Praha

Prague, or Praha in Czech, is the capitol and largest city in the Czech republic. The city is chock full of beautiful churches, buildings, gardens and bridges crossing the Vltava river. We arrived in the morning and after a slightly confusing experience with the information desk, had a hotel reservation and a bus ticket into the city center.

A marvelous thing about Prague is the exchange rate. At just under 20:1 it was a glorious experience trading in our Euros and USD. Needless to say, I felt very rich holding my one and two thousand count bills.

Another experience in Prague are the ridiculously fast escalators to and from the underground metro lines. The metro lines in Prague are very far underground and to compensate for the distance, the escalators run nearly twice as fast as they do in the states, which translates in a lot of concentration being required to get on and off (for those of you who doubt my concentration abilities, I did NOT fall off\trip). Our hotel, or pension (one step down from a hotel) was fabulous! We had a kitchen in the room along with a balcony and a chest with china (as though we need such fancy things, but it was a nice gesture) and all for only $17.50 ea a night! Our first day we spent mostly sleeping and recovering from Italy and didn't start out to tour until later in the evening.

How peaceful am I? And no, I am not sucking my thumb here, but as you can see I am fast asleep. I was really tired.

Along with catching up on much needed sleep, our private hotel room in Prague translated into a make-shift laundry mat, which worked out great until in started to rain.

After our naps and an unsuccessful attempt to phone Val, my old roommate and person we were supposed to stay with the following evening, we headed out to explore Prague. Unlike Italy, with very conformed buildings, Prague has a plethora of architectural styles. Gothic, modern, classical and even Mexican style pueblos can be seen all on the same street. This modern art statue for example is directly in front of the huge and old opera and symphony houses.

I found it amusing anyway.

Prague concert hall, doesn't the pig diver fit great in front of this building?

While walking the streets of Prague I found my first Chinese food restaurant of Europe. To say the least I was excited, and was dreaming of all the cheap tofu and rice I was going to consume while in Prague.

One sad thing about Prague are the random buildings built in front of the fabulous churches. It doesn't seem like much planning went into this city and as with this church, half of the church is obscured due to this modern restaurant being built right in front in the Old Towne Square.

Old Towne Square

After exploring Old Towne Square for a while, we decided to cross a random bridge on the Vltava river and walk back across the Charles Bridge at dusk.

View of the Charles Bridge

View of Vltava river and Prague at night.

Charles Bridge

Along with architecture and great exchange rate, Prague had another
fabulous thing to offer: an open elevator. Rameneal? Maybe, but for the 6 year old trapped inside it translated into free entertainment.

Nicole and I definitely enjoyed ourselves to say the least.

The next morning we set out to see New Towne Square. First up, the dancing building. Apparently a newer modern style is beginning to take place in Prague, I just think the building is weird. But that's just me.

Next, per a guide map tip, we set out to find the apparent botanical gardens. After a few detours from some less than helpful directions, we found the gardens.

Entering into the 'secret' gardens.

While the gardens turned out to be less than ethralling, we were able to get a few good shots.

Not so botanical...

Upon exploring the gardens, we actually got lost and wandered onto some random persons property (which ironically turned out to be more botanical than the actual gardens).

But sitting on their bench we had a nice view of the castle, so all was not lost.

Final one of the gardens.

After exploring the gardens, and finding a random Czech boy that let me use his phone, I was able to get in contact with Dan, Val's husband and set up a time to meet them. After a rather uneventful tram ride we arrived to Val's apartment where we were greeted by Val and her 1.5 year old son Vinson. Val looked great (I don't think either of us have really changed since college, even though she has had a baby) and Vinson is absolutely adorable. A towhead with the brightest blue eyes, I enjoyed just catching up with Val and playing with Vinson for a few hours.

Vinson. Seriously, Val needs to make him a cute Czech outfit and charge tourists to take pictures of him in Old Towne Square, she would make a killing by exploiting his cuteness... wait is that bad?

Once Dan got home from work we all went out to dinner in the city where we got traditional Czech food including goulash, potato and bread dumplings and onion soup.

After dinner, Val and Dan left to put Vinson to bed while we headed up to Prague Castle to view the castle while it was free in the evening. Prague Castle is the largest castle in the world and is quite impressive.

Haha, at least we think we are funny...

Keeping with tradition, there were many steps ascending to the castle.

Inside the castle walls we walked through the golden lane, a small road with tiny, abandoned houses. We went at night to avoid paying tourist fees, so maybe during the day their are shops with over priced souveneirs? I will never know.

Sunset over Prague Castle

Prague castle cathedral

The next morning we got off to an early start beginning with a walk around the gardens surrounding the summer palace. I found it amusing that you can see the regular palace from the summer palace, traditionally I thought the two palaces would be at least out of eye sight of each other, but that is just me. The gardens however, were beautiful and well manicured, boasting great views of Prague Castle.

Next we headed to Prague Castle and in particular St. Vitus Cathedral. This is the cathedral within the castle walls and was originally created when Wenceslaus acquired a holy relic — the arm of St. Vitus. Inside the cathedral is very ornate, and Gothic.

The reason for the Cathedral, St. Vitus.

Because I apparently LOVE climbing the steps of old buildings, we next took turns with Vinson and climbed the 287 steps to the top of the Cathedral.

At least this urban trek was free.

View of Prague from the tower.

Next up, another church (by this time I was less than impressed with all the churches). St. Nicholas' Cathedral was a welcome change being much brighter, and less doomsday.

After St. Nicholas' Cathedral we went to Peacock garden to have a picnic. Peacock garden is cool, not only because of the obvious Peacock's everywhere, but the garden is surrounded by a wall designed to look like an old cave, with intentionally hidden animals and faces to find.

Can you find the lion?

Following our lunch, Val went to put Vinson down for a nap while the rest of us went to the Jewish quarter. Previously the Jewish Ghetto, thousands of Jews were killed here in the 1300s and most of the ghetto was destroyed early inthe 19th century.

Luckily a few synagogues, the old cemetery and the Jewish Town hall were not destroyed and because the Nazi's had intended the location to be a Jewish museum after they had annihilated the race, many of the artefact's housed in Prague were placed there by Nazi's during WWII.

The Jewish cemetery is quite large, with many headstones, old and faded from time, pointing every which way.

It is very solemn.

After the Jewish memorial, I went back to visit with Val while Nicole and Brenda went to the opera and Brooke saw a neon light show (which apparently was not that great by the way).

All in all Prague was marvelous and I would definitely go back. One thing I missed was the bone church outside of Prague, definitely a place I will visit if I make it back this way some day.