The Golden City of Prague

I remember the first time I caught a glimpse at the city of Prague. It was 1996 and I was watching Mission Impossible, most of which is filmed in Prague. “What a beautiful city!” I thought and put it on my mental “to visit/to do” list. So visiting Prague this past week (and at the most wonderful time of the year no less) was a thrill.

It is true that once you see one European city, you’ve seen them all. They all have several elements in common: market squares, churches representing a variety of architectural styles, history that is intertwined with that of other European countries and cities, old world charm. However, no matter how many things they have in common, each represents a distinct language, culture and cuisine that make the each experience different.

And, this is so of Prague and the Czech Republic. Both the city and country are very similar to Warsaw and Poland as a whole. The Czech language is to Polish was Portuguese is to Spanish and vice versa. The cuisine is similar – very hearty, artery clogging meat based dishes that no one could possibly eat day in and day out even if they are delicious. The drink of choice is beer. Pilsner is to the Czechs what Guinness is to the Irish. The original Budweiser did not come from the Anheuser Busch factory, but from the Czech Republic where it has been brewed for hundreds of years. Bohemian style Absinthe a powerful form of liquor (up to 90% proof) with supposed psychoactive and hallucinogenic elements is widely sold here legally. It is illegal to import Absinthe in the USA, so don’t ask me to make a purchase on your behalf. What is sold in the US is “Absente” which does not contain the same chemical composition as Absinthe. We bought a bottle and will let you know if anything happens.

Prague is known as the “golden” city, not because it is made of gold or resembles gold in the sunset, but because of the many legends and some factual accounts of alchemists who worked in Prague trying to turn metal into gold – although the sunset does make the city look golden as well. The heart of the city has a mix of medieval, renaissance and many times Romanesque charm. This charm is somewhat limited by the tacky souvenir shops that line practically every street in the city. But vendors are not pushy. As you make your way out of Prague, the effects of this post communist country can still be observed here although not as much as in Warsaw.

“Bohemian Rhapsody.” “La vie Boheme.” The term “Bohemian” has been used for centuries to describe the unconventional lifestyles of impoverished artists, writers, poets, or musicians. The region of the Czech Republic is known as Bohemia. The French coined the term “Bohemian” in reference to lifestyle choices because they believed that Gypsies (still unconventional around here) came from Bohemia. So, in essence, the people of Prague are known as Bohemians not for their unconventional lifestyle necessarily (although the lifestyle thrives here) but due to the region from which they came.

Our Drive to Prague

Since we had the time and due to the Polish and Czech additions to the Schengen zone (no passport needed at the border crossing) earlier this year, we decided to have ourselves an Eastern European road trip for a change. It actually turned out better than we anticipated thanks to some recommendations from our Polish friends. The roads (while not motorways) were not bad. Most of the way it was two lanes each way, but there was a good portion of Poland where it was a one way road each way. However, we left around 5am since it was going to be a 9 ½ hour trip and there really wasn’t any traffic. The biggest obstacle in traveling by car through Poland is construction and fatal car accidents which are all too frequent. With the exceptions of two minor waits at construction sites, we really experienced no problems. Once we crossed into the Czech Republic we had a one lane road for a while, but then it turned into an autobahn and it was smooth driving to Prague from there.

“Jill” our trustworthy GPS system led the way talking us through turns and exits. I cannot express how much this little device has change my life. I no longer worry about getting lost so long as “Jill” is in my pocket or car. She even finds restaurants and hotels for us. Lovely gal!

After a couple of stops for bathroom breaks and lunch, we arrived in Prague around 2pm.

The Aparthotel Angel

With a family of four, I always try to find spacious accommodations. Not an easy thing to do in Europe. However, more and more, I find that European cities are renting out apartments like hotels. So when I stumbled upon the Aparthotel Angel and read guest reviews, I knew it would be perfect for our family. Located in a modern section of Prague called Andel, our apartment had everything we could need. It was a one bedroom, with simple modern décor. A kitchen, mudroom area and bathroom with a balcony also included. In the living room, we were able to turn the couches together and make a bed for the kids which they were very excited about because it was the first time they had bunked together. And the Cat and I had privacy as well.

After checking in, we chose to explore the area near the hotel and have dinner. There was an Alberts and Tesco supermarket chain within a block from our apartment . So we bought some milk, water, and basic breakfast/snack items . This way we didn’t have to be in a rush to get out early to find breakfast.

A rather new mall and restaurants galore (including TGI Fridays) were located within a block and so was the Metro Andel and Tram stops 12 and 20 connecting us to the Lesser Town and rest of Prague. It was a quiet yet bustling area and I would definitely stay there again. Since we have been away from the USA for almost a year now, we hit TGI Fridays immediately. People ask why would you eat there if you could eat at a Czech restaurant? Two answers: the kids and nostalgia. Technically, we only live in America 6 weeks out of the year. So, American food has now become foreign to us so we indulge in it when we find it. The menu here was just like the one back home albeit a bit more expensive and the kids were given balloons and paper and crayons to draw. We were quite pleased. We turned in early having been awake since 4am and recharged for the next day.

