Today I met František (from English camps and church) at 9:00 AM for personal guided tour of parts of Prague with historical and architectural (not to mention local trivia) commentary. We had a great time and wore our legs out, until the rain returned and put a stop to our travels about 4:00 PM. Here are some photos…
We began at the Vyšehrad, the legendary seat of the early Přemyslid kings, before the dynasty relocated to Prague Castle. Built on from the tenth century, the Vyšehrad sits atop a cliffs overlooking the Vltava River. (It also gives its name to the first movement of Smetana's partriotic symphonic suite, Ma Vlast, "My Country.") We got there ahead of the crowds and so enjoyed a few minutes walking through the almost deserted grounds.
One of the heroic statues depicting figures from Prague' legendary past located in the park (they were moved here from one of the bridges spanning the Vltava).
The Basilika of Saints Peter and Paul dominates the area. The present building is a 19th century neo-Gothic structure, but there has been a church on the site since at least the 11th century. Here the two towers rise about the trees of the park.
The view looking north to Hradčany, Prague Castle and St Vitus' Cathedral, where we would finish out tour later in the day.
Your Humble Narrator in front of the tomb of composer Antonin Dvořák in the National Cemetery (beside the basilika) where many Czech worthies are buried.
From Vyšehrad we made our way across the Charles Bridge (not very photogenic this year due to the many repairs being done to the bridge surface) to Malá Strana. There we saw, among other sights the narrowest street in Prague. It is a legitimate street, and even has a traffic light to prevent foot traffic from both ends at the same time, as there is no room for a body to pass. František demonstrates the tight squeeze.
We ate lunch in a restaurant near Prague Castle where Czech poet and first president of the second Czech Republic Václav Havel must have eaten. We knew because he had written his name on the wall.František tried to avoid the crowds of tourists, so we wended our way down many deserted lanes. These tangled streets, as much as the famous landmarks of the city, give me the most characteristic "feeling" for Prague.
It was a great day. Thank you, František
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