tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68649096146597051112024-03-13T03:58:35.250+01:00I'll Czech In Later - A Newbie in PragueA collection of stories, articles and photos based on my experiences living as an expat in Prague, the city of a hundred spires.
Includes posts about life in Prague, famous and less famous sights, stories about Prague culture, history and hidden Prague monuments and placesAlly Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-74613452348845841982022-08-15T17:21:00.003+02:002022-08-15T17:21:53.607+02:00Prague Shorts #1 - Lunchtime in Prague<p>Lunch is a pretty serious business in the Czech Republic, as it is in many parts of Europe. Unlike the British habit of ramming a sandwich down your throat whilst sitting at your desk, lunch is an opportunity to meet up with colleagues, get a change of scenery and eat a proper meal, sitting down in a restaurant, often with a beer. That said, most Czech workers don’t have a lot of lunch break minutes - 45 seems to be about the norm in my experience. </p><p><br /></p><p>To balance the requirement for proper food in a short time, many restaurants in the city have a special business lunch menu. This changes daily and is either advertised on a blackboard or on a specially printed menu available on each table. The ‘denní menu’ is generally available for a limited time - 11:00 to 15:00 is quite common, but during this time, the regular menu is not available because the kitchen staff are focused on feeding the workers. In addition, this lunch menu will usually only be available in Czech.</p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pywpHi9ZP0HCy1S3l1Cn68A6pYMzcEYagH4JDW-2RoWkpFGySkkyyUIiZ5NfVvpWGo62ZXr4iLR5ZqI59XdR6NiQ3CWSJhiF9yQCeZuVWybFIplvKjidJ3xuH_SY558sz0cVxWkEUvgBo5-Y_v-Ev4XYUtTRtm5tnARcNlvzDb9B8kputue1CUAD/s3280/IMG_0995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2593" data-original-width="3280" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pywpHi9ZP0HCy1S3l1Cn68A6pYMzcEYagH4JDW-2RoWkpFGySkkyyUIiZ5NfVvpWGo62ZXr4iLR5ZqI59XdR6NiQ3CWSJhiF9yQCeZuVWybFIplvKjidJ3xuH_SY558sz0cVxWkEUvgBo5-Y_v-Ev4XYUtTRtm5tnARcNlvzDb9B8kputue1CUAD/w400-h316/IMG_0995.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch menu at my local bar - Snemovna v Jakubsky</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p>Most places are quite happy for you to order a drink without eating, and if they aren’t too busy, the staff may help translate the menu for you, but don’t count on it. Typically, there will be a choice of two or three daily choices, two or three things that are available all week and a choice of soups. The food is clearly oriented to Czech tastes, and classic Czech dishes form the bulk of what’s being offered - but there are often some surprises. I recently had battered cod and fries, which would have given a good chippy in the UK a run for its money! The batter was sublime! A few days later, I was treated to a Philippine Adobo - which I’d never heard of - but will be making at home in the near future. </p><p><br /></p><p>The great thing about this concept is that the food is amazing value. Before the pandemic and the subsequent rise in prices worldwide, I could have a main course, a half litre of Pilsner and a small dessert - which is included - for less than Kč 200 (£6.89). These days the prices have risen a little, but I rarely spend more than Kč 220 (£7.60) and especially in the summer, I don’t need to cook in the evening as a snack is plenty. </p><p><br /></p><p>So, if you venture into a restaurant in the centre of town, or anywhere where there may be office workers, don’t be offended if the staff won’t let you have a full menu or if they are a bit busy. This is genuine fast food at its best. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-13428305681530069272022-02-18T11:15:00.001+01:002022-02-18T11:15:55.479+01:00Prague in Plain Sight #8 - Powder Tower (Prašná brána)<p></p>In my previous post I wrote about Jindřišská which is only a few minutes walk from my apartment, but a monument I had never properly visited until relatively recently. The Powder Tower, (Prašná brána) is even closer, and despite having walked around it and under it countless times, I had never been inside this landmark either until a few weeks ago.<div><br /></div><div>The tower is located at the intersection of Celetna and Na příkopě (which literally translates to 'in the ditch', and refers to an old moat long since filled in) and just a few steps away from Náměstí Republiky metro station.<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLUDr5DagO3g17sf8kPMSFdDtGWAofkGf7hmI81NtNyZ-RKQmwvyY1DRUtZRSkq6JufBylxJef-BFr8vYMai9Ej6dNDDa2rRNAG9_gxbKXPetmbK-k40oX5Ly2gDM_4aAw69hc1ZL5RmCqzktToxpNvzDeYC2kcEYdwlgnQcLWBOLjhJyBnVD490B0=s3747" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3747" data-original-width="2810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLUDr5DagO3g17sf8kPMSFdDtGWAofkGf7hmI81NtNyZ-RKQmwvyY1DRUtZRSkq6JufBylxJef-BFr8vYMai9Ej6dNDDa2rRNAG9_gxbKXPetmbK-k40oX5Ly2gDM_4aAw69hc1ZL5RmCqzktToxpNvzDeYC2kcEYdwlgnQcLWBOLjhJyBnVD490B0=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Also known as the Powder Gate, this is one of thirteen original city gates in Prague’s Old Town and this one separates the Old and New Towns. Construction began in 1475. It was inspired by the design of the towers on the Charles Bridge and was intended as a decorative tower rather than as a defensive one, and replaced the old and dilapidated Horská tower and was part of the old King’s Court which was located where the Municipal House now stands. As such it became the passing point through which coronation processions used to pass on the way to the St Vitus Cathedral. In 1485, Prague Castle became the royal residence and the next royal procession through the tower did not take place until 1836. In fact, the Powder Tower remained unfinished until 1592.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxc6tz59EhtKhfZvNEYkXj7Mj6vfHxPH3h1NuAbbcVcySjBtWq3Q0YzCKhQD5IH_duoE3-BxtCMOqhkZleKZ2TnbAQ0LQgq1b8l31obOtLFsrLFX1QU9W6T9AXgJ4gCm79ofPX0l3MVDqU4d_wZw98-YiPv4meBEeXzuZD-syYQyosRWVKrSMebAvx=s4499" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4499" data-original-width="3374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxc6tz59EhtKhfZvNEYkXj7Mj6vfHxPH3h1NuAbbcVcySjBtWq3Q0YzCKhQD5IH_duoE3-BxtCMOqhkZleKZ2TnbAQ0LQgq1b8l31obOtLFsrLFX1QU9W6T9AXgJ4gCm79ofPX0l3MVDqU4d_wZw98-YiPv4meBEeXzuZD-syYQyosRWVKrSMebAvx=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>The building was used to store gunpowder in the 17th century, hence the name Powder Tower. Today’s appearance dates back to the years 1875 - 1886 when the Powder Gate Tower was restored and completed in a pseudo-Gothic style by the architect Josef Mocker. </p><p>The Powder Tower is 65 m high with an observation gallery at 44 metres above ground level. Inside, the spiral staircase is made of 186 stone steps.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRt1jpgQ6DjMp-et2C11dgjDtr9ClIzOmBTmIPl72hO5U8LmxKSzffrwgKk_ZTgFpshEaWEhMGQOh_7bvcQ7A0HYz6HWLH3JBB7e0sQ9nCk6DxFwB5lWfwnVpuVGKihs4bbMRUqhWnlt8CJ6hTzXPY3NtHa_qE3lhdg6a37v2xVW5_7xIw-C5Wrsuc=s3538" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3538" data-original-width="2653" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRt1jpgQ6DjMp-et2C11dgjDtr9ClIzOmBTmIPl72hO5U8LmxKSzffrwgKk_ZTgFpshEaWEhMGQOh_7bvcQ7A0HYz6HWLH3JBB7e0sQ9nCk6DxFwB5lWfwnVpuVGKihs4bbMRUqhWnlt8CJ6hTzXPY3NtHa_qE3lhdg6a37v2xVW5_7xIw-C5Wrsuc=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>Perhaps waiting until the middle of winter to go up the tower was not one of my brightest ideas! Three days after Christmas, it was cold, grey and quite windy, but my fiancée had come over to join me for Christmas. It was only the second time I had seen her in two years because of Covid restrictions and we were determined to make the most of the time and do as many new things as possible.</p><p>Having climbed up most of the towers in the city, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Cold, clammy, stone-clad walls and an element of dizziness from climbing steep spiral staircases with the ever-present threat of someone coming down the other way! For that reason, we went in the first hour of the tower being open (which also meant a discount on the ticket prices) - and it wasn't too busy, although there was a group of people who seemed more interested in screaming down their phones than being aware of their surroundings!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoV78Z9Tf2vG66EgRN7XjoVZixEbZXk_6OBtR7u055otQ8xd3VxIypxhqRyc0sS8CIeQiA0sDaYlu2hZqJDtVrO1q69JKACBBf2Km1QEe76LUWO-Z6wbGO9hhFUoKkwHe4WVBq0phJRtRdstUXCHN0JlPpHUsBZEITycK52NRwtHlS6lXDdarG0PFg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoV78Z9Tf2vG66EgRN7XjoVZixEbZXk_6OBtR7u055otQ8xd3VxIypxhqRyc0sS8CIeQiA0sDaYlu2hZqJDtVrO1q69JKACBBf2Km1QEe76LUWO-Z6wbGO9hhFUoKkwHe4WVBq0phJRtRdstUXCHN0JlPpHUsBZEITycK52NRwtHlS6lXDdarG0PFg=s320" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The views from the gallery were amazing despite the conditions. My real problem was that given the cold and having to wear a mask (which was trying very hard to fly away) I was really struggling to keep my glasses from steaming up. As a result, I couldn't use my DSLR camera and had to rely on my iPhone for my photos.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYydw5dAA3oDTERkz-O60VW2i8RFzPG8_1WpNugfo2pnJ3l3Q1YoN7DgX3zSze2bkxApj2PeMYKQQ1pqqDDEbbMwWpd5ayTevFg3_tctGwTRezjLg8BUHj1VQgpJmKirvNyV8ZTgWmDnGTsraypvtC347ls1nVz3a81ZMLQPDlYYAXkKGZ2bm1ddNb=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYydw5dAA3oDTERkz-O60VW2i8RFzPG8_1WpNugfo2pnJ3l3Q1YoN7DgX3zSze2bkxApj2PeMYKQQ1pqqDDEbbMwWpd5ayTevFg3_tctGwTRezjLg8BUHj1VQgpJmKirvNyV8ZTgWmDnGTsraypvtC347ls1nVz3a81ZMLQPDlYYAXkKGZ2bm1ddNb=s320" width="180" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To be honest, I was quite happy to get back in from the gallery, back down the draughty stairwell and back onto terra firma! And by then it was beer o'clock! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><p></p></div>Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-20161707166655672062022-01-31T15:07:00.003+01:002022-01-31T15:07:40.888+01:00Prague in Plain Sight #7 - Jindřišská (Henry's Bell Tower)<p>Many years ago my neighbours, who had by then become great friends, moved to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. From childhood, I’d always been fascinated by the name Kuala Lumpur (although I have no idea why) and I finally had an opportunity to go and visit, which I did on many occasions. Although my friends had been there for a while before I finally made my first trip, they had spent their time setting up their new home, sorting out the children and engaging with members of the extensive ex-pat community. On a visit to the Bata Caves, not far from KL, they let me into a little secret. This was the first time they’d done anything even vaguely touristy since they’d arrived.</p><p><br /></p><p>Over the last eight years living in Prague I’ve definitely done a lot of touristy things. I’ve written about a lot of them in the seventy articles I’ve written on this blog! Some of them are more mainstream than others, but the great thing about spending a lot of time in a place is that you get to go to places that weekenders and short stay people rarely get to see. And then there are some places that kind of fall between the two - touristy but not quite mainstream! One such place is Jindřišská or Henry’s Bell Tower. </p><p><br /></p><p>Jindřišská is a stone’s throw from my apartment and I have walked past it countless times but never been inside. I finally crossed the threshold when some friends came to visit me in the autumn of 2019 and I thought it would be something a little off the beaten track for them to enjoy as well as filling a gap in my compendium of Prague attractions.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaJqEpjfvWkP1p4bXnqRZotNKouwgj6BVbp0KdvyRHUYfSkJ7c5Hx7-TockXPVk0tkyOT7d1QjsrZZK6EFdZSxIyVh-WoQXB1xc5hqrTzydZ5mpi2YZcouDrdE35dnTTLeKzjope26oHyeV6CFTJITdAT24coJV0X5ffJUmuh26dMOfKeCOU5B0bBJ=s2948" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2948" data-original-width="2189" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaJqEpjfvWkP1p4bXnqRZotNKouwgj6BVbp0KdvyRHUYfSkJ7c5Hx7-TockXPVk0tkyOT7d1QjsrZZK6EFdZSxIyVh-WoQXB1xc5hqrTzydZ5mpi2YZcouDrdE35dnTTLeKzjope26oHyeV6CFTJITdAT24coJV0X5ffJUmuh26dMOfKeCOU5B0bBJ=s320" width="238" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bell tower from Jindřišská street</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Situated in the New Town, mid-way between Namesti Republika and Vaclav Namesti, Jindřišská was built between 1472 and 1476 as the bell tower for the Church of St Henry and St Kunhuta (which now sits on the other side of the street). At 65.7m, it is the tallest free-standing bell tower in Prague. It was built from sandstone, with a wooden roof covered in slate tiles. The clock was added in 1577.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUe3cnTyhp3OYJtYngHtwCZLL5tXf31rsl8lQsRiLpDza8-2ixvmZQsduzXsGxQ1otPpyqkm__0ULZwCKBOW6hyVIDvlT2Vz4fPKgJtJYo49YKhjHPshKsMAMLYXWyCCcRCaFCVGfr05Te89J58Ec6f8C_CY2p17Wsfz0DeeyzFeVM_yr5WA0B5xFf=s5656" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3770" data-original-width="5656" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUe3cnTyhp3OYJtYngHtwCZLL5tXf31rsl8lQsRiLpDza8-2ixvmZQsduzXsGxQ1otPpyqkm__0ULZwCKBOW6hyVIDvlT2Vz4fPKgJtJYo49YKhjHPshKsMAMLYXWyCCcRCaFCVGfr05Te89J58Ec6f8C_CY2p17Wsfz0DeeyzFeVM_yr5WA0B5xFf=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view towards the National Gallery</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>In 1648, Prague was under siege by the Swedish empire and the tower was used as a military guardhouse. It was largely destroyed by artillery. After the battle of Štěrbohol in 1757, it was shelled again by Prussian forces and suffered again in 1801 from storm damage.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjae49B7lb5GLgLo_6YqEIqxhGgcmIlkGfNzmgtEeW0ggAENL0oh5_u0m3jhG0tyYso3M-Gj_YGrg1RNKTmRJfVsrMjPiPR4TRI7jJoflPGiyCf34T6-Jx27v3QtC__Ag9KUjm8lCsf2GoyKGBK_lpPfIGcYMTZ-UMphOWZJvAHmiUlgVaPemsEJ9iV=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjae49B7lb5GLgLo_6YqEIqxhGgcmIlkGfNzmgtEeW0ggAENL0oh5_u0m3jhG0tyYso3M-Gj_YGrg1RNKTmRJfVsrMjPiPR4TRI7jJoflPGiyCf34T6-Jx27v3QtC__Ag9KUjm8lCsf2GoyKGBK_lpPfIGcYMTZ-UMphOWZJvAHmiUlgVaPemsEJ9iV=s320" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of the viewing gallery and clock</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>The tower underwent major reconstruction in 1876-1879 under the supervision of the architect Josef Mocker who used the Neo-Gothic style you see today. In 2001 the tower was modernised internally and fitted with additional floors and an elevator. The viewing platform on the 10th floor was added along with a new carillon by Petr Rudolf Manoušek. This hangs from the original roof and you can choose from 1,152 pre-set melodies to listen to from within the tower.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh929S_uV8O7fNIOCsPqWfX4myjFyIU6iwVIP7FTDdgtHzSe5nKNapHHV1wNSw9e4bLpIFdcNV3g2MAkox1z2traFzS1t2p7mr1-X4rj8UA0Cntjt27zrJV4MaBb7HDZAKduGfGGaaYJua8eZoH5Z_WSrnkMaGEsAMhxHw33jkDmabT733byZb4XACf=s5922" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3948" data-original-width="5922" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh929S_uV8O7fNIOCsPqWfX4myjFyIU6iwVIP7FTDdgtHzSe5nKNapHHV1wNSw9e4bLpIFdcNV3g2MAkox1z2traFzS1t2p7mr1-X4rj8UA0Cntjt27zrJV4MaBb7HDZAKduGfGGaaYJua8eZoH5Z_WSrnkMaGEsAMhxHw33jkDmabT733byZb4XACf=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out to Petrin and Prague Castle from the attic</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>The three biggest of the ten bells housed in the belfry are Maria, the oldest which was cast in 1518 and weighs 723kg; Jindřich, the largest, weighing in at 3350 kg and Dominik which weighs 1000 kg. The bells ring out every three hours from 9am until 6pm.</p><p><br /></p><p>Not just a museum, Jindřišská is also an exhibition centre, function centre, and houses a well-stocked whisky bar and a restaurant. Entry to the tower (at the time of writing) is 160Kc and it is open daily between 10 and 6. Of all the towers in Prague, this is one of the most accessible, especially for people who don’t like cramped, dark, cold spiral staircases! </p><div><br /></div>Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-66481831153742084612020-12-30T19:09:00.002+01:002020-12-30T19:09:44.916+01:00Milada Horáková: A Symbol of Democracy and Freedom - People in Prague #4<p>If you look back through Czech history the majority of the characters you encounter are male. Indeed, if you look at Jiri Votruba’s hero’s of Prague poster the only female is the legendary Princess Libuse. The remaining characters are all male, apart from the Golem! </p><p>This year, amidst the lockdowns and restriction of movement, the people and city of Prague did celebrate a national heroine on the 70th anniversary of her death. Her name is Milada Horáková and she was born in Prague on Christmas Day, 1901. She was executed by the Czechoslovakian communist regime on 27th June1950, the only female politician to suffer that fate.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4fzZYlhYz7ad2Mj_uyTU9DdWFqubp-YmI1P1wCUng8y_Ot6scyzTD45_dfSTf7jToXgHa0Db5aP-rORIYhnl33wZcuqZu5ZBtC19alJpQaXuiSPFHK9r1t8Yc_XTlhmibyBDNHf89Xk/s800/Posters-30+Dec+2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4fzZYlhYz7ad2Mj_uyTU9DdWFqubp-YmI1P1wCUng8y_Ot6scyzTD45_dfSTf7jToXgHa0Db5aP-rORIYhnl33wZcuqZu5ZBtC19alJpQaXuiSPFHK9r1t8Yc_XTlhmibyBDNHf89Xk/w400-h300/Posters-30+Dec+2020.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posters were put up on many public buildings. <br />The caption means 'murdered by communists'</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Milada Horáková was an extraordinary woman, who, like many of her era suffered as a result of the injustice of two nightmares; first the Nazi invasion and occupation, and subsequently the communist takeover in 1948. </p><div style="text-align: left;">She grew up during the first world war, and her first action led to her expulsion from school in 1917 for taking part in an anti-war rally. Despite that early setback, she received a law degree from the Charles University in 1926 and joined the ČSNS (Democratic Socialist Party) that same year. As the second world war broke out she joined the underground resistance and was arrested by the Gestapo in 1940 and interred in Terezín transit camp where she was tortured. Four years later she was sentenced to a further eight years imprisonment by a German court for her political activities and sent to the concentration camp at Ainach in Bavaria, narrowly escaping the death penalty which the Nazi prosecutor had demanded. She was released in April 1945 by US troops.</div><p>After the war, she rejoined ČSNS and served as a Member of Parliament until resigning in 1948 as the communists seized power. Under constant surveillance by the secret police, she was arrested in September 1949 along with twelve of her colleagues. They were all charged with treason and conspiracy, and subjected to intense interrogation and torture. On 31st May 1950, a massive show trial was kicked off with the assistance of prosecutors from Moscow. There was only ever going to be one outcome.</p><p>She was sentenced to death on the 8th June 1950 along with three co-defendants and despite petitions from Churchill, Einstein, and Eleanor Roosevelt amongst other prominent people, the sentence was not changed. She was hanged in Pankrác prison in Prague, aged 48. Her remains were never returned to her family, and have since vanished.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KPzMB1qXUAUB1qd9f5-sURA_ew0L7MD6llQ954zennCrrUyPEF84j7_eOBn95orUyMJT0xMavVUNrKgBDpcFKHpnq6DAVOuKdAIuPqQN1EPJ16NwFz-JGYmc2a3shj5x_YJ-Jb2B0N0/s800/Grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KPzMB1qXUAUB1qd9f5-sURA_ew0L7MD6llQ954zennCrrUyPEF84j7_eOBn95orUyMJT0xMavVUNrKgBDpcFKHpnq6DAVOuKdAIuPqQN1EPJ16NwFz-JGYmc2a3shj5x_YJ-Jb2B0N0/s320/Grave.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An empty grave marker in Vysehrad cemetery</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">In 1968</span><span style="text-align: left;">, during the Prague Spring, </span><span style="text-align: left;">the verdict from the trial was annulled but Milada Horáková was not completely exonerated until after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. The street Milady Horákové in Letna, Prague 6 was renamed in her honour in 1990 and in 1991 she was p</span><span style="text-align: left;">osthumously awarded the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1st Class). A film of her life was released in 2017, called simply “Milada”. Since 2004 the Czech Republic has used the date of her execution as “Commemoration Day for the Victims of the Communist Regime” across the whole country. </span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qxGOU4L0uk9VtvGx4nyEA5_l2TJU-lUWTFKxQQuzdPsRu4mAhAPGVOJypgewyC0mhVVZ_UfwUIqKAWfTUyW1uQcHDcxT2jD0bfoO3HSrczgJ8pprpQoqDlXglUXNK5zX0YmG2O9mXXY/s800/Monument-30+Dec+2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qxGOU4L0uk9VtvGx4nyEA5_l2TJU-lUWTFKxQQuzdPsRu4mAhAPGVOJypgewyC0mhVVZ_UfwUIqKAWfTUyW1uQcHDcxT2jD0bfoO3HSrczgJ8pprpQoqDlXglUXNK5zX0YmG2O9mXXY/s320/Monument-30+Dec+2020.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small monument was also built in Pětikostelní square<br />near the Czech parliament building in 2018</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><p style="text-align: left;">In her final letter to her daughter Jana, on the eve of her execution, Milada wrote: “Life is hard, it does not pamper anybody … but don’t let it defeat you. Decide to fight. Have courage and clear goals, and you will win over life”. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></div></div>Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-61418706590578560952020-05-08T22:45:00.001+02:002020-05-08T22:45:43.725+02:00Prague Lockdown - Loves and LoathesThey say that you can never really know a place until you’ve lived and worked there. I’ve now spent a very large part of the last six years living in Prague, and the last two months in a lockdown situation on my own. Not only do I feel reasonably comfortable saying that I know Prague, but I also feel fairly confident that what I thought I knew about myself has passed muster, and I haven’t had a problem living with myself during a fairly uncertain couple of months.<br />
