Prague Weekend

PRAGUE AUTUMN

Finishing out Oktober with a bang, we decided to run down to Prague for the weekend. Neither of us had been on our previous European trips and the place is generally well-regarded by pretty much anyone who visits. Elena, Franco and Luka flew up from Udine and we rented a big AirBnB flat a few blocks from Wenceslas Square in the historic district. 

It is a 3.5 hour drive on the Autobahn between the cities, so we took off at 3pm on Friday afternoon in our Puegot Euro-SUV, and got in around 9. A small detour and a couple Jasper puke sessions delayed us.

Luckily we had sunny weather all weekend, so beautiful light on the monuments that the city is famous for amidst the changing leaves and perfectly chilly days. Still lots of tourist crowds but a fraction of what the place sees in the high summer. Step one: descend into the earth and figure out the underground train system.

Heading downtown. Way down.

Near where a lady yelled at us for letting the kids play too close to the edge of the platform. OK, she had a point.

River spires in the morning haze.

Changing of the guard: Prague Castle.

Gargoyle on the castle cathedral. Rainwater drains out of the mouth.

The Charles Bridge, one of Prague's big landmarks. Crossing the Vltava River since the early 1400's, it is adorned with 30 Baroque-style statues and a large number of guys with charcoal pencils and easels who will sketch your likeness in under 5 minutes. Seriously, they will time themselves. This takes away from the slightly religious experience of crossing the bridge.

Looking down on the non-pious sketch artists.

A slightly less-than-pious bas-relief in town.

Main Square in the old town: Church of Our Lady before Tyn.

Cody helps the bubble lady out. Soap from popped bubbles coats the slick cobbles, which claimed numerous child victims to slips and falls. Whoever fell gets to make their own bubbles! (Cody fell)

Wenceslas Square. "Good King Wenceslas went out..." and got assassinated by his brother due to political intrigues. His brother's name? BOLESLAV THE CRUEL!! Not joking. If I had a brother who had that kind of name, you know I'd be keeping an eye on that SOB.

The Old Jewish Cemetery. The oldest stone dates to 1439, with the last addition coming when America ratified the Constitution in 1787. 

The headstones are packed in tight since they didn't give the Jews very much space to bury their dead. New burials basically had to dig up someone else and put them underneath. In some places there are ten people buried on top of each other. The whole place is strangely mounded the result of dirt piled on top of new burials: there are around 12,000 tombstones but nearly 100,000 burials occurred here.

Jasper and Franco, who are not Jewish, still wear the stylish Yamaka as provided by the caretakers.

Continuing the exploration of the old Jewish quarter, we happen across the Spanish Synagogue, which all agreed was the snazziest.

Jay reprises his role as "Eurail American Traveler" from 1990 with his special edition teal LL Bean Anorak.

Playing matching games with beer coasters in the biergarten.

Cody gets chased by a lethal goose-pack.

Charles Bridge in background. Geese held at bay!

Loved the street signs here - metal bubbled out.

There was lots of walking this weekend. And carrying of Cody.

Fall sunlight on beautiful architecture. And streetcar. Will have to come back here.