We had a short amount of time to spend in Dublin. We were using Dublin as a stopover on our way home from Nice, and that meant we had a full day and an additional evening to soak up everything we could. Our friends, Bill and Theresa were on this trip with us, where we participated in the UTMB Nice Côte d’Azur ultramarathons. The result of our races meant that both Bill and I were injured and hobbling around town.
Normally, I’m the trip planner, suggesting bars, restaurants, museums, and activities, but this time I deferred to Jenn. She had been to Dublin for three days on a girls’ trip earlier in the year, and she was in a much better position to guide our visit.
As soon as we had checked into our hotel, we were hungry and needed to go get a bite to eat. Jenn was excited about taking us to a couple of old taverns in Dublin, so we went to the Brazen Head, a classic Irish pub, founded in 1198.
The Liberty Belle, along our walk to the Brazen Head
There was a line stretching out into the street, but the service was efficient, and the line moved quickly. It didn’t take too long before sitting at an old wooden table in a crowded bar, ordering our first real Irish ales. A few minutes later, I was enjoying a properly poured Guinness while Jenn and Bill were both drinking Smithwick’s red ales. It was great to have a beer with a little malt backbone after spending the last few days in France drinking light Italian and French pilsners. It wasn’t too long before they delivered me a plate of fish and chips, which really hit the spot.
There isn’t many things more beautiful that watching a Guinness settle
After our trip to the Brazen Head, we walked down to the Temple Bar District. For it being fairly early in the evening, we certainly ran across enough people who were already overserved. That is the general reputation of the Temple Bar District, a place for overindulging. After wandering around the district for a while, we tucked into the Old Storehouse to grab a drink and listen to a little music.
The Temple Bar District
The bar was packed, standing room only, and not much room for standing either. The bar itself is another classic Irish pub with a long wood bar, tons of wainscoting, and every inch of the wall above the wainscoting covered in framed pictures. We grabbed some pints of ale and then walked outside to enjoy our beer. The weather was cool but comfortable, and outside we were able to enjoy the music at a reasonable volume.
Enjoying a Smithwick’s Red Ale outside at the Old Storehouse
We enjoyed our drinks, then headed back to the hotel to get a good night’s sleep so we could get ready for the day ahead.
Many bars had decorated with balloons to attract NFL fans who were in town. The Norseman couldn’t decide between the Vikings and the Steelers, so they decorated with both.
The next morning, we woke up and grabbed a light breakfast and a cappuccino from a little coffee shop called Two Pups, less than a block away from the Hyatt Centric, where we were staying. It was a quaint cafe with warm hosts and delicious food. The Irish are much friendlier than the French, and after several days in Nice, being treated so well by the staff felt like a warm hug.
Pastry and Cappuccino from Two Pups
Following breakfast, we headed over to the Jameson Distillery to do a tour of the facility. It was 10 AM, which seemed a little early for a distillery tour, but hey, we’re on vacation, right? The tour was wonderful, very informative, and came with samples of various Jameson products. I really enjoyed the tour, probably more than I should have, because Jenn was sliding me her samples too.
Second floor at Jameson Distillery
Following the distillery tour, we started walking toward Trinity College. However, after a kilometer, we were feeling like we needed to stop for another drink, so we ended up stopping for a pint at Trinity Bar and Venue, where I had a nice glass of Murphy’s Stout. I know, we had just left the distillery, but in our defense, Bill and I were limping pretty bad, so it did take a while to get there.
Tap selection at Trinity Bar and Venue
After the pint, we walked into Trinity College. It would have been nice to see the Long Room at the Old Library, but Jenn had been there just been there a few months earlier, and ongoing maintenance on the Library had affected the experience. They had removed a lot of the books as part of the project so I think I’ll try to return when the shelves are full again.
Old Stone Buildings at Trinity College
Trinity College itself is a beautiful campus with ancient stone buildings, cobblestone plazas, and copper statues. It’s a calm and beautiful place to visit, and I can only imagine what a privilege it is for the students to study there.
Statue of William Hartpole Lecky at Trinity College
After Trinity College, we walked down to Grafton Street, where we walked around looking at shops. The area was packed, which surprised me for a Tuesday afternoon. There were buskers playing music and singing, spread out strategically to not interfere with each other. It is a very nice area; however, for the most part, it was the most modern of the areas that we had visited so far, and I was enjoying the old buildings throughout Dublin.
We found a pub and stopped in for lunch, where I had another pint and some bangers and mash. After lunch, we left Grafton Street and headed back towards the hotel.
Bangers and Mash
St. Patrick’s Cathedral was on the way back to the hotel, and we decided to stop in. I’m always in awe of the amazing churches and cathedrals in Europe. St. Patrick’s Cathedral did not disappoint. It was founded in 1191, and like most cathedrals of the era, took more than a generation to complete. It was completed in 1270.
St Patrick’s Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral is a classic Gothic cathedral, characterized by its pointed arches and ribbed vaults. It features some amazing stained glass windows and statues, as well as ancient flags hanging from the walls. Many important people were buried here as well, including Jonathan Swift, most famous for being the author of many great works, including Gulliver’s Travels.
The bar at Teeling Distillery
Of course, we couldn’t attend an Irish cathedral without following that up with a trip to another distillery, so following St. Patrick’s, we walked over to Teeling Distillery. The Teeling Distillery is a beautiful and modern-looking distillery with a really nice bar. We sat down and had a couple drinks, some of us drinking whiskey and others mixed drinks. I went for the cheaper whiskeys on the menu and was a little disappointed, but everyone else was happy with their drinks.
After our drinks, we finished the evening at Darkey Kelly’s, a traditional Irish tavern with live music. It was suggested by the clerk at our hotel. The food was good, but it was so busy that we had to sit outside, where it was raining a little. We were under an awning, but the air was cold and moist, which did make things a little uncomfortable. We had dinner and a couple of red ales, enjoying our last night on vacation before the long flight home.
Outside at Darkey Kelly’s
We were only in Dublin for a day and a half, and what is amazing is just how much we were able to enjoy in a short amount of time. Dublin is full of history, old buildings, and especially distilleries and pubs. It’s also quite dense, meaning we were able to see quite a bit, even though we weren’t able to walk very well. We had a great time in Dublin, and I can’t wait to go back – only next time I will spend a little more time there.
We had the opportunity to be in Dublin for a couple of days on our last trip to Europe, and we decided to use the opportunity to visit the Jameson Distillery. We debated whether we would rather visit the Guinness Brewery or the Jameson Distillery, but Jameson won out because I’ve done a few brewery tours, but never a distillery tour. The Jameson tour didn’t disappoint.
We walked to the distillery from our hotel, which was about a 20-minute walk, and even though you would assume that a distillery would be in a gritty industrial zone, it was in a lovely area with brick and stone buildings and cobblestone streets. From Bow Street, we walked through an archway and into the Jameson complex.
Bar in the lobby
Inside the Jameson Complex, there is a small plaza with a gift shop and a restaurant. We skipped those and went straight into the distillery. The building has a modern loft feel, where the building seems old but fresh, with brick bones and lots of black iron and wood finishes. The color that brightens the room is an endless supply of green Jameson bottles.
