Great Walk, Wonderful View

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As we walked from the neighborhood near the Prague TV tower we saw and walked through a park that led downhill toward the Museum and Wencelas Square, a walk of a mile or so, we came to an opening in the trees and found a wonderful view of the St. Vitus Cathedral and the Prague Palace in the distance. Near the exit from the park we saw a statue. I wondered who it memoralized and walked over where I could read the name on the base of the statue and saw it is to a Dr. Rigeler. I have no clue who he was and though I searched the Internet I found nothing. Maybe Prague is like Washington, D.C., a city filled with memorial statues to heros no one remembers.

I received a note from a nice person giving me the following link which gives information about Reiger: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franti%C5%A1ek_Ladislav_Rieger



Near the park we saw a very nice building and walked to see if we could determine what it is for. That was easy when we saw paper cutouts pasted to the windows. It is an elementary school. Architecturally it is really quite a building. I hope the kids are getting a great education there.

Then just a bit further I saw an wrought iron fence and realized we were near the main train station. I climbed up so I could take a photo of the station, and then turned and took one showing where the train tracks go underground near the Museum at the end of Wescelas Square.

This is the last week of the vendorss kiosks in Old Town Square, where we have enjoyed the sweet rolled baked dough and we decided to have one more. It was lunch time, and so on our way to Old Town Square we stopped near one of the Mustik subway station exits for a gyro each. Amazingly the price has not gone up since last year. Though the price has not risen our real cost of buying one has gone up because of the sinking dollar. Oh well ......

The Prague half-marathon was in progress as we sat outside and ate. Thousands of runners were speeding by on a street near us. Running on cobblestones has to be very difficult. I know I would not care to run on them. The street with the Marathoners was between where we sat and Old Town Square. When we finished our gyros, we had to wait at the curb until there was a break between groups of runners and then make our way quickly across the street ... along with about 200 other people.

We bought the sweet baked dough and enjoyed it very much. Just as we were leaving Old Town Square to head back to the seminary Nancy saw a stand selling the wooden tulips she had been hunting for each time we were in the Easter Market, "Look! There are the flowers" she called out. We made our way to the stand and bought a vase and filled it with the wooden tulips. -- Nancy--A man and woman were looking at the flowers when we walked up. They were discussing whether to buy them or not. The husband was afraid to since he said they would surely break before they got them home. I assured them that we had bought one little vase for ourselves last year and they traveled quite nicely without breaking. I told him they even fell on the floor at home and didn't break. So, encouraged, he switched to Czech and started to explain which kinds of flowers they wanted, which colors, which vase in which shades, etc. The merchant carefully selected tulip tops and stems and after the man voiced his fears about the 'leaves' breaking put in several extra leaves in case such a disaster befell them. The man explained to me that it is considered very incorrect in the Czech Republic to give a gift of flowers with an even number. You may give 3, 5, 7, 9, etc. but not 2,4,6,8. Sure enough each vase came with 7 flowers. I asked him if he would explain the kind of colors I wanted to in Czech since he could. He graciously did. I asked if he were a Czech living elsewhere and that is when I found he lives in Canada. He fled the country just before the post-WWII takeover by a communist governement. I told him I was sure he was glad now to be able to live in Canada but also to visit his home. He assured me he does love that. The couple said goodbye to us and then the merchant and her husband began to work on our bouquet. They wrapped the stems separately from the flower 'heads' and the leaves in yet another bag. She put in two 'gratis' leaves. I believe the word gratis is now totally international. It was a happy find for me since I have someone very special I want to give them to and I had thought no one was selling them at the market this year. Last year many different vendors had wooden tulips.

Since we had promised to open the library from 2 till 8 p.m., we rushed back to the subway and 'home'. We got there about 2:05 and found the library already opened by one of the student workers. We took over and stayed until the last student was worn out about 7:50. A good day. Lots of fun and lots of good work.

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Photos

Dr. Reiger
A nice person sent me this link with information on Reiger: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franti%C5%A1ek_Ladislav_Rieger

Dr. Reiger
The blossoms of spring are bursting forth.

Front of the school
Isn't this a nice building?

Prague
Near the Museum and Wenceslas Square

The Museum
At the end of Wenceslas Square. The rail line goes underground on the left side of this photo.

Comments

[Eso]

Dr. Rieger
Hi, it's this Rieger: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frantiaek_Ladislav_Rieger