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Published: June 27th 2006
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Rub the Plate and You Will Return to Prague
There are two copper plates at the base of this statue. People rub one for good luck and the other so they will return to Prague. With just a bit over a week left before we head home we decided to go downtown this evening. We had to wait until about eight as thunderstorms were rumbling through Prague and we did not want to get soaked in a downpour. Wandering the streets of this beautiful city is one of our favorite activities. Another favorite activity is stopping at a small café and enjoying a crepe and a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. This evening was no different. We stopped at a small outdoor café for a snack. Nancy ordered pancakes with hot fruits. Crepes were not on the menu. Bill ordered waffle with hot fruits. The hot fruits consisted of a mixture of currents, blueberries and blackberries … very yummy. However, no hot drinks this evening, it was too warm for that, so we each had a bottle of water.
We left the café about 9:15 p.m. and decided to walk across the Charles Bridge. As we approached Nancy said, “Look at the magic of the light this evening.”
I’ve mentioned before how beautiful the morning and evening light is at these northern latitudes. By this time the sun was below the
horizon, but set aglow the highest part of the thunderheads that had brought rain earlier in the evening. Below the clouds the light had a mystical quality, one that I do not believe we ever see in the more southerly latitudes in the States. I had to take pictures.
On the Charles Bridge there are sixteen statues. One memorializing the martyrdom of St. John Nepomuk in 1683 draws the most attention. It is not that St. John Nepomuk is so well known or so popular. Rather it is because there are two bronze reliefs at the base of the statue. Both have spots that are very shiny from people rubbing them. The superstition is that if you rub one of them you will have good luck, and if you rub the other it ensures that you will return to Prague. Well, who does not want good luck and who does not want to return to Prague. Nancy and I want both, so we dutifully rubbed each relief. After all, on our two other trips we rubbed them and we have returned and we do feel we have had good luck. (Perhaps luck is not the optimum word, but for
this entry it will have to do.)
We walked across the bridge and them through the narrow winding streets to Old Town Square. By now it was 9:30 and the light was still beautiful, so, time to take more pictures.
You may know that the World Cup of football (soccer) is going on just now. You may not realize that the world revolves around this event. The Super Bowl, the NCAA Final Four pale in comparison to the attention the World Cup receives. During the World Cup large screens have been set up in Old Town Square and during each match this old, large, historic square is filled with people watching the match. When the Czech Republic plays the square is absolutely crammed with people. The Czech Republic was not playing tonight, but still I would guess there was at least ten thousand people, maybe more, in the square watching the game.
Finally we realized we were getting tired, so we made our way back to the seminary and a night of rest.
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Carol Lerian
non-member comment
How Beautiful Prague is!!!
Bill and Nancy, you have really made that part of the world come alive through your words and pictures. I see why you so enjoy going back and I know you'll be sad leaving the people and places with whom you spent the last six months. Have a safe trip back to quaint little "old" Annapolis. Carol Lerian