Praguepost II

Thanks to two knowledgeable guides, today was much better in terms of getting off the beaten path. This morning Austin and I ventured out with a guide provided by the hotel named Paul, who had supposedly served in the Czech equivalent of the State Department. Our intended destination was Prague Castle but thanks to maintenance on the tramway, we had to take a circuitous route. All the better as it gave Paul time to tell us the following things:

1) 80% of the Czech Republic is atheistic. Apparently this percentage of non-believers was just as high pre-communism.

2) In the 14th century, a huge tempest flooded Prague, inundating most of the city. When the water subsided the cities forward thinking inhabitants decided to raise the entire city by two stories. Thus many of Prague's buildings have two or three floors of cellars.

3)Prague is home to the only example of the oxymoronic architectural style known as "Round-ish Cubism," which as far as I can gather has the same geometric logic as normal cubism, but is softer and more ornate.

Is it round or is it cubic?

4) Finally! The reason Prague is so ethnically homogenous: communism. I feel silly for not thinking of it yesterday. Until 1989, the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) was a communist state and weirdly few people were looking to immigrate to a land of standardized gray woolen uniforms, rationed food, and negative fun.

5)Lastly, most restaurants really are geared for foreigners. It is only the very well-off in Prague that can afford to eat out on a regular basis, with most families eating at home.

Quick note: on the walk to the tram that would take us to the castle, it was hardly 10 AM but ice cream cones, pints of beer and wine bottles were ubiquitous at the many sidewalk cafes. Ice Cream for breakfast? Now thats a habit i could get behind. Also it is an incredible word in Czech: Zmrzlina. Nom Nom Nom.

After crossing the Vlatna on the ever-clogged Charles Bridge which despite its beauty has earned itself the title of "Haley's least favorite spot in Prague" on account of being so jammed, we jumped on one of the city's many trams and wound our way up the hill behind Malastranska (literally meaning lesser-city, poor Malastranskans) to the castle. The castle complex, where the Czech President still works is unfathomably huge (bigger than 7 football fields) and contains dozens of buildings with different functions. First, there is the actual castle which has served to house the country's governmental offices since the Bohemian empire in the 9th century. 9th Century!

Austin in front of the door where the President welcomes his most important guests. I told him to look important. This is what I got.

Then there are the archbishop's offices, the bishops office, several churches and cathedrals, lush gardens and grand banquet halls. My favorite portion was the hall now used for coronations where they used to host jousting matches. The room was architecturally breathtaking - a fusion of foreboding gothic and richly decorated renaissance - with huge tiled windows. Imagining horses galloping up and down, clad in gilded tapestries representing their patrons, was enough to make my head explode.

Vladislav Hall

The cathedrals, especially the one dedicated to St. Vitus, were also sights to be seen - with copious gilding and intricate masonry. Though it wasn't fully completed until the 1800s, work began on St. Vitus' cathedral in the 1330s, approximately 130 years before the Incas built Machu Pichu . Obviously both plans are impressive feats of engineering with their own challenges, but in terms of architectural imagination it the Europeans were leaps ahead. I make this comparison only because it helped me conceive of how inspiringly complex the buildings in Prague are for the time that they were built.

Upon our descent from the castle complex Paul pointed out the Czech Foreign Ministry and the window of the office he used to work in. He also pointed out the pub across the street where he and his colleagues went "once or twice a day", correcting himself "well, at least twice a day."

After taking the subway under the Vlatva back to Wenceslas Square, Austin and I bid sbohem to Paul. We found an unassuming pizza place and stuffed our faces, hungry from the busy morning. Portions are surprisingly humongous here and after polishing off a pizza, chicken dish, and side of potatoes Austin and I fell into a deep food-coma. Nothing a quick nap couldn't fix and luckily our hotel was right across the street. After a few ZZZ's we trekked to Frank Gehry's building where we met our second, unofficial, tour guide Jared, a friend of mine from Yale.

Fred and Ginger? Is that you?

We spent the better part of the afternoon just wandering Prague's streets (which were blessedly quieter than where we'd been walking in Old Town), stopping off at Lennon's wall and the Jewish Quarter which Austin and I plan to revisit tomorrow. It was really nice to catch up and hear his musings on Prague, having been here for two summers.

Emo

It's getting late here and Austin and I are waking up early to catch a bus to Karljsted castle. I'm going to go get ready for bed and turn this post over to the legend himself, Mr. Austin Cohen, everyone:

Well i thought today was amazing - the buildings the river and the dancing building were amazing. But beware the streets are so slippery, you slide into the street alot. Also, a car driving too fast almost ran us over, we did not see it. People drive so fast here.

That's all for now. Night all!

-H & A

This made me chuckle.