DAYS 6 & 7: Prague, Free & Easy

Thursday & Friday, 4 & 5 SEPTEMBER 2014 [Free and easy in Praha]

After 5 days of continuous excitement, it was time to wind down a little, to be precise, I virtually stayed indoors during these two days, venturing out only at night or for short periods during the day. In hindsight, I should have been out exploring the city for longer.

Hotel Paris

Prašná brána (Powder Tower) - Gothic style tower first built in 1475 with similar design as the gate-tower at Charles Bridge

Obecní dům (Municipal House) - building in Art Nouveau architectural style opened in 1912 now used for concerts, as ballroom or official functions. Also has an upmarket restaurant and cafe. This used to be the site of the royal residence.

Palladium - one of the main Praha shopping centres, in Náměstí Republiky (Republic square)

Celetna street which is part of the "Royal Route" from the Powder Tower to Prague Castle. Busy busy street filled with tourists from morning till night

Plenty of souvenir stores along Celetna including those that sell beautiful crystal glassware

Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem (Church of Our Lady Before Týn) illuminated. The church dates back to the 14th century and is in the Gothic style. I was in this church on Day 1 but took no photos of the interior

Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square) where many gather to watch the Astronomical Clock daily

 

Stavovské divadlo (Estates Theatre) .... Mozart ...Don Giovanni 

Strolling the cobbled streets of Old Town

 
At the New Town part of the city...

Václavské náměstí (Wenceslas Square) with the National Museum overlooking it

7-storey Baťa building at Wenceslas Square. Baťa is a Czech brand and pronounced Bat-ya (we in Malaysia have been pronouncing it wrongly all these decades...)

Into Lucerna Palace to see another possibly subversive statue by the same 'artist' who made the pissing statues. This statue is of Saint Wenceslas sitting on underbelly of an inverted horse ... a parody of the one at Wenceslas Square ... perhaps hinting that people should let go of hero worshipping historical figures long dead. But then why forget, when so much was achieved - no harm being proud of one's cultural inheritance and history.     

Dinner on these 2 days were goulash and dumplings (knedlíky) with a small beer (0.3l) to wash it all down. A standard of 4 dumplings is usually served. The first two are easy to have, but by the third, you will start to feel quite satiated and at the end of the fourth, completely bloated. Dinner on Thursday the 4th was in Restaurace Trilobit at Palackého street (which adjoins Vodičkova street). Food was not spectacular, but quality and tasty meals. Wait staff spoke good English, were attentive, friendly and provided efficient service. In such situations, happily leave tips of about 10% of the bill to the waiter. But be wary of restaurants in the more touristy places as an item called "couvert" may be sneaked into your bill - this would be for items placed on your table such as bread, garnishes etc that you neither ordered nor consumed. A few restaurants may also add the service fee/tip in the bill. By good fortune, I did not encounter a single sneaky practice at any restaurant during my entire tour.

Trilobit: Restaurant & pub in basement

 

Takeaway dessert: Medovník (traditional Czech honey cake) and cream

Beef goulash and dumplings

A few day time shots ... New Town ...


4-star hotel on Wenceslas Square built in Art Nouveau style in 1905.

Můstek A on Wenceslas Square: One of the subway stations on the "Green line" - Praha is well connected by buses, trams and subways



On Celetna street, "House at the Black Sun"

Old Town ...
The house on Celetna street pictured at left is from the Gothic era (probably dates back 500 years or more) but was given a baroque makeover in the second half of 1700s.  

The house is associated with Mozart and used to be the home of a singer named Josepha Dušková, Mozart's hostess during his stays in Praha. It is also known as U černého slunce (House at the Black Sun).



"Good day sunshine"

Another building with an interesting house sign. This one is called "House at the Red Eagle"



House at the Stone Bell in the Old Town square (spot the Belle and Bell...)

The House at the Stone Bell (or Dům U Kamenného zvonu in Czech) may be dwarfed by all the 4 to 5 major landmarks at the Old Town Square. However, it is an attraction on its own, being one of the oldest buildings in Praha, probably built in the 12th century AD in the Romanesque style but converted into a Gothic royal residence in the early 14th century. Its inhabitants at this time were (likely) King John of Luxembourg and his wife Elizabeth of Bohemia (Eliška Přemyslovna) i.e. parents of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. It is also possible that Charles IV lived here upon his return from France. The building now hosts art exhibitions and there are music performances here.   

Finally we turn to the Old Town Hall and do some comparison of today and 100+ years ago. From the photo below, you can see a tower remains of the town hall (at right) ... 

Staroměstská radnice (Old Town Hall)

But from this photo in a postcard from the 1910s, the town hall looked as below ... It was quite an imposing structure.

Much of the town hall was bombed during the last days of WWII in resistance efforts against the occupying German army. The astronomical clock was also damaged but was subsequently repaired.

 
NEXT: Day 8, Half Day Tour Outside Praha to Hradec Králové