Transportation

Many would think that riding a Metro to get around is the easiest way to get from place to place. It may be easy, but time and again, we have found ourselves paying for 2, 3, 4 day passes to ride a Metro twice in a day. Europe is meant to be explored on foot. On top of that, it is good to walk because chances are you will be pigging out the local delicacies. Walking helps level off the extra calories. If you really need to avoid walking too much, opt for a tram ride. This way you at least see the city while you ride.

Staro Mesto – The Old Town

We started out around 9:30 with a Metro ride to the Old Town area. We walked to Karlov Most better known as the Charles Bridge and took in the view of Hradčany aka the Prague Castle area across the river. We climbed to the top of the Old Bridge Tower for a view across the bridge and over the Old Town. Prague is a city of many views. You can climb up the Bridge Tower, the Old Town Hall Tower, The Petrin Look Out Tower, St. Nicholas Church, the Castle, etc. I say pick a tower on one side of the river and one on the other and stick to it. Otherwise you are paying people to climb stairs for the same view which is a rather unnecessary form of exercise considering that you will spend most of your visit walking on an incline anyway – did I mention the hills yet? Keep reading!

From Karlov Most, we walked along the tourist trap that is Karlova Street. I have never seen so many souvenir shops selling the same thing in my entire life. Maybe in New York? Is it really necessary to have so many tacky shops? We window shopped as we strolled eventually into the Old Town Square. We arrived just in time to see the Astronomical (i.e the Doomsday) clock at work. Every hour Death, a skeleton figure chimes the bell prompting windows to open so you can see the 12 Apostles moving around. Nice to see, but I wouldn’t wait more than 5 minutes to see it. It was around 11 by then so we decided to have lunch early at an Italian restaurant, U Minuty. They had pizza so we knew the kids would eat. Most restaurants in Prague have a “U” prefix that really mean “under.” This restaurant we later learned was once one of the many homes of the writer Franz Kafka of “The Metamorphosis” fame.

After lunch, we explored the Old Town. There are some art galleries scattered about, a Salvador Dali exhibit and shops selling Kafka books, Bohemian glass and crystal, wood carved Russian nesting dolls, T-shirts, beer steins, etc. We went up Celetna street and back down another street back towards the tour bus stop on the square.
We signed up for a coffee break on the river tour through Martin Tours. They picked us up by tour bus and brought us to the dock where we boarded a small cruise boat (not along the same lines as those in Paris or German cities on the Rhine) where we were served cake and coffee.

The cruise went up and down the river providing yet another view of the city. The kids enjoyed the ride and we had a chance to recharge on caffeine. After the tour, we walked down Pariska street which looked very much like a Paris street. The street took us through Josefov, the Jewish Quarter where we strolled past some very old synagogues and high end boutiques (Louis Vuitton, Cartier, etc) reminiscent of the Champs Elysees in Paris. We continued past the Old Town and into Na Prokipe street ending at Wenceslas Square.

Wenceslas Square bridges the area between the Old and New Town. It is a large boulevard like the Champs Elysees, but without the traffic. Streets are lined with hotels, restaurants and shops. The significance of Wenceslas Square lies in politics. When the people of Prague protest, this seems to be the place to gather. The events of the Prague Spring in 1968 and the Velvet Revolution in 1989 took place here. Further, this square may look familiar because it was used to represent two locations in Mission Impossible: The Grand Hotel Europa served as Max’s apartment and the façade of National Museum behind St. Wenceslas Statue was used to represent the US Embassy. St. Wenceslas is the same one represented in the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas.”

From the square, we chose to hike up the hills and across the Vltava river for dinner near our hotel. We then walked back to our hotel to unwind and give the kids some play time before bed.

Hradčany

The Hradčany are of Prague is best known for the Castle Complex. The complex is situated on top of hill. The easiest way to get there is to take tram 22 or 23 to the Prazsky Hrad stop. You can hike up the hill if you really want to, but with strollers that was not a good option for us. And just to warn you, going down may seem easier, but it is not because the trails can be rather steep. So, take the tram!