Jameson Distillery sign near tour entrance
We went straight to the ticket counter to buy a ticket for the tour. The Bow Street tour is a 45-minute tour, and it currently costs € 26. Luckily for that price, there are some drinks that are provided. Once we paid for our tour, they sent us to the bar to get our complimentary drink before the tour began. Since I was there to fully experience Jameson Whiskey, I ordered a Jameson neat.
Workers used to be rewarded for their labor with glasses of whiskey
I’ll be honest, before this tour, I had never tried Jameson Whiskey. I had developed an affinity for American bourbon, and given how much bourbon is available in the US, I hadn’t even thought about trying Jameson. I took a sip and immediately noticed the caramel notes. It was also surprisingly smooth and gave me a pleasant, warming sensation. Ok, Jameson, you have my attention.
View from the waiting area before the tour
We waited around at the bar as the other guests began to join us. They were mostly Americans who were in town for the Steelers/Vikings game that happened the previous day. When the tour began, we were shuffled into a round brick room with some seats around a table, where the tour guide began to tell us the history of the Jameson brand. There was also a video that was artfully projected upon the table in the center of the room, which also helped explain the history of the distillery.
The projection on the table tells the history of Jameson
After the history of Jameson had been discussed, we were then moved into another room where we were asked to group up and stand around one of a series of display tables. Each of these tables had exhibits of various elements of the process, showing color development as well as demonstrating aromas that come from the maturation of the whiskey.
Demonstrations of the development of color and aroma in the whiskey
There was another video projection on the wall. This time, they demonstrated the process that they use to make Jameson Whiskey. This included the triple-distilling process as well as the maturation process in the barrel. This also included how they pick the barrels themselves. These barrels are reused American bourbon and Spanish sherry barrels, which add to the flavor and color of Jameson Whiskey.
Video showing the method of making Jameson whiskey
Finally, after the demonstration of how the whiskey is produced, we were ushered into a third room where we were given a tasting set. The guide walked us through the tasting notes of the three different whiskeys sitting in front of us. There was a classic Jameson Whiskey, Jameson Distillery Edition, and Jameson Black Label. There was also a glass of water there to cleanse your palate.
I enjoyed all of the samples, and again was pleasantly surprised by the quality of Jameson Whiskey. I had come into this experience thinking that it would be wildly inferior to the American bourbons that I’ve had, but it compares favorably. It’s definitely not better than some of my favorite bourbons, but I have to say it was better than some of the $40 bourbons that I’ve had. At the price point around half of that, it’s a solid whiskey.
Tasting three different versions of Jameson’s Whiskey
Jameson opened my eyes a little on this tour, and as I write this, I’m having a glass of Jameson right now. I learned that I don’t necessarily have to spend over $40 for a decent bottle of whiskey. It’s definitely not my favorite whiskey, but for its price, it’s very good.
I would recommend taking this tour to any Whiskey lover who finds themselves in Dublin. It was extremely informative, had great demonstrations, and a fabulous tour guide. The fact that I was able to consume some of that delicious whiskey is pretty nice, too.
I’ve never been comfortable with wealth. If you catch me in a pair of Brooks running shoes, I feel like I have to explain that I got them on sale. It’s the Midwestern in me; if you own anything nice, you have to explain to everyone who notices it that you’re not rich, you just got a great deal. Hell, this entire blog is practically an apology for taking fancy trips. “Oh sure, Margaret, we went to France, but I had coupons, doncha know.”
Monaco is the opposite of Midwestern frugality. People come to Monaco to flaunt their wealth. They pull into the marina in multimillion-dollar yachts and unload their multimillion-dollar sports cars to drive around town. Designer clothes and expensive jewelry are standard.
Monaco is an odd country. It is the second-smallest in the world, measuring less than one square mile. Its size, combined with its population of around 38,000, makes it the most densely populated country in the world. It is also extremely wealthy, with its GDP per capita of over $250,000 per year, around triple that of the United States.
There aren’t many places on earth where I feel more out of place than Monaco, but we decided to visit anyway. Since we were spending five days in Nice, which is only a 20-30 minute trip from Monaco, it would seem like a missed opportunity not to visit when we were nearby.
Despite my discomfort with wealth, I was looking forward to the visit. The country is undeniably beautiful. Port Hercule sits on the Mediterranean Sea, filled with numerous yachts, and the hills encircle it in a crescent shape, acting almost as an amphitheater, with the port at its center. To the east of Port Hercule is the Old Town area, where the Palace and the Cathedral are located. The hills to the north and west of Port Hercule are lined with beautiful, modern mid-rise condos where even the most basic condominiums sell for well into the millions of dollars.
White tents block the view of the Marina
We arrived from Nice by Uber, which turned out to be a great choice. The drive to Monaco is beautiful, crossing through the maritime Alps and then, at the end of the trip, following switchbacks perched over the Mediterranean as you descend from the Alps. There are also a lot of tunnels, as Monaco and France needed to fit modern infrastructure in pretty steep, rocky terrain. We were let out of the Uber right by the marina.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t see the marina because of a line of white tents blocking the view of the marina from the road. The reason, as we found out, was that the Monaco Yacht Show was happening. This is not an ordinary boat show. This is an exhibition of superyachts, and they certainly didn’t want people who couldn’t afford those boats to look at them because admission to the event was 725 Euros per day.
I had planned to go to Monaco Brewery and have a beer while enjoying the view of the marina, but unfortunately, the view was now just the backside of a set of white tents. We went to the brewery anyway and asked to be seated. The hostess asked us if we would be eating, and we said no, so she told us there was no seating. We then told her we would eat, and they found us a table.
People queuing to enter the Yacht Show
We ordered a couple of beers, I believe a brown and a wheat beer. Jenn ordered a salad, and I had the fish and chips. I’m a bit of a beer snob, so take this with a grain of salt, but I felt like the beer was below average, at best, and certainly not worth the 12 euro price. The fish and chips were very good; however, although definitely on the pricey side at 28 euros.
Monaco Brewery
I knew that prices in Monaco were going to be inflated, so that was no surprise, but not getting a view of the Port Hercule, when that is our main draw to the brewery, was a huge letdown.
After lunch, we walked from the marina up to the top of the hill where Monaco’s old town sits. There is quite a climb from the base of the hill to the old town, which makes for some incredible views.
Port Hercule
We walked along the road heading up the west side of the hill, which overlooked the marina. Finally, we were able to see the boats from above the tents. The marina is quite impressive, as are the yachts that are docked in it.
Condominiums surrounding the marina
This was also where we started to get a sense of the city itself, with its midrise condo buildings looking out over the marina and Mediterranean. Past the rows of condominiums are the beginnings of the maritime Alps, with their white stone cliffs and trees.
Port Hercule
As we climbed up the road, the views became even more impressive as we could see more of the city as well as longer views of the deep blue Mediterranean.
Ships out in the Mediterranean who weren’t able to dock in Port Hercule
We finally arrived at the top of the hill, where there are some amazing viewpoints looking out over the Mediterranean. There is also a giant frame, where people were lining up for their Instagram-worthy portraits, looking over the marina.
