Prague, Czech Republic
Sunday–Wednesday May 22–25, 2005
We arrived in Prague from Berlin by train at the number two railway terminal. Our plan was to take the metro to our hotel. That required the acquisition of Czech currency (not easy) and then the purchase of two local tickets. It was a Sunday, and the booth where a person sells tickets was not open. The sign in Czech indicated that tickets could be purchased from nearby machines. That indeed is what other people (natives) were doing, but the foreigners who had just arrived on the train had no coins, just large denomination bills. A McDonald’s was found and a cola beverage was purchased with what may have been the equivalent of a fifty dollar bill. Anyway, the change was obtained and the tickets were purchased. The city government should apply a bit of thought to arrivals at the train station.
In due course we found ourselves in Old Town Square. Here it is late May and already there are lots of tourists. But you can see the buildings are very pleasant, and outdoor dining is appreciated by everyone.
The buildings in central Prague are very nice. Colors, roof lines, the works, all very pleasing. These two photographs provide some evidence of this. Central Prague is a Unesco World Heritage site.
Wait, here is another photograph showing a different attractive street scene in Prague.
Here is another view of why Prague is an great city for the eye.
This is the Astronomical Clock, built in 1490. Once an hour a large crowd gathers below it to watch a show—figurines move up to the two doors above the clock.
This is Prague Castle on top of the hill, and it is a nice walk to get to it. The books say this is the largest “ancient” castle in the world—its history goes back over one thousand years.
This is the famous Charles Bridge used to get to the castle from the old center.
Outdoor markets are nicely done and appreciated by local residents. The ingredients for a hearty goulash soup are here.
We arrived in Prague by train, from Berlin via Dresden and Brno (about four hours). There was a lot of stamping of passports at the border, and the arrival in Prague could be a bit easier for Euro–holding tourists, but the city is worth the hassle.
Next—Vienna via a short train ride.
