Prague

Well I have been home 2 weeks and things are not happening by themselves. I am back at work every day and last weekend was CubORama with the cub scouts out at Camp Gardner and this weekend was a very wet Alberta 500 campout in Castor Alberta. So on to Prague. I arrived home from Salzburg and Joe was still at work so I just waited for him to arrive home. The next day we left for Prague on the train. He had an apartment booked with 2 bedrooms. living room and kitchen. The location was wonderful as it was just a few blocks from the Charles Bridge and the Astrological Clock. Beautifully situated.

This was the view out my bedroom window. We had traveled on the train through many towns that I cannot remember the name of. Brno was one. The train is a very stress free way to travel in Europe. Just sit back and enjoy.

This was my bedroom. So European. Once we arrived we dumped our gear and headed for the Charles Bridge and the castle.

I took this picture the second night of the VLTANA River with the castle and the Charles Bridge in the background. I guess they are doing a lot of sandbagging here now and everything is flooding in Prague and Salzburg and Germany and other European countries. You can see there are lots of rainclouds when we were there and I guess it got worse after we left.

Prague had much of the same old architecture as Vienna and Salzburg but more of it. I wish I had had time to research a little more so that I knew more of the history I was viewing. After a dinner of Pig's knee and way to much to eat at a place called Mle.Inice. It was delicious.

 

Joe at the castle overlooking Prague. The next pictures were  taken on the walk over the Charles Bridge and up to the castle.

 

 

 

One of the many statues on the Charles Bridge that have turned black with age.

 

 Over looking Prague from the castle. Looking down the next picture show a spit with a whole mock cow on it. They were advertising a beef BBQ.

The following pictures were taken in and around Prague. It was raining a lot. Joe and I took a Hop On Hop Off bus the next day and saw a lot more of the city. But the first night we lucked out going to one of the main squares and finding a big band marathon. So we listened to big band music, drank beer and all the time surrounded by 300 year old buildings and lots of people.

 

 

Noticed this beautiful purple flowering tree as we were leaving the castle and then I saw them again in Los Angeles as I was landing. My friend Karen thinks they are a Lantana but I still need to do some research. Did some research still uncertain but believe them to be a jacaranda tree.

 

 This is the famous astrological clock and on the hour the door above and figures appear in them.

 

 

 

 

This is a memorial to the young man Jan who set fire to himself in Wencelas Square to protest communist rule and then another young man named Jan also did the same thing. Their memorials are referred to the symbolic downfall of communism in the Czech Republic.

There is also a cross right outside the museum of Natural History at the head of Wencelas Square. Joe and I tried to go there but it is closed for renovations.

 

 

We also stumbled upon another square where some real artisans were at work and the next day we went back there and Joe bought a wonderful stool just for putting boots on and off. It is perfect and so well crafted but it was kind of funny to see him carrying this stool all around Prague and on the train home. But it did come in handy when I wanted to sit down.

One of the other bridges in Prague. The Hop On Hop Off bus tour included a 1 hour boat trip and again we saw and learned many things about this wonderful warm city.

Because of the rain and the fact that the museum was closed Joe and I headed for the train station and home. It was an amazing place to visit. One more bike trip to Cesky Kumulov which I will do tomorrow and then it is on the plane heading for home.

Here I am in Wencelas Square taking advantage of the lovely stool Joe bought.