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My first full day in Prague. My co-worker Dinara and I went exploring after breakfast to find a place to change some money to Czech Crowns. There are approximately 20 crowns to an American dollar - so for example, three of us had dinner in a teensy (it could seat maybe twelve people - and thats a stretch) local pub - two had beer, I had water, and dinner for all of us was 394 crowns. Or just less than $20. Dinner was good - I had the "Smuggler Pocket" (or Paserakova Kapsa) - which consists of cheese, and some smoked meats folded over together and fried. Crispy and yummy and probably really really bad for you.
Anyway, at 1:45pm Dinara and I took a tour of the historic parts of the city - it was a driving/walking tour, and it was open to whoever wanted to go from a number of different hotels. Dinara and I were the only ones on it this afternoon, so it was us and the tour guide, which was fantastic. He was an older man who had lived through the communist history and was very proud of his city. We wandered through some of the outside bits of Prague Castle (Prazskeho) (a small city unto itself, it seems), driven around and then we walked across the Charles Bridge (Karluv most), into Old Town. The tour was just over three hours, and we saw the very basics of the city. I'd love to have more time to actually stop and go into different places. Our tour guide, Jan, told us of the laying of the cornerstone for the Charles Bridge - year, date, and time down to the minute. It was laid down on 135797531. Or: 1357.9.7.5:31. Or put yet another way (that makes a bit more sense): July 9, 1357 at 5:31am.
Just the feeling of OLD, ANCIENT is amazing. We passed the oldest chapel in Prague - it is a small round stone building built in the early 900's. The buildings are a mishmash of styles. Theres baroque next to gothic next to rococo. There is a palace that has deer antlers mortered on to the chimney, which was the architect's declaration that he had cuckolded the lord of the manor.
Definistration happened out the south windows of one of the palaces inside the castle walls. The nobles thrown out the window did not die, then, they merely ended up on the garbage heap. They were executed a few years later, though, in one of the squares, and their heads decorated the Charles Bridge.
We passed by a second story hall where the men used to joust. Inside, in the hall. The ladies of the day were up on the third or fouth floor balconies watching as their men jousted. There was a separate entrance where they rode their horses inside and up wide, shallow stairs to get into the hall.
Wild stuff. Bedtime for me now though. It is 11pm and I must be up early tomorrow.
Anyway, at 1:45pm Dinara and I took a tour of the historic parts of the city - it was a driving/walking tour, and it was open to whoever wanted to go from a number of different hotels. Dinara and I were the only ones on it this afternoon, so it was us and the tour guide, which was fantastic. He was an older man who had lived through the communist history and was very proud of his city. We wandered through some of the outside bits of Prague Castle (Prazskeho) (a small city unto itself, it seems), driven around and then we walked across the Charles Bridge (Karluv most), into Old Town. The tour was just over three hours, and we saw the very basics of the city. I'd love to have more time to actually stop and go into different places. Our tour guide, Jan, told us of the laying of the cornerstone for the Charles Bridge - year, date, and time down to the minute. It was laid down on 135797531. Or: 1357.9.7.5:31. Or put yet another way (that makes a bit more sense): July 9, 1357 at 5:31am.
Just the feeling of OLD, ANCIENT is amazing. We passed the oldest chapel in Prague - it is a small round stone building built in the early 900's. The buildings are a mishmash of styles. Theres baroque next to gothic next to rococo. There is a palace that has deer antlers mortered on to the chimney, which was the architect's declaration that he had cuckolded the lord of the manor.
Definistration happened out the south windows of one of the palaces inside the castle walls. The nobles thrown out the window did not die, then, they merely ended up on the garbage heap. They were executed a few years later, though, in one of the squares, and their heads decorated the Charles Bridge.
We passed by a second story hall where the men used to joust. Inside, in the hall. The ladies of the day were up on the third or fouth floor balconies watching as their men jousted. There was a separate entrance where they rode their horses inside and up wide, shallow stairs to get into the hall.
Wild stuff. Bedtime for me now though. It is 11pm and I must be up early tomorrow.