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Of course, the uncertainly remains for the time being. There is no clear exit strategy for me to return home any time soon, and this could well have an impact on my state of mind as we get closer to the end of the year and my contract expires. My worst fear is being stuck in Prague without a contract and with nowhere to go. But it’s only just May and there’s plenty of time before December to try and formulate a plan.<br />
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I went for a little walk this morning; my back pain returned yesterday with a vengeance and I wanted to try and move around a bit to see if it would ease the problem. It did, thankfully, but as I walked around the still fairly deserted backstreets of the city decided it was time to make a list. I like lists and haven’t made a Prague oriented one for a long time. So here’s my list of lockdown likes and dislikes, starting with the latter…<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">1. I hate not being able to choose who I can socialise with</span></h4>
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The hardest thing about being anywhere away from home is the isolation from friends and family. But all successful ex-pats know that the key to remaining sane is building up a network of friends and acquaintances in your new environment. Over the years I’ve built up a small but amazing group of friends here - mostly locals, but a few ex-pats as well. They are either people I’ve met through work, music or bars. And when work, music venues and bars are all closed it becomes it a bit tough to socialise. And when you’re not allowed to socialise with anyone who doesn’t share your home it becomes downright impossible without breaking the law. I can live quite happily with my own company, but it is really hard living alone and not being allowed to see anyone else. I haven’t spoken to a real physical person in English for nearly eight weeks. I’ve only been able to use my limited Czech - although I did manage a conversation two days ago in a hardware shop - I spoke in my pidgin Czech and he replied in perfect English. Surreal!<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">2. I hate feeling guilty</span> </h4>
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Until the rules were recently relaxed we weren’t generally supposed to go out except for essentials like grocery shopping to trips to the doctor, chemist or hospital. A few days later a vague clarification (we’ve had lots of vague clarifications) declared that it was “allowed to exercise in parks or forests”. Luckily I’m just a two-minute walk from Letna park so I was able to abide by the rules and get some exercise minutes and miles notched up (and I confess to getting a bit creative on my journey to the park which occasionally involved going a few extra miles to relieve the monotony).<br />
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But reading some of the extraordinarily judgemental social media sites made me feel a little bit guilty even though I wasn’t doing anything wrong. There weren’t that many people around, I always wore my facemask and made sure I kept my distance. And there were plenty of people disregarding all the rules - especially cyclists and smokers. Whoever originally coined the offensive hashtag “stay the f*** at home” deserves their own little special corner of hell as far as I’m concerned.<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">3. I hate having to wear a face mask</span></h4>
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Society here is completely polarised on this one. I’ve read pretty much every reasoned argument on the pros and cons of face masks and I’ve come to the conclusion that they are a complete waste of time and in the worst-case scenario actually cause more health problems than they can ever solve. If a Covid-19 virus particle is 1/1000th the width of a human hair, then nothing much short of an astronaut’s helmet is going to stop it. 99.9% of the masks that people are using fall far short of the gauge of surgical masks used by medical professionals. Face masks actually provide a safe haven for virus particles to accumulate so that they come home with you and have plenty of time to wait for you to lick your fingers or rub your face after you’ve taken off the mask. I wear one because it’s the law, but that doesn’t mean the law is either right or sensible. Again, the judgemental arguments on social media are mind-blowingly stupid - and made up by people with no understanding of statistics, cause and effect or correlations, not to mention their own cognitive bias. Besides that, I hate my glasses steaming up...<br />
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There are plenty more things I dislike about this lockdown, but there are short term workarounds for most of them - I would prefer to drink socially rather than on my own, I’d like to get back into the office to stock up on office supplies since it’s a struggle to buy them, and I really dislike the judgemental attitudes, almost always by ex-pats of a certain age and demographic and from all over the world, but to be honest, that was the same even before this crisis, and the answer is easy - stop reading them or just be amused by how stupid people are! But there are some good things that have come about - it’s not all doom and gloom!<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">1. I love the way this community has just got on with life</span></h4>
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Czech people are very resilient which is hardly surprising given their history, especially in the last century. I’ve not witnessed panic buying, I’ve hardly seen any queues in supermarkets, and I’ve not noticed any shortages - in fact, I’ve seen new varieties of certain staples. I have seen people ignoring the lockdown rules but they are in a tiny minority. Most people seem to understand that although the situation is pretty shitty, most of the things being done are at least being done to protect them not constrain them. And credit to the government for acting quickly and decisively. It’s not been perfect, but the statistics here indicate their actions certainly helped keep the initial spread under control. People are respectful and polite when you see them, and most respect the social distancing rules. I still maintain that I’m better off here than in the UK even though I’d much rather be with my family<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">2. I love being able to see Prague without the hordes</span></h4>
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Being ’stranded’ here has given me an incredible opportunity to see the city in the most natural state it has been in since the tourist explosion go out of control. Seeing the landmarks and streets in their deserted state has been a privilege and has made me even more in love with the place. Already those opportunities are disappearing as life starts to return to some kind of normality and out oft owners are beginning to visit their capital city; some for the first time. And that’s OK and proper that they should get the chance to see their heritage in the same way that I’ve been fortunate enough to witness.<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">3. I love being able to take pleasure in the simplest things</span></h4>
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I’ve lived here, on and off, for most of the last six years. A couple of weeks ago I heard the bells of St Vitus while I was walking along the embankment on the opposite side of the Vltava; something I had never heard before because the noise of the traffic and people usually drown them out. I saw a huge hare on the slopes of Letna park, two days running, taking advantage of the lack of people and dogs to sunbathe on the trail leading up to the plateau. I’ve seen a Nuthatch and a Greater Spotted Woodpecker on the plateau itself. It was a joy to watch little kids being able to feed the pigeons in the old town square without their parents worrying about losing them in the crowds.<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;">4. I love that I’ve finally found the time to start to learn Czech</span></h4>
I tend to really busy with work while I’m living here and by the time I get home from the office, caught up with my extramural work activities, gone for a beer, cooked, eaten, cleaned up and had my daily video call with Mel it’s not usually long before I need to hit the sack. But with the working from home regulations and the pubs being closed, there’s a little bit of extra time and some language schools were offering on-line courses to learn Czech, so I jumped at the chance. I have a lesson every Saturday which lasts three hours and I try and spend some time in the evenings (not too successfully I confess) to do some extra learning and homework. It’s slow and hard, and wish I’d done it a couple of years ago. As an old dog, it is difficult to learn new tricks, especially this language, but I’m going to persevere and at least be able to speak some Czech, even if I won’t have clue what they’re saying back to me!<br />
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Hezký den! - enjoy your day! Stay safe, stay sane and may all your lockdowns be short.<br />
<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-2175157274102289012020-04-14T22:18:00.000+02:002020-04-20T11:51:31.373+02:00Lockdown Behind the Velvet CurtainI first started this blog over six years ago and this is entry number 68. Regular readers (if there are any) will be aware that I’ve been a bit quiet since January 2019. In March last year, I returned to Prague to take on a new role and I’ve been here ever since. It's a little bit weird, but I tend to be so busy while I’m living here that the blog tends not to get much attention. But everything has changed now and I have a bit of time to continue the story.<br />
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In November last year, I received my temporary residence permit. The idea was to try and protect myself from the uncertainties surrounding Brexit but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that small piece of paper that is allowing me to remain in the Czech Republic, and conversely, that is preventing me from going back to the UK. Strictly speaking, if there was a way to get back I could go home, but I wouldn’t then be allowed back here.<br />
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I went home at the beginning of March to celebrate Mel’s birthday and to visit my mother who is currently in a nursing home in London suffering from vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s. Word of coronavirus was out but it still seemed a long way away, and I don’t think any of us had any expectations of what was to come.<br />
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I returned to Prague on Match 9th with some extra treats (bottle of HP sauce, crumpets, Fry’s Turkish Delight, Rowntree’s fruit pastilles, etc.) and some summer clothes. By then, there were 10,000 worldwide cases and 3,400 deaths. Italy went into a lockdown that very day and in the Czech Republic, the first measures began to be implemented with random border checks, and mandatory self-isolation for anyone coming into contact with a confirmed patient.<br />
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On March 10th, public events in the Czech Republic were banned, and my concert season came to an abrupt end. Anyone returning from one of a number of listed countries had to go into 14-day quarantine - the UK wasn’t on the initial list. The next day schools and universities were closed and the WHO declared the global pandemic.<br />
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On March 12th the Czech Republic declared a state of emergency starting at midnight. Things were getting serious and basically, the borders were closed to foreigners coming in and Czech people, including foreigners with residency permits, banned from leaving. Pubs and restaurants were only allowed to open between 6am and 8pm. Shops and malls over 5,000 sq. m were closed along with sports facilities, and gatherings were reduced to 30 people.<br />
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By Saturday 14th there were 141 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country. The lockdown gathered momentum as bars and restaurants, markets, public events and pretty much all non-essential services were closed down.<br />
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A full nationwide quarantine went into effect on Monday 16th, March. This now meant that we could only travel to work, go shopping, family visits and do limited exercising in the parks or the countryside. The two-metre social distancing rule took effect. A large number of internal economic measures were also being introduced. By Thursday it became mandatory to wear some kind of face-covering whenever in public with a £650 fine for non-compliance.<br />
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The law prevents some of these measures from being put into place for more than short periods. Initially, they were put in place until April 11th but have now been extended, along with the state of emergency until April 30th.<br />
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As I write this, there is some talk of minor relaxations after Easter but nothing significant at this stage. There have been 6022 confirmed cases, 143 deaths and 128K people have been tested. 519 people have recovered and the R0 number is declining and currently stands at 0.9. It would appear that the measures have been helpful in at least preventing overwhelming medical facilities.<br />
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It is a rather surreal situation to be in. The city, which last year hosted over 8M visitors, is empty. Most people have accepted the situation with good grace and humour. There has been no sign of panic buying, at least not in the city, no shortages and no queues. For the first time in my life, I have to carry my papers around with me just in case I get stopped by the police.<br />
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My apartment is just a few hundred metres across the river from Letna park, so I’m able to get out and get a really good dose of fresh air and I’m managing to walk about 5 miles a day. Everyone at work is now working from home, and I’m lucky to be really busy during the day. I have a video call with Mel every night and sometimes in the morning, and my internet connection is usually good enough to be able to get access to UK TV on demand. I’m finally learning Czech through an on-line school. I do miss physical contact with my friends. We’ve had a few virtual beers and drinks which helps, but I’m worried about my mum and whether she understands what’s happening.<br />
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I occasionally wonder if I should have tried to get home before everything kicked off, especially as I’m unlikely to be able to return until June at the very earliest. But this isn’t like the fall of Saigon and I’m probably safer here than in the UK! And this is a unique opportunity to see my beloved Prague in its natural glory, without the hoards of people. I just wish I could sit down in my favourite restaurant and have a few beers with my friends and eat something that someone else has cooked for me! Until then...<br />
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Stay safe, stay well and stay sane!</div>
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-27646940350221975132019-01-22T15:42:00.003+01:002019-01-22T15:42:25.268+01:00Prague In Plain Sight #6 - The Royal Gardens (Královská zahrada)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you take the 22 tram up towards Prague Castle from the centre of town (the most popular way to go) and disembark at the Pražský hrad stop, it is very easy to head straight through the security point and head directly towards the castle buildings via the Powder Bridge. But in doing so, you're likely to miss out on the Royal Gardens, described by some as the most historically valuable of the castle gardens. </div>
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Founded in 1534 by Ferdinand I, who acquired the land which was originally a mediaeval vineyard, the original gardens were inspired by Renaissance designs from Italy. From the very early days, the gardens were planted with exotic botanical specimens from all over the world. The current designs are based on ideas from 19th-century English parks.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlellCnOfnJOabShM08wbwc6bCVqrTx32xcvz_XQ5kzYJLpfzQLaxlVn8cvZwatx9v7JgOil2bs0dbX2_phAOR8gsS4Jq14TmniimhfX1zi9UIacOng0ntfz7vREIFyPvVdcDhrXdipk/s1600/DSCN0721.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlellCnOfnJOabShM08wbwc6bCVqrTx32xcvz_XQ5kzYJLpfzQLaxlVn8cvZwatx9v7JgOil2bs0dbX2_phAOR8gsS4Jq14TmniimhfX1zi9UIacOng0ntfz7vREIFyPvVdcDhrXdipk/s320/DSCN0721.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hercules Fountain</td></tr>
