Prague / Praha - the beginnings!

---

Prague / Praha Days 12- 15

It has been said that “Prague’s history reads like a James Michener novel, filled with epic ascents and just as epic declines. The city reached its zenith in the 14th century under Charles IV as the capital of the then Holy Roman Empire. A century later, it lay in ruin, the result of the Hussite Wars. At the end of the 16th century, Prague was back on top as the capital of the Habsburg Empire ruled over by the daft but benevolent Rudolf II. But just a few years later, the Thirty Years War ushered in decades more misery. Modern history is no less dramatic: a young democracy emerges in 1918, it’s trampled in succession by the Nazis and the Soviets, and then saved in 1989 by a mild-mannered playwright-president known as Vaclav Havel. The stuff of Hollywood”.



Prague today from our eyes, it lives us to the comments above. It’s simply a stunning & beautiful city. Its shines brightly by day and night. Whether by beautiful fairy lights down Prague’s version of ‘Champs Elyse’ with the crème de la crème of shopping elite, leading into the Old Town Square with fairy lights abounding over a scattering of Christmas stalls offering every version of Czech foods and an assortment of hot wines, the best being honey wine….simply to die for, or at least, enjoy with immense pleasure as you eat your first of many chocolate crepes!

Yes, this is a quaint, eclectic city filled with life from young and old it seems. Everybody is out and about day and night. No time is too late here. Dressing is, well let’s just say, we could really learn the art of dressing from Europeans! Stylish flat heeled boots, funky tights, scarfs, hats etc, and that’s men as well. Thee architecture is simply incredible. Every building you glance up at tells a story of its own. Whether by statutes galore in decoration, or art work of the most stunning of paintings, you simply gaze in wonder as you slowing stroll down cobblestone streets with a brisk breeze nipping at your nose, or pinching at your fingers, as you work your camera over multiple times.

We have simply put, fallen in love with this elegant, beautiful city. The people smile! You hear laughter in the streets, even at 4am…the evening revelers tiptoe down the alleyways to their homes. How they find them at night, who knows, but I would love to come again and join in!

Tomorrow, we visit one of dark stages in recent Czech history in a visit to Terrezin, the Concentration Camp that was used by Nazis in propaganda films to encourage the Jewish and other communities to come and visit. That’s tomorrow story, another day….



Enjoy a smattering of pictures from our first two days…they were taken with buzzing happy smiles, as we got acquainted with this incredible city!

---