With some romantic notion in our heads, we landed in Prague--only to find out that it is one gigantic party happening in the streets. We cannot remember ever being in a more peopled place. Maybe it seemed crowded because we were mostly in the Old Town and the streets were narrow. But there was a sea of people, coming through wave after wave, tour group after tour group. And that seemed to be true wherever we went.
The view from our hotel room:
We were pretty bleary eyed when we got to Prague on Friday afternoon. Traveling from Portland to Amsterdam and on to Prague (with a 3-1/2 hour layover and both flights delayed) will do that to you. But, knowing that we had very little time to sample this town--which is actually a city of over 1 million Czech souls--and knowing we needed to stay upright in order to reset our body clocks, we set off to see what we could of the Old Town.
Pretty quickly, we landed on the famous Charles Bridge. And that provided a shattered image, right from the start. Aswarm with thousands and thousands of people and almost as many vendors of art, jewelry, souvenirs, and a handful of musicians, it was difficult to even really see the bridge, its sculptures, and its views of the Vltava River. We persevered, but this was a harbinger of how much we needed to shift our expectations.
The Charles Bridge:
We wandered the narrow, cobblestone streets and found our way to the Old Town Square just in time to watch the Astronomical Clock do its thing. This hourly event attracts quite a crowd, as you can imagine. We strolled some more and remarked on the fancifully decorated buildings. One dared not stop abruptly, lest you get mown over. When we did step aside to look in a window or take a picture, we had to time our reemergence into the stream of people. Kept us on our toes.
The Astronomical Clock and Old Town Square:
For dinner, our hotel had recommended a restaurant for Czech specialties, about a 5-minute walk away. We were about to be introduced not only to the food of the Czech Republic, but to the self-proclaimed beer culture. The food was very good--a smoked pork knuckle (like a small ham on the bone), which was very tasty, and Potato Haruske, small gnocchi-like dumplings in a sour cream, tangy sauce, and cold grilled vegetables. There was enough food to have served at least two other people. The beer, too, was very nice.
As we walked back to our hotel, we got turned around--not hard to do in the maze of streets in the Old Town, but very unusual for me. We kept consulting our map; we stopped to ask directions. After our third stop to ask a shopkeeper for help, we finally found our way back--45 minutes after we set out!
Beèr is definitely a part of the fabric of the Czechs. It is everywhere, and you get a funny look if you want something less than at least .5 liter. They will ask you several times to clarify that you don't want more. You see people strolling the streets with large cans or bottles of beer, drinking as they go.
And then there's the partying part of the beer culture. Oh my. Prague is so known for its good and very reasonably priced beer that groups of young men come from all over to drink and party--and I'm talking all night long. Don't think I'm exaggerating. Our hotel was in the "center of the center" of the Old Town. Jerry and I started to refer to the quiet hour of about 6am to 7am as the golden hour. On Friday and Saturday nights, we would wake up repeatedly during the night to the sounds of drunken groups of young men singing. "Volare" or "Swing Low Sweet Chariot"--loudly and badly sung--at 3:30am or 5am anyone? Thankfully, Sunday night was a bit less rowdy. I mistakenly thought it had quieted around 12:30am and was disabused of that notion around 3am, but we really did get more solid sleep time that night.
Saturday was the day we planned to see the Prague Castle complex. It includes St. Vitus Cathedral, the top-rated sight in Prague. We planned to use the tram system to get across the river and up the hill. Those of you who are on Facebook with me know that this trek does not start out on a happy note.