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The buildings in the gardens were all built for the express purpose of the pursuit of leisure for the nobility rather than for any functional end. The most exquisite of these is the Ball Game Hall (Míčovna) which is covered in beautiful frescos. Built between 1567 and 1569 by the architects Bonifác Wohlmuth and Oldřich Aostalis, on the south side of the gardens, directly above the Stag Moat, the hall has also served as a riding school and stables and during the reign of Josef II, it was used as a military storage facility.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the archways on the Ball Game Hall originally open to the outside</td></tr>
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The frescos represent the personification of four elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), seven main virtues (Forethought, Restraint, Mercy, Hope, Justice, Bravery, Faithfulness), and eight free arts (Theology, Astronomy, Geometry, Music, Arithmetics, Rhetorics, Dialectics, Grammar). In the 1950s an emblem of a Five-Year Plan with a sickle and a hammer were added in the third arch on the left as an allegory of industry and agriculture. (This is the only preserved feature of social realism within the Prague Castle premises).</div>
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The hall was burnt down following fighting in May 1945 but the designs were painstakingly restored, first in 1952, and then further between 1971 and 1973.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vvYtwkLI20luqdBKzEuC8FGDDlfLmbAyHo-oQDn9CBwlQ7HONZozsDGRGgfO2jfxY0I8wbX1c6unirAcJXt7CIr_vOgApFow3922KqBQph9hU92dqgkTPg846xWU3wFJyvAQY6WvW8Q/s1600/DSCN0723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vvYtwkLI20luqdBKzEuC8FGDDlfLmbAyHo-oQDn9CBwlQ7HONZozsDGRGgfO2jfxY0I8wbX1c6unirAcJXt7CIr_vOgApFow3922KqBQph9hU92dqgkTPg846xWU3wFJyvAQY6WvW8Q/s320/DSCN0723.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fresco representing faith</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUED9vyel2k-7aUU_f1Wy3Qbpb1ze511BfLIUhPy56qRhZ2d_FJeu1jRTgCLLpXt1ayPQ8-qer4O62RIr49F1BXDtHsefJRBsa663K6fskjXI9K56kz7SkJhVmXX6x7EWu6dcgsST9UC8/s1600/DSCN0724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUED9vyel2k-7aUU_f1Wy3Qbpb1ze511BfLIUhPy56qRhZ2d_FJeu1jRTgCLLpXt1ayPQ8-qer4O62RIr49F1BXDtHsefJRBsa663K6fskjXI9K56kz7SkJhVmXX6x7EWu6dcgsST9UC8/s320/DSCN0724.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and the art of Astronomy</td></tr>
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The other buildings in the Royal Gardens are the Summer Palace which stands behind the Singing Fountain, the Hercules Fountain, the Lion Court and the newest building, The Orangery.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back to the castle from the Royal Garden</td></tr>
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One of the best things about this particular garden is that it offers a completely different view of the castle complex from the one that is most familiar. Additionally, when I made my only visit here in 2016, it was possible to get down to the Stag Moat (Jelení příkop). This is a natural ravine from the Brusnice stream which takes its name from when deer were bred here in the 17th century. Later, even up until the 1960s bears were bred in the moat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSphqdZEElvFrjYtRBSCGcRXbOWomiDeS_grdQo9_88uttllc3zyNQDQ3_8E0TrUMKZfNLuKWsJRHrbEfsaTyABx_u64DobefFEALmYdEa2AEEaQ4F-5tWutpje2hQhfUPJiZhoD8y1vo/s1600/DSCN0735.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSphqdZEElvFrjYtRBSCGcRXbOWomiDeS_grdQo9_88uttllc3zyNQDQ3_8E0TrUMKZfNLuKWsJRHrbEfsaTyABx_u64DobefFEALmYdEa2AEEaQ4F-5tWutpje2hQhfUPJiZhoD8y1vo/s320/DSCN0735.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down into the Stag Moat<div style="text-align: left;">
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In 2018, access to the Stag Moat was restricted "for technical reasons", but there has been increased security around the area so I do wonder if this is the real reason behind the restricition.<br />
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Unfortunately, the Royal Gardens are also only open during the extended summer season from April until October, but when they are open, entry is free. If you've enjoyed this, I've written about other gardens associated with the castle <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/06/hidden-prague-4-palace-gardens-under.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-27992563252654941432018-12-30T00:12:00.004+01:002018-12-30T00:12:33.305+01:00Queen Libuše - People In Prague #3I've written a little about the old citadel of Vyšehrad and Queen Libuše in a previous <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/08/prague-landmarks-9-vysehrad.html" target="_blank">post</a>. As a lifelong fan of mythology and legend, I was immediately drawn to the tale of how Prague became the city it is now, and it's only fitting to revisit Libuše's story as part of the People of Prague series. It's also an opportunity to showcase some new photos that I took in the summer!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Libuše and Přemysl<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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The statue shown in these photographs is of Libuše and her peasant husband, Přemysl, and is one of four great statues in the grounds of the Vyšehrad fort, sculpted by Josef Myslbek in the late 1890s. Originally they were situated at the four corners of Palacky Bridge but were badly damaged in 1944 during a US bombing raid over southern Prague. The original was too badly damaged to be retained and this is a copy. <br />
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According to legend, Libuše was one of the three daughters of old king Krok. She was the wisest of the three sisters. Her sister Kazi was a healer, Teta was a magician, but Libuše had the gift of prophecy, and was chosen by her father as his successor, to judge over the people.<br />
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Although regarded as a wise and just leader, Libuše was unmarried which was a problem in a largely male-dominated society. To appease the tribe, she agreed to take a husband but was in love with a peasant ploughman. In order to marry the man she desired, she told of a vision in which she saw the man she would marry eating from an iron table, wearing a broken sandal, and her horse would be able to lead her to this man. The animal was duly dispatched where it came across the ploughman called ‘Přemysl’ (his name means thoughtful, or studious). He was brought back to Vyšehrad and became the father of the great Přemyslid dynasty.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Libuše and Přemysl</td></tr>
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Inspired by her prophetic success, Libuše went into a further trance. This time her horse took her in a quite different direction, towards the area where Prague Castle now stands. ‘Go until you reach a man making a lintel for his house’, the vision had said, ‘and there you will found a city whose fame will reach the stars.’ She did, and she named it ‘Prah’, the old Czech word for a lintel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Libuše</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Přemysl</td></tr>
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Legend aside, the Přemyslid dynasty ruled Bohemia from the 8th century- the first historical Přemyslid was Duke Bořivoj I, baptised in 874 by Saint Methodius - until 1306.<br />
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Queen Libuše features in many Czech literary, musical and dramatic works, including the opera by Smetana and 'Pole a palisáda', a novel by Miloš Urban. The minor planet 264 Libussa is named for her.<br />
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For reference the other sculptures in the vicinity of the statue of Libuše and Přemysl in Vysehrad are:<br />
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<li>the allegorical couple, ‘Lumír and Piseň’ — singer and muse. </li>
<li>Ctirad and Šárka, characters from the 7th-century War of the Maidens</li>
<li>Záboj and Slavoj, the brothers who lead the rebellion against the invasion of Charlemagne and allegedly led the victorious battle in 805</li>
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-38000483776963382082018-11-18T16:50:00.002+01:002018-11-18T16:53:29.099+01:00Prague In Plain Sight #5 - The Wallenstein GardensThere is a myriad of palaces and gardens on the Malá Strana side of the Vltava. I’ve written about a few of them including the <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/06/hidden-prague-4-palace-gardens-under.html" target="_blank">Palace Gardens</a> and <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/04/hidden-prague-1-vojanovy-sady.html" target="_blank">Vojanovy sady</a>.<br />
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I’d read about the Wallenstein Gardens (Valdštejnská zahrada) but it took me a while to find out where the physical entrance was. As is often the case in Prague, I’d walked past the entrance dozens of times without realising that the doorway set in the long whitewashed wall running the length of Letenská was the portal to the secret garden. It didn’t help that the gardens are only open between April and October, which meant I had to wait for six months before the door was open!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wallenstein Palace in Malá Strana</td></tr>
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Covering over 4 acres (1.7 hectares) the Wallenstein Garden and Palace complex lies sandwiched between Letenská and Valdštejnská, in the heart of the government district of Prague. It was built by Albrecht of Valdstejn between 1623 and 1630. The general was one of the most influential Catholic commanders in the imperial army of Ferdinand II and was the Commander-in-Chief during the Thirty Years War. Ultimately, Ferdinand had him assassinated in 1634, so he only lived in his palace for a year. However, it remained in the Wallenstein family until 1945. Following the war, it became the property of the Czech state, and now houses the Senate of the Czech Republic.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sala Terrana hosts concerts and plays</td></tr>
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The palace complex was designed to rival Prague Castle and consists of four main courtyards, a period garden, a riding school, an aviary, a grotto, a pavilion overlooking a fountain and lake, and an Avenue of sculptures.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down the mythological corridor</td></tr>
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These sculptures and frescos which adorn the palace and garden buildings are all based on mythological stories and beings, but many of them include depictions of the Duke himself, giving us an indication of his vanity, and why Ferdinand II considered him a threat to his own reign.<br />
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The Sala Terrena is used for plays and concerts and shows scenes from the Trojan War. Next to this is the artificial grotto, comprising lime stucco stalactites built using roof ridge tiles.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grotto</td></tr>
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A nearby, small fountain is a copy of a bronze original of Venus with Cupid and a dolphin, which was taken by the Swedish Army as war booty in 1648. The same fate met the statues of the mythological avenue, created in 1625-26. These are now copies also, as the originals are still located in Castle Drootningholm in Sweden. The main fountain is a sculpture of Hercules with the Nayades (river nymphs), and the pond in which it stands was used for experiments with a steamship in 1816.<br />
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As I mentioned, the gardens are closed during the winter, but if you’re in Prague between late spring and autumn the Wallenstein gardens should be near the top of your bucket list. Aim to go earlier in the morning, as the gardens are popular with large, organised groups and it's best to appreciate the splendour of the surroundings in relative peace and quiet, and easier to take photos of the statues (and the white peacocks) before small children start climbing all over them!<br />
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Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-87322102435422221742018-11-09T18:09:00.005+01:002018-11-10T11:27:19.147+01:00Wining and Dining in Prague - A Veritable Smörgåsbord (Part 1)Before the purists start having a go, I'm using the term Smörgåsbord in a literary sense here - namely to describe a wide range of delicious hot and cold food that should be enough to whet any appetite.<br />
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Prior to moving to Prague, one of my oldest memories from a previous business trip to the city in 2000 was going to a restaurant with my colleagues and ordering a three meat roast. When the meal arrived, I nearly suffered from a protein overdose by merely looking at it (no photos sadly, long before we had cameras on phones!). The dish consisted of a wooden platter with three huge slabs of meat - beef, pork and mutton - beautifully cooked - but each one would have been enough for two or three people, never mind all three for one person. There wasn't a vegetable in sight! Even now, I still joke to people that the Czech concept of a vegetarian dish is a smaller plate of meat.<br />
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Times were changing even in 2000 as the Czech Republic was casting off its shackles of communist rule. Today the city hosts restaurants serving food from every corner of the globe whilst not losing sight of one of the main values of Czech cuisine - big portions and small prices. I've eaten in Afghan, Argentinian, Brazilian, Belgian, Chinese, Indian, and Thai restaurants, and I know of Lebanese, Greek, Turkish, and Spanish places that come highly recommended.<br />
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I can't speak for the rest of the country, but Prague has come a long way from the days of food shortages and a dearth of vegetables. Supermarkets and farmer's markets like the ones at Náplavka and Jiřího z Poděbrad have fruit and vegetable stalls with an abundance of familiar and exotic ingredients. I have travelled all around the world and consider myself well versed in epicurean matters, but I regularly find strange looking fruit and veg that I've never come across before. I suspect much of this is due to the influence of the Vietnamese who were invited to settle in the country during the communist era.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No shortage of fruit and veg these days - and the dog isn't on the menu </td></tr>
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But all this talk of foreign food is a red herring (so to speak) because I really wanted to write about some of my favourite local specialities, which I have grown to love and even try and reproduce when I'm back in the UK (to varying degrees of success).<br />
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As a visitor to Prague, your first experience of Czech food should be in a proper ‘hospoda’ or pub, rather than a fancy restaurant. After all, when in Rome… This way you’ll get to see a typical selection of classic Czech dishes while you’re enjoying a glass of beer. Not only that, but you’ll get a great meal at a bargain price - as long as you haven’t gone to one of the places in the heart of the main tourist areas (find somewhere a few hundred metres down a back street!). Most places will have menus in English and the translations can be quite amusing, but don’t take them literally. Whippet cream on your strudel does not originate in the genital tract of a racing dog! You may be put off by some of the names of dishes - pork cheek or knee may not sound too enticing to sensitive UK but do not miss out just because it’s not a cut of meat we’d often use at home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wGYHXRImkdrw9-fs3VBJOuLllyy8vbsAcmYriOttswzaNSGlp6cvyQeLOlgwgb2jJFVBUuMeAO7MhnCam5ZdkJA9-I8o9Z0M6rbd9RMUAE7L30QqoYh4n4jCsODOuxMrGAMZX6InpVw/s1600/whippet_9+Nov+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wGYHXRImkdrw9-fs3VBJOuLllyy8vbsAcmYriOttswzaNSGlp6cvyQeLOlgwgb2jJFVBUuMeAO7MhnCam5ZdkJA9-I8o9Z0M6rbd9RMUAE7L30QqoYh4n4jCsODOuxMrGAMZX6InpVw/s320/whippet_9+Nov+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whippet cream anyone?</td></tr>
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Look around you, and you’ll see quite a lot of people eating goulash (Hovezí guláš) a rich, heart beef stew with a distinctive red tint from the most essential ingredient, spicy paprika. It may be served as a soup, with bread dumplings, or in a hollowed out bread loaf. Goulash is usually thought of as a Hungarian dish, but is common across Central Europe, each country having its own slight variation. The main Czech differentiator is the use of marjoram and caraway seeds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade goulash back in the UK (with potato pancakes)</td></tr>
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Bread dumplings (knedlíky) and potato dumplings (bramborové knedlíky) are Czech staples and are great for mopping up the delicious sauces (and soaking up the beer). I’ve made both at home, and while the end results were more than satisfactory, there was an awful lot of mess in the kitchen by the time I’d finished. I suspect most of my Czech friends can make these with their eyes closed.<br />
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Potato dumplings are a traditional accompaniment for another Czech classic, Roast Duck (pečená kachna), usually also served with braised red cabbage or sauerkraut. The duck is slowly roasted and the end result is a crispy, spicy and herby skin hiding beautifully moist and succulent meat underneath. There are places in the city specialising in duck, and as you walk in you can see a huge spit roaster with dozens of birds being cooked at a time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gBH9FWKp0rzJPK4qIMA4pTshbQK0YlOm3TgbZXAXRwppjCaZL03IBL23miEbzu65vFfVWX6RdUXhCAF-fxlqWhwCWtQZi0J5cnOGZdHZEE330kDAQZTgWGVegJvRYfvtxKB3AkUmReE/s1600/duck4_9+Nov+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gBH9FWKp0rzJPK4qIMA4pTshbQK0YlOm3TgbZXAXRwppjCaZL03IBL23miEbzu65vFfVWX6RdUXhCAF-fxlqWhwCWtQZi0J5cnOGZdHZEE330kDAQZTgWGVegJvRYfvtxKB3AkUmReE/s400/duck4_9+Nov+2018.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious roast duck at a specialist duck pub</td></tr>
