Prague Day 3

Today we were very glad of a free day in Prague. It is an exceptionally friendly city and we had had glimpses of so many wonderful sights that a day to explore on our own, at our own pace was ideal.

Yesterday Mom and Dad decided to rest during our trip to the Old Town Square. They were feeling well rested this morning and as the day began with a beautiful cool breeze they were up for the short walk. By this time I knew some of the stories of the city and was confident that I could navigate on my own to helps them see some of the highlights. When something wasn’t clear we could count on helpfull assistance by a shop owner or a waiter in one of the countless sidewalk cafes.

We walked to the Square and they were able to see the many interesting attractions the landmark offers. I was feeling pretty confident in my orientation, so while their energy held we were able to find our way through side streets to find a local market and eventually make our way once again to the Charles Bridge to join the millions of tourists who make their way across the river each year. In passing the countless churches and magnificent concert halls scattered throughout the city we concocted a plan to bring Mom and Dad back to the hotel for an afternoon rest then to meet again late in the afternoon to enjoy one of the concerts and have dinner in a local spot for our last night in this beautiful city.

Having dropped Mom and Dad at the hotel, David and I were off, determined not to waste a minute of this last day. We scouted the concert hall that we thought may be Mom’s and Dad’s final choice, found a restaurant that accepted M/C (since we had intentionally tried to rid ourselves of our Czech Kč this morning in the market) on the path from the concert hall to the hotel, and decided to try it out for lunch before bringing Mom and Dad there for dinner. Lunch was great but the local “black beer” that we tried was outstanding. We have been wasting our time trying their Pilsners. I realize that Czechs are known for their Pilsners and drink more of it per capita than any other nation on earth but for me it’s their dark ale. I certainly wouldn’t call it black but Kozel is delicious and I am very sorry we only found it on the day before we leave!

Following lunch and feeling fairly confident we couldn’t really get lost, we set out to wander in any direction that looked interesting. We found treasures in the Jewish Quarter (including a shop that sold Hasidic Jew dolls and Christmas decorations??!! It was funny to wander through the backstreets of Prague and occasionally run into people we knew from our cruise! We wandered all afternoon, returning to the hotel just in time to freshen up and head out with Mom and Dad for our last night on the town.

As we suspected, Mom and Dad chose the Dvořák Concert Hall. The Rudolfinum, named in honour of Rudolf of Habsburg (there they are again!) is the home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. It has a tradition of prestigious cultural events dating back to 1885 and tonight again it didn’t disappoint. I actually think I enjoyed this concert more than I did the concert in Vienna as a quintet entertained, soothed and inspired us with strains of Mozart, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Bach, Brahms, and of course the local favourite Dvořák. The performance was outstanding and I couldn’t help but think of Nancy and Cliff who would both have LOVED this evening, right down to the encore number which was a lively and fun piece played entirely by picking while they held their instruments like guitars – including the cellist!! The music was punctuated with percussive sounds made by tapping and stroking the wooden parts of their instruments!  They obviously enjoyed the playful performance and the audience was clearly delighted!

Following the concert we wandered into the Jewish Quarter and arrived once again at the Black Kat to confirm that Kozel was indeed as good as we first thought. So were the apples, fried in cinnamon, soaked in rum and served with a generous dollop of fresh cream. Time to go home while I still fit in one seat on the airplane!

Townhall in the Jewish Quarter has two clocks - one has Roman symbols, the other Hebrew.

Czech people were very welcoming and friendly but I guess they really didn't want you to sit on their window ledges!

Charles Bridge. During the flood two months ago this bridge was closed when the water level prevented foot traffic!

Many streets like this, very Venetain! Not sure if you can see the locks on these bridge. Apparently young couples are now doing this all over Europe to "seal their love"! A really problem though as the cheap locks are corroding the bridges. City officials come our with bolt cutters and remove them at night. Within a short time it's full like this again!

Every city has a Irish bar and a British pub!

Gates designed to accommodate cornerstones!