Tuesday 26th May 2009

Today we learned how to use the tram.



A couple of days ago, we did hike across to the Little Quarter and make our way up the hill to the Castle Quarter. But since today we wanted to enter the sites, we wanted to spend our time at the sites, and not tiring ourselves just to get to the first site.

Guide books mention that tram tickets can be bought at one's hotel reception desk and newstands. Since we were staying at a rented apartment, the first choice did not exist, so we tried the second option. We were fortunate that the newstand vendor spoke some broken English, but were disappointed that he did not sell any tram tickets. He did tell us that we could buy them at the Underground Metro, and since our tram stop was also a Metro stop, it did not force us out of our way.

A brief word about language. Everyone does speak Czeck, as well as some other Slavic languages. We forget, that not too long ago, this was part of the Soviet block, so other common second and third languages are Russian and German. English is really a new import, that only started with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and rarely spoken by those over the age of 40.

Walking down Wenceslas Square, we turned west onto another broad boulevard that led towards the Metro station and tram stop. Walking into the Metro, I noticed a sign in English stating "buy tickets" with an arrow pointing around the kiosk. As we walked around, the man at the kiosk was just leaving, locked the door, and raised his arms in a gesture of "sorry."
Fortunately below the sign, there was a vending like machine, with some English instructions. We read them over a few times, counted our coins, watched a few locals, and then tried our luck. With smiles on our face, our tickets appeared.

The trams run quite regularly, are quite efficient, and relatively inexpensive at 26 Kc (about $1.50). I wished Montreal had such inexpensive, and frequent service.

The tram ride itself followed a very similar route that we had walked just a couple of days before, going through the Little Quarter, and then up and behind the Castle Quarter, high on the hill.

Hera had her heart set on seeing the Monastery. A friend of hers had taken photographs with his tripod of the library at the Monastery. But we were disappointed as we approached, when we saw the sign that the Monastery was unexpectedly closed today. Tourists nearby said they heard that there was a movie being filmed there today.

We walked behind the Monastery to its garden, where we found a delightful panoramic view of the city.

We also found an interesting "Miniature Museum," where an artist created works of art that can only be viewed under a microscope or magnifying glass. Some items included a tiny lock and key on an ant's leg, and portraits drawn on half a poppy seed or grain of rice.

Back tracking a bit, we walked over to the Loreta Square. This small site holds the Santa Casa (Holy House), perhaps the Holiest site of the region. It supposedly contains part of the original house of the Mother Mary, and is where pilgrims would set out on their pilgrimage across Europe ending at Santiago de Compostela in Northwest Spain, basically the end of the known world.

Behind the Santa Casa, is a very pretty Baroque church. Unfortunatley, no photography is allowed at the Loreta Site.

Prague Castle complex is where the region had been governed for over a thousand years, since the time of St. Wencelas, who Christianized the area and is the symbol of Czech nationalism and statehood.

After getting our tickets and audioguide, we started with St. Vitus Cathedral. A huge Gothic Cathedral, that holds one of Europe's largest windows of this type. The tombs of many notables, Kings and Saints, are contained within this Cathedral including St. John of Nepomuk (whom I might write more about another day) as well as St. Wencelas himself. In St. Wencelas chapel, along with his tomb, is a small locked box holding the crown of St. Wencelas, locked with seven locks. The seven keys are held by different people of the church, the state and the city. St. Wencels crown is brought out rarely and very special occaissions.


The Old Royal Palace, contains a huge hall that was the largest hall without central supports in its time, with side apartments that hold their own stories and various political intrigues.

The nearby Golden Lane got its name from goldsmiths that refused to join the town Gold Smith Guild, and set up small shops below the Castle. Frank Kafka lived in one of these small houses for a year, as well as a clairevoyant who was killed by the Nazis because she erroneously predicted a short war.

At the end of the Golden Lane, we arrived at the Daliborka Tower. A prison tower, with its dungeon, holding various interesting devices to extract confessions. Amazing how things have not changed since these Medieval times, as we extract confessions from present dangers to the state at Guantanamo Bay.

We could have walked home, but were glad to take the tram. Once again, there was hardly a wait, as we found our Tram 22, and rode it home, for another good cold beer.

Cheers,

Hera & Anthony

Monday, May 25th. 2009

We started yesterday off with another visit to our nearby Albert's. As with any good quest story, we found our spices under our noses at the nearby Albert's. Now with a local supply of spices secured, we need no longer seek them out. Had we found it on our first day, it would have robbed us of our first hunt in the grand city of Prague.

Without such a noble cause, we wandered aimlessly about the city. Walking down a grand boulevard, we reached a bridge and crossed over into Little Quarter across the river. An area of town that has the flavour of Trastevere in Rome with its winding streets, lined with small restaurants and pubs in semi-residential neighborhood. Then we made our way up the hill towards the Castle Quarter. We had no intention to walk into any of the sites at the time, so we walked around St. Vitus Cathedral and the Old Royal Palace, and down the slope where we discovered a tiny vineyard. Crossing over St. Charles bridge, we slowly made our way back home, for a cold refreshing beer, and a delicious supper.

After relaxing with another beer, we walked up Wenceslas, grabbed a gelato and then back to the Old Town Square. The setting sun, and the illuminated square was the perfect place to relax and people watch, and end our day.