Once we began to walk into the old town itself, I began to feel more comfortable. The old town, with its older buildings and its narrow streets, is very similar to most older European cities.
Old Town in Monaco
Walking through the old town to the Prince’s Palace, we passed several shops, and I noticed that the posted prices were much more typical of a European city rather than the inflated prices at Port Hercule. We probably should have stopped for a drink and food in the old town rather than at the brewery.
Prince’s Palace and the plaza
The Prince’s Palace was a beautiful white building sitting behind a large plaza. It was surprisingly quiet, with just a couple of guards outside and a handful of tourists snapping pictures. It’s also remarkably plain with just a couple of statues outside. I expected something a bit more gaudy, but was pleasantly surprised by the elegant simplicity of the area.
Grimaldi Statue in front of the Prince’s Palace
We hung around the area for a while and then proceeded to head back down the hill and go to the train station to return to Nice.
Ministry of the State Building
Going to Monaco was definitely an experience. I wish that we had been there when the yacht show wasn’t in town, because I would have really enjoyed a walk around the marina. There is also a ‘you don’t belong here’ vibe that I sensed almost everywhere I went. From blocking the view at the yacht show to not allowing you to drink at the brewery if you weren’t eating, it was clear that we weren’t the preferred visitors.
That being said, the views were spectacular, and I imagine that if we had spent a little more time in the old town, our experience would have been more positive. So if you’re like us and would like to check Monaco off your bucket list, I would recommend less time around the marina and more in the old town. I think you’ll find yourself a little more comfortable.
As long as I can remember, I was fascinated by geography. When I was a child, we had a driftwood-framed color map of Puerto Rico that my parents brought home from a trip before I was born. I stared at that map for hours, imagining what it would be like to live on a Caribbean island.
When I was in Junior High, my Mom bought a beautiful, large-format world atlas. I spent so much time flipping through those pages, imagining what life is like in different areas of the world. I was fascinated by what was outside of my narrow world.
My family didn’t travel much, and when we did, it was to areas within the Midwest that were pretty much the same as where I grew up. Travel wasn’t a priority for us, but it was always something I wished I could do.
Marrying an Adventurous Soul
I always tell people I married a hippy, but that’s not really accurate. I married a woman with an adventurous soul. For most of our marriage, I felt like the cautious person who was always saying no to every crazy idea that she had, but over time, she wore me down, and I started to see life more in the way she saw it.
For example, in 2022, on a camping trip in Colorado Springs, we were talking to a couple at a microbrewery, and they suggested that we hike the Incline, a trail on an abandoned funicular line that climbs 2,000 feet in one mile. Jenn said, “That sounds awesome, let’s do it!” I looked at her like she was crazy, but I agreed to go. It turned out to be an insanely challenging hike, but it had amazing views and was unbelievably rewarding.
At the top step of the Incline in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
Getting off the Couch
Doing the incline was a great experience, but we wouldn’t have attempted it if we weren’t in pretty good shape. I personally wouldn’t have been capable of doing it without Jenn’s persistence.
When our children were young, we found it difficult to get much activity because our lives revolved around working, cooking, watching the kids, and shuffling them to activities. But as they grew older, she insisted that we exercise more. She dragged me, kicking and screaming, into fitness, and since that time, I’ve run eight half marathons, two marathons, and an ultra marathon, usually one event each year.
Starting line at the UTMB Cote d’Azur 55K in 2025.
Camping Against My Will
Jenn grew up camping. I absolutely did not. My family’s idea of “roughing it” was staying at a hotel that didn’t have a pool. Jenn did not accept my unwillingness to camp, and I’m glad she didn’t. When the kids were very young, we started off tent camping, then moved to a pop-up camper, and later to a full-sized travel trailer.
The family at St Mary’s Lake near Idaho Springs, Colorado.
I enjoy camping now, but my favorite part of camping is the hiking that accompanies it. When we took the kids to Colorado in 2022, we camped for two weeks, and in that time, we were able to do some amazing hikes. My favorite was a hike to the lake next to St Mary’s Glacier at 10,000 feet.
Exploring Other Countries
I had always dreamed of visiting other countries, but other than one trip to Cancun, I had never left the United States. The main problem was always the expense of flying. I never thought we could afford to take a family of four overseas with the cost of flights. However, in 2022, I started to look into travel hacking and specifically how to use points and miles to lower the cost of our flights and hotel stays.
Travel hacking lowered the cost of our travel and allowed us to be much more adventurous than in the past. Since then, we’ve had five trips to Europe, one to Mexico (two for Jenn), a trip to Canada, and a trip to Costa Rica. It has allowed us to share these amazing locations with our kids at ages where they can truly appreciate them.
Opening the World for our Children
Our daughter, Emma, graduated from High School in 2023, and to celebrate, we went to Europe for the first time. We had a whirlwind trip, visiting Zurich, Munich, Venice, Rome, and Stockholm over the course of two weeks. During that time, we were able to share as much food, culture, and sightseeing as we could with our kids.
Swiss flags line a street in Zurich
On the last day of our trip, Alex, who had been extremely quiet the entire trip, said that he didn’t want to go home. We honestly couldn’t tell if he was having a good time before that. He was just quietly soaking it all in. At that moment, I realized that we could take our kids anywhere and they would be happy to join us.
The Bridge of Sighs in Venice
In 2024, we took a spring break trip to Costa Rica, where we spent some time at the beach, did some hiking, and soaked up some authentic Costa Rican culture. The thing that we all remember more than anything on that trip was visiting the Blue Falls of Costa Rica. It is a hiking location with seven amazing turquoise blue waterfalls that cascade from the side of a volcano. It was a memorable hike.
The family enjoying the pool in front of a waterfall in Costa Rica
That summer, we took our camper to Hamilton, Ontario, and visited Toronto and Niagara Falls. It was crazy to me that I had never visited Canada, but it was well worth the trip across our northern border.
Horseshoe Falls from the Canadian side of Niagara Falls
For Spring Break in 2025, we did something a little more adventurous and spent six days on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, where we hiked over 100 kilometers from Portugal to Spain. It was a difficult physical challenge, but it also allowed us to spend a lot of time in the Spanish countryside.
Alex hiking through a village on the Camino
Exploring the world with our children before they were too old to tag along with Mom and Dad was something we really set out to do. I’m really grateful that in the last few years we have been able to travel in a way that I hope shaped their views on the world. What I didn’t expect was that our children wouldn’t be our only travel companions.
Our Other Travel Companions
In the fall of 2024, we went to Italy with our good friends Bill and Theresa, and Jenn’s parents, Mark and Margie. I was a little apprehensive because there is a risk that spending that much time together could result in arguments and annoyances that can ruin a relationship. Travel can be stressful and can expose problems you were unaware of.
A church at the marina in Vernazza, Italy.
It turned out that we had a great time with very little stress. We visited Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, and Rome on our trip. It was a great trip, and since we had visited Venice and Rome before, we were able to show some of our favorite stops from our first visit to Italy.
Port of Nice
We enjoyed traveling with Bill and Theresa so much that when we went to Nice, France, for the UTMB Côte d’Azur ultramarathons in September of this year, they came along and participated in the races as well. We had a great time visiting Monaco and Nice. On the way back, we stopped in Dublin, where we visited a few old pubs and toured the Jameson Distillery.
