I’ll admit it, it’s a little daunting to see the busy, uphill paths that await me once the Charles Bridge is behind me…
But interestingly enough, the heat and crowd that defeated me yesterday now buoy me. There’s a great sense of unspoken camaraderie among tourists experiencing Prague for the first time. We’re all suffering through the heat and hills en masse but also sharing in the wonderment of it all at the same time. The Hradčany or Castle District/Quarter is a hilly, beautiful area…
sprinkled with embassies,
government offices,
monasteries,
museums,
and churches…
But of course, we are all here to see the Prague Castle. It’s supposedly so prominent and large that you could probably see it from space (if you squint real hard); you really can’t miss it. I’m here to tell you I missed it. All those pictures you see above were taken during the 80 minutes or so of getting lost in this district. When I ask the local merchants for directions to the castle, they look at me as if I’m asking them to help me find my nose. Sigh.
But it’s ok, it’s a real treat to get lost on these grounds, near a vineyard where panoramic views of the city can be enjoyed for as long as my patience allows:
Right by the above precipice is a garden of pear trees, across from a hillside vineyard. It’s here that I find an Italian family doubling over with laughter. The grandfather and his granddaughter are picking pears from the trees while being boisterously coached by the other family members. We take each other’s pictures and turns at the picking:
I forget to ask if they know where the castle is because I’m still giggling over this:
But finally, finally, finally, just up this last hill,
Prague Castle is within reach…meet you there tomorrow!
Tags: Castle District, Charles Bridge, Hradvany, monastery, Prague Castle
I load up on sugar during this morning’s breakfast at a nearby patisserie in anticipation of another full day of walking while dodging the throng of tourists at the famed Charles Bridge. These tourists, to be exact:
In this square before you cross over the bridge, there are beautiful churches and buildings of historical significance. What you will notice is that in front of almost all churches they are selling tickets to evening concerts of classical music. Truth be told, I’m already a bit dizzy from the heat and crowd. I have on clothes of breathable fabrics like cotton and linen but I’m definitely feeling warm…
Charles Bridge (Karlův most) is a Gothic stone bridge commissioned by Charles IV in 1357 to connect the two banks of the Vltava River. There are some 30+ statues of saints along the bridge, and each end of the bridge is marked by a tower. I’m questioning my sanity for not bringing a hat, but I’ve come a long way to see this bridge, so let’s stop dilly dallying and cross the street –do you see that tower?
Now that we’ve crossed the street, let’s see what’s to our left:
As soon as I cross under the tower, all of my uneasiness dissolves. There are musicians, artists, tourists, pilgrims of all sounds and shapes basking in the sun, pushing without too much shoving:
And then I see my first saint. Followed by another, and another…
People are speaking in a million different languages around me, but this song is all I hear in my head:
- We are trav’ling in the footsteps
- Of those who’ve gone before,
- And we’ll all be reunited,
- On a new and sunlit shore,
- Oh, when the saints go marching in
- Oh, when the saints go marching in
- Lord, how I want to be in that number
- When the saints go marching in
It’s not possible to stop and get clear shots of any of the statues due to the size of the crowd. But no worries, I tell myself, by the time I cross back later this afternoon there should be less craziness. At this point, I just want to safely get to the other side for my next destination, Prague Castle, which you can see sitting high above the hill beyond the bridge:
Without traffic it would take maybe ten minutes to cross the bridge, but this morning it is closer to half an hour. But we all manage to the opposing tower:
And the crowd scatters into the city…
I’ll meet you back here tomorrow to check out what’s on this side of the bridge:
PS: I’m sorry if the pictures take a while to load at my blog. I try to include high resolution pics so that if you click on any of the photos, you can see a clearer, enlarged picture. But in doing so, it tends to take a bit longer to load the photos (depending on your connection speed, too).
Tags: Charles Bridge, Charles IV, Karlův most, Prague, saints, Vltava River
Before I got to the Dancing House in yesterday’s entry,
I had actually zipped back to my hotel to freshen up. The day had warmed up big time by mid-afternoon so I changed into a sleeveless Marni top and a pair of flip flops.
