Oct 1 (Thur) - Prague

It's 23:00 and just back from theatre; moving out early tomorrow with packing still to go so this'll be brief.

Took a tram all the way up to the Castle Quarter to start the day. First stop was the Loreta Church the traditional starting point for Czech pilgrims heading for Santiago de Compostella. It is home to the statue of the Black Virgin as well as St. Bearded Woman, patron saint of unhappy marriages! Also on display here are the most beautiful monstrances I've ever seen (that includes treasuries in Rome, Venice and Istanbul), one with over 6,000 diamonds.


For the next couple of hours it was on to Prague Castle which includes St. Vitas cathedral, the Old Royal Palace (famous for the defenistrations that started the Thirty Years War) and the Basilica of St. George. [Note: defenistrations involve throwing people out of windows to their demise]


[Photo of St. Vitus from web]

We then walked down and into the Little Quarter below the castle for a late, late lunch.

Before heading back across the Charles Bridge to our digs, we sought out the (John) Lennon wall which was a source of inspiration for many Czechs during the Communist years.


Next was a visit to the Museum of Communism. While the info on the years of Communism were interesting the hilite was re-living (thru film) of the Prague Spring of 1968 and finally the Velvet Revolution of 1989 when Cz finally shed the Communist yoke. The fact that the key events took place just outside our apartment (we're right on Wenceslas Square) added an extra element of realism.


Photo of Stalin's statue in Prague that I don't recall ever seeing. It was torn down in 1962.

The evening was for Mozart and the presentation of his 'Don Giovanni' at the National Marionette Theatre.

[Note: leaving Prague in the morning - next connection to Internet unknown.]

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