Temple Bar District in Dublin
Jenn also did a girls’ trip to Playa del Carmen to celebrate her sister’s 50th birthday, as well as a trip to Munich and Dublin to celebrate our niece Zoey’s high school graduation.
While the girls were in Munich and Dublin, Alex and I took a trip to Berlin, Dresden, and Saxon Switzerland National Park in Germany. We spent time visiting the historic sites and hiking a couple of days on the Malerweg trail.
View of the Elbe Valley from high up on the Malerweg trail
That has been a lot of travel in a short amount of time, and at times it has been stressful. But I think back to how we were just a little over a decade ago, when we were staying close to home, watching a lot of television, and not doing much physical activity. Because of Jenn’s insistence that we not rot on the couch, I’ve been able to experience the world I dreamed about visiting when I was younger.
But it hasn’t just been the fact that we’ve experienced the world; it’s the fact that those experiences have been with people who were really important to us.
Whether it has been hiking to waterfalls in Costa Rica with our kids,
Or having drinks with friends along the beach in Nice,
Or catching up with some old friends in Montana,
Or hiking with my son in Germany,
Or exploring Cinque Terre with Jenn’s Parents,
Travel is so much better when you do it with people you love.
I’m thankful to my wife, Jenn, for pushing me to do all of the things that have enriched my life over the years, and thankful to all the people who accompanied us on our journeys. I couldn’t imagine travel, or life, without you all.
Perched 300 feet above the Mediterranean Sea, Colline du Chateau is a beautiful park with amazing views of Nice. To the west of the park lies Old Nice, with its narrow streets and buildings dating back to the 16th Century. Also to the west is the beautiful beach along the Quai des Etats-Unis and a walkway. To the east is the Port of Nice with its impressive collection of multi-million dollar yachts.
A wide boardwalk separates the main road from the beach. The hill in the background is Colline du Chateau.
Colline du Chateau was the home of a military fort until 1706, when the fort was destroyed by King Louis XIV, during the War of Spanish Succession. More than 100 years later, in 1822, the King of Sardinia turned Colline du Chateau into a park. Starting as a botanical park, it was developed over time, leading to the beautiful park that it is today.
View from the stairway on the west side of Colline du Chateau.
We began our walk from the beach. It was a perfect day with mostly sunny skies, the temperature was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit and a slight breeze coming off of the Mediterranean. Walking up to Colline du Chateau, the hill looks imposing with its steep slope. A stone staircase, with multiple switchbacks is there on the west side of the hill to aid walkers in hiking up the slope.
One of the many amazing viewpoints at the top of the hill
At nearly every switchback, there are viewing platforms, allowing you to catch your breath while looking out over Old Nice and the beach. Every viewpoint was essentially the same, each one from a greater height.
A quiet moment under a tree at the top of Colline du Chateau
At the top of the stairs, the hill flattens out, and a traditional park emerges. There is a large, open grassy area with a children’s playground.
There is also a snack bar at the top of the hill with a good variety of snacks. Besides things like ice cream and hot dogs, it also sells things like crepes. Also, in addition to selling soft drinks and water, they also sold cappuccino, aperol spritz, prosecco, and champagne. As unique as the snack bar was, we just paid for a couple of bottles of water and continued our walk around the park.
Port of Nice
We walked across the park to the east side of the hill. The east side has fantastic views of the Port of Nice. The port has a wide variety of boats within the marina, from some fairly small sailboats to enormous yachts. There is also room in the port for small cruise ships. Club Med 2 was docked in the marina on this day.
Looking East from the southeast edge of the park with Mont Boron in the background. Club Med 2 is the large docked ship near the breakwater.
Off in the distance, over the marina, houses ascend up to Mont Boron, which is another park on top of a much larger hill. Mont Boron is taller and much larger than Colline du Chateau.
Cascade du Chateau
After viewing the marina, we went looking for the Cascade. The Cascade is a man-made waterfall on the west side, near the top of the hill. It is a very popular place to take pictures.
A plane flies over the plaza at the top of Colline du Chateau
Directly above the Cascade is a large cobblestone plaza. This is the highest point of the park and has fantastic views of Nice from all directions. We stayed there for a while, admiring the views, while watching an seemingly endless string of airplanes descending into Nice Airport.
View of the Old Town of Nice from the plaza
Under the plaza is another snack bar called Lou Casteu. We stopped in and grabbed a couple of French beers and enjoyed the weather and the view. It was a lovely place to take a few minutes to relax.
Stairs descend to the marina on the east side of the park.
We finished our drinks and decided to return to our Airbnb, which was just north of the park. That meant we were able to walk a little more through the park, and then we descended down the path and stairs on the east side of the park by the Marina.
It was an absolutely lovely day in Colline du Chateau. It is a beautiful place for a walk, with many places to relax. There are amazing views from practically everywhere in the park. This is an absolute must visit for anyone who is spending time in Nice.
Sign near the finish line on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice
Standing in a crowd in the starting chute, I waited for the gun signaling the beginning of the race. For the first time in my 10 years of distance running, I wasn’t sure if I would finish. This race was different than anything else I had attempted, and there was no way for me to replicate this race during training.
Several months ago, I chose to sign up for the UTMB Nice Côte d’Azur 50K trail ultramarathon. It was a way for me to celebrate my 50th birthday by doing something difficult but achievable for an aging endurance athlete. Officially, the course was 34 miles long with a total elevation gain of 7,100 feet. The longest race I had done in the past was the Quad Cities Marathon, which was 26.2 miles and had a total elevation gain of less than 500 feet. An extra 8 miles was one thing, but the difference in elevation gain was off the charts.
Waiting at daybreak for the race to start
My training had gone mostly according to plan; my final long run was 31 miles and around a thousand feet of elevation gain. During that training run, I did something that caused me significant pain on the top of my left foot, which appeared to be a ligament issue. It wasn’t a huge injury, but it caused me to back off my training significantly in order to allow that foot to heal up as well as possible. I didn’t want to limp through 34 miles. I hoped that the drop off in running wouldn’t affect my ability to finish.
The start of the race was broken into five waves, each 15 minutes apart. With much of the race taking place on single-track trails, it was important to get the runners spread out as soon as possible, and the starting waves helped to space those runners. I was in the fourth of five waves. When it was our turn in the chute, the Race Director tried to keep us loose by playing dance music and giving us encouragement.
Our 15 minutes expired, and we were off. The first portion of the race was mostly uphill on an asphalt road through a pine forest. I was staying true to my plan—keeping my heart rate fairly low—walking the uphills and running the downhills and flats in an effort to maintain my energy for late in the race. Virtually everyone else around me was following the same strategy.
At the end of the first mile, we passed a large wooden sign that said “Parc Naturel Departmental De La Grande Corniche”. We were entering a park perched on the bluffs overlooking the Mediterranean. We would be running through that park for the next few miles. As we continued through the park, asphalt roads made way to gravel roads and finally to a rocky hiking path.
