PRAGUE, THE CZECH REPUBLIC

MONDAY, APRIL 21 – PRAGUE

   We did not do much yesterday in Barcelona, having been there several times, and we had to be up at 4:45 am for our flight to Prague on Veuling Airline (Yes, Veuling Airline!). The trip was happily uneventful, and our first day in Prague was just a walk-about to become oriented.

   Our hotel is on the Castle side (East) of the Charles Bridge,

(see the small A in a red circle) so after exploring our local neighborhood including a small street fair with a band and a vendor selling a local specialty, a roll of cinnamon/sugar bread roasted over a wood fire (yum), we walked across the Charles Bridge. It was built in the middle of the 14^th
Century and somehow has managed to survive the wars and rebellions that have plagued this area for the past millennium. Now it must survive the hoards of tourists, even on the first day after Easter, and all the “artists” selling cartoons of people, vendors selling kitsch, and home-grown “musical groups” performing in front of cups for loose change. Perhaps the Bridge is best seen at night when it's nearly empty.

   The Bridge leads directly to the square of the Old Town, which has a centuries-old astrological clock, a couple of churches, and a full square full of tourists and tents of vendors hawking things to eat and buy for Uncle Jack and Aunt Alice back home.

Somehow, we tore ourselves away from all this for a much-needed 2-hour nap before a wonderful dinner at a local, non-touristy restaurant near our hotel. Called the BARBAR, it had both locals and tourists for customers. The 2008 Czech bottle of wine as unbelievably good! As was the double espresso!