Prague

Trip Start Jan 07, 2004
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Trip End Jan 27, 2004


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Saturday, January 10, 2004

Dobry den,

Greetings from Eastern Europe! I arrived safely in Prague, the golden city of 10,000 spires. The city is an architectural treasure. Unlike many European cities, Prague survived both WWII and communism. Throughout the city it is easy to see Romantic, Gothic, art nouveau, Renaissance, Baroque and even Romanesque buildings.

One of my favorite treats was visiting the performance halls. The first night, I went to the Estates Theater for a performance of Mozart's Magic Flute. It's an opera performed in Czech with German subtitles. I've never appreciated a libretto more. It was fun to watch the ballet corps alternate with the opera chorus in the same performance. I love the audience here too, very quiet and attentive. All in a very baroque hall 01 Sunrise over The Golden City of 1,000 Spires
01 Sunrise over The Golden City of 1,000 Spires
 . The second night, I went to the National Theater. On the schedule was Krapp's Last Tape, a play by Samuel Beckett. One of the slowest and darkest performances I've ever seen. But audience still ate it up. Both venues were very ornate, intimate and affordable. The arts here seem to be more revered than back home.

Prague is renowned for all its crooked streets. I paid close attention to my map and still got lost. But it was good. I stumbled across a farmers' market with lots of artists selling hand-made crafts. Too tempting to pass up! So I picked up several sketches of the city's main sights. My last night here a light snow started falling. All around town people were taking an evening stroll. Kind of like a European Norman Rockwell painting.

There's one thing I noticed about all the cities on my itinerary - the layout. Specifically, a castle on a hill overlooking a river. I think that was essential for a city's survival throughout different eras. Prague is no different. The King's Walk is an old path used by royalty. It proceeds from the castle, down the hill, across a bridge and into the old town square. The reverse route was taken by prisoners condemned to die. Along St Charles Bridge are many statues at which many would stop to pray 02 The Estates Theater
02 The Estates Theater
 .

To cover all the cities on this trip, I brought along guidebooks from Lonely Planet, Frommers and Rick Steves. The latter characterizes Prague as having a long struggle for independence. I saw reminders of that throughout the city. Many remember Wenceslas Square, where the Velvet Revolution of 1989 forced the communists out of power. Next to the Old Town Clock Tower are 27 white crosses, memorializing 27 Protestant rebels who were beheaded in 1621. In the center of Old Town Square is a statue of Jan Hus, a priest who was burned at the stake in 1415. Also, the Jewish Museum was actually designed by Hitler as a remembrance to his extinguished race.

Next, an overnight train to Poland for more Jewish history.

Nosgrejano,
Eric

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03 My box seat was left of Presidential (red star) 03 My box seat was left of Presidential (red star) 04 Baroque design 04 Baroque design 05 Ceiling above the stage 05 Ceiling above the stage 06 Ceiling detail 06 Ceiling detail
07 07 08 View of Prague Castle from Vltava River 08 View of Prague Castle from Vltava River 09 Entrance to Hradcany Castle 09 Entrance to Hradcany Castle 10 Roman Catholic St Vitus Cathedral 10 Roman Catholic St Vitus Cathedral
11 Front of cathedral 11 Front of cathedral 12 Relief above the front door 12 Relief above the front door 13 13 14 Interior of St Vitus Cathedral 14 Interior of St Vitus Cathedral
15 Art nouveau stained glass by Alfons Mucha 15 Art nouveau stained glass by Alfons Mucha 16 16 17 17 18 Tomb of St Wenceslas 18 Tomb of St Wenceslas
19 Many other saints interred here also 19 Many other saints interred here also 20 Roman architecture underneath cathedral 20 Roman architecture underneath cathedral 21 Mosaic of Last Supper 21 Mosaic of Last Supper 22 Flying buttresses behind cathedral 22 Flying buttresses behind cathedral
23 23 24 Vladislav Hall of the Old Royal Palace 24 Vladislav Hall of the Old Royal Palace 25 Chapel at end of Vladislav Hall 25 Chapel at end of Vladislav Hall 26 Romanesque St George's Basilica 26 Romanesque St George's Basilica
27 27 28 The Golden Lane 28 The Golden Lane 29 View of Mala Strana from Prague Castle 29 View of Mala Strana from Prague Castle 30 View of Prague 30 View of Prague
31 Walk through Mala Strana 31 Walk through Mala Strana 32 32 33 View of St Charles Bridge 33 View of St Charles Bridge 34 St Charles Bridge 34 St Charles Bridge
35 35 36 Overlooking the Vltava River & Mala Strana 36 Overlooking the Vltava River & Mala Strana 37 St Francis of Assissi 37 St Francis of Assissi 38 38
39 Sunset over St Charles Bridge 39 Sunset over St Charles Bridge 40 Sunrise 40 Sunrise 41 Old Town Bridge Tower 41 Old Town Bridge Tower 42 42
43 National Theater 43 National Theater 44 Box seats overlooking the stage 44 Box seats overlooking the stage 45 Above the stage 45 Above the stage 46 Chandalier 46 Chandalier
47 14th century Old Town Hall 47 14th century Old Town Hall 48 Astronomical Clock 48 Astronomical Clock 49 The zodiac 49 The zodiac 50 Vanity, greed, death and invasion 50 Vanity, greed, death and invasion
51 The apostles making their appearance 51 The apostles making their appearance 52 Side of the Old Town Hall 52 Side of the Old Town Hall 53 Twenty seven crosses 53 Twenty seven crosses 54 Interior of the Old Town Hall 54 Interior of the Old Town Hall
55 55 56 Mosaics inside Old Town Hall 56 Mosaics inside Old Town Hall 57 57 58 58
59 View of St Charles Bridge 59 View of St Charles Bridge 60 View of St Vitus Cathedral & Prague Castle 60 View of St Vitus Cathedral & Prague Castle 61 View towards the Jewish Quarter 61 View towards the Jewish Quarter 62 View of Gothic Tyn Church 62 View of Gothic Tyn Church
63 Gold relief of Virgin Mary 63 Gold relief of Virgin Mary 64 View of Wenceslas Square 64 View of Wenceslas Square 65 View of Nove Mesto 65 View of Nove Mesto 66 View of Old Town Square 66 View of Old Town Square
67 Art noveau lining the Old Town Square 67 Art noveau lining the Old Town Square 68 Jan Hus Memorial 68 Jan Hus Memorial 69 Baroque Church of St Nicholas 69 Baroque Church of St Nicholas 70 Gothic, Renaissance & Baroque architecture 70 Gothic, Renaissance & Baroque architecture
71 71 72 72 73 73 74 74
75 Old church I stumbled across 75 Old church I stumbled across 76 Interesting door 76 Interesting door 77 Old Jewish Cemetery 77 Old Jewish Cemetery 78 Maisel Synagogue 78 Maisel Synagogue
79 Old-New (Staranova) Synagogue 79 Old-New (Staranova) Synagogue 80 Pinkas Synagogue 80 Pinkas Synagogue 81 Jerusalem Synagogue 81 Jerusalem Synagogue 82 Restored iron door from 17th century 82 Restored iron door from 17th century
83 Baroque vaulted ceilings 83 Baroque vaulted ceilings
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