We weren't the only tourists using this mode of transit. We had to change trains once across the river, and the train headed to the castle was absolutely jammed. We debated waiting for the next train, but unfortunately decided to hop on. Would that I could rewrite this part of it, but it was the choice we made. We were right at the stairwell and door, and as we twisted and lurched our way up the hill, my sole thought was to keep from falling into the stairwell. This apparently is a perfect set up for an easy mark for a pickpocket. As I clung to the pole for dear life, a middle-aged woman joined me by inserting her hand on the pole just below me. This is a very effective distraction. She made direct eye contact and smiled slightly. I noticed that she had a black scarf on her arm, which I thought a bit odd. (Later in the day I heard someone describing a pickpocket with a dark scarf over her arm to shield the view as she hands off her prize to her accomplice.) Well she should smile. I had just contributed noticeably to her day's haul. She got off the stop before the castle. When we exited at the next stop, I looked down and noticed that one portion of my supposedly secure, cross-body bag was unzipped. I looked in, and sure enough my wallet was long gone.
This simple act had a deep effect on my attitude. I felt stupid. This person had put her hand in my bag. This person had gently, deftly helped herself to my Czech koruna and my Euros. It also felt pretty darned unwelcoming. I wanted to yell at somebody (probably mostly me). I wanted somebody to do something. But, in truth, there really is nothing that can be done.
Prague and I were not getting off on the right foot. Jerry repeatedly reminded me that we were okay, and the sum, while ample, was not going to derail our trip. Eventually, the mood lessened and we embarked on our tour of the castle grounds. Our ticket did not allow us to enter St. Vitus until 1pm, so we set off to see the Royal Palace and St. George's Basilica first. With a little bit of mitigating luck, we happened on the noon changing of the guard. Though the changing happens hourly, the noon one includes a band on the palace balcony and some shooting. (As far as I know, no one was hurt.) The music made it all feel more regal. Even though we couldn't see a lot of it, we got a few good views and a feel for the event.
Just past 1pm, we headed for the entrance to the cathedral. It took us 5-7 minutes just to walk the length of the line. But since it is the most touted of Prague's sights, we soldiered on. (Jerry is almost allergic to standing in lines, so this was no small thing.) The line actually moved along fairly well, and soon we were inside. It is a big structure and has some of the most beautiful stained glass we've ever seen. It was easily the highlight of the day.
St. Vitus and the window by Mucha, notable Czech Art Nouveau artist:
We finished off our visit by walking down off the castle hill through St. Wenceslas' vineyard, where we stopped for a simple sandwich, a glass of rose, and a fabulous view over the city.
When we made our way down to the tram station in Mala Strana (Little Quarter), we ultimately decided strolling across the river and through the town was a lot better than getting back on the tram. Even though we would have been super vigilant, who needs that kind of stress?
Sunday's planned exploration was the Jewish Quarter, which Rick Steves describes as the most affecting and intact in Europe. Once again, we weren't exactly the only people visiting, but it was a good exposure to a long-time Jewish community that was heavily diminished during WWII. We toured through the New-Old, Klausen, Pinkas, and Spanish Synagogues. The walls of the Pinkas are covered floor to ceiling with the names of those who perished, and then you walk through the ages-old Jewish cemetery outside its doors. All very sobering. We ended on a different note at the Spanish Synagogue, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in Europe. It is not a subtle space, but it is spectacular and colorful and enchanting.
The Spanish Synagogue:
We had a very nice dinner at an earnest little Italian restaurant, where we were seated next to a window that overlooked the dessert station. It was quite fascinating to watch the two pastry/dessert wizards work their magic. Afterwards, we walked back to our hotel, taking a detour to visit the Charles Bridge at night. What a lovely difference. We still weren't exactly alone, but the vendors were all gone and the views were magical. The castle hill and cathedral were all lit, as well as the Rudolfinum (symphony hall) and the National Theatre. It was lovely to gaze on the lighted monuments and watch the river. A very nice wrap up to our Prague visit.
St. Vitus and the Castle Complex from the Charles Bridge:
So, even though the romantic picture in our heads got shattered pretty quickly, we eventually learned to ignore the thousands of people that surrounded us at all times and focus our sights on the charming structure of the old town, the cobblestones, winding streets, and the beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, murals and mosaics. I hope that ultimately, only those beautiful images remain.
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