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.