Walk About

We said goodbye to our friend from Chicago at breakfast. He was driving to Munich for Oktoberfest and we were heading to Slovenja but first we had more walking to do in Prague.

I wanted to see the Old Jewish Cemetery in Jewish Town which was not far from the hotel and Glen wanted to walk along the Vltava River (sometimes spelled Vitava) so we did both. The Old New Synagogue in Prague is Europe's oldest active synagogue. Built in 1270, it was one of the city's first gothic buildings. It is said the body of Golem lies in the attic. This character, created by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalei in the late 16th century, was meant to save Jewish Town from anti-Semitic attacks. It is said to have been made from Vltava River mud and brought to life by the rabbi. According to legend, Golem killed many gentiles. And you thought Tolkien made him up.

It was nice strolling beside the river heading away from the tourist district. We walked between two bridges, the Cechuv and the Stefanikuv. The latter connected to a road which led us back to the hotel in time to check out at noon. After storing our luggage, we headed out to lunch at, you guessed it, the Old Town Clock square and found The Black Bull café. Glen had his usual ham and cheese panni while I enjoyed a chicken, goat cheese and walnut baguette. Our server was a hockey fan so once he discovered we were from Canada, we had to talk hockey. He knew all the NHL teams and most of the better players. He spoke of the hopes the Czechs have now that some of their teams include recruits from Canada.

After lunch, we decided to walk upstream along the river. Smetanovo nabrezi is a stone embankment and offers great views of the Charles Bridge and the Castle. It's named after the Czech composer, Bedrich Smetana (1824-84), who developed a style of music that Czechs identify as their own. The rest of the world knows him for his opera, The Bartered Bride. A monument to him stands on a banjo pier near the Charles Bridge.

As you walk up the river, you pass a park with a neo-gothic monument called Kranner's Fountain. Originally it was erected to honor the Hapsburg King of Bohemia, Francis I, reigning from 1792-1835. The man was born in Italy and was the last Holy Roman Emperor. Although he hated Napoleon, his daughter, Marie-Louise of Austria, married the Corsican. Got to love politics.

We crossed the Vltava at the Legii bridge. On the corner was an impressive building called the National Theatre where Prague stages its operas and ballets. The sun glinting off its gold roof was blinding.

The Legii crosses over one of the river's islands and its lock system. Here barges and tour boats can pass the two weirs straddling the Vltava. On the other side we came to Kampa Park, a serene oasis in this busy metropolis. The Kampa Park Restaurant was highly recommended by the hotel although some said the view was better than the food. We didn't eat there so I can't offer an opinion. Perhaps next time.

How do you find a Swarovski crystal shop in Prague? Throw a stone.

There are other stores selling Bohemian crystal so if you did throw a stone, you'd be breaking some beautiful pieces. Daniel Swarovski was a Czech and the son of a glass cutter. He developed an electric cutting machine and with two others began the Swarovski company in Austria but obviously many tourists wish to buy his crystals in Prague.

We also passed many stores with T-shirts and trinkets but what seemed unique to Prague was the multitude of marionette shops. Jewellry stores also dotted the streets between the Old Town Clock and Charles Bridge. The gem of which Prague is most proud is the garnet. Thousands of pieces done in silver and gold decorated the shops. After much looking, I found a pair of earrings which I liked. The salesman was very persuasive and we hesitant. In the end, he sold them to us for the 'Canadian' price of 1200 czk ($65) less than what was on the price tag.

Around the corner from his shop was an brass plaque honouring Johannes Kepler, the German astronomer. His connection with Prague was his work with Tycho Brahe, a Dane who was the official imperial astronomer to the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolph II in the late 1500s. A small museum beckoned but we were too tired to explore it.

We went back to the hotel to relax and wait for the taxi to pick us up. He did so promptly. As we wound through the streets of the city, I noticed we missed the turn to the airport highway. The driver explained he was taking us through villages to avoid the traffic congestion. For a fleeting moment, I thought we might have been kidnapped.

In the confusion of checking in at Czech Airlines, we were upgraded to Business class. This allowed us to take the fast lane through security and enjoy the lounge with its beer, sandwiches, and Internet. With the 8 hour time difference, Glen had issues keeping up with the workings of his department so checked his email often.

Bora Bora

No, we didn't go from Prague to Bora Bora. If you've seen the movie xXx, you would know it was filmed in Prague and at one point, the protagonist requests a holiday in Bora Bora. And yes, it was one reason we visited this wonderful city. However, our first priority on Monday morning was to see Wenceslas Square.

