Monday 7th September- The Return

Monday 7th September, Prague

Woke about 08.00 and a breakfast of cold meats, salami, frankfurters and cheeses ensures the day will be aromatic. Decided on a lazy morning on the balcony of Hotel Kafka, updating the blogsite and drinking wine etc.
Finally left to tour Prague at about 13.30 to 14.00. Took tram into Wenceslas Sq (Vaclavske Namesti) and then wandered Prague down to the river and Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) – scaffolded.

Over the bridge among hoardes of tourists and up towards the castle ( Prazsky Hrad a Hradcany). Very warm climbing up, so had to take on fluids, and lo and behold a little bar appeared. Sat next to a big fat jolly German we called Helmut. He said – you come from Oxford? – How ‘d he do that? Good chap with a good sense of humour. His wife also joined in. Then they left us and a bunch of Eyties moved in pushing and shoving so we left for the final few hundred

steps up to the castle & St Vitus’s cathedral (Katedrala SV. Vita, Vaclava a Vojtecha). No dancing going on up there?

Lots of stained glass, gold, silver andnoise – not awfully special, but some great views of Prague from the castle walls.

Downhill much easier than up and we considered going into the Jewish Quarter ( Josefov) to see the cemetery, but instead we decided to take on fluids andsolids, and eventually after much wandering

around side streets in Old Town (Stare Mesto), found a little restaurant.
Beers and salads revived us while we watched the young girls pass by. It’s a hard life - better than a cemetery.

Into Old Town Square (Staromestske Namesti) where a few hundred people were staring at a clock waiting for it to go bong. As it was still 10 mins to 4 and being British and not Eytie, we figured we had 10 mins to spare, so had a look at Old Town Square which was full of old buildings. Then a skeleton rang a bell a few times and the clock went bong and all the Eyties seemed satisfied and left, pushing and shoving. Little things please …….?

Then back up towards Wenceslas Sq via the Gestapo headquarters in a side street. A very sinister place which has not been cleaned and is black granite type stone. Quite literally the temperature dropped a good few degrees as we walked past! Spooky or what?

Into Wenceslas Sq to see the old king himself and the memorial to Jan Palach who set fire to himself in protest at the Russian Invasion – sad.

Met the Scots boys and had a chat. The poor old Scots lads were at a loose end not knowing what to do before they went back on Saturday. Suggested Nuremberg and Berlin – wonder where they ended up?

Then back up to the Hotel, a few wines, a Pizza up the road with a couple of beers, then back to the balcony for more wines and a chat to some Norwegians who fancied Mickey (but more of that tomorrow,) then off to bed at about 12.30. A restful and interesting day – a nice change from driving.

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............