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I mentioned earlier some of the pork cuts that are often used in Czech cooking - knee and knuckle being prime examples. Roast pork knuckle (Pečene vepřové koleno) cooked in dark Czech beer may not sound too appetising but it is a sensational dish. The meat is marinated overnight with garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika and caraway rubbed into the skin and then basted with dark beer, allspice and bay leaves before being roasted. These joints can be a little fatty for some people, but the taste is sublime, and the meat falls off the bone and melts in your mouth. The dish is often served on a huge wooden platter, and I never fail to be amused at the look on people’s faces when they see a waiter carrying this enormous serving to the table. It's usually accompanied with some pickled green chilli, mustard and horseradish and chunks of homemade bread. As an aside, horseradish is not reserved for use with roast beef like it is in the UK. You can expect to find it served with beef, pork and sausages, usually freshly grated with a little cream, and packing quite a punch!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis81ugpR7qJjVg0tVIljde_l9-wly3Ns8CKc6zUO3AvCI7MUvMkaKcnSBfPL8mSI1LlwjJuIqpqWRztO_vzFR2vYkWJP7pBV_rU6vzAYYyxfeVKdkzLEizOJqR85BHxU_R6IvATSTPvPE/s1600/pork+knee_23+Mar+2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis81ugpR7qJjVg0tVIljde_l9-wly3Ns8CKc6zUO3AvCI7MUvMkaKcnSBfPL8mSI1LlwjJuIqpqWRztO_vzFR2vYkWJP7pBV_rU6vzAYYyxfeVKdkzLEizOJqR85BHxU_R6IvATSTPvPE/s320/pork+knee_23+Mar+2017.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork knee in dark beer - a modest serving this time</td></tr>
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In a later post I'll carry on with some other classic Czech dishes, including some of the more esoteric pub snacks you may encounter.<br />
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Dobrou chut! (Bon appétit).<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-33523959765734791582018-10-19T17:32:00.001+02:002018-10-19T17:32:14.988+02:00Parks and Recreation - Havlíčkovy sadyIn keeping with all the other dichotomies that make Prague such a wonderful place to live and work, the amount of green space in the city means you don't have to go far to find a peaceful park or garden to relax in and get out of the madness of the hubbub. According to the city tourist board, green space accounts for over 20% of the city area. Many of these places are obvious, like the Letná plateau hanging over the city like a backdrop in a theatre or <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/01/prague-landmarks-3-vitkov-hill.html" target="_blank">Vítkov hill</a>. Others need to be sought out, like <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/04/hidden-prague-1-vojanovy-sady.html" target="_blank">Vojanuvy sady</a> and the <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/04/hidden-prague-4-franciscan-gardens.html" target="_blank">Franciscan gardens</a>.<br />
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Some of the best green places involve leaving the confines of the Old Town and heading a little further afield. I've written about <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/08/prague-landmarks-9-vysehrad.html" target="_blank">Vysehrad</a> previously, but in this post, I wanted to write about the first park in Prague that I visited, almost four years ago to the day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the Pavilion (with my friend Elena)</td></tr>
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Having just moved to Prague, I wanted to find somewhere I could go running directly from my flat in Vinohrady, preferably somewhere that didn't involve too much pavement pounding. According to the map, there was a massive park just a couple of hundred yards from my flat, called Havlíčkovy sady (Havlicek Park). So, on my first newbie Sunday, I wandered off in the early chill of an October morning to investigate. There were a few dog walkers around, but the park was mostly empty apart from dozens of red squirrels hiding their stashes ready for the winter. This part of the park was wooded but with plenty of light breaking through the sparse canopy. The paths were wide and well maintained and it was a pleasant walk until suddenly the path appeared to go over a cliff!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the grotto looking out on the park</td></tr>
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Havlíčkovy sady (also known as Grébovka) spans the neighbourhoods of Vinohrady, Vršovice and Nusle. It covers nearly thirty acres (11 ha) of which just over four acres (1.7 h) are vineyards. These vineyards date back to the thirteenth century and give their name to the nearby area now known as Vinohrady. Over the next six hundred years, the vineyards changed hands many times and were owned by Benedictine monks, Jesuits, as well as private landowners. In 1870 the land was acquired by the industrialist Moritz Gröbe who built the Villa Gröbe.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQuyvO8mCwllZYMF5LRfibNzk00xYzQllP_XVeYFnA6B_iXSdJAjuj26qJLOhNSQ5GifsqgavBDxqUlgKU6Rlcu9fRWuiMGVYpKSKIF-mmplzk6qc58uZ1sp8FbQTGkXeQr6tWQ2BCLE/s1600/IMG_0313_19+Oct+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQuyvO8mCwllZYMF5LRfibNzk00xYzQllP_XVeYFnA6B_iXSdJAjuj26qJLOhNSQ5GifsqgavBDxqUlgKU6Rlcu9fRWuiMGVYpKSKIF-mmplzk6qc58uZ1sp8FbQTGkXeQr6tWQ2BCLE/s320/IMG_0313_19+Oct+2018.jpg" width="240" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROi6eSOUKK9QhMcqZ8lU9gxrW8gL76FXIk7FAEwEMFnOVuegati-P8ZzfXJYdv7toevtYrnmATGAzPby1rt_uzi3EnvEspklQgntxVgUGuIKXsDzDZa76n9qTbu6u9tGku225cSieW0U/s1600/IMG_0318_19+Oct+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROi6eSOUKK9QhMcqZ8lU9gxrW8gL76FXIk7FAEwEMFnOVuegati-P8ZzfXJYdv7toevtYrnmATGAzPby1rt_uzi3EnvEspklQgntxVgUGuIKXsDzDZa76n9qTbu6u9tGku225cSieW0U/s320/IMG_0318_19+Oct+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This was a monumental summer residence, designed in a neo-Renaissance style, and landscaped into an English style park. Other lavish and self-indulgent features were added for the entertainment of the family and their guests, including an artificial grotto, a casino with a shooting range, a bowling alley, and chess tables. Gröbe also restored the original vineyards and added an impressive gazebo – which is now protected as a monument. Gröbe’s heirs resented having to maintain the estate and they sold the house and land to the Vinohrady municipality, which opened the park to the public at the beginning of the 20th century, under the name “Havlíčkovy sady”.<br />
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The park features over 120 different species of domestic and foreign trees, and 25 species of bird, including 12 which nest in the park. The grotto was constructed by creating artificial rocks from bricks, mortar and cement to resemble stalactites. An observation deck was created and underneath, a fountain and pond, adorned with a statue of Neptune. During the 1970's the area became a shelter for the homeless, drug addicts and underage drinkers and fencing with barbed wire was erected. In 2010 the grotto underwent major reconstruction.<br />
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The vineyard still operates on a small commercial basis, producing about 4000 litres of wine each year. The old casino, bowling alley and parts of the pavilion are used for special events, and the gazebo is now a small cafe where you can drink the wine and look out over the vineyards where it originated. And a rather splendid little wine it is!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A splendid little wine! Na zdraví</td></tr>
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As for my running - I never did run in Havlíčkovy sady. Going down the steep slopes was one thing but going back up them again wasn't for me! In fact, it was another year before I ran in Prague for anything other than a tram!<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-41791970112978431252018-10-06T20:08:00.001+02:002018-10-23T17:10:58.866+02:00Music Maestro, Part 3 (Finale) - People In Prague #2<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My first two posts in this Music Maestro series were about native Bohemians; <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2018/09/music-maestro-part-1-people-in-prague-2.html" target="_blank">Bedřich Smetana</a> and <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2018/09/music-maestro-part-2-people-in-prague-2.html" target="_blank">Antonín Dvořák</a> who were both inspired by the history, culture and beauty of their native lands as well as their national heritage in periods of considerable change and instability. My third choice, <b>Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</b>, is inextricably linked with the city of Prague, despite having spent less than a few months staying in the city, and then only for brief periods on each of his five visits. </div>
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Mozart first visited Prague in January 1787 and stayed for about six weeks. His music preceded him, with his opera, The Marriage Of Figaro, having been produced in Prague to roaring acclaim the previous year, 1786, after premiering in Vienna. The production was such a success that the orchestra and several well-off music aficionados funding a visit by the composer to witness it for himself. During this visit, the ‘Prague’ symphony was first performed for his benefit and in the same concert he improvised a piano solo and later claimed that he “counted this day as one of the happiest of his life”. As a direct consequence of the adulation shown to him, his second opera was commissioned by the impresario Bondini.<br />
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This second opera, Don Giovanni, was completed in Prague on his second visit. He arrived on October 4, 1787, to supervise the production which was due to take place at the Estates Theatre on October 15 but was delayed until the 29th. Again, it was received to rapturous applause and was the talk of the town.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Estates Theatre on Železná</td></tr>
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Mozart passed through Prague in April 1789 on a trip to Berlin, and on his way back to Vienna in May the same year when he may have stayed for a few days.<br />
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His final trip to the city was in September 1791 for the coronation of Leopold II as King of Bohemia. Mozart had written ‘La clemenza di Tito’ for the festivities. He stayed for three weeks between 28 August and the middle of September, but on this occasion played second fiddle to the Imperial Court. He was 35 years old, and he died later the same year in December.<br />
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The outpouring of grief on his passing far outweighed that shown in any other European city. In Vienna, he was laid to rest without much pomp or ceremony, in Prague over four thousand people attended his first memorial at St Nicholas’ Church in the Lesser Town. Over one hundred musicians offered their service free of charge to play the Requiem mass. In the following years, citizens of Prague took it upon themselves to provide for Mozart’s widow and children, by helping organise concerts in his memory.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Cloak of Conscience' Inspired by Don Giovanni</td></tr>
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Today, the Estates Theatre still proudly displays its association with Mozart and the inaugural performance of Don Giovanni, and many other places claim their association with the composer, including Strahov Monastery and The Klementinum, both claiming that Mozart played the organ in their chapels.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyM_HibZh9VJI7noRex8wwBx5OnPxks2NRBCj4zayYJ7DUJZbhcP-QFab88n7f4p9KEkWEwdlxUXs0P0n0xvcMg3O9T5nMbyTUAD7RTVTvFHGkEaHEjfl_JPOevfRC2tV4o1dqyepMbQ/s1600/IMG_1231_6+Oct+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyM_HibZh9VJI7noRex8wwBx5OnPxks2NRBCj4zayYJ7DUJZbhcP-QFab88n7f4p9KEkWEwdlxUXs0P0n0xvcMg3O9T5nMbyTUAD7RTVTvFHGkEaHEjfl_JPOevfRC2tV4o1dqyepMbQ/s200/IMG_1231_6+Oct+2018.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mirror Chapel in the Klementinum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5jsVTI-Dg3Ed2Pe6NvQhxsR0JEzdVAbpdj3Mm9KGk5CWuAlTeZ5qj63beqx30EKa-Ei6013m1Q_AHmiTBOc10dR4sHfjm5OXTYCQk-YXIk03OXx2e-91MuUS9ggLePeXOASkOPVydsY/s1600/IMG_1230_6+Oct+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="192" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5jsVTI-Dg3Ed2Pe6NvQhxsR0JEzdVAbpdj3Mm9KGk5CWuAlTeZ5qj63beqx30EKa-Ei6013m1Q_AHmiTBOc10dR4sHfjm5OXTYCQk-YXIk03OXx2e-91MuUS9ggLePeXOASkOPVydsY/s200/IMG_1230_6+Oct+2018.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">where Mozart played the organ</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Though his association with Prague was brief and infrequent, Mozart is best remembered for his (alleged) quotation after the successful premiere of Don Giovanni - “My Praguers understand me"</span></div>
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Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-76778009202354273922018-09-21T15:18:00.000+02:002018-09-21T15:18:16.689+02:00Music Maestro, Part 2 - People In Prague #2In this continuation of my <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2018/09/music-maestro-part-1-people-in-prague-2.html" target="_blank">first Music Maestro post</a> about Bedřich Smetana, the second of my famous musicians associated with Prague is none other than <b>Antonín Dvořák, </b>who is best known in the UK for the music from the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mq59ykPnAE" target="_blank">Hovis bread advert </a>from 1973 (directed by Ridley Scott!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Dvořák in Jan Palach Square opposite the Rudolfinum</td></tr>
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Born on 8th September 1841 in Nelahozeves, about 35km north of Prague, Dvořák was the eldest of fourteen children, although only eight of the children survived infancy. He was taught to play the violin at primary school and at the age of thirteen, was sent to live with his uncle in Zlonice, to learn German. Here he also studied organ, piano and continued to learn the violin as well as music theory.<br />
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In 1857, Dvořák travelled to Prague to enrol in the Organ School where he also joined various bands and orchestras as a minor violinist. He left the school in 1859, second in his class. One of the orchestras he joined was taken on as part of the Provisional Theatre orchestra where Dvořák played viola starting in 1862. That same year he began writing his first string quartet.<br />
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In 1873, he married Anna Čermáková, with whom he had nine children but three died in infancy. Between 1860 and 1870, he wrote a number of pieces, many of which he destroyed (including his first symphonic efforts), and very few of which received much in the way of public performances or critical recognition. Some of these pieces were not premiered until a century after they were written - the third string quartet first premiered in 1969, and his first opera, Alfred, was not performed in full until 1938.<br />
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Dvořák's work began to get traction in Prague in 1873 when his Piano Quintet in A major (Op.5) became his first composition played in a concert. His cantata, The Heirs of the White Mountain, was regarded as 'an unqualified success', but he remained largely unknown outside of Prague. However, at the age of 33, he applied for and won the Austrian State Prize for composition in 1875. He submitted fifteen compositions, including his third and fourth symphonies. Among the jurors for the award was Johannes Brahms.<br />
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He entered for the prize again in 1875, 1876, and 1877, winning in both 76 and 77. Once again, Brahms had been part of the jury and he offered to help make Dvořák's work get wider recognition beyond the Bohemian region, and in due course, his music began to be performed in Germany, Britain, France and the US. His music was not so well received closer to home, in Austria, where he fell victim to an under-current of anti-Czech feeling.<br />
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In the 1880's Dvořák's work became extremely well-received in England and the US, visiting Britain at least eight times. In 1892 he became the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York, on a salary of $15,000. Not bad for a musician, who prior to being married, had to live with five other musicians, and who didn't own a piano before 1875. During his time in New York, he began to engage with African-American and Native American music, and in 1893, he was commisioned by the New York Philharmonic to write his Symphony No.9 - 'From the New World' to worldwide acclaim.<br />
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After three years in New York, Dvořák was becoming increasingly homesick and returned to Prague to resume his professorship at the Conservatory. He continued to compose, focusing mainly on opera and chamber music. His association with Brahms continued also, and the Austrian tried in vain to persuade him to go and live in Vienna, offering his entire fortune. The Czech remained resolutely in Prague but visited his mentor on his deathbed in April 1897.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjw20jnS4kV7BNR30Ln0Y8ApMU_w1dnKgfysnl5v01pgf5uaA76zBqoDe82C8m6RXa4po-eeVrRDOWT7PAUWjZUpl9Li1K7oQ6shHYae9vFqUA_41o93FxOJ9aQeJATBz5LMNaURjf2w/s1600/DSC_0092_21+Sep+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjw20jnS4kV7BNR30Ln0Y8ApMU_w1dnKgfysnl5v01pgf5uaA76zBqoDe82C8m6RXa4po-eeVrRDOWT7PAUWjZUpl9Li1K7oQ6shHYae9vFqUA_41o93FxOJ9aQeJATBz5LMNaURjf2w/s400/DSC_0092_21+Sep+2018.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dvořák's grave in Vyšehrad Cemetery</td></tr>
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In 1901, Dvořák was made a member of the Austro-Hungarian House of Lords by Emperor Franz Joseph I, but in April 1904 he contracted influenza and died, aged 62, on May 1st 1904. He left many unfinished works behind. He is buried in Vyšehrad cemetery.<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-58611677725055910492018-09-10T16:38:00.001+02:002018-09-10T16:38:47.597+02:00Music Maestro, Part 1 - People In Prague #2Continuing my theme of People In Prague, I've chosen three famous musicians associated with the city. Two of the three composers are natives of the Czech Republic, the third was a visitor who has been adopted by the city despite only having visited five times and spending less than a few months in Prague in total. I had intended to include them all in a single post, but their stories are too interesting to try and condense and still do them justice. So, here is the first of my musical Prague heroes.<br />
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<b>Bedřich Smetana</b> was born on 2nd March 1824 and is regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music, although Internationally Antonín Dvořák is generally better known and considered to be more significant. Smetana is best known for his opera, "The Bartered Bride" and for his symphonic poem cycle, "Má vlast" ("My Homeland"), which portrays the history, legends and landscape of the composer's native land. Born near the border between Bohemia and Moravia, he grew up as a German speaker, which was then the official language.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqsa8Qi8V8zHGVeo1PiUqlbiZIpHQmEmaT0ul9eIrWDHy-MvvPjYuJU5seT463WVfQRfjN6Pi8fof2oIDiIbhL-Zx7VNVuVfSxBda_H5Z4TxMxJpa8HHfcwIgyvHjriT5zotFJdeqqvc/s1600/IMG_0418_10+Sep+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="377" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqsa8Qi8V8zHGVeo1PiUqlbiZIpHQmEmaT0ul9eIrWDHy-MvvPjYuJU5seT463WVfQRfjN6Pi8fof2oIDiIbhL-Zx7VNVuVfSxBda_H5Z4TxMxJpa8HHfcwIgyvHjriT5zotFJdeqqvc/s320/IMG_0418_10+Sep+2018.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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He gave his first public performance, a piano recital, at the age of six. He moved to school in Prague in 1839, but he fared badly there, largely because he was bullied because of his country manners, although it was here that he became convinced that he wanted to become a musician, and spent most of his time missing classes and attending concerts. He was removed by his father and moved to Plzeň until 1843. He wrote a number of pieces here, including his first orchestral work. He returned to Prague where he found a mentor and secured work teaching a nobleman's children. Smetana joined the Prague uprising in 1848, rebelling against the Habsburg rule, and wrote a number of patriotic pieces and was lucky to escape imprisonment after an uprising at the Charles Bridge.<br />