The castle is not really a castle, but a group of buildings that include St. Vitus Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Old Royal Palace, the Czech president’s home and office, St. George’s Basilica, and Golden Lane. You can pay for each attraction separately or in a bundle. We chose the short audio guide tour because we doubted the kids would survive past two hours. A guard keeps watch at the entrance to the 1st courtyard and there is a changing of the guard every hour. No matter how much you look them in the eye, they do not blink! The beginning of castle complex dates back to 880. Since this time, the “castle” has served as the seat of the head of state, the princes and later kings, and also of the highest representative of church, the Prague bishop. By the 14th century, it was an imperial residence, the seat of the Holy Roman Emperor, King Charles IV. King Charles IV grew up in France and was Francophile. When you look at the way the city of Prague is laid out, it is difficult not to notice the French influence brought here by Charles IV.

St. Vitus Cathedral

As you stroll into the 2nd courtyard, the magnificent façade of St. Vitus Cathedral is the first building you encounter. I have seen many Cathedrals in the last 2 years, but I liked this one most (so far) because of the light. Most Cathedrals in Europe are kept dimly lit, but this one had natural light flowing through the stained glass window making it easier to take pictures.

While the history of the castle complex dates back to the year 880, the cathedral was founded in 1344, a year after Notre Dame of Paris was completed. It was modeled after the cathedrals in France (flying buttresses and all) and was not completed fully until 1929 although it was in use prior to that time. It is reminiscent of Stephansdom in Vienna ca 1160 and the Cologne Cathedral also built over a 600 year period.

A branch of the Habsburgs are buried in one of their many imperial tombs at the center of the Cathedral before the high altar. The remains/relics of St. Wenceslas are kept within Wenceslas Chapel which is not open to the public. The crown of St. Wenceslas is kept in the chapel under seven locks. Seven keys are distributed to various heads of government so that the locks can only be open if all seven keyholders are present. It is only on display once every 8 years. St. John Nepomunk (more on him later) is interred here in an ornate silver coffin as is King Charles IV who practically built the city of Prague himself.

From the Cathedral you exit into another courtyard where the presidential palace is located adjacent to the Old Royal Palace. The presidents palace serves as the office to the Czech President , currently Vaclav Klaus. Only five rooms are open to the public including Vladislav Hall. Its big windows are considered to be one of the first examples of the renaissance style in Bohemia. Other rooms includes a bed chamber, parliament, and a chapel. Walking past the Old Royal Palace, you come upon St. George’s basilica, the oldest church in the complex built around 920. Inside you can see remnants of Romanesque ceiling paintings as well as tombs of other Bohemian kings.

Following St. Georges we walked towards Golden Lane. Dating from the 15th Century, this small street is lined by 11 historic houses which now sell all kinds of souvenirs. Golden Lane got its name from the story of alchemists living in the street during the reign of Rudolf II who tried to make not only the philosopher stone or the elixir of youth, but also to transform metals into gold. Franz Kafka lived here in no.22. The lane itself is charming, but unbelievably overcrowded. I would avoid it or go first thing in the morning if you are claustrophobic or just don’t like people.

As you exit Golden Lane, you end up in front of Daliborka Tower, an old dungeon named after a young knight, Dalibor, its first prisoner. That pretty much sums up the short tour. The grounds are open to the public from 5am to midnight daily, so you can wander through the gardens or take the trails as far down as you can stand it into the Lesser Town.

We hiked down the trails for a while until we found a tram stop and took that down the hill. After an afternoon nap for all, we headed back out for dinner around Wenceslas Square. After dinner, we walked towards Karlov Most for a beautiful sunset over Hradcany. That night we stayed out until about 10pm wandering around Kampa Island and the Lesser Town. We wandered into Kampa Island by accident looking for a bathroom for Thing 2. It is accessed by going down some steps (also featured in Mission Impossible) on the Mala Strana side of the Karlov Most. The island is a tributary of the river and contains some small hotels, restaurants and a nice park. Best of all, it was practically deserted in the evening and it was quite serene on the banks of the river. After the bathroom break, we found a playground and tired the kids out for a while. We headed into Mala Strana from there and ended up at the only Starbucks in town. From there we took tram 20 back to the hotel.

Petrin Hill and Mala Strana

Our last day in Prague was absolutely gorgeous. Not a cloud in the sky. We headed over to Petrin Hill via tram 20 to Ujezd. Petrin Hill is a park on one of the many hills. At the base of the hill before going up to the funicular, is a sculpture memorial to the victims of communism. It contains seven “phases” of a man living in a totalitarian state – from the first statue being a full man, up to the last statue where only a part of him remains. This evaporation represents the gradual physical and psychical destruction of a man who is ruled by any undemocratic regime. The man disappears due to censorship, secret police, no freedom of thoughts and expressions etc. A very moving memorial.

