Prague

Our fall break Czech Republic trip continued from Zelnava to Prague. We were able to book a pension in Lesser Town, an area south of the castle. So for the rest of Monday we walked to Vysehrad, stood in the Saints Peter and Paul Church for a while, and walked through the cemetery. Remember, this was All Saints Day, so most of the plots were newly decorated. We found the graves of Bedrich Smetana (composer of "The Moldau") and Antonin Dvorak ("New World Symphony").





Then we walked to Old Town by way of Wenceslas Square. Our final destination was a restaurant where we met three of our ESI colleagues who live in Prague for conversation and excellent food. The walk home brought us through Old Town Square and over the Charles Bridge.



On Tuesday we walked to the Prague Castle, where we mingled with thousands of tourists on a beautiful 60 degree day. We stepped into St. Vitus' Cathedral, but did not take the (expensive) tour. Then we crossed the St. Charles bridge once again, but meandering along, enjoying the crowds, vendors, artists, and especially the view of the Vltava River (called the Moldau in Germany).




Once across we went to the Clock Tower, watched the clock change at the top of the hour (along with a trumpet fanfare from the top), and then we climbed to the top for some picture taking. Such a gorgeous view on such a gorgeous day!



Our last part of the afternoon was spent walking through the Jewish Quarter. Here also the tours were much too expensive, so we enjoyed what we could from the outside peeking in.



As darkness fell, we had dinner at a wonderful restaurant in the Lesser Town Square. Our accommodations were very comfortable. We shared a suite with the Bosschers, and their room had a small kitchen. Our breakfast each morning consisted of rolls, meats, and cheeses that housekeeping left in our refrigerator. Being able to walk everywhere was very convenient, and we probably walked ten miles in the two days. While walking home each evening we were fascinated by the locks operating along the west side of the river, allowing river boats to go up or down river.

The following day we headed back to Budapest by way of Esztergom, where we checked out the cathedral, and, in spite of the rainy weather, the view of the Danube. Taking the back roads home proved to be tedious, as traffic seemed to be backed up all the way into Budapest.