It didn’t take long to catch a glimpse of the Mediterranean, and soon we were treated to panoramic views of the coast. Early on, there were fantastic views of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, a wealthy residential development on a peninsula to the east of Nice. It is also the start of the 20K race that would start the next day.
The next several miles were breathtaking. The path followed the bluffs overlooking the Mediterranean. Every view was amazing as we looked over multiple settlements along the coast from Nice to Monaco. There were countless yachts and sailboats along the coast as well.
The path was mostly crushed rock and comfortable to run. A number of tunnels were also carved out along this path. I honestly can’t imagine a more ideal setting for the beginning of a race; this was why I signed up for this race; it was just beautiful.
Looking down over Monaco from the trail
The UTMB Nice 50K is divided into five sections. Four aid stations are spaced approximately 11 kilometers apart, and I arrived at the first aid station in less than an hour and a half. That was a little slower than I thought I would take, but I felt good. I grabbed a couple of sugary snacks to pump up my energy and moved on to the second section.
I was worried about the second section. It was about 12 kilometers long, but had a total of more than 2,500 feet of elevation gain. It was time to find out what my legs could take.
The trail changed as well; no longer were we running on wide paths on comfortable surfaces. We had switched to narrow, single-track paths with large rocks everywhere. The next eight kilometers to Col de Madone would have a fairly gradual increase of over 1,500 feet.
Over that stretch, I had kept a fairly good pace, keeping up with the runners ahead of me. My legs were starting to feel the burn a little, but I was feeling confident. Maybe this won’t be that bad.
Once we reached Col de Madone, an official with the race instructed people to prepare themselves for the most difficult climb in the race. We were at the base of Cime du Baudon, and we needed to climb 900 feet over less than a mile. Considering I had already climbed 1,500 feet over the last 5 miles, this was going to be a challenge.
Looking up a Cime du Baudon from Col de Malone
This climb consisted of many parts where we had to use our hands to climb up on large rocks. There was also a lot of loose rock on the paths in this area, which made the footing tricky. This part of the race felt much more like an intense hike than a run. I had to take a lot of breaks to catch my breath, as did the other runners.
It became very clear to me at this point that my training in flat Iowa didn’t prepare me for this elevation change. As I neared the top, I was taking more frequent breaks, and my thighs were absolutely screaming at me to quit. I knew that at the peak, we would be nearly 4,000 feet above sea level, at the absolute highest point of the race, and we would be finishing at sea level. It becomes much more of a downhill race if I could just get to the top.
Nearly exhausted, I reached the top, and my Garmin told me that I had just completed a 52-minute mile. I can say without question that I hadn’t planned to take that long to climb Cime du Baudon, but as Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
From the peak, the views were extraordinary. Not only were the multitude of peaks in the Maritime Alps visible, but also the Mediterranean Sea. Off in the distance, to my astonishment, I could see the runway at the Nice Airport, which was more than 10 miles away. My legs were spent, I was exhausted, but this was amazing.
View from Cime du Baudon – off in the distance, you can see the runway at Nice Airport
The next mile was a reverse of the climb up to Cime du Baudon, with a similar grade going downhill. I spent the majority of my energy trying not to fall. I mostly used my hiking poles as stabilizers as I shuffled and slid down the loose rocks. Even though I was going downhill, I took 32 minutes to go the next mile because of how steep the terrain was.
The next aid station was just around the corner in Peille. I was looking forward to filling up my water and grabbing a few snacks. Running downhill through the cobblestone streets, I was feeling energized and encouraged to have reached the end of the second section of the race.
Cobblestone steps in Peille
Those good feelings were quickly squashed when I realized I had completely run through the town and missed the aid station. I had to go back. I wasn’t sure if I had to check in at each aid station to make the race official, but I needed water anyway. I overshot the aid station by more than half a mile, and now I was going uphill, asking for directions to get to the aid station. The last thing I needed was more distance and more elevation change.
Narrow street in Peille
I got to the aid station and they seemed to be cleaning up, but they filled up my water gave me some snacks, and I was back out on the trail.
Over the next couple of sections of the race, I questioned whether I could finish the race. One thing became apparent to me: I wasn’t going to be able to run nearly as much as I had hoped. The paths were full of baseball-sized rocks, and every time that I started to get a little speed, I would land awkwardly on my foot. I just hadn’t trained for running on this type of surface, and it was punishing me.
Rocky paths slowed my progress
In the middle of this, Jenn texted me, and I grabbed my phone to text her back, then immediately tripped over one of those rocks and fell hard. It was the first of four falls I took during this run. I cut my left knee this time, brushed it off, and kept going.
It was also very apparent that at this time, I was all alone. I texted Jenn that I was pretty sure that of the people still in the race, I was in last place. With the terrain and my lack of experience on this trail, I just couldn’t move fast enough without it being dangerous.
As I inched closer to the third aid station, I had a 600 to 700-foot climb, and my quads were on fire. On the downhills and flats, I felt fine, but every time I had to climb a hill, I questioned whether or not I would be able to continue. I took my time and took breaks when I needed to, and kept putting one foot in front of the other until I was at the top of the hill with just a quick couple of miles to the aid station.
At the aid station, I filled up my water and grabbed some snacks. Jenn sent me a text message saying that I had 4 hours until the cutoff at the next aid station. Until that text, I hadn’t even considered that I was close to being disqualified, but apparently, I only made the cut-off at the third aid station by a matter of a few minutes.
Our Lady of Laghet was right next to our 3rd aid station
Hurriedly, I finished my snack and left, following a couple of women, who, after about a half mile, struggled to get down a steep slope into a dried-up creek bed. I saw this and knew I was going to need my hiking poles to get down, but realized that I didn’t have them; they were back at the aid station. So I had to return to the aid station to grab them.
For the second aid station in a row, I had to double back, each time it cost me a mile and probably at least 20 minutes. Now I knew I was in last place. That became apparent when, in a couple of miles, I started to hear noise behind me. It was the sweepers, cleaning up the course behind me. They came up behind me and told me that they were closing the course, and at first, I thought they were going to disqualify me.
They asked me if I could make it to the next aid station, and I told them I had plenty of time and I wasn’t worried about it. I was, however, annoyed by their constant presence behind me. I just wanted them to leave me alone, and they were always right behind me.
It was about this time that the 50K route merged with the 100 Mile route and the 100K route. I think the sweepers no longer were closing the course, since the other runners needed to use the course, but they continued to follow right behind me, which was beginning to get on my nerves.
I got a text message from Jenn, who was following my progress on the Live Trail app, saying that I had one big hill left. Over the next two miles, I was going to have to climb about 700 feet. However, after that, there was only about another 300 feet of climb for the remaining nine miles. I just needed to get up this last hill. With the sweepers on my tail, I continued to put one foot in front of the other, gasping for air, and my thighs on fire. Finally, I made it to the top of the hill.
I was at Plateau de la Justice, just two miles from the final aid station and around nine miles from the finish. At that moment, I realized that, barring an injury, I was going to finish. The only time I questioned whether I could continue was going uphill, and except for a little bit of elevation gain, it was all flat and downhill for the rest of the race. It was an emotional moment knowing that I was going to finish after spending the better part of the last few hours questioning whether I could.
