It's day seventeen (for me) in the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my Christmas/New Year travels in NYC and Europe – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and telling my story. Today's letter is T for my Timid Trek through a snow and ice covered park in Germany as our time overseas was coming to an end. Feel free to follow along as I make my way through the alphabet this month! :)
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One week after New Year's Day, our European vacation was coming to an end. We packed up our belongings and checked out of our Dresden hotel. The trip to our friend's home would be a long one, as most return trips are, broken up only by a stop at the Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz, a place I had never heard of until … well, we were there. :) Supposedly, according to our German friends, who should know these things, not many English-speaking (or was it American?) tourists stop here.
But can you blame them?
It's not like the internet is saturated with "If you plan to vacation in Germany, be sure to stop by the Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz!" No, we hear about Berlin, Cologne, Stuttgart … castles, World War II memorials, fancy cars, the autobahn, and good food. We freak about not knowing the language and getting lost. Of course a small national park isn't going to hit the radar!
Until it does and we end up visiting … as led by Germans.
And then run into English-speaking tourists who need guidance from our German friends.
About those English-speaking Americans who never come to the park … ???!?!
Maybe our friends have learned their lesson? Don't take Americans who speak bad German with you anywhere, because then you really will learn how many English-speaking tourists actually visit the national parks..
Or maybe if you just speak German the whole time you are there, no one that speaks English would dare to ask you for help?
Last resort: just play dumb. ;) "No, actually, I don't know my way around this park. I'm a dumb visitor just like you! Good luck!"
…
Except that our friends are super nice.
And they take Americans to German-only parks. And speak English.
But let's not talk about ladders and hiking though. In that, they are mean. Very, very mean.
Here are a few shots from our time there. Enjoy!
Now that you've seen my pictures from the Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz, would you consider being the English-speaking annoyances asking Germans for directions and help getting around the park? ;) Or are cities (and the autobahn!) more your style?
