Prague

The Hoods and Lambs safely arrived at our hotel, the Pension Green Garland on Thursday, September 3rd.. Located in the center of the old town, it is a converted manor house first built in 1327. It has been updated since. The rooms (apartments, much larger than a Jr. one bedroon in SF!) were huge and spotless. After dropping our bags we began to explore Prague. I think we stopped for a beer first thing, just to honor the culture. After walking around the old town we went for dinner at a traditional Czech restaurant. Bev had goulash, and the others typical dishes, not exciting food. We all slept well dispite all night bar noise (and we thought of the Club 2 Me when the college kids are home was noisy). Breakfast at the Pension was perfect and we hit the streets with Jana, our wonderful Czech guide. We went to the Wenceslas Square, named after a kind and benevolent Czech leader from the 10th century. Jana showed us the spot where the Russian tanks rolled in in '68 and the '89 velvet revolution happened, and the memorial to two young student leaders who burned themselves to death in '69 in protest of the Communist takeover. We walked along the square and into the Franciscan Gardens.


The architecture here is amazing, everywhere you look you see a different and amazing building. Fortunately, the Communists (or the Nazi's) did not destroy the town. Jana shared with us her experiences of growing up under Communist rule: the sameness of the clothes, furniture, everything was the same for everyone, no variety at all. She was a hit in 3rd grade when she showed up to class with a Mickey Mouse t-shirt sent to her by her German grandparents.She was allowed such a bourgeoise item because she was young. A soldier took a sweater right off her mom because it had a small American flag on the front of it. After the Velvet Revolution, the end of Communism, she returned to school after Christmas break, to find that she no longer had to take Russian anymore, a real joy for her.


We toured the Old Town Square with its famous Astronomical Clock, built in the 1400's. Tthe clock maker was blinded after completion of the clock so he could not make another one, or so goes the legend. The square was very cool, swarms of tourists and interesting things to see. Also went through the Jewish quarter and the old cemetary where Jews are buried 12 deep because they were not allowed to be buried anywhere else for years.





Saturday we again spent the day with Jana, touring the Little Quarter across the Vltava River from Old Town. This is where the Prague Castle is located, on the top of a hill. The castle was built over a span of a thousand years, party by bi-polar Hapburg monarchs. The views across the river to Old Town are spectacular. After bidding adieu to Janna we had a late lunch, and then walked to the Alfonse Mucha Museum. Mucha is a much loved Czech who all but singlehandedly developed Art Nouveau. We are now in a coffee shop, blogging and waiting for our night train to Krakow. Prague has been great.