Prague’s Nové mÄ›sto or New Town was founded in 1348 by Charles IV.  At its heart is Václavské námÄ›stí, 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.