After sleeping in and enjoying a great breakfast, we set out. Prague is a walking city and we planned to cover most of it. We hadn't gone two blocks when my Canon Rebel camera died.

I had not taken my own advice and had forgotten to charge the battery the previous night. Keeping all four of our electronic devices charged was difficult as we only had one conversion plug. We'd bought our universal plug converter at The Shoe Company, of all places, but next time, we'll have to bring more than one unit.

It was good I had my little Olympus camera as a back-up. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the square, the lighting was all wrong so my photos of good King Wenceslas (sometimes spelled Wenceslaus) were not great. To boot, the square was not a square but a very long rectangle and next to it was a McDonalds and a Starbucks so not the Czech experience I had envisioned. However, Glen was thrilled to see the saint of Christmas carol fame. Surrounding his statue are other Bohemian saints -- St. Adalbert, St. Prokop, St. Agnes, and St. Ludmilla. The last being Wenceslas' grandmother so saintliness must run in the family. Not sure how they defined sainthood in those times, though, as Wenceslas caused the drowning death of another Bohemian saint so was obviously not lily-white.

Our next stop was the Old Town Clock. Little did we know this was such a tourist draw. As we wandered the streets moving toward our destination, the crowds grew. We were amazed at the number of tourists from all over the world in Prague on a sunny day in September. The universal language of these multitudes? English. All my fears of being unable to communicate should we experience problems dissolved with this realization.

We reached the astronomical clock (orloj) built in 1410 just before noon and found several tour groups milling about. We waited to see why. As the clock started to chime, the upper doors opened and the twelve apostles passed before the openings (representing each hour in the day). Meanwhile, four figures bracketing the astonomical dial depicting what was most hated at the time (these were added in the 17th century) began to move. One man admired himself in a mirror (vanity), a man lifted a bag of money (greed), a skeleton rang a bell (death) and the last man wore a turban (Turkish infidels).

After it had finished tolling, a man dressed in a bright orange medieval costume appeared in the clock tower and blew a tune on his trumpet. Everyone clapped their approval.

The clock has stopped working many times over the centuries but suffered heavy damage during The Prague Uprising in 1945 when the Czech resistance tried to liberate Prague from German occupation during World War II. On this day, the astronomical dial of the 24 hour clock was incorrect so it was due for more repairs.

Our next stop was the famous Charles Bridge. Glen was positive this was where Xander Cage (xXx) uttered the 'Bora Bora' line in the movie. He was right. But how different from the movie it was when we walked the bridge's cobblestones. Masses of tourists crowded it and venders lined its walls selling everything from trinkets to art. Above us loomed blackened Christian-themed statues (erected in the 1700s), some of which were being restored. Construction of the Stone Bridge began under Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1357 and was complete in the 15th century. It was the second bridge (the first was destroyed in a flood) across the Vitava River between Prague's Old Town and Lesser Town. In 1870, it became known as the Charles Bridge.

Prague Castle stands on a hill overlooking Lesser Town. It is more than just as castle since not only did it house the Kings of Bohemia's and the Holy Roman Emperor's palaces but its walls also protected four churches and five halls. The president of the Czech Republic now has his offices there. Actually, a church (built in 870) stood on the site before a castle appeared in the 12th century. Charles IV had this building rebuilt in the Gothic style then began on a cathedral which would take 6 centuries to complete. In 1541, much of the palace was destroyed by fire so the Hapsburgs erected new Renaissance-styled buildings. They suffered during the Thirty Year's War (1618-1648) and were in decline when the president took up residence in 1918. The buildings were occupied by the Germans during World War II and afterwards, the communist Czechoslovak government.

Using our map, we plotted the quickest way up the hill. The street we followed ended at a huge flight of stairs. I told Glen they had also appeared in the movie and have since learned I was right. When we reached the castle grounds, we discovered a road that may have been easier to ascend. We wandered around and entered the St. Vitus Cathedral, named for the saint whose arm bone Wenceslas had acquired. It was a breathtaking sight to stand beneath the vaulted ceiling lit by immense stainglass windows.

At this point, we realized we'd been walking for almost 3 hours and needed lunch. Glen wanted to eat by the clock so we descended another stairway, past the Saint Wenceslas Vineyards, and over the Manesuv Bridge back into the Old Town. We collapsed into the wicker chairs of the U Orloje café at 2:00. Thirsty, we indulged in 1 liter steins of Pilsner Urquell. Glen then had a ham and cheese panni while I ate a Prague ham and cheese baguette. It was the fanciest ham and cheese sandwich I've ever eaten.