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Also at this time, he began a friendship with Franz Liszt, one of his early heroes, and was able to start a Piano Institute in Prague which was particularly fashionable with nationalists. He was later established as the Court Pianist in Prague Castle, then the residence of the former Austrian Emperor Ferdinand. But the next few years were a mixture of tragedy as he lost three of his daughters in quick succession between 1854 and 1856. His wife was also diagnosed with tuberculosis. He left Prague, disenchanted with the city’s critics and moved to Gothenburg in Sweden. He became more established in Gothenburg during 1856 and 1861, and although his wife died in 1859, he quickly remarried the following year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Smetana Museum overlooking the Vltava</td></tr>
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He returned to Prague in 1861 where he learned Czech but was turned down for several key appointments, primarily because of his revolutionary past, and his association with Liszt. In 1866 his opera, The Bartered Bride, was premiered on the eve of the Austro-Prussian war. It was not well attended and failed to cover its costs. Eventually, in 1866 Smetana became the principal conductor of the Provisional Theatre, a post he had long coveted. For the next 8 years, he battled against personal enemies who attacked him at all levels. In1874 his health started to fail and by October he had lost his hearing. By then he had begun work on "Má vlast”, and the complete cycle was first performed in November 1882. He never heard it being played.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grave and memorial at Vyšehrad</td></tr>
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His health continued to deteriorate and he was suffering from mental problems as well. He died in the Kateřinky Lunatic Asylum in Prague on 12 May 1884. He is buried in the cemetery at Vyšehrad. The Bedřich Smetana Museum was founded in 1926 and moved to its current location at the former Waterworks on the bank of the Vltava in 1936. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fitting site for the Smetana Museum overlooking the castle and river</td></tr>
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Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-90172950186274688332018-08-10T16:32:00.003+02:002018-08-10T16:32:26.809+02:00Astronomy, Astrology and Alchemy - People in Prague #1On my last trip to Prague, I started thinking about a new set of posts which are a slight departure from my normal subject matter. The idea came about because of a framed poster on the wall in my apartment. It was an <a href="https://janajoswap.rajce.idnes.cz/Fun_Explosive_Prague/#skenovn0013.jpg" target="_blank">image</a> ** created by a local Prague artist, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjUnPP20eLcAhUhLcAKHRnaC1YQFjAAegQIJhAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.votruba.cz%2F&usg=AOvVaw2s-W1NrR_Pz7cQD_gn8k3H" target="_blank">Jiří Votruba</a>, and it depicts a number of famous people and fictional characters associated with Prague. The ensemble includes politicians, musicians, artists, writers, and religious figures and royalty.<br />
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There are also two scientists, or more accurately, astronomers, shown - Tycho Brahe and Johann Kepler. The two men could not have been more different, Brahe (1546-1601) was a Danish nobleman while Kepler (1571-1630) was from a poor German family. Their paths crossed in Prague in 1600 when Brahe was the Royal Mathematician at the court of Rudolf II and he invited Kepler to become his assistant.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The statue of Brahe and Keppler near Pohořelec</td></tr>
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Not only were the two men from different backgrounds, but their approaches to science were radically different. Brahe, who had been fascinated by eclipes since boyhood, made painstaking observations of celestial bodies and collected vast amounts of data relating to their positions in the sky. Kepler, the mathematician who only became interested in astronomy after meeting Brahe, used calculations to derive theories to test against. Neither man's contribution to the fledgeling field of astronomy would have had much value without the other. Ironically, the two men fought continuously while working together, because Brahe refused to share his data. After Brahe's death in 1601, only a year after they met, Kepler stole the data he needed. In 1609, Kepler published his first two Laws of Planetary motions, using the data from Brahe and improving on the model developed by Copernicus from 1543. The third law was published ten years later in 1619.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The statue of Brahe and Keppler near Pohořelec</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Brahe was an eccentric character who was widely regarded as an obn</span><span style="text-align: left;">oxious and arrogant drunk. As a student, he lost his nose in a duel (over who was a better mathematician) and had it replaced by a gold one. It has been speculated that his death was due to kidney failure as a result of his excessive lifestyle, although there is some evidence that he had ingested a large amount of mercury - perhaps in association with his dalliance with alchemy. Incidentally, I've written about Tycho de Brahe in an earlier post as he was a resident </span><a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/02/prague-landmarks-7-novy-svet-new-world.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Nový Svět</a><span style="text-align: left;">. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4o62-xtL-9FXLi_44cCEyyoME6cbIiyzkLuOwnP360brrGI1D2G6nDUt3iCslsF02N2w0-yYXhTCIqxdD4qiB1sZOInAaZTbdUNk-Kqk-yluF7ARaCkTO7tn59TsA8qwR1OON9uECUuI/s1600/IMG_2879_10+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4o62-xtL-9FXLi_44cCEyyoME6cbIiyzkLuOwnP360brrGI1D2G6nDUt3iCslsF02N2w0-yYXhTCIqxdD4qiB1sZOInAaZTbdUNk-Kqk-yluF7ARaCkTO7tn59TsA8qwR1OON9uECUuI/s320/IMG_2879_10+Aug+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaque indicating Brahe's House in Novy Svet</td></tr>
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Kepler struggled to find support for his work following Brahe's death, and he made his income by telling astrological fortunes. As a Protestant, Kepler had frequent clashes with the Catholic authorities who were now well established in Prague following the <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2018/07/hidden-prague-11-bila-hora-and-star.html" target="_blank">Battle of Bilá Hora</a>. He lost his wife and son to plague and his mother was imprisoned for witchcraft although her sentence was commuted to exile after a five-year struggle, during which Kelper wrote what is considered to be the first ever science fiction novel called "Somnium" (The Dream).</div>
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These were strange times across Europe. The realms of Astrology, Alchemy and Astronomy were inevitably interlinked. Golden Lane (Zlatá ulička), a little street within the confines of the Prague castle complex was named after the goldsmiths who lived there, but it was once known as Alchemists Lane. There is no evidence that alchemy was seriously practiced there but Rudolph II played a large part in the development of alchemy across Bohemia, and it was considered a mainstream science.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcu2Ptxs0MEjshZGbiu2Mc4oAG6As1HQgP8SJH7fe3bCoHVgwyHK_TaAcR4H9j3WPlvTrSN3Xxuf9iUESAzNkuMBBHoP1e8mxsgrlOVFB9JcQHt5uahy2T94CUliNDOjgaZykzdQ-lUds/s1600/DSCF0069_10+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcu2Ptxs0MEjshZGbiu2Mc4oAG6As1HQgP8SJH7fe3bCoHVgwyHK_TaAcR4H9j3WPlvTrSN3Xxuf9iUESAzNkuMBBHoP1e8mxsgrlOVFB9JcQHt5uahy2T94CUliNDOjgaZykzdQ-lUds/s320/DSCF0069_10+Aug+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Lane</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6OyxVC1jq7ZzqvwHI2c1OjMZYssN9sV-zVbM40ldS1x5pR_EZN6y6NsDzF4Ujy5dJ45wvFlBVs6uXrEgTt45FrKP4SV2TMxDSU7fD6xgCuFGaVAn5fHJZNb2MTtwXPVjAjQUeMC0PXw/s1600/DSCF0070_10+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6OyxVC1jq7ZzqvwHI2c1OjMZYssN9sV-zVbM40ldS1x5pR_EZN6y6NsDzF4Ujy5dJ45wvFlBVs6uXrEgTt45FrKP4SV2TMxDSU7fD6xgCuFGaVAn5fHJZNb2MTtwXPVjAjQUeMC0PXw/s320/DSCF0070_10+Aug+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Lane</td></tr>
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Rudolph II even brought two English alchemists to his court, Edward Kelly and John Dee. Ultimately, Dee fell out with Kelly and returned home. Kelly was imprisoned after failing to deliver on any of his promises and eventually died from injuries sustained while trying to escape.<br />
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There is still evidence of Brahe and Kepler's work in Prague. Some of their instruments are still on show in the <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/04/prague-moments-5-klementinum-tour.html" target="_blank">Klementinum</a>. Until the end of 2017, there was a tiny but fascinating <a href="http://www.keplerovomuzeum.cz/en/" target="_blank">Kepler Museum</a>, located in a back alley off Karlova, but this has now closed and has been relocated to the National Technology Museum.</div>
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** I'm currently trying to get permission from the artist to reproduce the image in this blog, until then, here's a link!<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-40971795595408224812018-08-01T19:55:00.005+02:002018-08-01T19:55:48.765+02:00Prague Landmarks #10 - Dancing HouseIn a city that’s full of architectural and cultural anomalies, the ‘Dancing House’ (Tančící dům) still comes as a bit of a surprise when you first encounter it. As you walk along Rašínovo nábřeží on the east bank of the Vltava, you can’t help being struck by the peculiar building that stands on the intersection with Jiráskův most, especially as it is so different from the Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings which surround it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgienDV6jqAC8Son6EDmXYAOVKSO6PgJAwApbhtUuO2MxI1TLMwPKsULr7ZET4RWzm9faAlTnKgEYjcudr3uNMHT-MkaC2LALWvAuOGOVE3EKiAy_q588710jWLj28Mkx2yrw88B0xngok/s1600/IMG_1324_1+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgienDV6jqAC8Son6EDmXYAOVKSO6PgJAwApbhtUuO2MxI1TLMwPKsULr7ZET4RWzm9faAlTnKgEYjcudr3uNMHT-MkaC2LALWvAuOGOVE3EKiAy_q588710jWLj28Mkx2yrw88B0xngok/s320/IMG_1324_1+Aug+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching Dancing House along Rašínovo nábřeží</td></tr>
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Dancing House, originally named Fred and Ginger by the co-architect Frank Gehry, is officially the Nationale-Nederlanden building. The Dutch insurance company (now ING Bank) sponsored the project to build on the site which had been bombed in 1945 and had been derelict until it was cleared in 1960. The primary designer and architect was Vlado Milunić who worked with Gehry, and was a friend of Václav Havel, the former Czechoslovakian president, whose family owned the neighbouring site. The designs were completed in 1992 and the building completed in 1996.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM49dVK2tCEJSH8pGWkqkcdNig1Mx6oUOHYSpNnjBSgCT-we_N7LfFFZdxoVEZs1ayZJZJ4omRt3DW3xex4jious4jeTQSafO1KG28SEMJt3PqZiTyRWOO4y_78eNgrn5q7pW51QAUCU/s1600/DSC_0197_1+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1063" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM49dVK2tCEJSH8pGWkqkcdNig1Mx6oUOHYSpNnjBSgCT-we_N7LfFFZdxoVEZs1ayZJZJ4omRt3DW3xex4jious4jeTQSafO1KG28SEMJt3PqZiTyRWOO4y_78eNgrn5q7pW51QAUCU/s320/DSC_0197_1+Aug+2018.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing House from Jiráskův most</td></tr>
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Milunić’s two-part ‘neo-Baroque’ or ‘deconstructivist’ design concept was intended to signify the transition of Czechoslovakia from communist dictatorship to parliamentary democracy. 99 concrete panels, each of a different shape and size, fit together to provide an illusion of two dancers whirling around each other. The left tower is primarily glass and is the ‘Ginger’ partner which bends and clings to the concrete Fred tower.Although the same height as the surrounding buildings, Dancing House has two additional floors, but the use of mis-aligned windows hides this fact.The building is capped by a twisted metal framework - the dancer’s hair.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mkz1ykfwbw0Fsqvcj9xvRpoy9t2Awq0J3h5T8K450l2rpMgYUzwjuYme3Sua4c7R_szH7AQlJUn6ul5QLNBXtdFUO0DpDnB5kKqCdHnHcFyHSxCoYiTjSPQEpNWrlsyXhZ21y9Rrucs/s1600/DSC_0044_1+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mkz1ykfwbw0Fsqvcj9xvRpoy9t2Awq0J3h5T8K450l2rpMgYUzwjuYme3Sua4c7R_szH7AQlJUn6ul5QLNBXtdFUO0DpDnB5kKqCdHnHcFyHSxCoYiTjSPQEpNWrlsyXhZ21y9Rrucs/s320/DSC_0044_1+Aug+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred's 'hair'</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUoyrgiKErODY-IQz2phpG-zRZn5Voc6rGzWjQUtFLL1fmX7yaVfN3RaUr9b-oIxkXqnqWFhUuGRC8hGBhe4SY_nEE6arUVRMc47G_I3wSBLYSV8Fb84XSOVDCox4mJFHPnmKZw64JVU/s1600/DSC_0054_1+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUoyrgiKErODY-IQz2phpG-zRZn5Voc6rGzWjQUtFLL1fmX7yaVfN3RaUr9b-oIxkXqnqWFhUuGRC8hGBhe4SY_nEE6arUVRMc47G_I3wSBLYSV8Fb84XSOVDCox4mJFHPnmKZw64JVU/s320/DSC_0054_1+Aug+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rooftop terrace</td></tr>
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The top floor of the building is a (not inexpensive) restaurant, and if you buy a drink at the bar you are able to go onto the rooftop terrace which affords some great views over the city.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4TOA-PymHvwb-UQm0Wmk4sE0dK9OTJRiL09lNks6_liPAISf1ymnMEzKc8b0iB8T6cLpsFlU0jJvBeJZtUabscwijos-7WaORwJOxnuknaz4JOS-uHrh7nGuk1H80rhC5OE8AfbjsSU/s1600/IMG_0298_1+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4TOA-PymHvwb-UQm0Wmk4sE0dK9OTJRiL09lNks6_liPAISf1ymnMEzKc8b0iB8T6cLpsFlU0jJvBeJZtUabscwijos-7WaORwJOxnuknaz4JOS-uHrh7nGuk1H80rhC5OE8AfbjsSU/s400/IMG_0298_1+Aug+2018.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great views from the terrace</td></tr>
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Most of the remaining space is taken up by offices but there is also a highly sought after 21 room hotel. There is also an art gallery with frequent exhibitions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAGcnV15uV4FEj4vrCqrI5nCgp4DPAePBamPD4AhRELvzc976JNfiQKjmeF2I2uMRU0yATxXKsuqhePLGPc0N7KsMAQtEHYRXs0VjCKzljv7QP-n_04UA5bfvHoaypUNhdWcPHF2yheI/s1600/DSCN0314_1+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAGcnV15uV4FEj4vrCqrI5nCgp4DPAePBamPD4AhRELvzc976JNfiQKjmeF2I2uMRU0yATxXKsuqhePLGPc0N7KsMAQtEHYRXs0VjCKzljv7QP-n_04UA5bfvHoaypUNhdWcPHF2yheI/s320/DSCN0314_1+Aug+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing House viewed from Janáčkovo nábřeží</td></tr>
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Despite the controversy created when the building was first constructed, Dancing House is now recognised as an integral part of the contemporary landscape of Prague. And as with so many places in the city, the more you visit it, the more interesting the building becomes. Don’t forget to visit at night as well as during the day as the illuminations add a completely different perspective to the site!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QgMK5hMA8sOpKeE5g8eHiqfeVNwmdk6MH-PIzmCYLpuKBWGtSk6Ns7ngIbRmL_QONL6MTY7HPseDtS9iZKFNPqXBxI06VLuFwcN858t4mBI9WsedQWWoBy8Q4Xu5aju8hHrhrZB79vg/s1600/IMG_1144_1+Aug+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QgMK5hMA8sOpKeE5g8eHiqfeVNwmdk6MH-PIzmCYLpuKBWGtSk6Ns7ngIbRmL_QONL6MTY7HPseDtS9iZKFNPqXBxI06VLuFwcN858t4mBI9WsedQWWoBy8Q4Xu5aju8hHrhrZB79vg/s320/IMG_1144_1+Aug+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing House at night</td></tr>
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Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-91941458415619993702018-07-27T12:54:00.000+02:002018-07-27T12:57:38.743+02:00Hidden Prague #11 - Bilá Hora and the Star VillaBilá Hora (White Mountain) is one of those names that has resonated with me since I first moved to Prague in 2014 and after four years after first seeing the name on the 22 tram and getting to understand a little of the history of the Czech lands, I finally made the trip last week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFFATlBzI6Ph1K-Gs3To__W1RtMs_dRqLYOzio4yKH24Qb0I0cqlZvEwnWh6QAHbttb0WXw3Djjv2EzXox70kC7e6RdbFpMigddXNZa3s1FXc_lD0vLEwFUM2tv1u80Svy4w_PUDnbzw/s1600/IMG_0457_27+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFFATlBzI6Ph1K-Gs3To__W1RtMs_dRqLYOzio4yKH24Qb0I0cqlZvEwnWh6QAHbttb0WXw3Djjv2EzXox70kC7e6RdbFpMigddXNZa3s1FXc_lD0vLEwFUM2tv1u80Svy4w_PUDnbzw/s320/IMG_0457_27+Jul+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catch a 22 tram to Bilá Hora</td></tr>
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It’s only a thirty minute journey on the 22 tram from Národní Divadlo, but unfortunately you will usually have to suffer the crowds of folk travelling up to Prague Castle - an early start is recommended, but the reality is that there is no escaping them, as you’ll get caught up on the return journey.<br />
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It’s worth doing your homework before you leave the centre of town. If you don’t have a decent data plan on your phone, download the maps before you leave (if you have got plenty of data you can still get a strong 4G signal once you get there). Few tourist maps cover much of the area to the west of the Hradčany but both Apple and Google Maps have enough detail to get you to the right place. If you head in a general NW direction from the Bilá Hora tram stop, you’ll have a short walk through an expensive looking residential area before you end up on a completely empty plain, covered in yellow scrub. At the top of a little knoll, you'll find the understated monument denoting the Battle of Bilá Hora which took place on November 8th, 1620.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxqJOxjVGfwi3Ee0-b267CYGcK1EZcoD4bESaVLDEu-8qb-CXjQfOHPGetn5LY5riBnxrSUXDziILGr4WiSFU2daFbmzngWXXlZanpw3V2SWf0cRq4YKwhKGPPa5cYBSSvpmfA6_JEEY/s1600/IMG_0393_27+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="1600" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxqJOxjVGfwi3Ee0-b267CYGcK1EZcoD4bESaVLDEu-8qb-CXjQfOHPGetn5LY5riBnxrSUXDziILGr4WiSFU2daFbmzngWXXlZanpw3V2SWf0cRq4YKwhKGPPa5cYBSSvpmfA6_JEEY/s400/IMG_0393_27+Jul+2018.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The battle site of Bilá Hora</td></tr>
