicinity of the Palm House called Einkehr zum Palmenhaus, offering hearty cuisine of the area made with local products of the region and seasonal specialties.  Both of us had a Radler lager beer and lemonade concoction which was excellent.  For dinner we had marinated beef roast (Sauerbraten) and potato dumplings with red cabbage seasoned with apples, a truly wonderful dish we wolfed down in about 10 minutes.  Then we hoofed it back to our boat in plenty of time for our 6:05 departure.  Clouds were hanging low, and by about Loschwitz it was raining  and the temperature felt to be about 55.  At Dresden we got off and hoofed it to our apartment, where we watched the end of the Germany-US FIFA soccer match, with Germany winning 1-0.  Outside, musicians are playing, and it is getting cooler.  A quiet, subdued weekday, with rain predominating all.  However, a good day!  Meissen on our agenda tomorrow.