Storming the Prague Castle (Friday 8th September 2017)

Breakfast was included in the cost of our say at th AXA Hotel in Prague so we went downstairs to fuel up for the day. The breakfast “restaurant” looked and felt more like what imagine a staff canteen at one of the Party’s HQ’s might have been prior to the Velvet Revolution of 1989. The walls are stark, the floors are polished concrete. The tables are all in neat, straight rows (no tablecloths) and a comrade checks your name off a list as you enter. The food was inglorious and a little tired looking. But it did the job and we’ll back again tomorrow – if not, I’m sure the comrade at the door will find us and ask why!

Kerry has chosen a walk from our Lonely Planet pocket guide that wold take us through the Republic Square, down to the river, across and up to the Prague Castle and then back across the Charles Bridge and along the river again. All in all, about 8kms and three hours.

The morning was sunny and coolish but not cold enough to put a jacket on. Crossing the river at the Cechuv Bridge we climbed up the stairs to Letna Gardens overlooking the city. The view was good but there were better to come later in the day. I disappointed to see the poor state of repair the the gardens were in. Ugly graffiti is sprayed on everything that can’t move by itself. How these people can be referred to as “graffiti artists” astounds me. All true artists should be up in arms being lumped together with those who I refer to as “graffiti vandals”.After a short while we found our way to the manicured gardens of Queens Anne’s Summer Palace. A pleasant and quiet spot to sit for a quick breather before our assault on the Prague Castle.

Entry to the castle grounds in free but one really needs to buy a ticket to actually get inside any of the buildings. We chose the expensive “A” ticket which cost KOR 350 – about AUD 25.00. First stop was the St. Vitus Cathedral. The present day Gothic cathedral was started in 1344, but two other buildings dedicated to St. Vitus had been on the same site since 930 AD. The artworks, icons and other religious artefacts are all very ornate – that’s an under-statement. An old lady ushered us into a little chapel behind a heavy wooden door as we wandered past. It was a chamber for those who needed to escape the throng for some quiet reflection. Inside there was only one other couple so we all sat there in the quiet for 15 minutes admiring the art and architecture (and reflecting, of course!). Back in the main nave of the church the sun shining through the huge stained glass windows was a sight to behold. You can never properly catch that on film.

Our ticket let us into other small chapels, the castle’s main ballroom, a small museum of sorts and a part of the castle that resembled a little village within the castle walls where the craftsmen and other essential service providers to the nobility across the ages worked and lived. Before we left the inner grounds of the castle we booked a couple of tickets to a concert tomorrow night in one of those little chapels we had visited.

Below the ramparts of the castle is a lovely, well-kept garden with fantastic views over what is known as the lesser town immediately below, the river and its numerous bridges, the old town and greater Prague beyond. We enjoyed an ice-cream as we strolled towards the exit of the castle complex. Once through the gates we were met by a large bustling crowd in the large square that was actually the “front door” of the castle. The square is flanked on three sides by three impressive buildings namely the Archbishop’s Palace, the Salmovsky Palace and the entrance to the castle.

The square also presented a wide range of businesses, in portable accommodations, to support the needs of the tired and hungry and thirsty tourists. Kerry looked for some ear-rings while I spied a stall selling a curious Central European delicacy called Trdelník. It’s a dough wrapped around a thick wooden pole, cooked over an open wooden fire in a spit-like arrangement, smothered in nuts and sugar and cooked some more. It’s served by sliding the now hollow tube of dough into a napkin in your hand. Very, very tasty.

While munching on our Trdelnik we walked down the hill through the streets and lanes of the lesser town towards the famous Charles Bridge. The size of the tourist crowds in early autumn astounded me. I didn’t expect it to be so busy and the Charles Bridge was no exception. It was hang-on-tightly-to-your-bag crowded. From end the end the bridge was flanked by artists of all sorts – proper art and caricature art - buskers signing and playing including a string quartet playing Abba hits. I’d like to see it empty on a cold, foggy night like it might be in a John le Carré novel.

Our three hours for the Lonely Planet was up long ago and we still had two stops to go. Beer o’Clock was fast approaching so we pulled up stumps and stopped in a bar for drink before we headed in the general direction of the hotel. We found an Italian restaurant that was quiet, got some quick service and headed home, passing lots of interesting things we’ll visit in the next two days.