Prague
As we waited at the Czech border it became quickly apparent that our carriage was the only one without functioning climate control. The slight reprieve from the heat provided by the extended stop gave us the opportunity to meet a nice couple from Sydney heading on roughly the same itinerary. Unfortunately the stop also allowed some new people to board. The mix of the worst B.O. and non-functioning climate control meant that the escape, once we got going again, to the smoking carriage was not just for a nicotine fix.
Eventually we arrived in Prague, often described as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The walking tour we did here was nowhere near as good as the one in Berlin but we did manage to learn some interesting stuff nonetheless…if only our way around!!
The mix of Gothic and modern architecture continued to amaze. The market square, with it’s famous Astronomical Clock, was a further jewel to the Prague crown. The main ruby was the Royal Palace and immense double-spired grand cathedral. While touring the grounds and exhibits, I clearly missed my calling as a crossbowman with a pristine target after 5 targets.
By a miracle unbeknownst to us, we managed to catch the changing of the guards. What made the whole spectacle hilarious was the fact that the whole thing was done to the Thunderbirds™ theme song. Unfortunately the lack of visible strings directing the soldiers’ movements took some of the gloss off the event.
Further contributing to the crown jewels was the Charles Bridge. Thankfully the pitiful €15,000 Louis Vutton offered to rent the entire bridge for a private function was rejected and the bridge remained open to the rest of us mere mortals to enjoy. The ornate statues lining the rails (in fact copies of the originals which now sit in museums) hi-lighted the old world mystique of the bridge itself, during both the day and the night. Near the bridge was an outdoor photography exhibition that consisted of a number of aerial shots. All of the photos depicted aspects of nature detrimentally affected by man and included a description and fact per photo. One of the facts that stood out was that it apparently takes about 5 tonnes of natural resources to make one single laptop computer!!
Another photography exhibition for the 2006 World Press Photographer’s group provided a chilling account of the many events that have occurred over the last 12 months. Again the strength of a powerful photograph in depicting a situation reinforced the old saying of a picture telling a thousand words.
The final jewel was the magnificent Baroque church. The Baroque style basically means packing as many frescoes, decorations and statues into a church as possible, and then trying to squeeze a few more!! This, however, gives an overwhelming interior that richly professes the glory of God. All of this housed within an otherwise uninspiring building.
Despite the cluster of the jewels that decorate the crown of Prague, it matters little if the crown itself is made from cheap imitation plastic. By this I mean the people. When eating out, always check every square inch of the menu for a cover charge (which is written in minute letters somewhere after the credits) that will usually give absolutely no indication of what it is charged for and how many times. Also presume that the dishes themselves will in no way resemble the photos used to depict them. Added to the bill, written on scraps of paper in a scrawl even a Santa would be proud of, is a random amount called “service charge”. The Czech’s make even the rudest waiter in a Chinese restaurant (the ruder they are usually means the better the restaurant is) seem pleasant. “Service charge” would be better written as “tourist tax”! This overall attitude pervaded all aspects of social structure. Queues were irrelevant as people ignored them at will and the constant fear of pick-pocketing meant that you spent more time checking your pockets than enjoying the architecture around. It wasn’t paranoia!!
Overall, despite the truly amazing architecture and history, I left Prague with a bad taste in my mouth. I don’t know if it was the people, the food, high expectations or a combination of the three. Nonetheless I would like to return there during winter to see if I can find the Prague I was hoping for.
Eventually we arrived in Prague, often described as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The walking tour we did here was nowhere near as good as the one in Berlin but we did manage to learn some interesting stuff nonetheless…if only our way around!!
The mix of Gothic and modern architecture continued to amaze. The market square, with it’s famous Astronomical Clock, was a further jewel to the Prague crown. The main ruby was the Royal Palace and immense double-spired grand cathedral. While touring the grounds and exhibits, I clearly missed my calling as a crossbowman with a pristine target after 5 targets.
By a miracle unbeknownst to us, we managed to catch the changing of the guards. What made the whole spectacle hilarious was the fact that the whole thing was done to the Thunderbirds™ theme song. Unfortunately the lack of visible strings directing the soldiers’ movements took some of the gloss off the event.
Further contributing to the crown jewels was the Charles Bridge. Thankfully the pitiful €15,000 Louis Vutton offered to rent the entire bridge for a private function was rejected and the bridge remained open to the rest of us mere mortals to enjoy. The ornate statues lining the rails (in fact copies of the originals which now sit in museums) hi-lighted the old world mystique of the bridge itself, during both the day and the night. Near the bridge was an outdoor photography exhibition that consisted of a number of aerial shots. All of the photos depicted aspects of nature detrimentally affected by man and included a description and fact per photo. One of the facts that stood out was that it apparently takes about 5 tonnes of natural resources to make one single laptop computer!!
Another photography exhibition for the 2006 World Press Photographer’s group provided a chilling account of the many events that have occurred over the last 12 months. Again the strength of a powerful photograph in depicting a situation reinforced the old saying of a picture telling a thousand words.
The final jewel was the magnificent Baroque church. The Baroque style basically means packing as many frescoes, decorations and statues into a church as possible, and then trying to squeeze a few more!! This, however, gives an overwhelming interior that richly professes the glory of God. All of this housed within an otherwise uninspiring building.
Despite the cluster of the jewels that decorate the crown of Prague, it matters little if the crown itself is made from cheap imitation plastic. By this I mean the people. When eating out, always check every square inch of the menu for a cover charge (which is written in minute letters somewhere after the credits) that will usually give absolutely no indication of what it is charged for and how many times. Also presume that the dishes themselves will in no way resemble the photos used to depict them. Added to the bill, written on scraps of paper in a scrawl even a Santa would be proud of, is a random amount called “service charge”. The Czech’s make even the rudest waiter in a Chinese restaurant (the ruder they are usually means the better the restaurant is) seem pleasant. “Service charge” would be better written as “tourist tax”! This overall attitude pervaded all aspects of social structure. Queues were irrelevant as people ignored them at will and the constant fear of pick-pocketing meant that you spent more time checking your pockets than enjoying the architecture around. It wasn’t paranoia!!
Overall, despite the truly amazing architecture and history, I left Prague with a bad taste in my mouth. I don’t know if it was the people, the food, high expectations or a combination of the three. Nonetheless I would like to return there during winter to see if I can find the Prague I was hoping for.
posted by santas walkabout at 1:00 am
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