Highlights E Europe Day 16
Highlights E Europe
Day 16 – Friday, May 14, 2010 – Prague, Czech Republic sightseeing walking tour and Lunch Cruise
We had breakfast and then gathered our rain gear in preparation for our city walking tour. The weather was cool at 52º and the humidity was 81%. This was really the first day when the rain was a factor in our plans.
Paul II was on the bus as our city guide again this morning. Most of us had met him last night on the Night Tour, but he gave a little more explanation of the city and the breakup of the country of Czechoslovakia.
Paul I, our driver, dropped us off at the Prague Castle, a full city within the walls of this oldest part of Prague. It is now the home of the president and was the site of the historic arms limitation treaty just signed by President Obama and Russian President Medvedev a few months ago.
We walked directly to the entrance of the beautiful Cathedral of St. Vitus where we were one of the first groups to enter when they opened the doors at 9:00. The church was begun in the 925 and finished only 75 years ago with the construction of the newest section.
From the Cathedral we walked to the city’s Astronomical Clock built in 1410 and waited until 11:00 when we had a view of the carved Apostles as they paraded by the windows.
The clock is remarkable showing the signs of the Zodiac, the time, phases of the moon, the seasons, and Biblical scenes. There were so few books in the medieval times that people depended on this treasure for information.
In the old town square Eva gave us a coupon for a free coffee at the Erpet Bohemian Crystal Shoppe. Of course, the shop had beautiful crystal and several people walked out with packages, including Gennie.
Almost the entire group had signed up for the lunch river cruise. We walked from the old town to the docks where we boarded the “Praha”, our barge.
We were entertained by a musician serenading us for the entire cruise and a very generous buffet meal. Although it was still raining heavily, we were able to go to the covered deck to take photos.
Paul II gave us a running commentary of the sights and we were able to pass through the Smichov Locks on the Vltava River.
Our cruise was completed at 2:00 so we walked back to our meeting point at the Intercontinental Hotel and then rode the bus back to our hotel.
A few people elected to stay and shop some more, but we were happy to go back and begin writing the journal and examining the photos we took for the GarciaTrips webpage.
We joined our group again at 6:45 for a Highlight Dinner supposedly of local Czech specialties, but it was beef, carrots, and potatoes. Maybe that is special to the Czechs, but not like the great food of Poland, Hungary, & Germany!
Tomorrow is the end of our journey; we reach Vienna after making a full circle of Eastern Europe. We packed up for our early morning departure.
Hotel: Hilton Prague (Buffet Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Comments
That's the Mucha window. I became entranced by Alphonse Mucha's art when I was in Prague. Do you know him? There's a picture of that window at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse_Mucha
HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY HOME, SEE YOU SOON!
Post a Comment!with all of the umbrellas, it's amazing the streets were wet at all.
Prague Astronomical Clock (0:51)
St. Vitus Cathedral Window by Alphon...
Rainy Prague
Erpet Bohemian Crystal Shoppe
Lock on the Vltava River
Charles Bridge from the “Praha”
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