Prague's old town is wonderful eye-candy - especially when you learn the next door Nove Mestro - NEW Town was constructed in 1348. Checkout the photo of the clock. The centre piece of the town's seven bridges, Charles Bridge, dating from 1357, was the only bridge linking both sides of the city for over 400 years. Our first view was of a phalanx of tourists coming towards us. Wow - In the summer high season visitors must be here in battalions.
First morning we walked from our hostel/hotel to the Old Town. Just strolling around offers serendipitous discoveries. The imposing National Museum, overlooking the large equestrian statue of King Wenceslaus, had an evening concert by the Prague String Ensemble - "On the Stairs". A Czech custom, the audience is given cushions to sit on four broad marble stairs with the six musicians on the landing in between. Atmospheric doesn't come close to describing the experience.
Our second 'serindip' of the day was finding a little, tucked away restaurant on 'Devil's Stream', next to a bridge festooned with locks. An antique waterwheel turned beside us. The sheepskin chair throws and hot wine took the chill off the day from Miriam. Beef stew in a bread bowel took care of our other physical needs. Best of all - not mentioned in the Guide books!
A sunny, early fall day was perfect for our climb of Petrin Hill. Climb the sloping paths through the trees we did as the funicular train had its annual two week shutdown. Magnificent views from the top. PLUS a funky pint-sized Effiel Tower. Elevator for five going up and 300 stairs down. The structure gently swaying as the stream of Czech school children thumped up and down.
Further semi-focused map reading took us to Loreta, a baroque Catholic shine filled with paintings of dead saints and a female Christ on the Cross, dressed in a dress and add-on fake beard. Genuinely weird. Oh, add the Star of Prague - 6,200 diamonds and sundry other excesses. The near-by street of tiny houses for long ago employees of the castle was delightful real world in comparison.
Last full day was modern Czech art since 1930 to the present. The push and pull of ideology as the 1948 Communist government sought to recruit the artists in building the new socialist man. The social realism works bring a full meaning to the word 'dreck' while the contemporary artists produced 'unoffical' art alive with meaning and snapping originality.
Tram 22 we love you. This two carriage, red & cream machine has carried us every day on all or part of our day trips. Originally to our hotel then every day after downtown to the day's wander-round. Up the hill to Prague Castle and back down. Tomorrow, Friday it will start our trip to the bus and Munich.
General Observations:
Czech are a civilized people with a deep understanding of human needs, proof > WC signs are everywhere! Perhaps the citizen's record consumption of beer helps to promote this helpful feature for travellers.
Throughout Europe we have been amazed by the number of young women pushing strollers. There are certainly more babies here than we see in Canada.
Public begging is much less than say Toronto. Different approaches for the dollar. In Hamburg the practice is to sit silently with eyes downcast. A second method which I may be mis-understanding involves a young woman approaching as ou exit a subway station with a sheet seeking 'pledges' as they are deaf-mutes. There appear to be an extraordinary large populatioxn of such folks. In Prague the few beggars are on their knees and elbows or lying prostrate with head down. No eye contact -no interaction at all. Strange for me as I need a verbal or eye contact before contributing.
Wall tagging - Britain and Belgium not so much while Germany and Czech Republicans lots.
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