I made it to the aid station and filled my water for the final time. I choked down some cookies, hoping the sugar would give me a boost of energy, and got back to the race.
Once I hit the aid station, I was no longer alone on the course. Somehow, I managed to catch and pass some 50K runners, and an increasing number of 100 milers were coming up from behind us.
A short while from the aid station, the trail passed through Parc du Viniagrier. This section was a steep downhill single-person switchback trail, which was full of stones. By this time, running on these stones was tearing up my feet, my whole body ached, and my legs were almost completely spent. It was also getting darker by the minute as it was now dusk.
This was a highly technical section, and I was exhausted. I needed to stay focused so I wouldn’t hurt myself. Then, while in a fairly steep section, I caught a toe on a rock and fell face-first down the hill. I managed to get my hand in front of my face and stopped myself from taking a rock to the forehead. I felt a sharp pain in my hand and got up. There was blood dripping down my hand.
I decided to continue on and hoped that it would stop bleeding on its own, which it did. All of the aches and pains were starting to multiply, and I was ready to be done. As I pushed through the natural area at Mt Boron, I was treated to an amazing view of Nice at night from about 600 feet above the city.
Mt Boron had the last natural trails left in the route, and once I climbed down an incredibly steep and long set of stairs, I was at sea level. I had just a little over two miles to go along the coast and the Marina.
Boats in the Marina at night
My pace increased, running around the Marina by streetlight, through pedestrians. Some were unaware of what was happening, and others were cheering us on. Finally, I turned along the promenade and headed into the finishers’ chute.
Heading down the promenade to the finish
I crossed the finish line in 13 hours and 40 minutes, just 20 minutes before the 14-hour cutoff. My goal was to finish in 10 hours. I didn’t care, though; I was just happy to have finished.
It was the greatest physical challenge I had ever faced, and just finishing was enough for me. I was on the edge of exhaustion so many times and just kept putting one foot in front of the other. It’s a reminder of the power of perseverance.
Getting my finishers’ medal
I spent the next several days physically recovering from the race. It took a day to get my appetite back, two for my energy to return, and over a week before I could walk without limping. But within a couple of weeks, I was already trying to find another UTMB World Series race to participate in.
UTMB World Series races are an amazing combination of extreme challenge and extreme beauty. They take place in some of the most beautiful parks and natural areas throughout the world. It’s worth every blister, scrape, and cut. As sadistic as it sounds, I can’t wait to do another.
I love to visit places that are a little different, so when I was trying to find a biergarten in Berlin and came across Klunkerkranich, I had to check it out. The name roughly translates to Jewelry Crane, which is an odd name, but frankly, everything about this place is a little odd.
It is a rooftop bar/cultural center located on top of the Neukölln Arcaden, a shopping mall in the Neukölln neighborhood on the south side of Berlin. It has food, several bars, and fantastic views of Berlin.
There are planters all over the rooftop at Klunkerkranich.
Finding Klunkerkranich was a challenge. I stumbled across it on Google Maps when I searched for biergartens. When we went there, I found the intersection where it was located, but couldn’t find any signs or indication of where it was. I knew it was on the rooftop, so I decided to walk into Neukölln Arcaden to see if I had to go through the mall to get there.
Honestly, I’m not exactly sure how we found it. I know we went up as far as we could inside the mall, then ended up in a stairwell going up another floor, then through a parking garage. Inside the parking structure, we saw a ramp going up an additional level, and on that ramp, we were greeted by a gentleman who was taking the entrance fee. It’s definitely not the kind of place you just stumble upon; you have to be looking for it.
The entrance fee is variable between three and nine euros, depending on what time you arrive and what cultural program is being featured that day. The cultural program on the day we arrived was an EDM DJ, and the fee was eight euros.
The ramp up to the rooftop
Walking up the ramp, you start to get the vibe of the place. There are planters along the ramp that feel like they belong in a hippie’s garden, reminiscent of reclaimed pallet boards and whimsical paint colors. Once we got to the top of the roof itself, I felt a little sensory overload. The bass from the EDM, the views of Berlin, the sound of people chatting, the colors from the flowers in the planters, as well as the countless avant-garde decorations, took me a moment to unpack.
We looked around for a little while and then went into the bar for a König Ludwig dunkel for me and a cola for Alex. We then found a picnic table where we sat and enjoyed our drinks. The best tables along the edge of the building with clear views of the city were already taken.
Seating along the edge of the building with great city views.
For a Wednesday night, there were quite a few people there, but clearly, they could handle a much bigger crowd because only about half of the area was accessible. There was a private party in one section, which I discovered when I tried to walk up there and was sternly reprimanded. Another section, called the Ostflügel (east wing), was also closed off, which I imagine they open when they are busier.
In front of the whimsical balloon statue is the guy who scolded me for trying to get into the section with the private party.
Our plan for the evening was to have a couple of drinks here while the sun set. We had already eaten, so we didn’t have any of the food that was served. Based on the reviews, the food isn’t great, so we ate before arriving. Besides, I promised Alex I would take him for ice cream. Alex and I had spent a week together at this point, and the only way I could convince him to go with me to another biergarten was to promise him ice cream afterward.
The Ostflügel section of the rooftop was closed.
Even though this didn’t look like a traditional German biergarten, it certainly had that same feel. I find Germans to be friendly in biergartens, even though they typically don’t have the reputation for liking small talk. We had a short conversation with a gentleman from an adjacent table, which was prompted by Alex falling off the back of his bench (seriously, he was the only person there not drinking, and he’s the one who fell out of his seat).
Signs pointing to different sections of the rooftop.
I wish we had a chance to visit on the weekend. I have a feeling that the vibe goes from laid-back rooftop biergarten to a more nightclub/rave vibe when it gets really busy. Even though I would definitely rather go to a biergarten than a nightclub, it would have been really interesting to visit it when people were really partying.
We waited for sundown and walked around the rooftop, looking over the city of Berlin. It was a beautiful sunset on a warm and lovely evening. We then decided to leave and worked our way back to the ground level through the parking garage, stairwell, and the mall, and back out into the city. Now we just had to find that ice cream I promised Alex.
Berlin at sunset
If you are going to Berlin, I would highly recommend going to Klunkerkranich. The views over the city alone are worth the price of admission. I really enjoyed the hippie vibes and the avant-garde art. It was a really enjoyable place to spend an evening.
Berlin is the epicenter of uncomfortable history. The city was the seat of power for Germany during World War I and World War II. During the Second World War, many crimes against humanity were directed from this city. It was also physically split during the Cold War.
20th-century German history forces people to confront the worst parts of humanity. This includes the history of concentration camps, persecution of vulnerable groups, and ethnic cleansing. It also forces people to confront totalitarianism and the stripping of basic human rights. It’s a history that confronts each and every individual who learns about it with the worst parts of the human experience.
Berlin could have decided to move on from its history and maybe built some small monuments or plaques to inform people of the past. Instead, the people of Berlin have built an impressive and thoughtful collection of monuments, allowing people to mourn the past and contemplate what it means for the present.
