Prague au cœur
Living in Czech Republic without having time to visit Prague as a tourist is just like closing the window, turning light on while sun is shining outside!
Saturday I started to find out about a luxurious and magnificent city, my objective was to challenge Japanese tourists and to shot more than 1000 pictures, it was done! I won’t talk here about the craziness I did, but only the cultural aspects.
My real discovery started by 18:30, crossing the legendary Karlův most (Charles Bridge), it was night and the lights made the bridge magic. It was for the first time that I could hear all the languages I speak in the same location, but in the other hand, nobody of the crowd spoke Czech! Crossing the bridge leads to to Staromětské námestí (Old Town Square) where was held a peaceful demonstration against Missile Base and for peace. Demonstrators made the symbol of peace with torches around the square, unfortunately, I could not shot from above as there was no possibility to climb any building. It was well organized, clean and quiet (only 2 cops were present, they did not do a great job). After the demonstration, nobody could say that there was an event before!
I can not say that Prague by night is dead, so crowded and so animated that one can not realize that they could miss the last tram. Besides, it was an opportunity to practice so many languages, as it was full of tourists from everywhere on the earth.
Next day, I came again to the same place, crossing the bridge again several times to visit the cathedrals, buildings and streets.
Meanwhile a museum attracted my attention, Museum of medieval torture, which exposes torture instruments and historical documents about their use. Too cruel and would make you regret the 150 czk you paid to enter, but in my opinion, one has to know about that dark period of Europe and the creativity of inquisitors to humiliate the people and to take over.
It was already almost sunset, time for us to visit the Castle, containing “gothic St Vitus Cathedral, romanesque basilica of St. George, a monastery and several palaces, gardens and defense towers.” The strong wind made it empty from tourists, that was OK for me. I won’t talk about it, just see the pictures …
I guess I won’t end describing Prague, I must stop for now. But I want to mention a topic: comparing Brno with Prague is not fair at all! Brno is just a small town and can never reach the splendor and the grandeur of the glorious Bohemian capital, but Brno keeps its charm of the old Moravian city, calm, cheap and small, yet well organized and has a solid infrastructure. I realized that Brno fits me rather than Prague.
Definitely, I prefer to have a quiet life in Brno, and great week ends in Prague.
Pictures from Prague
http://www.flickr.com/photos/swobodin/sets/72157600011505526/
Pictures of the demonstration:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/swobodin/tags/20070317/
Videos: To be uploaded soon
March 21st, 2007 at 2:22 pm
i like how you have described the difference between Prague and Brno. actually, there is also the “other” Prague, which can be compared to Brno - all the suburbs where a tourist is as rare as in a forgotten village in middle of Bohemia. and here Brno wins
but surely, for everybody visiting Czech rep., Prague is a must
March 21st, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Nice Trip
A quiet city is better for work sure .. but if u have one time the idea of going out during the week .. is there opportunities for that at Brno ? I mean is it the same at Prague ?
Anyway .. i would have preferred Brno also .. so that someone could quietly make its mixture of craziness and “serieous” but still interesting life.
March 21st, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Well, Brno is not that small after all, it’s the second city in Czech Republic, but living 3 months in the same city, there should not be a corner you did not digged…
March 24th, 2007 at 1:17 am
Glad you got to see Prague. Brno is, of course, better, but I’m probably slightly biased.
I like your criticisms in the other post, too.
March 26th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Brno can not let someone who lives in without love and nostalgia to the city.