Exhausted, we headed back to the hotel to check on email and enjoy the hospitality of the Executive Lounge. We discovered most of the guests had done much the same tour as we had although some took the tram (#22, costing about $1 one way) to the castle and others lingered over a glass of wine in the vineyard. We curbed our appetite when the lounge staff served hors d'oeuvres so as to enjoy an authentic Prague meal that evening.

This we did at another restaurant near the clock, Restaurant Café U Tyna. We enjoyed a different Czech beer, Krusovice, at this establishment. Each restaurant seems to have its brand loyalty and serves that exclusively. We ate Prague goulash with two types of dumplings. I had always made dumplings using a basic biscuit dough but these were yeasty and instead of small balls, came as large slices. One was made with white bread while the other had chopped onions mixed in. They were very tasty as was the thick goulash. Melissa's cousin, Kelly, had recommended we try plum dumplings for dessert. U Tyna didn't have those but did have fruit dumplings which Glen enjoyed.

In Prague, most dining is done outside so during supper I had to keep my eye on two huge spiders as they made their webs across the archways that separated the outdoor area from the inside. It was a distraction. As we left the restaurant, the clock began to chime. We were at the back side of the tower when the trumpeter appeared. We clapped enthusiastically after he'd finished playing. We were the only ones to do so.

It's Sunday; it must be Prague

We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the hotel in Frankfurt with prosciutto, smoked salmon, and cheese for me, toast and eggs for Glen. There was nothing keeping us at the hotel so we checked out. That's when we discovered our buffet breakfast was not included in the room price. The staff had asked for our room number so we assumed it was (no price was posted). There was no way we ate a breakfast worth 29 euros ($40) each!

Taxis waited outside the hotel and for the first time in our lives, we had a woman cab driver. There was no traffic on the highway so she got us to the airport in jig time. One thing about travelling by air, is you spend a lot of time sitting in an airport waiting. A book is essential. Glen brought The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson and I read Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb. Since I finished my book before the end of the trip, I'm seriously considering investing in a Kindle reader so I don't have to drag two books whenever I travel.

Unlike North America, European airlines still serve food on their flights. We had a sandwich and beer as we flew to Prague. After reading horror stories about gouging done by Prague taxi drivers, I booked a shuttle service on-line. Prague Airport Transfers met us as planned but there was a hitch in getting us to our hotel. There were two downtown Hiltons. Fortunately, I had printed up an itinerary with all our flights and hotels with their confirmation numbers, addresses, and phone numbers. Our driver informed us we'd be staying at Hilton Prague Old Town. I had chosen this hotel because it was close to Wenceslas Square as that was the reason we went to Prague in the first place.

The hotel was lovely and made even better with an upgrade which gave us a king-size bed, free internet and buffet breakfast. We settled in and hit the Executive Lounge to tap into the internet. Imagine our surprise when we discovered the lounge had a fridge full of good Czech beer--Pilsner Urquell (Czechs developed the first pilsner in 1842). We became friendly with a gent from Chicago and had some laughs together. The lounge became a gathering place for people where ideas on the sights and scenes of Prague were discussed. Hors d'oeuvres, served in the late afternoon, included the best wings I've tasted. Thai flavouring with a zip. Sushi and canapés rounded out the menu as did a variety of hard liquors. The wine was from a vineyard in Prague Castle.

We staggered down to supper not feeling like much to eat but had a wonderful meal in Zinc (voted one of the best 25 restaurants in the Czech Republic). We both ate vegetarian as we'd had enough chicken wings to do an entire meal. The Wild Mushroom and Camembert Soufflé was excellent washed down with Prague Castle wine.

Getting Lost is Half the Fun

On Saturday morning, after reading some of the tourist info in our hotel room, we decided to walk to the old opera house. The Alte Oper Frankfurt was built in 1880 and once sat 2000 people. It suffered minor damage during World War I but in 1944, it was hit by a bomb. The fire gutted the building and the roof collapsed. As early as 1952, there was a movement to rebuilt the structure but not until 20 years later did the city permit this. By 1978, the internal structures were complete and in 1981, the famous Pegasus statue lowered onto the roof. It has hosted many classical and rock musicians over the years including Bryan Adams.

We took a hotel map with us this time so as to find it. Little did we know this would be our downfall. After viewing the opera house, we took a wrong turn and began heading deeper into downtown thinking we were making for the river. In fact, we went beyond the scope of the map so none of the side streets were what we expected. Finally, a lady offered to help us out. She pointed us in the right direction. Eventually we came to the shopping district and I recognized a building I had photographed the previous day. We headed to the town square to have lunch at one of the outside cafés. It was chilly so I was thrilled to get a seat under a heater. The tables were close together and the gentleman next to us said something in German to the affect that his wife also liked the heat. Glen replied and they both laughed--neither knowing what the other was saying.