I get my second wind and walk along the main streets that border the Vltava River:
There are so many grand buildings all over Prague,
and once in a while I’d see the antique cars that you can rent to tour the city in–they come with a chauffeur:
Everywhere I look there are dramatic, ornate statues…
This sprawling one is my favorite:
I’m amused to find a painting of it hanging on the wall of a restaurant I pop inside to consider for dinner (but I ultimately choose not to eat here):
I finally cross over to the boardwalk to preview tomorrow’s tour of Charles Bridge:
It’s at this point that my camera’s battery starts flashing, telling me I’m almost out of juice.Which is just as well; I’m heading back to the city center…
for dinner with one of these…
followed by some of this:
It’s a short walk back to the hotel from dinner, which is a good thing because I’m pooped; it’s been a heady full day in Prague. One last picture at the hotel before my camera completely dies:
Tags: Charles Bridge, Dancing House, Marni, Prague, Vltava River
Prague’s Nové město or New Town was founded in 1348 by Charles IV. At its heart is Václavské náměstí, or Welceslas Square (formerly a horse market), a large area full of shops, restaurants, hotels, cinemas, clubs, and offices. When things of national importance happen in more recent history–such as the protest against the Warsaw Pact invasion or the clamor for the dissolution of communism–the people congregate here, in this Square, to demonstrate and unite in their cause. But on most given days it is full of tourists and reluctant locals, and at night the crowd is replaced by drunk tourists and exasperated locals. I was warned before coming here about the lukewarm reception of tourists by the Czechs. But having seen bad tourist behavior I have to side with the locals. Some people forget their manners at home like their toothbrushes.
That monument above is of St. Wenceslas on his horse, flanked by four patron saints. Behind him, up on the hill, is the Národní muzeum or National Museum:
From the top steps of the museum, you can catch the entire city moving about at a busy pace:
This part of town is quite large, and just as a reference, it is home to Charles Square (once a cattle market and now primarily a park),
the Baroque Church of St. Ignatius (which we saw a few blog entries ago),
the Neo-Renaissance National Theater,
and the ultra modern Dancing House (Tančící dům):
Also known as the Fred and Ginger (as in Astaire and Rogers) or Drunk House, it was designed in 1992 by Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunic and my adored Canadian architect Frank Gehry:
OK, you ask, but what’s up with the sausages in the first picture? When you walk around the main strip of Welceslas Square, there are the usual fast food joints like McDo, KFC, and chinese restos. But there are also kiosks on the street with Czech fast food:
Come closer and look at the menu board:
Did you read that? Coated fried cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard. Gulp. The three main ingredients I cannot eat separately, and here they are all stacked together in a sandwich. Is this for real? I actually don’t see too many people ordering that but sausages of all sizes and flavors are flying out of these stands like there’s no tomorrow. Can’t eat that stuff either.
Right about now I really want some phở. No meat just tripe. Good luck with that here.
Tags: Charles Square, Frank Gehry, Narodni muzeum, National Theater, New Town, Nove Mesto, pho, Prague, sausages, Tančící dům, Vlado Milunic, Welceslas Square
Just around the corner from yesterday’s boutiques, I am now in Josefov (the Jewish Quarter), named after Emperor Josef II who tried to ease the living conditions of what was once the Jewish ghetto. There are synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery, and the Jewish Town Hall in this area, and just as throughout Prague, the structures represent various architectural styles depending on when they were built.
It’s a solemn walk through this part of town and, time permitting, it’s a real treat to take a personal guided tour especially if you are not familiar with the Jewish faith. I’ll do that next time, but for now, I’m going to wander through the narrow streets and soak in the architecture and sights on the streets:
All this walking can make a girl hungry, especially when there’s this kind of suggestion everywhere:
Everywhere I turn there is a charming restaurace (restaurant) calling my name. The selection can be maddening; should I eat here in this courtyard…
or in this cute corner:
And that’s exactly how every street seems to look, just tons of pretty restaurants. It’s so hard to decide that I almost want to have an appetizer in one place, entree in another, and dessert at a third restaurant so I could try them all. Well, this is how I feel on my first day in Prague anyway. Upon walking by the 500th restaurant I finally realize that they are all serving more or less the same menu. Anyway, I’m not too hungry yet so I’ll head toward Nové město (New Town) next. I’m going to see if I can hitch a ride with these people:
Tags: Jewish quarter, Josefov, Nove Mesto, Prague, synagogues
