Day 36: Prague Wednesday 15 July

We set out earlier as Jen wanted to get to the Charles Bridge before the crowds. Good call as we got there not long after 9am and were able to photograph things without too much competition. Having said that, nowhere is far in the old part of the city so it wasn’t a long trek.

The entrance to the Charles Bridge from the side we are staying on.

The Charles bridge is famous for its sculptures adorning the sides. It’s a Bascule bridge like Tower Bridge in London. You get great views of the river and across to the castle.

I think this is a King Carol. I didn’t get too fixed on the history. There is just so much and we’d see nothing. That’s pretty superficial I know but everywhere in Europe is so old and there are statues for everyone!

Some of the statues are being cleaned but they don’t do them all at once.

This one has been done. most seem to be about some saint or another and they are all religious and are on both sides of the bridge.

It’s got shades of Amsterdam or Venice on this side of the river,

On the other side we explored some streets in what is clearly the embassy area. Very grand buildings beside the river and around the castle, which is the ceremonial home of the President and is the world’s largest inhabited castle.

There’s a water wheel at the end of this canal.

This was from the other side of the water wheel. There’s a cute cafe/wine bar opposite and they were setting up a market for a wine festival in the ‘square’ just around the corner.

We visited Lennon’s Wall which began as an artistic tribute to John Lennon after his death, which was at a time when western music was not allowed. Since then it became a place for artistic expression about all sorts of things but today looks to me, more like it’s been overtaken by taggers. It’s still pretty impressive though.

This is the street that leads up to the castle.

We had brunch in an excellent cafe opposite the Romanian Embassy and just down the road from the Italian Embassy.

Croissant filled with scrambled eggs and avocado. Yum.

Then it was up the hill to find the best vantage point to see the changing of the guard, which happens daily at 11 am.

Looking towards the Presidential Place and the main gates. The square inside the castle itself is huge

Looking out from inside. The sculptures either side of the main gates are pretty horrific!

There is quite a ceremony just inside the palace gates and we got ourselves located right at the edge of the rope so a primo spot. Not sure what I was expecting but not a band playing from windows that open up and then soldiers in bright blue uniforms arriving from 2 different directions.

The band is playing through the open first floor windows

The music was a march (not surprisingly) and not too dissimilar from Star Wars. Flags got exchanged, men moved in formation, guns went up and down and it was a good show. I feel sorry for the 2 blokes that then have to stand guard for goodness knows how long. Not sure what they are guarding as there are normal commando type soldiers at the gates also and the public can just go in and out through the gate further along.

We got tickets to see the various main sights, including the cathedral, the main former government house and some museum parts.

This fountain is near the Cathedral inside the second courtyard

The cathedral is quite large and the palace is very close to it (actually adjoining at one end)

Not sure what this thing is all about. It was at the back on the side of where you’d expect the altar to be.

Inside the main reception hall of the palace.

The Crown Jewels. They aren’t that well guarded so we are dubious about their value.

These books contain property records and survived a fire that destroyed about 60% of all property records. That was probably an opportunity for some people.

These are in many of the rooms and they are apparently heating units that are heated by steam from a fire in another part of the building.

There was an extensive armour collection.

Then we headed back down the hill, stopping for wine and a charcuterie platter at this vineyard that is owned by the castle but where the winery is leased to a business that replanted the vines and makes very good Pinot Gris and apparently some sort of red also. Great views from the terrace.

It was very hot so we treated ourselves to an icecream from the place next door to the apartment. Not sure what it’s called but they fill these pastry cone things with whatever flavour you want. The icecream was good but the pastry/bread thing was just too much!

No dinner for us that night. We had packing to do and still had leftover fruit.