Don’t let the name Czechia confuse you. It is the new official English name of the country we all know as Czech Republic. But nobody uses it, yet.
We booked this flight 4 months in advance, which is a long time ahead, especially for us. Swiss Air was having a crazy sale and we couldn’t pass it up. So we had 4 months to plan, well Riki did, as this was my birthday present from last year, which included all the planning. Therefore, the itinerary consisted mainly of viewpoints, amazing Czech beer and hearty food. Luckily, I am down for all of those things.
We arrived in the evening and proceeded to wander a bit to find food, and you guessed it, beer. Prague is full of old cellars, as the city frequently flooded and they decided just to raise the street level and use the upper floor as the ground floor. We found these cool basements all over town.
First night beerCellar under the bar with a photography exhibitOld Town SquareDoor leading to a surprisingly nice place, in a cellar
We spent five days just wandering, searching for viewpoints, good beer and heavy food. Besides a tour of the Strahov Monastery library and the Town Hall, we were walking the neighborhoods and checking out the sights the whole time. Luckily, the weather cooperated.
Cathedral and castle from across the Vltava RiverBoats on the Vltava
Tram, type 1Powder Tower – one of the old city gates. Used to store gunpowder, hence the name.
Jewish cemetery – the largest in EuropeTram, type 2Giant metronome in Letna Park, where a huge statue of Stalin used to standView of Charles Bridge from MetronomeLots of bridgesMala Strana metro station
Monastery side yard where we had more excellent beerCathedral and castle at night
Sgraffito at the Schwarzenberg Palace
Changing of the guardToo many camera phones 😦Lennon WallThis chick had her photo taken in every pose imaginable
Charles Bridge from belowPiss Sculpture – two gyrating men peeing on a map of CzechiaPrague’s narrowest street has a traffic light for alternating directions
Giant bronze babiesCruising in the riverTram, type 1 again and the National TheaterRiverfrontQuestion mark dockDancing House by Vlado Milunic and Frank Gehry
At the entrance to the Dancing HouseCathedral and palace from the top of the Dancing House
An excellent dark beer complete with accordion music
The Hanging Man by David CernyView of Church of Our Lady Before Tyn and Old Town Square
Elevator to the top of the Old Town Hall TowerPrague is full of indoor walkwaysThe Dead Horse, also by David Cerny
Rotating 42 layer sculpture of Franz Kafka, also by David Cerny
I think Riki got as many pictures of these two as the guy they hiredAstronomical ClockSee? Here they are again across town.
Just wandered into a park where there happened to be peacocks, lots of them.
Albino peacockThe OriginalMore good beer from a MonasteryInside the Strahov LibraryPetrified Dodo bird. And other “Curiosities”
Cathedral at the top of the hill
Golden Lane inside the castle walls where the marksmen initially lived.
Kafka apparently wrote here for two years.
Charles BridgeAstronomical ClockAnother peacockApostles from the inside of the Astronomical Clock, who we watched do their dance at noon.Amazing stained glass in the Old Town HallCellar under the Old Town HallAnother section of the Old Town Hall Cellar
Fireworks preceding Wenceslas Day from Old Town Bridge Tower
Our last day was Wenceslas Day, which commemorates his death in 935. He was the patron saint of Bohemia, so it is a national holiday in Prague, but besides the fireworks, we didn’t see much going on.
Prague has been on the top of my list for a long time and it did not disappoint. Were I one to take photos of my food, those would be included here too. We ate goulash and dumplings and bread and cheese, and not a lot of green stuff. It was great.
