Dixieland in Dresden?

It was a very strange moment when I stepped out of the main train station in Dresden, for what should drift to my ears but the sounds of swing and English words! Where am I - the States? Nope (or "nein" to honor the host land) - just the annual Dixieland Festival in Dresden.

I went up for a weekend to visit good friends and got the added pleasure of crawling through the crowded streets to listen to music on many different stages - jazz, swing, Southern flair - all there, and all being played by German bands! The music was great fun, and if you click on the video below, you'll get to hear a bit of one of the bands - I really enjoyed their red shoes. Too bad you can't see the guy on the other side of the stage wearing his cow patterned coat!

The rest of the all-to-brief trip to visit Tom, Jen and the kids went well. Some of went for a walk through a

beautiful part of Dresden - what beautiful buildings! We walked...and walked....and walked, but the blazing was well worth it because of all we got to see.

So fun!