![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Picspam: Saxon Switzerland in the fog
I've shown you pictures of this beautiful landscape that's only about half an hour by train away from Dresden, in Summertime before. But these pictures - specially posted for my new friend ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
topum - show the same place in December 2014, on a very rainy and foggy day. It made for beautiful pictures, the kind that you can find in calendars. Please have a look under the cut! Enjoy!
The way up! Usually I take my friends up by bus and we walk down, but we had missed the bus and it was the last one for the day. We went up rather late, it already was about 3 PM. We met some people coming down. In Summer it is full of tourists up there because of the easy access, but at this time of the year we were almost alone and it was really like in a fairytale!
That's the river Elbe down there. During many millions of years it carved its way through the sandstones. You arrive by train at the other side and then have to use a small ferry.
What you see here used to be a medieval fortress, all the way up on top of the rock. Nothing much is left of it, but you can still see the holes where the wooden beams used to be, and the fountain and some other things built from stone. You can walk around and there are plates with explanations everywhere. There's also a model I need to show you yetaletheiafelinea!
The next picture shows the "Bastei bridge". One of the first touristy spots, built in 1851. Even Microsoft has chosen it for one of its background pictures in Windows. We're famous!!!
Look how this tree has grown from the rock! Amazing.
I wonder how they can even survive up there?
This is a famous painting by Caspar David Friedrich. There is a so called "Painter's walk" where along the way they have plates with paintings, exactly at the spot they were painted. You can see how much the trees have grown since:
I just showed you the previous picture to show what you WOULD see here ;)
But then all of a sudden the fog cleared away:
Here's the rest of the story. My timetable had told me that at 6 PM the last bus would be going down and I was determined to get it. We warmed up a little in the restaurant up there, and then went to the station. By then it was pitch black. The station was a bit away from the restaurant and the hotel. There was one lonely lantern but otherwise we were in the middle of the black wood. I've never seen it so dark before. If that bus hadn't come there was no way we would be able to go down again, not seeing where we went. But luckily, it came ;) That was quite an adventure.
topum - show the same place in December 2014, on a very rainy and foggy day. It made for beautiful pictures, the kind that you can find in calendars. Please have a look under the cut! Enjoy!The way up! Usually I take my friends up by bus and we walk down, but we had missed the bus and it was the last one for the day. We went up rather late, it already was about 3 PM. We met some people coming down. In Summer it is full of tourists up there because of the easy access, but at this time of the year we were almost alone and it was really like in a fairytale!
That's the river Elbe down there. During many millions of years it carved its way through the sandstones. You arrive by train at the other side and then have to use a small ferry.
What you see here used to be a medieval fortress, all the way up on top of the rock. Nothing much is left of it, but you can still see the holes where the wooden beams used to be, and the fountain and some other things built from stone. You can walk around and there are plates with explanations everywhere. There's also a model I need to show you yet
aletheiafelinea!
The next picture shows the "Bastei bridge". One of the first touristy spots, built in 1851. Even Microsoft has chosen it for one of its background pictures in Windows. We're famous!!!
Look how this tree has grown from the rock! Amazing.
I wonder how they can even survive up there?
This is a famous painting by Caspar David Friedrich. There is a so called "Painter's walk" where along the way they have plates with paintings, exactly at the spot they were painted. You can see how much the trees have grown since:
I just showed you the previous picture to show what you WOULD see here ;)
But then all of a sudden the fog cleared away:
Here's the rest of the story. My timetable had told me that at 6 PM the last bus would be going down and I was determined to get it. We warmed up a little in the restaurant up there, and then went to the station. By then it was pitch black. The station was a bit away from the restaurant and the hotel. There was one lonely lantern but otherwise we were in the middle of the black wood. I've never seen it so dark before. If that bus hadn't come there was no way we would be able to go down again, not seeing where we went. But luckily, it came ;) That was quite an adventure.
no subject
Stacey
no subject
no subject
I am really impressed by that tree growing sideways from the rock. Such determination!
no subject
Harry and Lucy took Bern? Noooo! :(
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
There's also a model I need to show you
*perks ears" Oh?
no subject
no subject
I finally found the model! I have been up there so often recently with different friends, I didn't remember where to look. I'll do a proper post about the fortress yet, but here is the model so you have an idea what it looked like:
no subject
no subject
I had no idea there's a Windows wallpaper of the bridge!
That photo above "I wonder how they can even survive up there?" looks so familiar. From a Caspar David Friedrich painting maybe? Or maybe it just reminds me of his style.
Ha, and then you mention the guy. I didn't remember that they have signs with infos on paintings of the view there.
no subject
Just imagine, when these guys were going there for paintings, they did not have the comfortable walk ways like we do! And they carried all the easels and other stuff.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
So this is where film crews go when they need a scene with a car on a tree, over a cliff!
I really don't think they would get a car up there ;) It's way up the mountain, and while you can drive up by car or bus, you still have to walk a bit to go to the bridge and in the former fortress it is only steel stairs and walkways where you can look through. My friend is afraid of heights and refused to go on there.
But they have recently filmed a movie indeed in Saxon Switzerland. I think it was a movie version of "The Marksman". I just remember reading a report how difficult it was filming there and getting all the equipment up. And they even added more trees to make the wood more dark and moody. So there are fake trees between the real trees ;) I have to watch this when it comes out.
Also Hollywood has found what a beautiful landscape we have and have filmed several movies already.
no subject
And they even added more trees to make the wood more dark and moody. So there are fake trees between the real trees ;)
When I was on a trip to CERN in Geneva, the woman who worked there told us the producers of "Angels and Demons" came there to see if they could film there (there's a bit in the beginning of the film when antimatter gets stolen from CERN). They looked around and said the place doesn't look spectacular enough, and they'll build their own sets. And they did. So much for keeping things real ;)
no subject
Ah, that is true! And it always makes for great tension, when you worry if it will fall down or not. The slightest shift can make the difference.
and they'll build their own sets. And they did. So much for keeping things real ;)
Heh, great story! I guess we all have come to expect how such places are supposed to look, from seeing it in movies and TV all the time. So the real thing might be rather boring indeed!
no subject
I love how people can play with models and get even paid for. I also yet need to post the pictures from the miniature park that had buildings from all over the world - including the Eiffel Tower, Liberty Statue, White House and lots more.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Sometimes it's nice to remember in what a beautiful place I live, and not take it for granted!
I was thinking at the end about alternatives. We could have stayed the night in the hotel I guess, but it is an expensive high end one. I also could have called my father to come and get us by car, but it would have taken at least an hour. And the restaurant we had been in actually closed at 5 PM.
But while we were standing at the bus stop, a young girl came, who works in that restaurant, and she said she takes this bus every evening, so we relaxed a bit after that. Also I am sure it is nice for the bus driver if someone actually wants to ride and he doesn't drive there for nothing!
no subject
This is just one example (it's over the border in Czech Republic though): http://www.cztip.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Pravcicka-brana.jpg
In one of the Narnia movies you could see them walk over that bridge. It's actually a computer fake, as it is closed, they are afraid of it breaking.
Also, I once did this post about something from my home-city Dresden: http://dieastra.livejournal.com/129427.html
no subject
Yes, very Hollywood-style.
I guess we all have come to expect how such places are supposed to look, from seeing it in movies and TV all the time.
"Things that try to look like things often do look more like things than things." - Terry Pratchett :)
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
This is why something the rocks are destroyed and falling down I guess. Due to roots and/or ice in winter.
no subject
Stacey
no subject
It all started in 1764. Some Swiss painters said it looked like home and this is why it is called Saxon Switzerland.