Big Ps European Adventure-Chapter 9 Prague

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I arrived in Prague having stayed up the entire night before in Berlin. It was evening time so i checked into the Hilton, had some drinks and great conversation with this British lady in the executive lounge and crashed hard...i got in the shower with the intention of going out, but i fell flat on my face on the bed and passed out while getting ready.

The next day, i awoke excited to get out and see Prague in the daylight. I walked into the old town square and watched the astronomical clock change. There´s a huge elaborate clock with the hours, the zodiac signs alignment, etc. It´s amazing this clock keeps all sorts of time and how complex it is now-let alone 500 years ago. I honestly didn´t understand half the stuff going on here. When the hour changes, all 12 apostles come out one by one. It´s sort of corny but cool to see once i guess. I made my way over to the Charles Bridge. This was the first bridge built between the old town and castle quarters. it´s lined with statues and history. I climbed the gothic bridge tower for an overview of old town and the bridge. The coolest part of the bridge to me was the statue of John of Nepomuk. He was a priest that the queen confessed all her sins to. The king tortured him and eventually threw him off this bridge when he wouldn´t tell the queen´s secrets. Now, you´re supposed to rub the bottom of the statue and make a wish-which of course i did. Afterwards, i checked out the museum of medieval torture methods and I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering around Josefov (Jewish neighborhood) and took a look at one of the largest jewish synagogues in the world. Still beat from berlin, i took a nap.

When i awoke, i went out to check out prague´s gay scene. I went to a tiny hole in the wall bar called the saints and met some guys from chicago and a nice young boy from the Ukraine. I tried Budweiser Budvar (there´s a czech version) and Gambrinus-both great beers. THe guys from chicago were buying the whole bar drinks so i don´t think i paid for a thing while there. Ismayil, the Ukranian, and I ventured out to Valentino´s, a dance club around the corner, where we had more beers and danced until 5 am.

The next day, i enjoyed a Czech meal-goulash-for lunch and i ventured over to the Castle quarters, up on a hill overlooking all of prague. St. Vitus´ cathedral was probably in my opinion the neatest church i´d see in Europe (containing St. Vitus´a. I climbed to the top for a view of the city (some 290 steps). THe rest of the castle quarters weren´t really that neat. The main attraction here is St. Vitus´ cathedral. The castle guards aren´t allowed to move, so it´s fun to mess with them and get your pic taken with them.

I hiked all the way to other side of prague to see another cool old church and cemetary. By now it was dark and i hiked back along the river. I must say that prague is prettiest at night time with all the lights and the castle on the hill. I headed back to the saints to meet ismayil for a drink and to say farewell. At 5 am i was off to Vienna.

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Photos

Prague-Old town square
Clock tower right behind me

Prague-Castle quarters in background
from the charles bridge

Prague-Charles Bridge
from bridge tower

Prague-from the Bridge tower
P´s on Prague!