Praha-Prag-Praga-Prague

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I am getting ready to strap the pack on one more time and catch a train from Prague to Munich. If it weren't for my eurrail expiring tomorrow, I would stay in Prague longer and this will definitely be a city that I return to in the future. Its really hard to believe that less than 70 years ago this place was knee deep in communism and the second World War. The culture that is present here rivals any "Western" European city. (Prague is actually futher west than Vienna). I only got to spend one full day in the city but I covered a lot of distance in that day seeing the Prague Castle, the Karlov Most (Charles Bridge), the Old Town Square with the astronmical clock (chimes on the hour and little figures come out of windows like a cuckoo clock), the Jewish Quarter (which ironically was preserved because Hitler wanted to preserve it as a memorial to his exterminated race), a famous Jewish cemetery (because of a lack of space the bodies were buried one on top of another and as a result, the cemetary is a bit higher than the surrounding land and the gravestones, which only the wealthy had have created a very picturesque scene as they have changed positions over time), Weneslclas Square (a boulevard that has witnessed a number of revolutions and protests).

There is a large University in Prague and a large academic and therefore liberal population staging all kinds of sidewalk scenes. Prague is a COFFEE SHOP heaven--reminds me of the good old Northwest-- lots of really neat ones with great character including the Franz Kafka Cafe right down the street from where the author was born.

I had no idea about the music culture in Prague, but apparently it is a city where Music students come to study. There are all sorts of operas and symphonies being held as this week is the middle of the Spring Music Festival. In the town squares there are groups playing clasical music which is quite charming with the baroque and renaissance architecture in the background.

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Photos

Pragueäs sewer drain...
This one is for you Melissa