Skip to main content

PRAG -- "WOW"

 Since the Czech vinette from our trip to Poland was still valid for a month, we decided to go back and explore Prague. For me it's all about the architecture in this gorgeous city.


We got lazy and decided to take the "hop on, hop off" bus for a day to scope out more of the sites and to get an overview of the city. This next photo is of the opera house from the bus window.


Wandering the streets you find some interesting/strange" things. They have a fascination with "old timers" (their term for antique cars).

Walking from the "castle hill" side of town towards the "old town" through cobblestone streets.


A visit to Prague would be incomplete without a stroll across the Charles Bridge.


There's the castle on the hill, on the other side of the Vltava river.

Park your car and take mass transit in this city. The parking is a mess, and navigating all the one-way streets is just as bad. You can get anywhere with the subways, street cars and buses.

As with many European cities, there's a church on every other corner, although the people are not particularly religious. It's part of the cultural heritage.


This church is part of the castle grounds.

We arrived just in time for the changing of the guards at the entrance to the castle grounds.


Inside one of the multiple castle courtyards.

From inside the castle courtyard you almost can't get the facade in one picture. Inside it is definitely Gothic style. Around the sides there are multiple sets of buttresses to hold up the high walls.




From the walls of the castle complex you get some great views of the city below, the river, and some of the many bridges across the Vltava.

Have to take on of those "yes, we were here!" photos.

Nothing like an evening on the main square eating ice cream and people watching.

Now there's a fine example of some Baroque architecture! Don't forget, "if it's not Baroque, don't fix it."

Again, we timed it right to see the clock figures do their thing at the "astronomical clock."


There's Gothic, and then there's Baroque, when it comes to churches too. And then there's the ceiling of the castle library. Man those guys knew how to paint! Oops, I wasn't supposed to take that picture...


As our trip comes to an end we wandered one more time over to Wenceslas square. This is where the "Velvet revolution" took place in 1989, where the Czechs peacefully rebelled against communist rule.

What's Rosi looking for there?

Oh, she's looking over at that interesting grocery store on the other side of the road. There you are Albert, a grocery store with your name on it!


Comments

  1. Hawaii HenDecember 29, 2020 at 7:42 PM

    Beautiful weather to enjoy a beautiful city with the added benefit of very few tourists!! Thanks for sharing your adventure.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PLITVICKA NATIONAL PARK - CROATIA

 I had seen a few internet posts about this place, and was determined to make a stop here on the way to Brac. It is definitely worth the detour. We ended up spending a second day wandering around the lakes and through the waterfalls. Coming into the national park from the north after leaving Zagreb, we started to encounter examples of the beauty that awaited us, as we passed through a town full of travertine pools and waterfalls. Plitvicka National Park is a larger area of forested hills, but the main attraction is a series of lakes, created by calcium deposits which form little dams and terraced pools between the trees and vegetation along the base of a canyon. There are three main lakes, but countless smaller pools in between. You can start at the top or the bottom of the area. By starting at the bottom you are always looking forward and up at the next waterfall. The first set of waterfalls is below the first lake. Got to take one of those "yes, we were here" pictures. Grea...
1 comment
Read more

Griasdi, Do sa'ma! (translation) Hello there, here we are!

OK, looks like we made it, and are off to our two year adventure.  Despite spending most of the first month getting our visa paperwork together, getting insurance, finding a place to live, buying furniture and other furnishings for our new home, and all that other not so fun stuff, we have been able to spend a little time checking out the beautiful sites and touristy things around here. Bad Ischl for the day Our new home. Let's hope they let us stay. The winter hasn't been very wintery. Going for a walk up the neighborhood street Across the street from the house An evening walk at the beach The Attersee (our lake) the Almsee Yep, it's winter here, but less snow than usual
1 comment
Read more

BRAC, CROATIA - Olive orchards, tiny fishing villages, and rocky coastline

 Made it to Brac, one of many islands along the Dalmatian coast. To get over to the island you have to drive or walk onto a ferry boat. . Ah, the sleepy little town of Supetar, the largest village on the island of Brac. It's October, past the tourist season, but you would think there would still be a few people here. The weather is mild, ocean still warm, but COVID travel restrictions killed their tourist business. We were the only tourists in a huge resort of probably 500 units. Pools were all drained, restaurants all closed, etc. The usually busy tourist options sat still, like this nice little boat that usually provides sailing tours. Ah, but the swim beaches were open. We practically had the entire beach and swim bay to ourselves. Water was still warm, so we swam around and watched the fish circle our feet and legs. Perfect opportunity to lay around in the sun and dangle your legs in the ocean. Spent a couple of days driving around the island to the other small villages. Not a ...
1 comment
Read more