We had a delicious goulash soup with a huge pretzel for lunch with our beer. While we enjoyed the chance to rest our feet, two weddings took place at the Town Hall. One young lad in the wedding party was dressed in Lederhosen.

We walked back to the hotel, changed then headed to Zum Storch am Dom for supper. The restaurant is first mentioned in 1317 and was frequented by the famous writer/renaissance man of Frankfurt, Johann Wolfgang von Geothe. After being destroyed in World War II, the building was rebuilt in 1953 and since 1960 has been in the capable hands of the Hahn family.

When you enter the restaurant, you feel you have stepped back to an earlier time. Gold lantern light warms the dark wood of the wainscoting (the walls were plaid) and bar. There are two rather bedraggled stuffed storks (hence the place's name) gracing the establishment. One near a 'nest' in the rafters and one on the bar. Trinkets from the past decorated the walls. It had a homey feel and the staff made you feel like part of the family. Beer was served in clay steins.

Glen wanted pig's knuckle but wasn't sure if he could handle it so asked about the size (he'd seen one in the afternoon that could have fed three people). Herr Hahn said it was a good German portion. We all laughed. The Storch specializes in Frankfurt cuisine which seems to be mostly meat and potatoes.

Glen started his meal with Chantrelle mushroom soup and I had consommé with German ravioli (yes, that's what it is called on the menu). While Glen tackled his pig's knuckle, I ate the house specialty, Sauerbraten with red cabbage and potato dumplings. I have tried making red cabbage myself and this had a far better taste so now I'm inspired to try making it again.

We waddled back to the hotel (a half hour walk) and the lights twinkling on the river were romantic. Several loving couples cuddled together on the benches. I didn't notice that one was two men but such things seem more accepted in Europe.

It's Frankfurt so it must be Friday

Hardly had my suitcase cooled from the heat of Vegas when we were off again, this time to Europe. Glen had a meeting to attend in Slovenja and we tacked on a few days and destinations to his itinerary. It's been 34 years since I've set foot in Europe and things have changed. I was worried about language issues since I spoke no German, Czech, or Slovene. I should have known that with the advent of the Internet, English has become the universal language of travellers.

We arrived in Frankfurt, Germany at noon and made it through customs with no problems. We then hauled our luggage down to the train station. After trying to figure out the vending machine, a woman helped us get tickets. Our train was due to arrive in a half hour. Since the Frankfurt train runs every two hours, this was a lucky break. It cost 4 euros (about $5.50) and was a double-decker carriage so we dragged our suitcases up the stairs to our seats. Had we known it was only a 20 minute ride, I think I'd have stood with them on the landing.

The downtown train station (Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof) was not far from the hotel but finding the Intercontinental proved to be difficult. We actually travelled through the 'red light' district before arriving on its doorstep. Hauling rolling suitcases over cobblestones is not fun.

We were surprised our room had twin beds as we had requested a queen but felt it was not worth complaining about. We ate lunch in the bar, sharing a huge club sandwich and a couple of good German beers. While Glen checked his emails in the room, I napped for an hour. I had slept on the plane but needed this time to take the edge off.

The hotel was close to the Main (pronounced 'mine') River which had a promenade along its banks. We walked past swans, barges, and tour boats until we came to a heavily travelled pedestrian bridge. Instead of crossing it, we headed into the city and discovered the Town Hall square. Just beyond it was the main shopping area of Frankfurt with many high-end stores. On a side-street, we discovered a French market selling wine, food, and crafts Many locals were enjoying the warm evening under the tents. A singer entertained us with a Boney M song and I remembered the group began in Germany.

We wandered around the tents until we found the beer kiosk advertising beer for 2,50 euros. After ordering two, we realized the actual cost was 5 euros. While drinking from our 'souvenir' glass steins, we finally came to the conclusion we had rented them. I'm sure the vender had told us this but neither of us could speak German. To test our theory, Glen went for a refill and sure enough, the price dropped. We got our money back when we returned our glasses.

On our walk, we had passed an unique German restaurant off the beaten track so went there for supper. Unfortunately, we didn't have reservations so were told we must wait an hour. I was hungry so we returned to the hotel after making reservations for the following night. The owner didn't write down our names just said, 'Armstrong, like the astronaut.'

At the hotel bar, we ate two skewers of 8 different sausages served on potato rosti, complimented with grainy mustard and washed down with more German beer. It was delicious. We tumbled into bed at nine and slept solidly.