Cold, Damp Day 2 in Prague

I don’t think I even remember what the sun looks like. I’ve only seen it once in almost 2 weeks. I do remember, though, why I left Chicago. This damp, cold weather is bone chilling.

Anyway, before I get to today, here’s a wrap up of yesterday. I went to the Old Town Square to check out the market. This one is about 50/50 food and handicrafts. Here are some of the many pics I took.

Some yummy treats I didn’t try.

A local group entertained the crowd.

Then I headed to St. Nicholas Church for the concert.

So, that finishes last night. Today (Monday) started with a walk across the Charles Bridge, just about a block from my hotel. It is a medieval stone bridge across the Vltava River. Construction began in 1357 and finished in the early 15th century.

When I was here in 1993, I remember the bridge being also lined with people hawking their wares. Today I only saw 2 or 3 people setting up sales tables on the bridge.

Once on the other side, my first stop was the Church of Our Lady Victorious, home to the famed statue, Infant Jesus of Prague. It is a 16th century wax covered, wooden statue of the child Jesus and is a major pilgrimage site.

Then it was on to the 2nd of 3 churches I visited today, St. Nicholas. This one is different than the St. Nicholas I went to Sunday night. This one is in the baroque style, which means it is very ornately decorated.

This is when I had trouble with Hop on Hop off. I misread the map and was on the wrong side of the church so when the bus didn’t come, I hoofed it back across the Charles Bridge. I stopped at the hotel for a quick refresh and went back to Old Town Square where I know there was a bus stop. Once on the bus, I took it up the hill to Prague Castle, which was built in the 9th century. There are actually several different castles in the giant complex. Since I didn’t know one from the other, I went on the “Classic Tour”, which was a self-guided tour through 4 of the buildings. First was the Cathedral of St. Vitus.

The cathedral is considered to be a dominant place of worship in the Czech Republic. The main patron saint of the country, Saint Wenceslas, is buried there.

I also saw Golden Lane created at the end of the 15th century. This picturesque alley, with its small, colorful houses, is steeped in legends and myths that have also attracted numerous writers and artists, including the renowned Franz Kafka, who once resided here. 

Also part of the tour was the…

I enjoyed the tour but it was very windy which made a cold day even colder. And, just in case I wasn’t cold enough, it started to rain. Just a little but enough to feel chilled.

By the time I found my way out of the complex (it’s gigantic and I walked in circles for a while), I was freezing cold, wet and very tired. I could have gone back to the hop on hop off, but when I saw a taxi just sitting there, I decided it was fate and I grabbed the ride.

I rested at home about an hour before heading out for an early dinner at the Irish Pub around the corner. The food was good and the atmosphere wonderful.

I have one more day in Prague. Tomorrow I might get back on the hop on hop off and head to the monastery, on the hill, not far from the castle. The bus ticket also gets me a river cruise but the jury is still out as to whether I want to go on the water in the cold. The boat is enclosed but still…maybe not.