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The battle was fought in the early stages of the Thirty Years' War between the Catholic forces of the Holy Roman Empire, led by Emperor Ferdinand II, and the Bohemian Protestants under King Frederick V. The Bohemian army, of 15,000 men, was vastly outnumbered by 30,000 Catholic forces. In fact, the battle was more of a skirmish than a full battle and lasted only for about an hour, but it was enough to end Bohemian involvement in the war. Forty-seven Bohemian leaders were put on trial, and twenty-seven were executed in the Old Town Square in Prague (marked by the <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/11/hidden-prague-9-more-saints-and-sinners.html" target="_blank">27 white crosses</a> at the base of the Old Town Hall).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEino9gZ-Hp_bGuJaydf9WMzchmk8kfP483foCwha48850ThwPEY2Kfn0ZBodxbE-ndKtf4X7nm_dxdy40Kk-sXvmiCGx_qxHFLRBofGVO4SDtM4dHL1FLTefzMghRBGLzSN150T9W4RS1Y/s1600/DSC_0062_27+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEino9gZ-Hp_bGuJaydf9WMzchmk8kfP483foCwha48850ThwPEY2Kfn0ZBodxbE-ndKtf4X7nm_dxdy40Kk-sXvmiCGx_qxHFLRBofGVO4SDtM4dHL1FLTefzMghRBGLzSN150T9W4RS1Y/s320/DSC_0062_27+Jul+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to the Battle of White Mountain</td></tr>
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The fate of the Czech lands was altered radically as a result of the Battle of White Mountain, ending some two hundred years of Protestant dominance, and triggering three hundred years of Catholicism and Habsburg influence, which lasted through to the late 20th century. The Habsburgs built a memorial chapel on the hill in 1700, and this was later converted to the Church of Our Lady Victorious. It is now also home to the nuns of the Venio Benedictine Community, and part of the wider <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2017/05/prague-moments-6-brevnov-monastery-may.html" target="_blank">Břevnov monastery</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6ypNRRXkNMn9vE19fQoTm9d_Bo2A90hvepwXqxkc_jkwN7QJafIUEtmLqVEmPhUYg5-haGLPAZilt5QxJ9dJeCbAO2dmwu1tYeiKorLzLt_fZRdvVOkYOrhSE8fRBPeu4cZtXwjZuEU/s1600/IMG_0389_27+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6ypNRRXkNMn9vE19fQoTm9d_Bo2A90hvepwXqxkc_jkwN7QJafIUEtmLqVEmPhUYg5-haGLPAZilt5QxJ9dJeCbAO2dmwu1tYeiKorLzLt_fZRdvVOkYOrhSE8fRBPeu4cZtXwjZuEU/s320/IMG_0389_27+Jul+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of Our Lady Victorious</td></tr>
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Today, little remains of the battle site other than the memorial and a few acres of undeveloped land which has been landscaped as a park. In the hour I spent in the area I encountered one other sightseer and two runners. Looking north from the monument you can see out towards aircraft activity around the airport, but over towards the east, jutting out from forested slopes, you can clearly see the Star Hunting Villa (Letohrádek Hvězda).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOdTAvAMLuJTrq7S9jWq_7OZW1dh8qTiB0pEp-ymM5AOE2ZU9iBN6RUHkj8s5R5nWozvGgpDnKFLU38wzCIaRql_52TWg7__KbrIyny76cC6M8ajqZ_iM0LfuhpRWPTUbSdYfRIEhDVA/s1600/DSC_0059_27+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOdTAvAMLuJTrq7S9jWq_7OZW1dh8qTiB0pEp-ymM5AOE2ZU9iBN6RUHkj8s5R5nWozvGgpDnKFLU38wzCIaRql_52TWg7__KbrIyny76cC6M8ajqZ_iM0LfuhpRWPTUbSdYfRIEhDVA/s400/DSC_0059_27+Jul+2018.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star Villa - just right of centre</td></tr>
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Originally, this was a game reserve, founded by King Ferdinand I in 1530. He commissioned his son Ferdinand II to build the villa which was completed in 1556. The villa derives its name from its shape - hvězda, meaning star, as the building is shaped as a six-point star.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_oQuzKCL_6QBuWecOved6P_XcLfMfJUz_IYLMefirAFrDFHjiyfZ9zjUvfM7L_kZOlDnrt9RhTgaV8j_qmlSJEPoId9EVwrtkGmuw_3pCj4dLYxdN6u9sXhl6VKwlmvmQ2d0Mg6rvkI/s1600/DSC_0068_27+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_oQuzKCL_6QBuWecOved6P_XcLfMfJUz_IYLMefirAFrDFHjiyfZ9zjUvfM7L_kZOlDnrt9RhTgaV8j_qmlSJEPoId9EVwrtkGmuw_3pCj4dLYxdN6u9sXhl6VKwlmvmQ2d0Mg6rvkI/s320/DSC_0068_27+Jul+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star Villa- Letohrádek Hvězda</td></tr>
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I took a rather direct route from the Bilá Hora monument which I was to regret as it involved a very steep climb up through the forest surrounding the villa. It was well worth it but I'd suggest you find a better way and locate one of the main entry points from the road. The villa is set in beautiful parkland with magnificent tree-lined avenues extending in three directions from the main building. Once again, despite being the middle of summer there were very few people around - a few family picnics and some hardy runners, but no other tourists as far as a could make out.<br />
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Given this is only a thirty minute trip out of the madness of the centre of town this was a morning well spent; if only to find a little peace and quiet in a historical setting with a difference!<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-46969847654962945542018-07-05T12:08:00.002+02:002018-07-05T12:08:34.487+02:00"Round Round Get Around, I Get Around, Yeah" - Prague Public TransportYou might recognise the title of this piece from the Beach Boys song, “I Get Around”. Believe it or not they played at the Lucerna Palace in on June 17th 1969, not long after the Soviet tanks rolled in. They returned some 50 years later in 2017, although only vocalist Mike Love had played at the previous gig. But this isn’t a music lesson so I’d best get back on track. Literally.<br />
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Having lived in Zurich for a couple of years, I was fairly sure that Swiss Public Transport was probably the best in the world. After all, they hold an internal enquiry if a railway train is late leaving the terminus by only a few seconds. Trams in Zurich are a little less predictable, but none the less still run as regularly as can be expected given ever increasing volume of traffic in the city.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvVvaH1CcEVARj5IDazjlpM_NQ3SHcbkaHIyiQte51mHDfMDI-rZU8A3ar1KsyDvplGR1HB_qSL_UFAdrnKio5lWmy3CW1HuINTalO9a7LVG9IH_2BZbRihJNoT0dkjtvBJAsnLKqSag/s1600/IMG_1372_5+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvVvaH1CcEVARj5IDazjlpM_NQ3SHcbkaHIyiQte51mHDfMDI-rZU8A3ar1KsyDvplGR1HB_qSL_UFAdrnKio5lWmy3CW1HuINTalO9a7LVG9IH_2BZbRihJNoT0dkjtvBJAsnLKqSag/s320/IMG_1372_5+Jul+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staromestska metro - for the old town square</td></tr>
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The red and white trams of Prague are almost as iconic as London’s red buses or New York’s yellow taxis, but when I first came to live here it was with a certain amount of trepidation. My first apartment was about a thirty minute journey from the office, without any direct route on public transport. I also had little idea how much it would cost me over the course of my six month stay. My fears were unfounded.<br />
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The public transport system in Prague is fantastic - and cheap. There are three metro lines which pretty much span the whole city (although currently none link up to the airport), and a vast tram and bus network. In common with many European cities, the ticketing system is based on trust. You are expected to have a valid ticket before you board anything, and tickets are so cheap it is a disgrace for anyone to attempt to defraud the network. All tickets are valid on any form of public transport within the city zone (which includes the airport, but doesn't include the Airport Express bus).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYCV0D0Y5wDo4c8NTRJElxbSJ2HsH93qqLfCTmxjYIIzDwO-KNcQDVJVx_O60tifQs7M0W2ZSMayKpkCIKkzzHvRGGudc-q1k2Qe5kV1h423nzzLNs1aV9Vv_RNhnWDPRk9FEfMOQ3UA/s1600/DSCN0250_5+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYCV0D0Y5wDo4c8NTRJElxbSJ2HsH93qqLfCTmxjYIIzDwO-KNcQDVJVx_O60tifQs7M0W2ZSMayKpkCIKkzzHvRGGudc-q1k2Qe5kV1h423nzzLNs1aV9Vv_RNhnWDPRk9FEfMOQ3UA/s320/DSCN0250_5+Jul+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Older type tram in the lesser town</td></tr>
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A 30 minute ticket costs 24CZK (£0.80), 90 minutes cost 32CZK (£1.08), a 24 hour ticket is 110CZK (£3.75) or for 72 hours it is 310 CZK (£10.50). A monthly pass costs just over £60. In the four years since I started working in Prague the transport authorities have worked hard to make buying tickets as easy as possible. Tickets are available from ticket machines at metro stations, kiosks, and can be bought in advance as they do not become 'live' until you validate them.<br />
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More recently a number of apps have been made available on smart devices - my favourite is Sejf - which I top up from my bank account as required. This app can be used to buy e-tickets up to 72 hours - just bear in mind it takes 90 seconds for the e-ticket to become valid. Some newer trams also now have contactless ticket machines on-board so you can use your debit or credit card to get a ticket. In other words, there is no excuse not to have a valid ticket when you travel!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsq4VeYHbra9qvNwLvWGN5D-7q-tfAdGhUKD6IONPmL_pQFIINYwFNrSHzokkOn5HqL_52M2mCFvMQJRaxp2s5ezinsi_oVL-4JNk7agzO268VG0KyT3A9ybz9ZRdwrIfJ1K8YFRDUaaY/s1600/IMG_1350_5+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsq4VeYHbra9qvNwLvWGN5D-7q-tfAdGhUKD6IONPmL_pQFIINYwFNrSHzokkOn5HqL_52M2mCFvMQJRaxp2s5ezinsi_oVL-4JNk7agzO268VG0KyT3A9ybz9ZRdwrIfJ1K8YFRDUaaY/s320/IMG_1350_5+Jul+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mustek metro - for Wenceslas Square</td></tr>
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If you are caught (plain cloths ticket inspectors either travel on board or lurk in the entrance/exits of metro stations, you can expect to pay a fairly hefty fine - 1500CZK (reduced to 800CZK if paid immediately) - and they will not listen to your plea bargains! Frequent violators will face much more severe penalties.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGRo-wlJW18nG9lx-yzqtPcZ-C9dXIwF4dnAtok0G2nO3yP_uUsFGxSIBF7tt4B9PNKH9WQo-JwWrZz50CGYYuPb9eSM0qN2l4qVc6ud38q0yHQ2MBzKKrUv_FFKWW3HLd537kvu8O5M/s1600/IMG_2712_5+Jul+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGRo-wlJW18nG9lx-yzqtPcZ-C9dXIwF4dnAtok0G2nO3yP_uUsFGxSIBF7tt4B9PNKH9WQo-JwWrZz50CGYYuPb9eSM0qN2l4qVc6ud38q0yHQ2MBzKKrUv_FFKWW3HLd537kvu8O5M/s320/IMG_2712_5+Jul+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New type tram - many have contless ticket machines on board</td></tr>
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I'm currently in Prague and in the 10 days since I arrived I've walked over 100 miles around town - but sometimes you just need to get from A to B as quickly as possible and it's great to know that the public transport service is there, easy to use, clean, and efficient - and a much more sensible alternative to walking in the rain when the need arises!<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-53194096181478836882018-05-10T18:01:00.001+02:002018-05-10T18:01:17.745+02:00Prague Noir - The Seven Day ChallengeI'm not a big fan of the fads that hit Facebook from time to time but when I was nominated to do the Black and White 7 Day Photographic Challenge it appealed to me mainly because I was in the right place at the right time. In Prague. If I'd been at home in the UK I wouldn't have given it another thought.<br />
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I was quite pleased with the results so I decided to share them here and include some comments about each photo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjvAhHd8WdN-u4W09PJ5ZE-QWPCM5skk7dTz8PLC-Gyc_8jFq7I70kaRip4dbKhFSKb5Q7pJjil_TlxmKqzYzOAVTO0FDWOq6THdTN-XpsyHV7H8H-GkvW1fM-hcdzEZk71DKeotn8GI/s1600/IMG_0953_10+May+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjvAhHd8WdN-u4W09PJ5ZE-QWPCM5skk7dTz8PLC-Gyc_8jFq7I70kaRip4dbKhFSKb5Q7pJjil_TlxmKqzYzOAVTO0FDWOq6THdTN-XpsyHV7H8H-GkvW1fM-hcdzEZk71DKeotn8GI/s320/IMG_0953_10+May+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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My first photo was taken from my bedroom window which looks out over Anenské náměstí. This little square, just off Smetanovo nábřeží, is only a few hundred metres from the Charles Bridge. It is often used for film shoots, especially in the evenings, and crews can be seen hard a work for several hours during the afternoon just for a few seconds of footage. </div>
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The one-way street leading to the square, Anenská, can get a little noisy in the evenings as partygoers head back into the depths of the Old Town from the Karlovy lázně nightclub, the biggest in Central Europe spreading over five floors (but not my cup of tea I'm afraid!).</div>
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The square is also home to a small theatre (Divadlo Na zábradlí) but the largest building is the Palác Pachtů z Rájova. Now reconstructed, it is the site of the former Dominican Convent of St Anne, for whom the square is named.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0Y-vmIQKjYSJrFC5HiEecTgh-DEQwvPf3VsgQ_FL-9HpuZsJxJ9oSZNsOdB0T3kJUOO-cRaKvmc4Php31C6JdwVDnpwwgBSosbmlHMXLam-k12dSdERZz6a4ouvv8EKjk5P0qusUiy4/s1600/IMG_0968_10+May+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0Y-vmIQKjYSJrFC5HiEecTgh-DEQwvPf3VsgQ_FL-9HpuZsJxJ9oSZNsOdB0T3kJUOO-cRaKvmc4Php31C6JdwVDnpwwgBSosbmlHMXLam-k12dSdERZz6a4ouvv8EKjk5P0qusUiy4/s320/IMG_0968_10+May+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a>The Charles Bridge marks the point where Smetanovo nábřeží morphs into Křižovnická. The name is derived from the Order of Knights of the Cross who lived in the former Monastery of the Crossroads. Until 1342 the Knights collected the tolls due from crossing the old Judith Bridge, which was the predecessor of the Charles Bridge. The new name has been in use since 1870, before which it was known as Granátová.</div>
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The street is one of the busiest in Prague both for pedestrians and traffic, although this was shot at lunch time in November after a rain storm so it's uncharacteristically quiet.<br />
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The dome in the background belongs to the Church of St Francis, which marks the entry point to the Charles Bridge. The building on the left is the Klementinum which now houses the National Library.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0KV-wKfFWTCKxETkywQfYqeSVLzd3rrtu6qEzcWIjpW_OfztykixApAFYv5-vrPJyR7pqmMgv35UVo-DK74R3GoeWsatDJmxVVeTf7bFGSidKzKBygCpzTKR4MgJ9sTQgAcIqwbGmcA/s1600/IMG_1119_10+May+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1199" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0KV-wKfFWTCKxETkywQfYqeSVLzd3rrtu6qEzcWIjpW_OfztykixApAFYv5-vrPJyR7pqmMgv35UVo-DK74R3GoeWsatDJmxVVeTf7bFGSidKzKBygCpzTKR4MgJ9sTQgAcIqwbGmcA/s320/IMG_1119_10+May+2018.jpg" width="239" /></a>In the far distance in the background, you can just make out the short tunnel under the buildings of Křižovnické náměstí. This arcade runs next to the tunnel, underneath the Karlovy lázně nightclub.<br />
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This photo was taken late at night before the shutters went down and once again, belies how busy this place is during the day. To get down the two hundred metre arcade really requires you to barge your way through (as politely as possible, of course!)<br />
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Don't be conned into purchasing anything down here - it's probably the most expensive place in Prague to buy the tacky souvenirs on sale. Even the bottled water will cost considerably more here than anywhere else, and under no circumstance use the money changers down here unless you really enjoy throwing your hard earned cash away!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly3ImdvxrH7JpieMf87wtvQL_ra6HS5TA_y9wYo0zi7DfyIiODIDj1f2WAL21Sws8d4A8I0Dnn01sMVX_TJ7yQF1yDfO-ZFROdBIEz9qoEYkIlEfjohfIYoqF0f_Jy8qXVZH46lo46Mk/s1600/IMG_0969_10+May+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly3ImdvxrH7JpieMf87wtvQL_ra6HS5TA_y9wYo0zi7DfyIiODIDj1f2WAL21Sws8d4A8I0Dnn01sMVX_TJ7yQF1yDfO-ZFROdBIEz9qoEYkIlEfjohfIYoqF0f_Jy8qXVZH46lo46Mk/s320/IMG_0969_10+May+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a>No seven day challenge for me in Prague would be complete without this view of the castle taken from the Karlovy lázně tram stop on Smetanovo nábřeží.<br />
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I have dozens of similar shots, all taken from the same place over the course of four years, which I've made into a time lapse film showing the view through the seasons (I'll post it on YouTube at some stage in the future).<br />
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On this particular occasion I was lucky enough to get a star struck seagull to pose for me. Behind the seagull, at the end of the wooden icebreaker, is the Smetana Museum. The building was converted from an old waterworks to a museum to commemorate the composer Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), often referred to as the father of Czech music. He became deaf in his older years, and never heard his symphonic poems Má Vlast (My Country).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ443eIgLBV38NNQC7U9EBOa3b8X2lXbcVyVMGjghz4r9B-AKBWcnWmJRudk4SZrWfmlj2Cp-PSS7keRcqCUabmr1DNR1CvGiIUyWmgiBYzDTtU0Csr7Lm2_KG2GrgjTpKEa6PuR6G_ic/s1600/IMG_1117_10+May+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ443eIgLBV38NNQC7U9EBOa3b8X2lXbcVyVMGjghz4r9B-AKBWcnWmJRudk4SZrWfmlj2Cp-PSS7keRcqCUabmr1DNR1CvGiIUyWmgiBYzDTtU0Csr7Lm2_KG2GrgjTpKEa6PuR6G_ic/s400/IMG_1117_10+May+2018.jpg" width="400" /></a>In this next photo, we're back in Křižovnické náměstí, looking out across the Charles Bridge towards Malá Strana (the Lesser Town).<br />
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The 'love lock' craze has hit Prague in a big way as you can see and padlocks have been appearing all over national monuments. They cause huge problems for the authorities with the weight causing damage. Staff are employed to remove the locks from the bridge each week. In 2006, they filled five boxes of locks with each box weighing in at around 50kg<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLC9Q4vrYysMs19w-CJSf-MjWg5H8JvOmbuSo-Bk5MyRQos8mH0OftCTsF3_xTVfvBsQ4CmOJDpDLpTpX6ZzTTV_ai1tPAmjLBTCeGRh7Zc4DEzXgIIIskq196FzrBjVZNR-7U-8LEpk/s1600/IMG_1125_10+May+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLC9Q4vrYysMs19w-CJSf-MjWg5H8JvOmbuSo-Bk5MyRQos8mH0OftCTsF3_xTVfvBsQ4CmOJDpDLpTpX6ZzTTV_ai1tPAmjLBTCeGRh7Zc4DEzXgIIIskq196FzrBjVZNR-7U-8LEpk/s200/IMG_1125_10+May+2018.jpg" width="150" /></a>My penultimate photo is from the entrance hall of the Municipal Library in Mariánské náměstí. This column of over 8000 books is called Idiom and was created by the Slovakian artist Matej Krén. The shot was taken through a small aperture in the column, which inside appears as an infinte or bottomless pit thanks to mirrors placed at the top and bottom of the assembly.<br />
