Prague, Part Two

Leaving the castle, we took a "shortcut" which took us down through the gardens of Wallenstein Palace. The top of the terraced garden afforded some spectacular views of the city.

The gardens cover a huge area that include a pavilion where concerts are held, a limestone grotto with artificial stalactites (some formed with “faces”), an aviary, peacocks (some albino—which seems rather ironic since they are known for the colorful iridescent plumage) roaming the grounds, and an artificial lake. Copies of bronze statues, such as Michael Slaying the Dragon, have been recreated for the garden after the originals were looted by the Swedish army.

Across the river heading into the Jewish Quarter and Old Town, is the National Theatre. We were told a funny story about how the building was used as Nazi headquarters during WWII. It was ordered that the statue of composer Mendelssohn be removed from the roof because he was a Jew. The Czech workers weren't sure which statue to remove, so they took down the one with the biggest nose, which accidentally was the statue of Richard Wagner, Hitler’s favourite composer.

Then we wandered our way into the Old Town Square, which was a flurry of activity because the Prague Marathon was being run that weekend. There were stages and booths set up all over the square, and there was even a Chihuahua event happening with some 50+ chihuahuas in attendance. I was shooting higher trying to crop out a lot of the displays, but the square was interesting in the varying architectural styles, from Gothic to Baroque.

Probably the most notable landmark in Prague, after the castle, is the Astronomical Clock which draws crowds from sunrise to sunset. As the clock strikes the hour, there is a procession of the twelve apostles. Even the figures on the sides of the clock (Death, a Turk—a symbol of Lust, Vanity and Greed) are animated, and at the end of the procession the cock crows and the clock chimes the hour. The Astronomical Clock below shows the orbits of the sun and moon, the blue portion representing daylight, Roman numerals indicating time as we know it, and the movement of the sun and moon through the 12 signs of the zodiac. Supposedly, after the clock was rebuilt in 1490, the councillors did not want the clockmaker recreating this clock for anybody else, so they blinded him. A nasty bunch these Czechs can be, as a recurring theme throughout the tour seemed to be people tossed from windows. Denis decided he would not go any higher than the ground level while there.

We finally concluded our walking tour with our guide, and we were exhausted! We both crashed when we got back to the room, but I did get up and attempt a few night pictures of the river, Charles Bridge, and Little Quarter towers.

The next morning, after sleeping in a bit, we decided we needed an easier day. Because of the marathon, the city was pretty crowded and a bit tricky to negotiate with roads being closed off for the runners. The one thing I definitely wanted to see was the Mucha Museum. I was actually a bit disappointed with it being on the small side, but there were some interesting sketches he had done for various publications, jewelry, menus and restaurant designs. I should have gone to the Municipal House where he did some murals on the walls.

The hotel we stayed at was next to the Vltava River and the Charles Bridge. It was an excellent location being very centrally located, allowing quick access to the castle, or across the bridge to Old Town.

The bridge itself is an attraction with thirty statues of various saints, Christ, and the Virgin Mary are lined up along the sides.

The whole city is visual overload, with so many amazing details to take in. I know I missed so many things, that it will definitely be necessary to go back again. Even though we covered a lot of ground with the guide, we didn't spend any length of time at the locations as he wanted to get in as much as possible.

If for no other reason to return to Prague, is to get a chance to try a trdelnik pastry.

You could find them from street vendors, and they're made by wrapping dough around a stick and roasting it over an open flame until it is golden brown, dusted with cinnamon, sugar, or nuts.

Next time...