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Jul 24 / 4:27am

The last Korunas

At the airport, ready for ontime departure with Lufthansa. Flying Prague-Frankfurt-Madrid on the trip home.
 
We've got a few Czech Crowns left, trying to find something to buy.
 
25 KC = 1Euro
 
In general, things here are a little cheaper than in Madrid.
 
I was very surprised to see that English was spoken everywhere we went - and they sometimes also spoke Spanish. Even when we were off the beaten track, away from the tourist areas downtown.

Steve

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Jul 24 / 1:15am

Czeching out

Time to head home after a week in Prague. The original plan was to spend 3 days in Prague and the rest of the time taking day trips to nearby towns, but there was so much to see here that we never left the city.
 
This is definitely a worthwhile visit and I recommend it highly.
 
Sadly, it's time to head back home:
 
Passport...check
Sunglasses...check
Explorer hat...check
Red and white wine...Czech

(Sorry, couldn't resist the parting Czech jokes)
 
Steve

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Jul 23 / 1:43pm

This was for just one person

Still discovering the joys of Czech cuisine. Here's a half duck, roasted. With red and white cabbage and dumplings.
 
I'll probably regret it, but I ate the whole thing. Washed down with a delicious Moravian rosé (well, actually, 2)
 
I like Prague.

Steve

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Jul 23 / 11:46am

And then came the rain

This hot, stuffy day could only end one way.
 
Well, OK, two ways. With a cold Czech beer and a summer storm. In the picture you can barely make out the waiters trying to save the awnings on the terraza from the weight of the rainwater. We just made it inside when the worst of the storm hit.
 
The deluge only lasted 20 minutes, but it was enough to cool off the city.

Steve

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Jul 23 / 6:36am

Heat, humidity and communism

Just finished a visit to the Museum of Communism. Interesting description of how the government lied and intimidated people- creating a constant fear of attack from abroad.
 
Level Orange, anyone?

Steve

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Jul 23 / 4:06am

Vyšehrad (help! I'm melting)

This morning we headed out to see castle of Vyšehrad, and we walked into a world of sauna. Wow! It is hot and humid today. I haven't felt this hoy and sticky since I left Wisconsin.
 
We saw a romanesque chapel (St Martina) and the basilica of St Lawrence. Beautiful parks and views of the Moltava.

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Jul 22 / 1:40pm

A note on transportation

Once you figure out the right sort of ticket to buy, and where to buy it, the trams are a great way to move around Prague.
 
You can buy tickets at the tobacconists (which are closed on Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday). Tickets can also be bought from machines at a few Tram stops - very few tram stops, none of which seems to be located downtown.
 
But let's suppose you have found one. Now comes the fun of deciding if you need the 18KC ticket that is valid for 30 min or 4 stops. Eh? WTF? Or if you should get a higher fare with a different set of random conditions.
 
Hint: buy for the return trip at the same time. You'll never find a machine when you are ready to head back to your hotel.

Steve

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Jul 22 / 7:43am

St. Vitus Cathedral

Finishing off our visit to Prague castle, we saw the cathedral , with a beautiful stained glass window by Mucha. He obviously did much more than posters for Sarah Bernhardt.
 
We also saw the tomb of St Wenceslas - murdered by his own brother. Czech royalty has a very bloody history. In St George Basilica, we also saw the tomb of a Bohemian queen who was strangled to death while she was praying, by her sister-in-law.

Steve

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Jul 22 / 5:16am

A break and trying something new

After visiting the Royal Palace and other marvels of Prague castle, we're taking a break in the Wenceslas vineyard. Here you can see a fine Czech red - Zweigeltrebe 2007 Znovín Znojmo.
 
Beautiful views of the city from here - you can see the crowds on the Charles bridge and all the steeples of Prague.

After the break - St. Vitus Cathedral

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Jul 22 / 2:25am

Prague castle and Hradcany

Today we finish our orderly discovery of the old quarters of Prague with a visit to the castle and the castle neighborhood. These are the old areas of Prague: Nove Mesto, Stare Mesto, Josefov, Mala Strana, Hradcany.
 
Finally, we have summer weather!

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