Today was our first real day to walk into the sites. We decided to start with the Jewish Quarter. When the pope declared in the 12th century that Christians and Jews should not live together, a marsh area outside the town was walled off, and all the Jews of Prague were forced to live there, along with being made to yellow badges. Prague's ghetto was one of the biggest Jewish ghettos in Europe. Along with being walled off, the only place the Jews of Prague were allowed to bury their dead from 1439 to 1787 was in the Old Jewish Cemetary. Because of the limited space, tombs were crowded next to each other, piled over each other, raising the area into a plateau of crowded gravestones. This was the only place where photographs were permitted.

Prague historically was one third Czeck, one third German, and one third Jewish. After WW II most Germans were expelled, while most of Prague's Jews perished in the concentration camps, leaving Prague 95% Czech today. The Pinkas Synagogue is lined with the names of 77 297 Jews that perished in the concentration camps, and upstairs is collected the artwork of chldren from the Terezin concentration camp. Each piece of art is labelled with the child's name, date of birth, date of internment at the camp, and their date of death. A very moving exhibit which brought tears to Hera's eyes.

The nearby Ceremonial Hall was a good education on the "burial brotherhood" and Jewish burial rituals, while other sites described various Jewish Holidays and religious calendar, family life, and a collection of collected religious artefacts that were collected from the closing of the various synagouges during WW II.

Walking away from the Jewish Quarter, we walked into a local pub for a pint. But the exceptionally slow service, and the stench on tobacco changed our minds. Instead, we walked up a few streets, and following our nose, walked into a delightful bakery, and we each picked up something close to a chocolate filled doughnut. So delicious.

Back home, another cold refreshing pint greeted us, followed by a savoury dish made possible by our precious spices. Hera marinated chicken breasts overnight in paprika, soya sauce, garlic and apple cider vinegar, and served it with basmati rice with paprika and mixed salad. Finally we now have both hot and sweet paprika, but no smoked paprika yet.

With supper over, and well rested, we are getting ready to once again head out to the Old Town Square for some people watching and night photography.

Cheers,

Hera & Anthony

Saturday May 23, 2009

We arrived yesterday, safe and sound around 1 pm local time. Although terribly tired and jet lagged, we staggered out to do some grocery shopping at Albert's, and got caught in the rain for our efforts. Hera cooked a delicious chicken soup (we were so dehydrated from the flight), and with the rain stopped we stepped out and walked about.


Our apartment on Vodickova Street is less than half a block from Wenceslas Square. As we walked towards the Old Town we bought one of Prague's ubiquitous extra long sausages (about a foot long) from a street vendor. Of course Hera wanted the spiciest sausage, which we shared. It was indeed delicious, but while spicey, was not overly hot.

We walked into the Old Town square, Prague's tourist Mecca, and meandered about the tiny streets that radiated out. Even exhausted, Hera still marvelled at all the crystal shops, and had to enter at least Sharowski's crystal shop.

Feeling our fatigue, we re-entered the square, sat at an outdoor bar and had a wonderfully refreshing pint of Pilsner Urquel which is much more bodied and flavoured than the one we have back home. Enjoying our beer, we enjoyed people watching, and the seeing them scurry to the clock tower for the hourly show. We were just too tired to move or be bothered at the time.

Walking back home, we picked up a second foot long sausage close to home. Hera wanted the same type of sausage, and this one was spicier. By 7 pm, we crashed for the night, having accomplished our task to not go to bed on arrival.

We awoke refreshed and ready for the day at 8 am, and look at the wonderful view from the huge wall to wall windows that spans the lenght of this large apartment.

After some hard boiled eggs and bread, we once again headed off to Albet's supper market. We dropped off the groceries, and then headed off for the day. Once again we made our way down Wenceslas Square (the good king Saint Wenceslas that is sung about in the Christmas carol), and then the narrow streets towards the Old Town Square. We looked at the shops, crystal is everywhere as are marionette shops as well.

The architecture is stunning covering styles that I might discuss later, with various details on the walls and roof tops.

We walked over half way across the famous St. Charles bridge, but the crowds we so dense, we decided to head back.

Instead, we followed winding streets and felt we were in little Italy with all the Italian restaurants. We ended up at the Jewish Quarter, and while everything is closed on Saturday, we did manage a peek into the ancient cemetary, where tombstones crowd each other, almost on top of each other.

We continued our stroll, and found another Albert's on our quest for spices. Disappointed, we walked into a relatively modern department complex, similar to the Eaton's centre. We scoured the inforamtion map at the entrance, and found two possible stores that might be able to furnish our much sought after spices. Down hearted that neither carried any spices, we noticed another Albert's that we at first thought was the one we had just recently entered. But it seemed different, and indeed it was. FINALLY we found some spices, and bought our cherished Oregano, Basilica, and ground pepper. We eyed the various Paprikas, but decided to hold back for today... Until we find out which is which...

Products are only written in Czeck, and usually does not look or sound anything close to English or French nor Turkish. But it is amazing what a picture can say.

Back home, Hera made a great pasta fazulli with a mixed green salad, all garnished with the cherished spices. A cold beer, wonderful view, and great company (each other), what else does one need.

Now it is time to step out for an evening in Prague.

Cheers,

Hera and Anthony