World War II Monuments
There are various monuments related to World War II in Berlin, and many of them recount the horrors related to the Holocaust and the Nazis’ campaigns of ethnic cleansing. There were three in particular that drew my attention related to the persecution of minorities by the Nazis from 1933 to 1945.
As I was walking through the memorial, it became very clear to me just how difficult it is to visualize large numbers. There were an estimated six million Jews killed during the Holocaust at the hands of the Nazis. That is a number that becomes incredibly hard to visualize. However, as I was walking among the concrete blocks, seeing 2,711 blocks, and that, if divided equally, each block would represent more than 2,000 lives lost, six million becomes an unfathomable number.
Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe
People have commented that the design is meant to be disorienting, with the varying heights of the blocks and the fact that the ground they sit on is not flat. To me, instead, it felt like a place for reflection. Once you get into the sea of concrete blocks, the distractions of the city vanish, and you are only left with your thoughts.
Monument to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism
In the Tiergarten in Berlin is the Monument to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism. It was officially opened in October 2012 and was dedicated to the estimated 250,000 to 500,000 Sinti and Roma who were killed by the Nazis.
Monument to Europe’s Sinti and Roma Murdered under Nazism
Memorial to the Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism.
The Memorial to the Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism looks like a plain concrete cube, similar to the concrete cubes in the Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe. There is, however, a window in the concrete which, when you look inside, displays a short video of two men kissing. Every two years, the video alternates between two women kissing and two men kissing.
Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism in Berlin
From the end of World War II in 1945 until reunification in 1990, Berlin was essentially split in half, with the western side part of West Germany and the eastern side part of East Germany. West Berlin, however, was essentially an island as it was completely surrounded by East Germany.
Mural by Kani Alavi depicting the crowds of people who broke through the Berlin Wall the day it fell. The mural is located at the East Side Gallery
Many sections of the Berlin Wall are left standing throughout Berlin. The East Side Gallery is a large portion of the Berlin Wall painted by a series of artists. It is a large open-air art gallery with over 100 unique paintings from across the world.
Marc Engel’s Puppets in a Dropped Play
It is impressive in its size and artistic diversity. We spent a couple of hours walking along the wall, admiring the artwork.
White Crosses
Walking into the Tiergarten, we came across a series of white crosses that were placed to commemorate the people who died attempting to cross from East Berlin to West Berlin. The stories of some of the 171 East Berliners who died trying to cross the Berlin Wall are displayed on these crosses.
The White Crosses Memorial pays tribute to people who were killed trying to escape East Germany by crossing the Berlin Wall
There were over a dozen at the location we saw at the northeast corner of the Tiergarten, but there are also 8 additional crosses along the Spree River behind the Reichstag building.
Remnants of the Berlin Wall
Remnant of Berlin Wall with peace sign sits along a thin line of bricks and stone signifying the location of the wall.
Throughout Berlin, you will see reminders of the location of the Berlin Wall. In some cases, it is a piece of the wall. In others, it’s a brick line in the pavement that marks where the wall had been. It is a constant reminder to the citizens of Berlin of when and where their city had been split for the duration of the Cold War.
Much of the location of the Berlin Wall is marked by brick lines in the pavement
The city of Berlin could have chosen to completely remove all of the Berlin Wall and turn the page on a horrible part of its history. However, they left scars throughout the city as a reminder of the trauma of the past.
Addressing the Past with Clarity
In the United States, it has been 160 years since the end of the Civil War. Even after that much time, we lack a cohesive narrative about the end of a horrible chapter in our past.
Throughout much of the Old South in the United States, there are still countless monuments to Robert E. Lee. People still proudly wave Confederate flags. For some people, the teaching of the history of slavery, segregation, and the Civil Rights movement in America is labeled ‘Critical Race Theory’ and demonized. Even after more than a century and a half, we cannot come to terms with the sins of our past.
The city of Berlin addresses its past with clarity. You will not find statues in Berlin commemorating Hitler or any of his generals. Nazi flags are illegal in Germany, and you will not find many people who defend Nazi Germany. What you will find are thoughtful monuments to their victims. The message is clear to visitors and Berlin residents – we made horrible mistakes and are committed to not repeating those mistakes.
Germany does not hide from its past; it addresses it head-on. Unlike the United States, it does not confuse or excuse its immoral actions but instead addresses them with clarity. That is the best way for a society to move forward from its mistakes.
We should not shy away from things that make us uncomfortable. Discomfort is the fertile soil where wisdom grows. It is not our responsibility to bear the weight of the sins of our fathers. It is, however, our responsibility to not repeat those sins.
The Panometer in Dresden is a unique museum. It was built inside a former gasometer, a round structure that was used to pressurize coal gas for use in houses. Many of these structures have been converted for other purposes, and in Dresden, one was converted into a truly unique museum.
This museum hosts incredibly large panoramic paintings created by artist Yadegar Asisi. Only one painting at a time is on display, and each painting covers the entire inside wall of the Panometer. These paintings immerse visitors in a time and place. Previous exhibits have included a panoramic view of Dresden in the 1700s and Dresden immediately following the Allied bombings in 1945.
The exhibit we visited was Amazonia, which immerses the visitor in a 1:1 scale painting of the Amazon Rainforest. This exhibit has been hosted by other panoramic museums, but has been at Dresden’s Panometer since 2024 and should continue through the end of 2025.
Exhibit explaining the process of creating a panoramic painting.
Entering the museum, we walked into a series of rooms that explained the artwork and how it was created. There was also a lot of background information about the Amazon Rainforest and its flora and fauna.
Amazonian insects are displayed in the museum area before entering the panorama.
Once we had walked through the exhibitions, we entered the Panometer itself. My first reaction was awe at the size of the painting. Each piece of art that gets displayed at Panometer is almost 90 feet tall and approximately 350 feet long. It’s absolutely massive. But it’s not just the size that’s impressive. The detail in the painting itself, especially considering the scale of the painting, is phenomenal.
Viewing Tower in the Center of Panometer
Visitors also experience sounds from the Amazon and music. The soundscape was designed by Eric Babak, who collaborates with Yadegar Asisi on these projects.
Rainforest floor in daytime lighting
In the center of the Panometer is a 50-foot-tall tower, where visitors can view the painting from various heights. Attached to the tower are a series of lights that simulate different times of the day, from moonlit night through dawn to midday. The painting reacts differently to the different kinds of lighting it’s exposed to. While daytime lighting exposes the incredible detail of the painting, the nighttime lighting hides those details, but creates an interesting glow, as it would under a full moon.
Above the rainforest canopy during dusk lighting
All of this makes for a completely immersive experience for the visitor. Instead of at an art museum where you would go to view a great work of art, this feels like a visit to the Amazon itself, without, of course, the heat, humidity, and the possibility of being eaten by a snake.
Rainforest floor at night
Viewing the work of art from the multiple levels of the tower gives the visitor many different perspectives on the same work of art. We took full advantage of the multiple viewpoints and different lighting to get the full experience. You can fully experience the Panometer in around an hour, allowing yourself plenty of time to see the art at multiple heights with different lighting.
Visiting Panometer Dresden
Panometer Dresden is about an 8-minute walk from the Dresden Reick train station. There is also a bus stop even closer than the train station. If you are driving, there is free parking in front of the building.