From the base, you walk up to Ujezd (the funicular tram) included in any transportation ticket. You will want to take the funicular as the hill is 1043 feet high! As you ride up the funicular, you see the city of Prague emerging from the trees. The park contains many gardens, trails. It is peaceful and quiet yet a nice open area for the kids to safely run around. Thing 1 was psyched to climb up to the Petrin Observation Tower. A small version of Paris's Eiffel Tower, it was built in 1891. The tower is 60 meters tall, which doesn't sound particularly high until you add the fact that it sits on the top of Petrin hill, overlooking the whole of Prague. Together with the hills height, the altitude is similar to the actual Eiffel Tower. The view is magnificent and well worth the 299 step climb to reach the viewing platform. As we strolled through the park, we came upon an indoor labyrinth of mirrors like the funhouses at carnivals in the States. The kids loved making their through the maze and then ended in a room of mirrors with distorted appearances. Thing 2 was thrilled with this making herself taller whenever possible.

As we made our way down Petrin Hill, we walked towards Mala Strana or Lesser Town. We visited St. Nicholas church which is much more magnificent than the one in Old Town. The interior of St. Nicholas is finely decorated with statues, paintings, and frescoes. The art work tells the story of St. Nicholas which Thing 1 found interesting. Many sections are carved in marble. The church was constructed in the Baroque style around 1702. It was certainly impressive.

We had some lunch in Mala Strana and then crossed over the Karlov Most into the Old Town area for an afternoon of shopping. Prices were reasonable for the most part with the exception of the glass and crystal shops. The Czech Republic is still on the Czech Koruny. The problem is that figuring out the exchange rate is difficult due tot he quantities. Over the weekend 1 CZK was valued at about $16 USD. So you had to do lots of division to figure out the price in USD. Very confusing for me - luckily my husband is a math genius. Thing 2 got a puppy marionette and Thing 1 got himself a wooden biplane. We bought ourselves a canvas painting of Prague at one of the galleries and a few other souvenirs. We headed back to our hotel to pack up for our drive home.

Prague is a wonderful long weekend getaway. Prague can be divided into four quadrants, three of which hold the majority of attractions, so three full days is all you need. Any extra days can be spent wandering around the city or taking day trips to the other castles within the Czech Republic. The city is great to see in conjunction with a trip to its sister country Slovakia or southern Germany. Dresden is a few hours away.

If I had to do it again, I would not come with young children. We just happen to be living in Europe so the kids tag along. But young children (my son in particular) are picky eaters and tire easily walking up the hills. Being on a slight incline, you feel like you are always walking up a hill. The streets are mostly small cobblestone. So, while we managed with strollers, it was challenging. Eating out, unless it was American fast food, pubs or Italian restaurants serving pizza is a challenge and there are only so many meals I can allow my child to skip. We had Czech food for lunch on one day and the Cat, Thing 2 (who eats anything) and I are the only ones who ate while Thing 1 refused and snacked his way through the day instead. Very frustrating!

The attraction information above was made available via attraction brochures, the Insight Guide: Prague and the following websites:

Prague Experience: http://www.pragueexperience.com/http://www.prague.net/

For tours, we recommend Martin Tours: http://www.martintour.cz/

For accommodations, we recommend Aparthotel Angel: http://www.prague-rent-apartment.com/?gclid=CN-YzIeAypMCFQ1LQgodATxdiQ

For currency exchange rates: http://www.xe.com/

A mother's mission to find sand in Warsaw

Just when you think you are fully acclimated to an environment something happens to shake things up a bit....Over the holidays, the kids received a sand and water table. They have not been able to really use it until now because of the cold weather. Now that Warsaw is coming out of hibernation, so has this table. So, Thing 1 and I went to OBI, the Polish/German version of Home Depot. Mind you, I had done my research. the polish word for sand is "piasek." So, I came prepared to ask if necessary.

So, we look around and find all kinds of potting soil and other gardening ingredient, but no sand. We went next door to REAL, the Polish/German version of Target that also has a gardening section. Nothing. So, I came home with one disappointed child, but no sand. So, I am trying to wrap my mind around this because at most stores, the big plastic animal shaped sand boxes are on sale along with pails and shovels for the sandbox. So, where are people getting sand? I jokingly mentioned this to Thing 2's preschool teacher and she commented that the school director got her sand for the large sandbox they have from a construction site. She just bagged it herself. So, I begin telling the Cat that we have to take a trip to a construction site late at night and take some sand. This table only requires a small amount of sand, so a few grocery bags would do. Being the straight arrow he is, he refuses. He also refused to go out to find some after I told him about getting his pronunciation right: if you say piesek instead of piasek apparently you would be asking for a small dog. So, I continued my search.

Finally, as if by Divine Intervention (the law of attraction, perhaps), sand began to appear everywhere. I passed a car advertising "piasek" and it turns out that the Embassy is doing construction and I came to my Polish lesson last week to find a mound of sand at the compound. But, I continued looking and finally learned that the local Home Depot received their sand shipment. So, for Mother's Day, I had two happy, but muddy messes, on my deck!