Praha (Prague)

We had a wonderful trip to the beautiful city of Prague, despite my getting really sick with a nasty, nasty cold, the effects of which I'm still feeling 9 days later. Armed with a strange bottle of Czech cold medicine, we weathered the often rainy days and spent time visiting the city highlights. We had to exchange our euros for Czech koronas, which made for some strange calculations when paying for things. Our first evening was spent in Old Town Square, where we enjoyed a local concert while taking in the gorgeous architecture and the various booths of street vendors who were selling an array of Czech food products. The following morning we started our day in the Jewish quarter, where we visited synagogues and the old Jewish cemetery. We read that the cemetery was "not to miss" and it was certanly true. The cemetery is crammed with thousands of gravestones in a area of less than 1/2 acre, and it is estimated that over 100,000 people were buried in the small area. In a neighboring museum, we saw firsthand the effect of World War II on the Jewish population of Prague and surrounding communities. The walls of the museum listed the names of the 80,000 Jewish people who were deported to concentration camps and never returned. It was quite a profound experience to read their names and birthdates and death dates. It really brought to life this horrific period of world history. The museum also had an exhibit of artwork prepared by children in the camps. It too told a powerful tale, as all the pictures of the camp were drawn in very dark colors, while others that showed the hope of returning home were in bright, spring colors. Dark and light - the universal symbol of evil and good.We spent the afternoon walking around the Old Town area, seeing the famous town hall astronomical clock (15th century) and Charles Bridge (14th century), which crosses the Vltava River that bisects the city. The bridge is adorned with Baroque statues of various saints. Although it now pedestrianed, at one time it could take four carriages abreast. The bridge led us to the Mala Strana (Little Quarter) district, which sits just below Prague Castle. It was a lively area with shops and cafes, and where we enjoyed a really nice lunch. This area also housed the Church of Our Lady Triumphant, where we visited the miraculous Infant of Praque statue. On our final day in Prague, we toured the Castle District, which is quite monumental, both in size and architectural marvel. The history of Prague begins with the castle, founded in the 9th century. Its commanding position high above the Vltava River soon made it the center of all the neighboring lands. Despite periodic fires and multiple invasions (and WWII), the castle has retained its churches, chapels, and towers from every period of its history. St. Vitas Cathedral, built in the 14th century, was incredibly beautiful, full of gorgeous stained glass windows whose artistry and technique we hadn't seen before. The palace has been home to the various Bohemian kings since the 11th century. Much of it was closed to visitors but we did get to see a small, older section. Overall, we highly recommend adding Prague to your European travel list. It is truly gorgeous. Its our last few days in Berzo, as we leave Italia on Tuesday, heading back to "normal life". Sigh. We have many family activities planned, including a Saturday night pizza dinner at the local sports bar with all the cousins. Its rumored that there will up upwards of 25 cousins! That will be a great send-off for a wonderful summer in Berzo.