A morning in Prague

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I was awake early this morning after a reasonable sleep. Being in the roof of the hotel means it attracts the heat of the day and it stayed hot until at least 2am. Breakfast in the hotel was passable, though the staff were far from friendly. Not that they were nasty it was more that they found if difficult to muster a smile. Having witnessed the crowds of the evening before I decided to head off to the old town square before the masses.

The Old Town Square's most notable sights are the Church of Our Lady before Tyn and the Old Town Hall Tower & Astronomical Clock .

I entered to church (along with a few other earlier risers) only to discover that the seats inside were roped off and a craggy old character was herding people around the church like sheep, not really what you expect of a place of worship. However I did my lap around the ropes and then headed out in search of a coffee.

Through good timing I reach the astronomical clock just prior to 10am. The clock puts on a 'show' every hour. This show included the macabre sight of a skeleton ringing a bell! Anyway it thrilled the audience judging by their reactions though this blogger found it less than entertaining. Putting the skeleton back in the clock I decided it was time to get away from the tourist autobahn.

I headed out of the square towards the river and stumbled across a peaceful area of the old town. It was a mere three or four minutes walk from the square yet it was as quiet as an early Sunday morning at home. I wander along Dusni Street (I call it a street but most streets arent called streets in Czech) and stumble upon the Alpha Wave Lounge.

It is a small cafe (and club downstairs) from which I could hear the sweet sounds of Cafe del Mar I walked in ordered a cafe latte and cake of the day recommended by the friendly waitress (banana) and enjoyed half an hour away from tourist central.

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Photos

The Church of our Lady before Tyn
At night this gothic church is quite striking and a popular target for photographers

Antonin Dvorak
A statue of famous Czech composer Dvorak watches over the Galerie Rudolfinum

The Manesuv Bridge
I have quickly discovered that any bridge other than the Charles Bridge is the best one to cross in Prague

Outside the Galerie Rudolfinum
The Galerie Rudolfinum is both an art gallery and concert hall.

Prague's favourite son
Famous author Franz Kafka was a native of Prague and you will find many places dedicated to him here (including a cafe!)

Jan Hus
A statue in the centre of the old town square is dedicated to Jan Hus, a man burnt at the stake by the Catholic Church

The Old Town Main Square
By mid morning this square is packed with tourists and worth avoiding. Best time to visit the square is early morning

Inside the Alpha Wave Lounge
I will be heading here for breakfast tomorrow morning. A great café and one I recommend you visit if coming to Prague

Cake of the Day at the Alpha Wave Lounge
This was the greatest piece of banana cake I had ever eaten. It certainly didnt look like a typical Australian banana cake thats for sure.