Friday, 28th September 2001.
Dresden

After a couple of hours in Dresden I noticed that there is a dearth of good-looking women here. (Perhaps they've all moved to Leipzig? The ladies of Leipzig, yum.) It was such a shock to me when I encountered a fine female and an equal shock when I encountered the second that I decided to start counting all the good-looking women in Dresden.

(at the close of play today there were six)

Here in Dresden the UberTeenagers are less prevalent. They loiter at the all-night shops, while their older brothers and sisters (who have since graduated from being UberTeenagers to being UberStudents) try to look cool by rolling joints by streetlight.

At this point I would like to insert a paragraph that sounds a bit like I'm trying to be a travel writer (I'm not, I'm just a blundering fool) and then quickly degenerates into the kind of rubbish I usually produce.

As many of you would be aware, Dresden was bombed to buggery during the second world war, so much of what is here today has been rebuilt. Regardless, it is an intriguing place, the grace and splendour of the Old Town contrasting with the vibrant alternative culture in the New Town. Post reunification the New Town has become the centre of art and kulcha, and there is a thriving nightlife here (including the club beneath my hostel which hosts dodgy heavy metal acts...marvellous).

It was in the Old Town that I found the Kreuzkirche. It looked ordinary from the outside, but inside it was stunning. It looks as if all the bomb damage etc from WWII has been left as it was.

Also situated in the Old Town is the "Procession of Princes" mural. It's bloody long. There were stacks of unhappy-looking wives consenting to having their grim photograph taken in front of it.

After a brief bout of sightseeing I returned to the hostel in the drizzle that had been my constant companion since Berlin. They (whoever "they" are) were setting up for a Fest of some description along the Hauptstrasse. At the far end (as if that makes any difference to you lot!) a rock band struck up. And this being Germany, they were a Dodgy Rock Band. They were singing in english (not for my benefit, I'm sure) and the lyrics to the chorus were:
When the rain begins to fall
I'll be your rainbow in disguise

I spotted another good-looking girl on the way to the restaurant (number five - what a corker!) where I ate a pasta dish so full of garlic that I swear I was sweating garlic. No kissing any girls tonight! Not that there's much temptation!

Back at the hostel, a New Zilland sheila was holding court with a bunch of Germans (I'll stop making fun of her iksent now) (but not until I mention one last time that her accent was an absolute SHOCKER!) and then one of the German lads piped up with "Is it true that New Zealand is full of sheeps?"

Fantastic.