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Perhaps not the best of subjects for a black and white picture which doesn't really do it justice. I'll publish a better one another time. I did have a back-up photo - also an indoor shot, but everyone knows that a glass of Pilsner Urquell looks much better in colour!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2s3ICtfei-AioAq0ficNBfJgh9NZ_VKJan5aMUA_Yby4SGzfTuffxpbs_JzhyL7Wc2Ew9Uo0vlLTn7QdJlVgOpLGvwJVfhboN1SO72wL8PPBaYjS7zbvySJDRufaAQtqT0mmoPatEJ_k/s1600/IMG_1128_10+May+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2s3ICtfei-AioAq0ficNBfJgh9NZ_VKJan5aMUA_Yby4SGzfTuffxpbs_JzhyL7Wc2Ew9Uo0vlLTn7QdJlVgOpLGvwJVfhboN1SO72wL8PPBaYjS7zbvySJDRufaAQtqT0mmoPatEJ_k/s320/IMG_1128_10+May+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a>My final photo of the challenge was taken from another popular place down on the river bank, not far from the Malá Strana side of Manesuv Most, on Cihelná. This time we're looking back towards the Charles Bridge and some of the places from the other photos in the collection. If you're a bit nervous about swans snapping at you or if you are just reluctant to get guano all over your shoes, there are benches up on the bank where you can watch the birds without getting too involved.<br />
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You can feed the birds, but please take note of the signs telling you what is an isn't suitable. Just because the animals eat it, doesn't mean it's good for them - often quite the opposite, and rotting food will have other adverse effects on the local environment, especially the water.<br />
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I hope you've enjoyed this little photographic journey - my special thanks to my friend and former colleague, Olivier, for nominating me. I'm thinking about another challenge for another time - if you've got any suggestions, let me know!<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-55205131837523663032018-04-17T10:29:00.002+02:002018-04-17T10:29:35.520+02:00Prague in Plain Sight #4 - Most Legií (Legion Bridge) and Střelecký Ostrov (Sharpshooter's Island)I recently posted a well-received piece about <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/prague-in-plain-sight-3-cechuv-most.html" target="_blank">Čechův most (Čech Bridge)</a>, and I wanted to continue that theme with this follow-up about Most Legií or Bridge of the Legions. In that particular post, I claimed that Čechův most was my favourite of the Prague bridges because of its unique Art Nouveau style. On reflection, I'd now like to change my mind. Although not as artistically impressive, Most Legií has even more going for it, as I think you'll discover as you read on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most Legií from the West bank of the Vltava</td></tr>
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Linking Národní Třída on the east bank of the Vltava with Újezd on the west, Most legií sounds like it has a Roman connection. In fact, it derives its name from the Czechoslovakia Legion that formed during World War I. Although still part of the Austro-Hungarian empire at the onset of the war, many thousands of Czech and Slovak soldiers deserted the Austrian Army to join the Western Allies in the hope of creating an independent Czech state. The plan was largely orchestrated by T. G. Masaryk and the objective was finally achieved with the independence of Czechoslovakia in 1918. It's therefore quite fitting to be writing this piece, 100 years later, in the era of the new Czech Republic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1eyvfQbz5nfeM5O1Ut1JW6HbNewG83VYDHP3ZkC5_z2IrLM9sXQKhv5h9RrMIm_-nBuJlv49fc9G9gIsAqvNnXqFFuELxsAWZahl5rSi6kOV9uip-IcEAgkTMKRWN3zmMN0LvqkfKnU/s1600/DSC_004217+Apr+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1eyvfQbz5nfeM5O1Ut1JW6HbNewG83VYDHP3ZkC5_z2IrLM9sXQKhv5h9RrMIm_-nBuJlv49fc9G9gIsAqvNnXqFFuELxsAWZahl5rSi6kOV9uip-IcEAgkTMKRWN3zmMN0LvqkfKnU/s320/DSC_004217+Apr+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back towards the National Theatre with the tollgate towers</td></tr>
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The current granite bridge, formerly known as Francis I Bridge, was built between 1899 and 1901 to replace a chain bridge. It was designed by Antonín Balšánek and the chief engineer was Jiří Soukup. The bridge is a combination of neo-Baroque and Art Nouveau styles. The two towers on both sides of the bridge which were once used as toll gates. Most Legií measures 343 metres in length and 16 metres in width.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BrbxpiB1glNFHyEh3rYXwQkzHgzX0XgF2kj2p68RU6XK_x9qpi50wt6NpGRMEri76e_wXooshi3gzlF3vbLeuVca9vIvQvmLcYb027Swf9sAf_yE3D-MPuJL7lOtLG5YdSqzv7cIPHU/s1600/IMG_064817+Apr+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BrbxpiB1glNFHyEh3rYXwQkzHgzX0XgF2kj2p68RU6XK_x9qpi50wt6NpGRMEri76e_wXooshi3gzlF3vbLeuVca9vIvQvmLcYb027Swf9sAf_yE3D-MPuJL7lOtLG5YdSqzv7cIPHU/s320/IMG_064817+Apr+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJdP-BGB4s3zC5Q296X8mnBz60PTVWrAWLCgYzeOpRGJwBwkn2oIVfcWutPcfKOYqbwoNESJQ8ofvoYWqw-MtF0HDLsf0HnTMCIeD2yGGxucvPVOw5S9b79NgyOOZ2c1GeI7-x2NM-eU/s1600/IMG_064917+Apr+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJdP-BGB4s3zC5Q296X8mnBz60PTVWrAWLCgYzeOpRGJwBwkn2oIVfcWutPcfKOYqbwoNESJQ8ofvoYWqw-MtF0HDLsf0HnTMCIeD2yGGxucvPVOw5S9b79NgyOOZ2c1GeI7-x2NM-eU/s320/IMG_064917+Apr+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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Halfway across the bridge, a staircase leads onto Střelecký Ostrov (Sharpshooter's Island) which, in the Middle Ages, was used by archers for practice and competitions. In the summer, the island becomes a hive of activity with festivals and other cultural activities taking place throughout the season. For the less active, there is elevator access down to the island on the other side of the road.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Access to Shooter's Island via the lift</td></tr>
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In the colder months, the foliage dies away leaving wonderful views along the river towards the castle, the Charles Bridge and Smetanovo nábřeží. This is one of my favourite places in the whole of Prague. Even when it's busy and surrounded by hundreds of little peddle boats, there is a certain serenity about the place. Out of season, I find it's bleakness strangely comforting.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View across the Vltava towards Prague Castle</td></tr>
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A terraced restaurant and bar are housed in the neo-Classical community hall on the island. In the middle of the ground floor, there is a passageway to allow flood waters to dissipate without endangering the structure of the building. However, in 2002 even that measure was inadequate as Střelecký Ostrov was completely flooded and had all but disappeared under the river waters.<br />
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In the autumn, as you cross the bridge from the Old Town towards Petrin Hill, you can see the trees running up the hill alongside the <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/prague-landmarks-2-hunger-wall.html" target="_blank">Hunger Wall</a> in their autumn reds, olive greens and browns - just about the last vestige of colour until the following spring. It's a lovely sight, but a warning of the onset of winter.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favourite places</td></tr>
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Yup, I'm sure now - Most Legií is my favourite of Prague's bridges!<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-10388759366215460592018-04-06T13:03:00.000+02:002018-04-11T12:45:26.917+02:00Prague - Top Tips For TravellersIn June this year, my fiancée’s sister, Cheryl, and niece, Kathy, will be visiting Prague for the first time and we’re all going to meet up. I’ve rebooked my old apartment on Ostrovni for a month and everyone’s getting really excited about getting together. For me, there will be an element of sadness, as it’s likely to be my final visit for some time as my contract has now ended. I’ve been thinking about writing this post for quite a while but kept putting it off as there were so many other things I wanted to share. In anticipation of the family reunion, now seems to be as good a time as any to finally post my Top Tips For Travellers to Prague.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">On Arrival At The Airport</span></h3>
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On arrival at Prague airport, the only thing to think about is how to get into town. If you're smart, the best thing is to pre-order a taxi. I usually use <a href="https://www.prague-airport-transfers.co.uk/" target="_blank">Prague Airport Transfers</a> who are extremely reliable and professional. They might not be quite the cheapest ride in town, but you can pre-pay by card and it saves arguing about prices when you get to your destination. The drivers will meet you in the arrivals area, and you can easily find your driver who will be holding up an orange board with your name on it (or whatever identity you choose to provide when you book online). Prague Airport Transfers charge about 600 CZK (about £22) for a personal car, but you can share a car if cost is an issue.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving at Vaclav Havel Airport</td></tr>
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If your budget doesn’t extend to a taxi, the cheapest method of travelling into Prague city centre is by <a href="http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/tickets_fares.html" target="_blank">bus and metro</a>. Take the 119 from outside the arrivals building to Nádraží Veleslavín, and then transfer on to the ‘A’ Line metro which will take you to Malostranská, Staroměstská, Můstek or Muzeum. Total travelling time is about 30-40 minutes and a 90-minute ticket will cost 32 CZK. You can get tickets from machines around the airport or from the information booth in Terminal 2. Remember to validate your ticket on the bus at the little yellow box inside the door!<br />
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In all the above scenarios, I’m assuming you are arriving at Terminal 1 - but it’s not much different for Terminal 2. I’m also assuming normal traffic conditions (and no taxi strikes because of Uber! - not an uncommon situation over the last year). The only thing you shouldn’t do is pick up a taxi on spec at the airport. Use one of the booths in the terminal building if you haven’t pre-booked. Prague taxis are notorious for overcharging unsuspecting tourists and visitors.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Eating and Drinking</span></h3>
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There are hundreds of bars and restaurants in the city, catering for just about every whim and desire. Naturally, places differ widely in price and quality. Steer clear of the bars and restaurants in the major tourist spots like the Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square and around the Charles Bridge. They are much more expensive than in the streets nearby and although many of them are quite good in quality, they will often try to take advantage of unwary travellers. Walk down some of the back streets nearby, and you’ll find the same types of places with much more reasonable prices. Best to stay away from the big name bars like Hooters, Coyote Ugly and many of the "Irish" or “British" pubs which are total rip-offs.<br />
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Unless there is someone in the front of house who is there to take you to a table, most places just expect you to find a table yourself. Find a good spot and sit down and wait for someone to come to you. Don’t wave your hands around and gesticulate to try and get a server’s attention. They will ignore you. Neither should you go up to the bar and try and order - they’ll just tell you to go and sit down. Be patient. The staff are busy but they know exactly who’s come in and when, and they’ll get to you in due course.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vykorky Dum 99 - sadly now closed down</td></tr>
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In most places, it is quite acceptable to just order a drink, even at lunchtime or dinner time. But if you do that, you’re going to miss out on some of the snacks that are often available to help soak up the beer. When you’ve finished, you should receive an itemised bill which won’t usually include a service charge. Remember that wages in Prague are low compared to most of Europe, and for staff in the hospitality business they are very low for very long hours. Unless you’ve received really bad service (very rare in my experience) try and leave a decent tip - at least 10% but I usually leave more like 15-20%. If you’re going back somewhere, it’ll act as an ice-breaker and they will remember you!<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Getting Around</span></h3>
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Make sure you have some sensible shoes with you. Prague is best seen by foot, even though the transport system is incredibly cheap and very efficient. Shoes or boots with a good sole and grip are vital. Prague pavements are beautiful, but the marble finish becomes really slippery in the wet. Converse trainers do not fare well in these conditions I can assure you. Trekking trainers are about the best for support, grip and for dealing with cobblestoned roads which are abundant around town.<br />
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As I’ve said before in these posts, go out and don’t be afraid to get lost. Prague is relatively small and it’s relatively easy to get back to where you need or want to be. Don’t be one of those people who walk around with their heads buried in a map or on their phones. You’ll miss out on all the little things that I’ve been writing about for the last four years! Look up, down and all around - constantly.<br />
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Strictly speaking, jaywalking is illegal in Prague, and Czech drivers do not necessarily obey the letter of the law when it comes to pedestrians - so jaywalking is not recommended, unless you really know where you are, and can understand exactly where traffic could be coming from. Also, remember that trams have the right of way and probably can’t stop even if they want to except at designated stopping places. A tram will really hurt you if you pick a fight with one - and you will never win (unless you’re a bigger tram!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedmf7uvtH4cMx6Haz2knDScFqqR3hyxRDAL61bk_a9KVM9ViC7uJJAQwzOfFOIVrYtJcvspnbL7gXQybSmJml39Ok95cHDDrC1W_EKSJjT-OsQMAI3MmVhyphenhyphenKiEcL3IJlIH0IOEGr9wno/s1600/DSC_00516+Apr+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedmf7uvtH4cMx6Haz2knDScFqqR3hyxRDAL61bk_a9KVM9ViC7uJJAQwzOfFOIVrYtJcvspnbL7gXQybSmJml39Ok95cHDDrC1W_EKSJjT-OsQMAI3MmVhyphenhyphenKiEcL3IJlIH0IOEGr9wno/s320/DSC_00516+Apr+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beware of Trams and Pedestrian Crossings!</td></tr>
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Wherever there are big crowds, there will also be opportunists. In the four years that I've lived in the city, I've never had any problems - but use a bit of common sense. Don't put a wallet in your back pocket, keep your bags and pockets fastened up and hang on to your cameras. I'm not convinced that pickpocketing is any worse in Prague than it is in any other major city, but be careful! Small backstreets may be a bit spooky at night, but there aren't any dangerous parts of town, and Prague is one of the safest places I've ever lived.<br />
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If you want to take a guidebook with you, my favourite is the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/DK-Eyewitness-Travel-Guide-Prague/dp/0241277353/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523010021&sr=8-1&keywords=dk+eyewitness+prague&dpID=51UAzHuAxNL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch" target="_blank">Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Guide</a>. I would also suggest getting a map app that you can use off-line on your phone (for emergency use only!).<br />
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Don't panic if you've forgotten to pack something. These days, it's not too difficult to find a replacement somewhere in town, and I've found that, generally, prices are a bit lower than in the UK, especially if you hunt around a bit.<br />
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Even in larger department stores, assistants will generally say "dobrý den" (good day) to you as you walk in. They aren't attempting a hard sell, it's just polite and it won't hurt you to respond with your own attempt! Try and learn a few little phrases before you arrive - Thank You (děkuji - deek-wi) and Please (prosím - pr-o-seem) go a long way...and by the way...the Czech for beer is "Pivo"!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtFYlhvmJyyTU1yVA-4_xlk-qWnlwAk1nlyLsD4tZs5Gl-EkhC9LrALgCt8IAcZ95nyeltzw-0dTqEfF63BCIi14cT9vm_R3N4hBxJaIX5Tymxxl0zLLE2smwuvfHBcEVNWcttjJsLjw/s1600/DSCN02646+Apr+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtFYlhvmJyyTU1yVA-4_xlk-qWnlwAk1nlyLsD4tZs5Gl-EkhC9LrALgCt8IAcZ95nyeltzw-0dTqEfF63BCIi14cT9vm_R3N4hBxJaIX5Tymxxl0zLLE2smwuvfHBcEVNWcttjJsLjw/s320/DSCN02646+Apr+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Havelska Street Market</td></tr>
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Regarding currency, don't exchange money on the street or at any of the Exchange Booths that scatter the city. Most ATMs will accept foreign cards, but if you have problems go to a bank. 99% of the Exchange Booths are rip-offs. The unit of currency in the Czech Republic is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_koruna" target="_blank">Czech koruna</a> - not Euros. Many places will accept Euros but they will give you a crappy rate of exchange.<br />
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One thing to remember about prices - they are often marked in crowns and fractions of crowns. So a bottle of pop in a little store may be marked as 14.7 CZK but when you pay it'll actually be rounded up (or down when appropriate) to 15 CZK. Over time the rounding differences cancel each other out. Unlike the US, the price you see marked includes sales (VAT) tax.<br />
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Getting back to the airport is simply a matter of reversing the method of arriving. Prague Airport Transfers will allow you to book a return trip at the same time as the outward trip and pre-pay for both.<br />
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Finally, for travellers bound for non-Shengen destinations (UK and US especially), the security arrangements may be different from what you're used to. The final security check is performed at the gate before you board the plane. You can take liquids into the airport, and you can buy them inside the airport even after you've been through the border (passport) control. However, these will be confiscated when you go through the gate security - where they will do the hand baggage checks and X-rays. If you buy drinks for the journey at the airport, make sure they go into sealed bags. The best thing to do is to make sure you keep some change and buy your drinks from the vending machine inside the gate. A bottle of soft drink will cost about 35-45 CZK.<br />
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These are some of the most useful things I can think of right now. If I come up with any more I'll add to the post later on. Most important though...have a great time!!<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-13242265431103460622018-03-31T17:48:00.000+02:002018-03-31T20:01:21.438+02:00Prague Moments #15 - Easter and the Easter MarketsIt feels like it was only a few weeks ago that I was writing about <a href="https://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/christmas-in-prague-and-last-lamplighter.html" target="_blank">Christmas in Prague</a> and the wonderful Christmas markets. The reality is that it was fourteen weeks ago, and I'm currently back in Prague, this time enjoying the Easter Markets!<br />
