Dresden - but first, an introduction to Kenny

We fell in love with this city on sight & probably because it reminded us so much of the cities and towns of our beloved second home, Italy. 

However, in order to get to Dresden, we relied, as we always do, on Kenny, the most important “person” on any trip we take across the oceans.

I haven’t introduced you to Kenny.  He is our unflappable, always polite, ever obliging and extremely flexible SATNAV. We acquired him before we came to Italy in 2009 and programmed him for Europe.  He is just the best. This is his third trip with us now.  We had a choice of Jane or Sue or Daniel or Ken, but Ken was the one with the voice like Jeeves (of Agatha Christie fame) & he is ever so polite and respectful. Even when Bill argues with him and refuses to go where he leads, Kenny just “replans” or if the situation is non-negotiable, insists, in measured tones, that we “turn around, when possible.”  And never has he failed in getting us to where we want to go, though his tone is sometimes weary when he finally gets to state: “You have reached your destination.” 

Never has he failed in getting us to where we want to go. He has led us through thick & thin, on highway & byway, over mountains and across flowing rivers though his tone is sometimes weary when he finally gets to state: “You have reached your destination.”  This he did again, on Friday, in Dresden.

One moment we were tootling along your routine, everyday kind of street, then after taking the next turn, as Kenny had directed us, we found that he had catapulted us into the very centre of Dresden-the very middle of the main square, between 2 cafes full of startled lunch time diners who didn’t know whether to pick up their plates & run for their lives, or just drink their wine & beer very fast in hope that it would take the initial pain out of what looked like being a very untimely demise.

It was nothing to how I felt, I can tell you.  I wasn’t sure whether to crawl under the seat- not much room for that- or sit it out with a bored expression & just give a little wave, like the Queen does, to the assembled masses.  Bill had other ideas. He threw me the address of the hotel we were aiming for, & over Kenny’s voice telling us with great relief that we had reached our destination, asked me to find the nearest English speaking waiter & find out where the destination actually was because it surely wasn’t going to be in the middle of these diners.

He was right, it wasn’t in the middle of those diners, it was in the middle of some others, on the direct opposite side of the square, which the nice waiter said we could traverse in our vehicle, so off we went, Bill certain he was about to take out several of the wandering minstrels, not to mention the tourists and lo & behold, there was the hotel, & yes, we had reached our destination, thanks to Kenny.

And now, when I recover, I’ll tell you all about delightful Dresden.

One of the varied means of transport in Dresden

More modern means of transport in Dresden