Tuesday 31 May: This morning I planned to join a tai chi group that practices here in Prague. I left early in drizzling rain to find the group in Letna Park on the other side of Prague. This also meant buying a travel ticket and negotiating the Metro and trams. Using transport in a new city always takes a bit of time as there are many different ways of running and documenting a transit system – ticketing, signage, documentation, transfers from one line/system to another, etc. Anyway I got there with time to spare, but the rain was getting heavy, the park was huge, and signage non-existent. The bottom line was that I never found them, or the overhead bridge under which they practiced. So the trip wasn’t a total loss, I bought some food at a supermarket and we at least had nice breakfast when I returned. Photos are some early morning views of Prague in drizzling rain.
After breakfast we decided to visit the Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and other associated features. Familiar now with the transit system, it only took a short time to get there and start exploring. It was around 10am and the crowds were starting to arrive. The castle is on a hill overlooking the old city and is a really effective defensive fortress. I have attached some photos, but it’s difficult to convey the magnitude of the complex in just a few photos. Also, the crowds made it even more difficult. The tourist season is just starting, so I can imagine what it would be like once it ramps up.
After the Prague Castle we meandered down the hill towards the river past numerous food stalls selling various Czech specialties. There were the usual grilled sausages and meat (mainly chicken and pork), grilled vegetables and potatoes done in numerous ways. Distinctive were the thinly shaved potato chips and a kind of doughnut mixture, rolled around a wooden rod and roasted over low coals then rolled in sugar, almonds and cinnamon and filled with cream. A real calorie bomb.
The view from the castle was great, especially after the morning rain had cleared. On the way down the hill, there were a number of boutique shops – some interesting, some not so. The pics show the best, including the one that had Absinthe ice-cream that Frances was dying to try, but the guy in the shop had just mopped the floor and was letting no-one in. Must have been tasting his own Absinthe ice-cream. There was a great puppet shop that had some very old puppets but I couldn’t take any photos. Also there was a chocolate shop (who cares) where Frances tried an almond coated chocolate covered in moringa (a health-giving herb and soon to be the next miracle herb) for which she gave the thumbs up for taste. Plus of course a gingerbread shop & museum.
It was now getting near lunchtime and Frances was hungry. We’d just crossed the historic Charles Bridge (what isn’t here) back into old Prague. Quickly we found a restaurant that served Czech food - pasta/pizza is quite prominent in the tourist areas. The restaurant was called Don Giovanni, a very Czech name apparently.
The menu was a challenge - we bypassed the Goulash in Bread Roll, Roast Pork Knuckle, Old Prague Duck and Beans with Sausage au Gratin. Frances chose the Czech Goulash and I, being more adventurous, went for the Hamburger. Both were excellent. Frances loved the goulash and the hamburger had heaps of salad. Each meas had a decent serving of raw onion - don’t know if it was to be eaten or for garnish, but I left it alone. Once the jack-hammers stopped in the adjacent building, the atmosphere in the sun-dappled off-street courtyard was excellent.
This one’s for John - and other people with taste. Just near us is Estrella, a vegetariansky restaurant which seems to have a good menu. It even has the obligatory smokers on the footpath outside.
In the afternoon we went to Václavské námestí (Wenceslas Square). Many historical events occurred there, and it is a traditional setting for demonstrations, celebrations, and other public gatherings. The square is named after Saint Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia. It’s a very popular area for tourists, and they were all there. It includes a large statue of St Wenceslas and the National Museum which was closed for renovations. In terms of heritage, Prague has more than its fair share. There seemed to be very little restoration work being carried out, but the buildings and features seemed in good surprisingly repair. Even though much has been reconstructed since WWII and in the various periods since, there must be quite a good program/policy in place for preservation. Some photos of Prague in the late afternoon; a photo showing St Wenceslas statue and then looking down the Square from the statue.