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This is my fourth Easter in the Czech Republic and it has been the coldest and wettest by a long shot. I'm only here for a week to sort out a few business things, like my tax, and when I arrived there was still a fair amount of snow around the airport. I had been monitoring the weather from the UK (which was itself under the influence of the so-called Beast from the East) hoping that the conditions would improve before I arrived. Luckily they did, but only marginally, and the clock changes have helped lift spirits as sunset is now about 19:30 so there are about 13 hours of daylight to look forward to.</div>
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Easter Markets generally follow the same pattern as the Christmas Markets. They start a few weeks before Easter and end just after and are found in mostly the same locations; Old Town Square, Prague Castle, and Wenceslas Square are the most popular.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MkD12BXVwmeyKwgTKBn8wGH-wmUivna2JRW9wj7ogIS65tByWghjH5x8otVWco4xr3Z50HPqbQOlzBjhLoksV_ufqwGbcDyZuK-e9pwmwdvY0Xb9CWJB0CtEk3Dkz9kJVlYjz1n7Cl8/s1600/DSC_008331+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MkD12BXVwmeyKwgTKBn8wGH-wmUivna2JRW9wj7ogIS65tByWghjH5x8otVWco4xr3Z50HPqbQOlzBjhLoksV_ufqwGbcDyZuK-e9pwmwdvY0Xb9CWJB0CtEk3Dkz9kJVlYjz1n7Cl8/s200/DSC_008331+Mar+2018.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;">Easter not Chritmas - Staromestska</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitK9gp-z6J_FQfSTHpkfo7r02Lub1ESCeDnfq_yUu3jWp5uK2pRV2tNVuPOyVE_Pqb-5nIPQQVi91xV6IzJM1G8dp1cRdIOTtMYX8KslGjclJXu2v6HlJMEkkkSt4Wl6gYvXVygO-UcqE/s1600/IMG_015831+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1199" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitK9gp-z6J_FQfSTHpkfo7r02Lub1ESCeDnfq_yUu3jWp5uK2pRV2tNVuPOyVE_Pqb-5nIPQQVi91xV6IzJM1G8dp1cRdIOTtMYX8KslGjclJXu2v6HlJMEkkkSt4Wl6gYvXVygO-UcqE/s200/IMG_015831+Mar+2018.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Town Square<br />
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Just as with Christmas, there are loads of stalls selling food and drink, and instead of Christmas trinkets, there are wonderful hand-painted, wooden Easter eggs. The Christmas atmosphere gives way to one of freshness and you can feel Spring is in the air. Pastel colours and spring flowers are all around - some places have a small petting zoo where kids can feed the animals, and where there aren't real animals, there are straw ones in their place.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanYnRJKjng1KbqSbgtAQ3F21SchskmSQtpeja9lZplpDu9iltoEQ5hua4JqxClo2vkqaIMkdulrz1snSd0wiEL8YwdWKfO0DO8JmJDwnes4UbJwQu1xmv2AWYp_kk847aWH7TUYQJBDo/s1600/IMG_016231+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1600" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanYnRJKjng1KbqSbgtAQ3F21SchskmSQtpeja9lZplpDu9iltoEQ5hua4JqxClo2vkqaIMkdulrz1snSd0wiEL8YwdWKfO0DO8JmJDwnes4UbJwQu1xmv2AWYp_kk847aWH7TUYQJBDo/s200/IMG_016231+Mar+2018.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_szU_5_MqUBcWdZx3XC9BpjrBPwU3YGayg4s1qsyCAA1g_mo79jzIN6BAFm7kXJlXc2HXcHqCth0V39bhWB81EIur4fAWid1UQMVw3rrrbchIRBUenCqLBmYuJbz0mqn18A7ETSTmoz0/s1600/DSC_009031+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_szU_5_MqUBcWdZx3XC9BpjrBPwU3YGayg4s1qsyCAA1g_mo79jzIN6BAFm7kXJlXc2HXcHqCth0V39bhWB81EIur4fAWid1UQMVw3rrrbchIRBUenCqLBmYuJbz0mqn18A7ETSTmoz0/s200/DSC_009031+Mar+2018.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloHRdcgpiBbpK79RVQCcIaxlODiiYpt7s3exsI-v13rwo4bwZjIH39TVwxYocrzOs-sEk8EtnPfhQWAD556ykAmA26OyEKCcPomQYbnGw_HgAsj590_osVHVMjv8HLTcx7ZsxiIoT8xM/s1600/IMG_016531+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloHRdcgpiBbpK79RVQCcIaxlODiiYpt7s3exsI-v13rwo4bwZjIH39TVwxYocrzOs-sEk8EtnPfhQWAD556ykAmA26OyEKCcPomQYbnGw_HgAsj590_osVHVMjv8HLTcx7ZsxiIoT8xM/s200/IMG_016531+Mar+2018.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Straw farm at Hradcanska</td></tr>
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Easter in the Czech Republic is considered a time associated with birth and fertility and there are a number of traditions and customs followed. Although Prague is known as the city of 100 spires, over 40% of the modern population considers themselves atheist, and although much of the religious symbolism is still evident at Easter, the holiday has become more commercial and fun oriented than perhaps it is in other parts of the world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMljfznplQYkqwpHaQnIPVMGS0swtb4GqkMbRRstBOnxi_-F2hW_RuXfuIucDpif01Fq1taYYeL1w0_npMWNqB-64Xshdugg3zTkdA73ApD0vpgd96LXOO_P-moDyupnc91yhbuDoB8I/s1600/DSC_009531+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMljfznplQYkqwpHaQnIPVMGS0swtb4GqkMbRRstBOnxi_-F2hW_RuXfuIucDpif01Fq1taYYeL1w0_npMWNqB-64Xshdugg3zTkdA73ApD0vpgd96LXOO_P-moDyupnc91yhbuDoB8I/s320/DSC_009531+Mar+2018.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvFd-oAVvoMfHlLRA1mhkPKO30m2ZKN5uxj3yWtgwQKfh3x4E2SG3KIAnQxKzQeIv39y11F4k5NOKscFqHs5pjtLrdbtXYoV196AkE7WMomhwRYf5nXrREYL73r4Z3Zf-uNob_UG2Tq4/s1600/DSC_009231+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvFd-oAVvoMfHlLRA1mhkPKO30m2ZKN5uxj3yWtgwQKfh3x4E2SG3KIAnQxKzQeIv39y11F4k5NOKscFqHs5pjtLrdbtXYoV196AkE7WMomhwRYf5nXrREYL73r4Z3Zf-uNob_UG2Tq4/s320/DSC_009231+Mar+2018.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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The festivities start with Ugly Wednesday (Škaredá středa - named for the day of Judas' betrayal) which is used to spend time cleaning up in preparation for Easter. This is followed by Green Thursday (Zelený čtvrtek) when the church bells ring for the last time (in Catholic churches) and priests officiate at rites in green vestments - hence the name. This is a day when you should make sure you eat something green to ensure your health for the coming year. Specially made green beer apparently works just as well!<br />
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There are Good Friday (Velký pátek) processions to mark the journey of Christ carrying his cross to Calvary, and on White Saturday (Bilá sobota) the bells start to ring again to mark the start of the Resurrection.<br />
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Finally, on Easter Monday (Velikonocni Pondeli) there are street parties and traditionally is a time when women get whipped with a willow rod (pomlázka). This is a fertility rite, and is supposed to make women younger and ensure a year of health and beauty. These days, although you can still buy the pomlázka in the markets, it's not an activity to be practised with strangers or without consent!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEE0E_mvuJOk2jj2qetDJVqkZYwIdjTK8BabB6f-Ztku9KzgVtQBXth3kj1DwhRMMu9zIuvt70B1jFDydJOEwRDNlnWlD_tkNGZX1R9B5km60BQIr1rvtMUpvZZXDdVKqm6O80dxvFego/s1600/IMG_016331+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEE0E_mvuJOk2jj2qetDJVqkZYwIdjTK8BabB6f-Ztku9KzgVtQBXth3kj1DwhRMMu9zIuvt70B1jFDydJOEwRDNlnWlD_tkNGZX1R9B5km60BQIr1rvtMUpvZZXDdVKqm6O80dxvFego/s200/IMG_016331+Mar+2018.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pomlázka - Don't do this at home</td></tr>
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I've always enjoyed Easter in Prague especially as it about the only time of year that you can find plentiful amounts of young lamb in the supermarkets. As a Brit who enjoys a Sunday roast, I usually take the opportunity to stock up the freezer with lamb joints.<br />
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Veselé Velikonoce! (Happy Easter!)<br />
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Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-3780653149471755462018-03-18T17:31:00.003+01:002018-03-18T17:33:28.257+01:00Prague in Plain Sight #3 - Čechův most (Čech Bridge)Even someone who has never set foot in Prague is probably familiar with the Charles Bridge either from postcards or photos, but if not, from its starting role in a number of films, most famously Mission:Impossible, but also Yentl, Van Helsing and The Omen. Of course, its iconic status and fame mean it is often almost impassable except early in the morning or late at night.<br />
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Prague boasts eight other bridges across the Vltava between Florenc in the North-east of the city and Vyšehrad to the South, and of these three are more suitable crossing places for someone on a mission or in a hurry. My personal favourite is Čechův most (Čech Bridge) which provides a link between Pařížská třída and the embankment running under the Letná hill and the steps leading up to the metronome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View across the Vltava with the metronome in the background</td></tr>
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Čechův most was built between 1905 and 1908 based on plans by the architect Jan Koula along with designers George Soukup, Vaclav Trča, Francis Mencl. At 169m in length and 16m wide, it is the shortest bridge in Prague.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kbWVfejSkQ2wMZlK5VSB4qyZ5dMga45VepQStI5MRiuoXjRpi3hLC9zIMnzug6INRA2QjxO1lbmwQnHdGLl2JQEjhtbbcaMlttiNpaLiJROxfsbTJw72IV6p4jQY_dXHuBaXki22aYM/s1600/DSC_001818+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kbWVfejSkQ2wMZlK5VSB4qyZ5dMga45VepQStI5MRiuoXjRpi3hLC9zIMnzug6INRA2QjxO1lbmwQnHdGLl2JQEjhtbbcaMlttiNpaLiJROxfsbTJw72IV6p4jQY_dXHuBaXki22aYM/s320/DSC_001818+Mar+2018.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEx0Yc0rtu-mp7tdLbXzmC3yAS53jcewUexEkqss3FCPE2mOMrY9jssCe7nuy1x44nSmG6ySuOJE1sBs4quzRebW7dIsn1h00I5kjWV7mbLpvByoayOPBL_goANjsI7G5V1_ruWWzfB8/s1600/DSCN023418+Mar+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEx0Yc0rtu-mp7tdLbXzmC3yAS53jcewUexEkqss3FCPE2mOMrY9jssCe7nuy1x44nSmG6ySuOJE1sBs4quzRebW7dIsn1h00I5kjWV7mbLpvByoayOPBL_goANjsI7G5V1_ruWWzfB8/s320/DSCN023418+Mar+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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It also has a protected status as the only Art Nouveau style bridge in the Czech Republic. It is constructed on stone pillars and the arches are made of iron. The original roadway was wooden but this was replaced in 1961 because it became very slippery in the wet. There have been a number of reconstructions, including a major one in 1971/5. Between 1984 and 87 all the sculptures on the bridge were repaired.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torchbearer on the west side of the bridge</td></tr>
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There are a large number of wonderful ornamental features in bronze and iron including torchbearers, six-headed hydras and at each end of the bridge, a pair of 17.5m tall columns support bronze figures of Victory designed by Antonín Popp.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the Victory figures</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of a ram's head on the bridge</td></tr>
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The bridge was named after the writer Svatopluk Čech, who died just after construction was completed. During the Nazi occupation between 1940-45, it was renamed the Mendel Bridge (after Gregor Mendel, the German geneticist).<br />
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Next time you happen to be crossing the river at that end of the city, take a moment or two to appreciate the amazing attention to detail on Čech most.<br />
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-33091289631420863882018-02-17T13:18:00.002+01:002018-02-17T13:18:44.085+01:00Prague Moments #14 - The Butterfly HouseDespite all the wonderful things to see around the city of Prague, at this time of year you sometimes need a break from the cold and find an indoor venue.<br />
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Arguably the warmest new attraction in town is the <a href="http://www.papilonia.cz/eng/" target="_blank">Papilonia Butterfly House</a> which opened last summer. Located on the lowest level of Hamleys' toy shop on Na Příkopě (around the corner from Wenceslas Square), the permanent attraction covers 150m² and its design was inspired by the temple of Angkor Vat in Kampuchea.<br />
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The environmental controls maintain a temperature of 26ºC and 80% humidity and the attraction is home to 600 butterflies from 40 different countries, including Mexico, Australia, and other South American and South East Asian locations. The intention is to vary the species during the year so there will be different species in the spring compared to the autumn.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2mei-m9X8EhveD_I0kgk68Uh8kpIdtD29lRi-8C0wUZz8tXM_ePtijVAvxCLuV-hq2UP_8GbG-NVrYyISRfWhOWR8AUGUrr5A4skXGYB6aIAAkO9URQMhV1Vgz3SL17PK-j1_OuhD3U/s1600/IMG_001617+Feb+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBt9uzhjQ0PsMeWDU3gaE3nbG5HvAjnnwXgfKEhl2A7fKgKySI3MmotABIrwRPsVgqnuouZ1397ZLz9H7pK-TLm4uRcmUMF2kdWe-tOEkWE3f_Uf978ikcjegxPdjnujydDQADvXpJrEI/s1600/IMG_000817+Feb+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBt9uzhjQ0PsMeWDU3gaE3nbG5HvAjnnwXgfKEhl2A7fKgKySI3MmotABIrwRPsVgqnuouZ1397ZLz9H7pK-TLm4uRcmUMF2kdWe-tOEkWE3f_Uf978ikcjegxPdjnujydDQADvXpJrEI/s320/IMG_000817+Feb+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2mei-m9X8EhveD_I0kgk68Uh8kpIdtD29lRi-8C0wUZz8tXM_ePtijVAvxCLuV-hq2UP_8GbG-NVrYyISRfWhOWR8AUGUrr5A4skXGYB6aIAAkO9URQMhV1Vgz3SL17PK-j1_OuhD3U/s1600/IMG_001617+Feb+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2mei-m9X8EhveD_I0kgk68Uh8kpIdtD29lRi-8C0wUZz8tXM_ePtijVAvxCLuV-hq2UP_8GbG-NVrYyISRfWhOWR8AUGUrr5A4skXGYB6aIAAkO9URQMhV1Vgz3SL17PK-j1_OuhD3U/s320/IMG_001617+Feb+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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When you go through the hermetically sealed double doors, it’s like hitting a brick wall of heat and humidity and reminded me of leaving the airport building in Hong Kong. Butterflies with wingspans of up to 20cm are apparently happily flying around, seemingly oblivious to the human sightseers. Butterflies will come and perch on you if you're lucky - they are attracted to bright colours like reds and yellows.<br />
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Because of the humidity cameras may get a bit steamed up, especially coming in from the cold. My new iPhone X had no problems, but my Nikon DSLR couldn't cope so it went back in the bag. You can get up really close to the 'models' which continue to pose even when you're just a few centimetres away.<br />
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Children are welcome, but I would prefer parents to keep hold of them. There are butterflies on the floor as well as everywhere else, and it's easy to tread on them if you're not careful. You also need to be careful leaving to ensure no butterflies escape.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSFF6MMBhQXADf1LGuL__BLoleZTui4iUX8QyNXYW0rGujsl3Zk3Zdz1cWhnBJXPD2EM7_m_2V8Ngfi7dTIX5lpmu2v9cp1cys2Wk-B6dgjh_hM2dNrD9g297EGm5pM9ikzC9R-V62Gc/s1600/IMG_002217+Feb+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSFF6MMBhQXADf1LGuL__BLoleZTui4iUX8QyNXYW0rGujsl3Zk3Zdz1cWhnBJXPD2EM7_m_2V8Ngfi7dTIX5lpmu2v9cp1cys2Wk-B6dgjh_hM2dNrD9g297EGm5pM9ikzC9R-V62Gc/s320/IMG_002217+Feb+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWY6kQwIp312xmZldDLQpQ8Yb8wa9EWaRhOB1ZAVrMvT4whdc2CBBG9zp5NbzFJkOnzdBjUBt797fQG7mccTL2jXJJWa-3lCHRa2wJQ4lJgCiSLP1n188tvMDX0key45K6FRZKvwhSxKo/s1600/IMG_003017+Feb+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWY6kQwIp312xmZldDLQpQ8Yb8wa9EWaRhOB1ZAVrMvT4whdc2CBBG9zp5NbzFJkOnzdBjUBt797fQG7mccTL2jXJJWa-3lCHRa2wJQ4lJgCiSLP1n188tvMDX0key45K6FRZKvwhSxKo/s320/IMG_003017+Feb+2018.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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This was a wonderful experience and at the time of writing cost 150CZK for adults. The collection is open every day from 10:00am to 20:00pm (8 o'clock).Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864909614659705111.post-958204469504461792018-02-05T11:56:00.000+01:002018-02-06T11:38:26.360+01:00Prague in Plain Sight #2 - The Šitka TowerIf you continue walking past the <a href="http://onlyinbohemia.blogspot.com/2018/02/prague-in-plain-sight-1-kranner-fountain.html">Kranner Fountain</a> towards the Dancing House, you’ll not miss the Šitkovská (Šitka) Water Tower on the right-hand side of the road (Masarykovo Nábřeží). This tower was named for one of the original mill owners that used to crowd the riverfront. It supplied water from the Vltava to the upper New Town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbdEo_X-vxMVvmg5ODwCnrT1EUQAoZdP-k3T3KfxJ4-UPEpx6LABbvbC0WyZWcR4_mMbExEvVlI_qxZtA2mFGCuSJJL3cuYbVeeSD4ZGxykubCoxqoXAN19_Hzjcb4iqfLwi_CdeRsSo/s1600/DSC_01995+Feb+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1138" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbdEo_X-vxMVvmg5ODwCnrT1EUQAoZdP-k3T3KfxJ4-UPEpx6LABbvbC0WyZWcR4_mMbExEvVlI_qxZtA2mFGCuSJJL3cuYbVeeSD4ZGxykubCoxqoXAN19_Hzjcb4iqfLwi_CdeRsSo/s320/DSC_01995+Feb+2018.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Šitka Tower from Jiráskův most</td></tr>
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The current tower dates back to 1588-1591; other towers existed on the same site but were destroyed by fire. The onion shaped dome was a later addition in 1648, following damage from the Thirty Years’ War. The waterworks went out of operation in 1880 and the tower was threatened with demolition.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Šitka Tower with Prague Castle in the background</td></tr>
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Václav Havel, the first democratically elected president of Czechoslovakia, probably wished it had been, as the top floor was a spying spot for the communist Secret Police for many years as it had the perfect view of his house, which was monitored 24 hours a day in the 1970's to see who was visiting, when, and for how long.<br />
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Although you can easily get to the tower along the main embankment, a more interesting route is to cross the little bridge onto Slovansky ostrov (Slav Island) and approach the tower through the park. Head right down to the end of the island and you can make your way back up to the road via the staircase under the tower.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tower from Slav Island</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2wy0oQ_YVb2BYNYd3bKjGCw460YeE_jICkhi3okrid_rhY_y3Jpg4LhdmePy0hlD9AUptvkQbCsRFUIa-Nn2cmPA9YNC9I3kjIA6A1jOwmvegbfK6uV6pNZmd78a39vw8WaSiNtq0z0/s1600/DSC_00655+Feb+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2wy0oQ_YVb2BYNYd3bKjGCw460YeE_jICkhi3okrid_rhY_y3Jpg4LhdmePy0hlD9AUptvkQbCsRFUIa-Nn2cmPA9YNC9I3kjIA6A1jOwmvegbfK6uV6pNZmd78a39vw8WaSiNtq0z0/s320/DSC_00655+Feb+2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inscription on the rear of the tower</td></tr>
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The building alongside the tower houses an art gallery (<a href="http://www.galeriemanes.com/" target="_blank">Galerie Mánes</a>) and a little cafe restaurant.</div>
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<br />Ally Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266980121207923495noreply@blogger.com1