Tickets are 14 Euros for an adult. It costs 12 Euros for 17-20 year old students, Dresden Card holders, Dresden Pass holders, and the disabled. It is 7 Euros for children 6-16 years old. Children under the age of 6 are free.
Places to View the Art of Yadegar Asisi
Yadegar Asisi has many different panoramic art pieces on display throughout Germany.
The Cathedral of Monet is currently on display in Leipzig. This 360-degree panorama, inspired by Monet’s painting of the Rouen Cathedral, is scheduled to end on Jan 7th, 2026.
On display at Museumsinsel Berlin is the Pergamon. This art depicts the Greek City of Pergamon as it was during the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 129 AD.
At Panorama Berlin is The Wall. This depicts various scenes from a 25-year period centered on the Berlin Wall.
On display at Panorama Wittenberg360 in Wittenberg, Germany, is Luther 1517. This work depicts scenes from the life of Martin Luther and represents what Germany looked like 500 years ago.
At Gasometer Pforzheim, Amazonia, the same exhibit being shown in Dresden, is also on display. It is scheduled to be in Pforzheim through 2026.
Altogether, there are 6 panoramic museums in Germany displaying Asisi’s work. I think the combination of the size and the detail of the work makes it worth visiting. It also makes for a quick trip if you want to fit it in with other things. You should be able to visit any of these works of art in an hour or less, and the price is reasonable.
I don’t think that I would go out of my way to do a day trip to one of these exhibits, but if you are in one of the cities where one of these panorama museums exists, I think it’s worth a stop. It’s a great way to spend a little time if you are in the area.
Stage four of the Malerweg starts in Altendorf and finishes in Neumannmühle. It is part of the Malerweg Trail (Painter’s Way), which is a series of eight point-to-point trails through Saxon Switzerland National Park in Germany. It roughly follows the path of German landscape painters who frequented the area in the 18th Century.
Building in Bad Schandau
My Son Alex and I had only planned four days of hiking while in Dresden, but because of the amount of rain that fell while we were there, we were only able to hike two days. Having read blog posts of people who had done all eight stages, stage four seemed to be one of the favorites of the eight stages.
Our day started with a train ride from Dresden to Bad Schandau. From there, we needed to take a bus from Bad Schandau to Altendorf. Once we got off the bus in Altendorf, it only took a few minutes to find the sign directing us to the Malerweg trail.
We followed the signs, and it wasn’t long before we came across a sign that said the path was under repair and that we needed to turn around to go to an alternative path. That forced us to turn around and eventually led us down a fairly steep trail with a lot of switchbacks that descended from Altendorf.
At the bottom of the hill was a campground where we missed a sign and walked another quarter mile or so before I thought that the trail didn’t seem right. My instincts told me we weren’t on the Malerweg, so we turned around and returned to the campground, where we saw the sign pointing to the Malerweg, which we had missed the first time. We had barely even started hiking, and we had already come across a closed trail and taken a wrong turn – not a great way to start.
Walking beside the sandstone pillars
From there, we started an approximately 1,000-ft ascent over the next four miles. The first part of the ascent was through prairie and woods until we reached the sandstone mountains. The early parts of the hike weren’t that scenic, but as we approached those stone cliffs, we were treated to amazing views.
Sandstone pillars next to the trail
The trail took us around a series of sandstone pillars for about 15 to 20 minutes before leading us uphill. This area has a large sandstone bluff, and the Malerweg trail continues on top of the bluff for a few miles. However, first we needed to climb from the trail up onto the sandstone bluffs.
Metal stairs on the sandstone ridge
On the ascent, the trail was varied. Often there would be metal stairs with handrails, other times, wooden steps, and sometimes you would need to climb on the rocks themselves. There were spots that I thought were fairly dangerous, and the footing was tricky, but after a while, we made it to the top of the bluffs, where we were treated to some spectacular views.
Looking down on the trail after climbing onto a bluff.
I was baffled by how dangerous the trail felt in parts. At one point, I was completely stretched out, holding onto the base of a metal railing, with my feet desperately trying to grip onto a large boulder, which was slick from the sand on top of the stone. This was precariously over what would be a fall of at least fifty feet.
View from the top of the sandstone bluffs
The baffling part, though, wasn’t the fact that I perceived it to be so dangerous; it was the number of much older Germans and German children doing this hike. Alex and I are in pretty good shape, and these German hikers were treating this trail like it’s a walk along a gentle river. As I learned on the Camino de Santiago earlier this year, when it comes to hiking, Germans are pretty hardcore.
Off in the distance, you can see the channel carved by the Elbe River and across it, a plateau with farmland atop it.
For about an hour, we walked along the top of the sandstone ridge, with phenomenal views of Saxon Switzerland National Park. On occasion, we would have to climb on top of rocks formations, and sometimes we would need to descend. However, the whole time, we were enjoying breathtaking views of the Elbe River and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains.
Metal stairs poke up between rocks on the bluff
Finally, we began our descent out of the ridge and down along the edge of the sandstone pillars. We were in a pine forest, with the sandstone cliffs next to us. We were starting to get hungry and hoped to find civilization so we could stop for some food and a drink.
A railing along the edge of a steep drop-off.
While the hike had provided us with spectacular views, it hadn’t yet passed through any towns that had restaurants. This was unlike Stage Two of the Malerweg, which had plenty of opportunities to stop for a drink and a bite to eat. After about four hours and ten miles of hiking, we finally stopped at Lichtenhainer Wasserfall.
After the descent, we found this amazing tree and formation
Lichtenhainer Wasserfall is a waterfall with a beer garden and restaurant nearby. We both ordered sausages and potato salad, and enjoyed some rest by the waterfall. The food tasted great, but I couldn’t tell if it was because it was actually great or because the hiking had made me extremely hungry.
A section of the trail perched on the edge of a cliff
I had a couple of beers, including a dunkel made by Sachsisches Schmuggler, which is made in nearby Sebnitz. It hit the spot, and we were ready to head off into the woods again.
Biergarten at Lichtenhainer Wasserfall
We only had two or three miles left, so with food in our bellies, we were feeling pretty good. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of about 10 minutes before it started to completely downpour. At first, we put on our raincoats and continued on, thinking that the rain would have to break up eventually.
Lichtenhainer Wasserfall
The rain was so heavy that the raincoats were powerless to stop us from getting wet. We walked about a mile away from Lichtenhainer Wasserfall before giving up and walking back in the other direction. We really wanted to finish, but without really knowing how much further we needed to go and being completely soaked to the bone, we decided to return to Lichtenhainer Wasserfall and take the train back to Bad Schandau.
It was disappointing not to finish the rest of Malerweg Stage Four; however, I felt pretty sure that we had experienced most of the beauty of the stage, with all of the amazing views at the top of the ridge of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It was an absolutely amazing hike, and while I wish we had finished it, I was glad that we were able to do the parts that we did.
If you are thinking about hiking some of the Malerweg, I would highly recommend doing stage four. You should, however, keep in mind that there are parts of the trail that are very technical and sometimes dangerous. Just don’t be surprised if you get passed by a German family with a couple of grandparents and a four-year-old.
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