One Word: Magic!

After a bit of a bumpy start Monday - nothing like waking up at 6 am and finding a notification  in your Inbox that there is a nationwide rail strike when you have tickets for a 10:30 train to Prague - we did manage to get to Czechia's capital.  A 4 hour ride on a crowded bus wasn't quite in the plan but it did give me the opportunity to see the countryside and remind me how much I have enjoyed being in this country in the past.

Crossing the Austrian/Czech border

Our hotel is perfectly located, just a 5 minute walk from Prague's Old Town Square.  By the time we had checked in and rested for a short time, it was time to head out for at least a couple of hours.  Our first glimpse of the square took my breath away.  Prague's Staroměstské náměstí was founded in the 12th century and has been witness to many historical events. In addition to the Old Town Hall and the Church of Our Lady before Týn, the square is dominated by the Baroque Church of St Nicholas, the Rococo Kinský Palace, the Gothic House at the Stone Bell and the monument to Jan Hus. It is also home to the famous Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj which is a medieval astronomical clock attached to the Old Town Hall. The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still in operation. 

I have seen the town square on previous visits to this city; however, seeing it "dressed up" for Christmas was magical.  The Christmas market there had a certain authenticity which I hadn't felt in the markets in Munich and Vienna.  That is not to take away from how impressive the others were but simply to say this setting had more of a Christmas ambiance.  I cannot put my finger on exactly what made it feel like that way for me.  For sure, the tree was one of the prettiest and the market being surrounded by medieval buildings had something to do with it.

The following day, we set out to explore a bit further.  We walked through Wenceslaus Square. At the top of it is the monumental National Museum.  This square is one of the two main squares in Prague; the Old Town Square is the other, just 5 minutes walk away.  The square lies at the heart of the New Town (Nové Město) - the word 'New' is misleading though as the area was laid out by Charles IV in 1348.  Wenceslas Square was apparently originally the Prague horse market.  Measuring 750m by 60m, it is really a boulevard rather than a square and, as a result, it is the main area in Prague where the Czechs gather to let off steam.  Over the years the square has been a parade ground for all kinds of organizations and political parties, from anti-communist uprisings to celebrations of national sporting achievements. The square can hold up to 400,000 people.  It was significant during the "Velvet Revolution", the non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia which occurred from 17 November to 29 December 1989.  Today, the square is surrounded by hotels and shops.  In the center is a "tram cafe" where we stopped for hot chocolate.

 

While much smaller than the market in the Old Town Square, there were still some interesting stalls to check out including one with a blacksmith and another one selling grilled cheese.

From there, we went back to the Old Town Square to check out the stalls there.  We had only taken a few photos the previous evening.  Most of the stalls were food-related; funnel cakes - whatever they are - seem to be a big thing here as there were numerous stalls selling them.  In addition, there were a number of stalls selling grilled meat - not always sausages!  However, we did stop for some churros with a salted caramel dipping sauce!  There is a "viewing platform" in the centre of the square you can go up to and get a view of the square.  We also stopped in St. Nicolas church - there are two in Prague and it was the other one my sister wanted to see as this one was pretty underwhelming.  

Then, it was a short walk to the famous Charles Bridge, a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the early 15th century.  It is lined with statues and has a special charm to it.  On the other side, is the "old town" as well as the road that takes one up to where the Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and Hradny Square are.  We didn't go up there this time.  We stopped for a drink at a pretty restaurant called Pod Veci - and made reservations to return there for dinner the following night.  It got mainly 5 out of 5 ratings on Trip Advisor.

For our last day, we did some last minute shopping, went one more time to the Old Town Square to hear the music program which happens there every evening between 4 and 6 pm.  We had assumed, incorrectly, that it would be Christmas music but no; it was a brass band playing American marching music.  That was a shame!  We did get some more photos of the square.

Then, we walked over the Charles Bridge for our dinner at Pod Vezi (which means "Under the Tower").  One didn't need Christmas lights on the bridge to experience the wonder of walking across it in the dark.  The views from every direction were special.

Dinner did not disappoint and the bill was about 50 euros each for an exceptional meal.  The food was delicious and included my sister's 1/2 dozen snails served in a little croustade cup, my duck breast, our shared toffee pudding and a complimentary honey liqueur served in a miniature beer mug.  We took an Uber back to our hotel (about 8 euros) and, with that, our visit to Prague was done.  

The next morning, we headed to the train station and, on the way, our driver took us by the "Dancing House" also nicknamed "Fred and Ginger".  We managed to get a photo from the car.  

Next up, Berlin.