This morning we are up early to catch our morning train to Prague. Juli and Konstantin meet us at the station — Juli to leave with us and Konstantin to see his mother off on a train home. The first 30 minute stretch is a repeat of our unanticipated train ride to Bad Schandau, when two-days earlier the Asian family pushed their way into our train compartment preventing Juli, Tejomaya and I from disembarking in Dresden. The ride is mostly through beautiful countryside, small towns and a few slightly larger ones.
About 4 hours later we reach Prague’s (Praha) Main Train Station. Thankfully, Juli has been here before and navigates us through the maze of people and tracks to the street. Gamely, she suggests we walk to our hotel, and though it is hot and humid here, too, we agree.
We are four quintessential tourists . . . Zelda and I pulling and pushing our suitcase while Juli and Tejomaya carry their backpacks. Only Juli knows how to pack extremely few things in a very small backpack and still look extremely stylish for three-days . . . Teach me!!! To make our schlepp more humorous, the sidewalks in at least this section of Prague are all cobbled. I especially love/hate the small black and white cobble sidewalks! The walk is architecturally inspiring with Baroque, Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings.
We are four quintessential tourists . . . Zelda and I pulling and pushing our suitcase while Juli and Tejomaya carry their backpacks. Only Juli knows how to pack extremely few things in a very small backpack and still look extremely stylish for three-days . . . Teach me!!! To make our schlepp more humorous, the sidewalks in at least this section of Prague are all cobbled. I especially love/hate the small black and white cobble sidewalks! The walk is architecturally inspiring with Baroque, Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings.
With possibly some exaggeration, we walked about 5 miles — down Wilsonova to Legerova, stopping to exchange Euros for Koruna, then past the State Opera House and National Museum, turning right on Jacna through Charles Square and to Resslova — to Dancing House, which would be our “home” in Prague.
“Dancing House,” was collaboratively designed by architects Frank Gehry (Canadian-American) and Vlado Milunic (Croatian-Czech) in 1992 and completed in 1996. The very non-traditional design was controversial at the time. It is situated where a former multi-story house was destroyed by the U.S. bombing of Prague in 1945. Next door, a house still remaining was co-owned by former Czech president Václav Havel's family and where he lived for decades. Havel enthusiastically supported the non-traditional and controversial at the time structure that was intended to be a cultural center for the area. |
Originally named the “Fred and Ginger” building, by Gehry, after the famous dance partners Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers due to its resemblance of dancers. He discarded that name at it became simply known as "Dancing House".
Considered “deconstructivist” or “new-baroque” in style, Dancing House's unusual shape is supported by 99 concrete panels, each a different shape and dimension. On the top of the building is a large twisted structure of metal nicknamed “Mary.”
Considered “deconstructivist” or “new-baroque” in style, Dancing House's unusual shape is supported by 99 concrete panels, each a different shape and dimension. On the top of the building is a large twisted structure of metal nicknamed “Mary.”
After checking in, sorting out rooms, and freshening up, we hit the street in search of Café Louvre, which Juli had previously dined on a trip here with Konstantin. The restaurant as well as Dancing House were also on my list of things to experience in Prague. Walking along the east bank of the Vltava River up Masarykovo Nábrezi, we skirted the National Theatre to Narodni (street).
On Narodni (street) we pass an interesting three-dimensional sculpture of hands reaching above a date (17.11.1989) that commemorates the Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy, which began with riot police suppressing a student and older dissidents demonstration and ended with the toppling of the communist regime. Known as the Velvet Revolution, this non-violent transition of power took place on the 50th anniversary of a violent demonstration that occurred here against Nazi occupation. |
Over the next 6 weeks, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia relinquished power and dismantled the one-party state, sections of the Constitution were deleted that had given Communists a monopoly of power, barbed wire and other obstructions were revoked from the border with West Germany and Austria, and Václav Havel was elected President of Czechoslovakia. In June 1990, the country held its first democratic elections since 1946 — how the courage and commitment of these people is inspiring!
As hot and humid here as in Dresden and Berlin, our freshening up didn’t last long. By the time we reached Café Louvre (Narodni 116/20), we were ready for cold beers and food! The Café was founded in 1902 and “since its opening has represented the pinnacle of Prague café society and has been a centre of cultural life.” It is Art Nouveau in style and was frequented by Kafka and Albert Einstein in their day. Jazz Club Reduta next door, drew my attention — though no one else seemed interested. The Louvre serves traditional Czech cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and respecting the tradition of coffee-houses, you can borrow chess and checker games or play billiards on the five tables in its Billiard Hall. By the way, the food was excellent — vegetable pancakes, homemade quiche and a fabulous chocolate cake! [Sorry no pics of food ... too hungry!
As hot and humid here as in Dresden and Berlin, our freshening up didn’t last long. By the time we reached Café Louvre (Narodni 116/20), we were ready for cold beers and food! The Café was founded in 1902 and “since its opening has represented the pinnacle of Prague café society and has been a centre of cultural life.” It is Art Nouveau in style and was frequented by Kafka and Albert Einstein in their day. Jazz Club Reduta next door, drew my attention — though no one else seemed interested. The Louvre serves traditional Czech cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and respecting the tradition of coffee-houses, you can borrow chess and checker games or play billiards on the five tables in its Billiard Hall. By the way, the food was excellent — vegetable pancakes, homemade quiche and a fabulous chocolate cake! [Sorry no pics of food ... too hungry!
Fortified, we are ready to continue our Juli-guided walking tour of Praha (Prague). She suggests crossing the Vltava River by way of the Bridge of Legions for the best view of the famous Charles Bridge. Built between 1357 and the early 1400s, by King Charles IV, the bridge replied the old Judith Bridge (mid-1100s) that was damaged by a flood in 1342. Until 1841, it was the only bridge crossing the river Vltava. Spanning 2,037-feet and nearly 33-feet wide, it was built in the “bow” style with 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It has three bridge towers — two on the Lesser Quarter side and one on the Old Town side. The bridge is decorated with 30 statues, most in the baroque-style, that have all been replaced since 1700 by replicas.
I love cities that are bisected by rivers like Dresden, Berlin and Prague. Perhaps because that is not the case, but could be, where I live in California. The Vltava is alive with barges that use the extreme west bank to navigate through locks and the majority of the river between the Charles Bridge and the Jirasküv Bridge is alive with pedal boats, kayaks and canoes with locals as well as many tourists.
The Lesser Quarter side of the river that we explore is made up of narrow twisting streets and alleys. There are lots of shops — including artisan galleries, clothing boutiques, cafés, ice cream, and cheap touristy souvenirs. Hot and very thirst (again), we stopped at Café 22 for lemonades in the shadow of the gorgeous Church of Saint Nicholas.
The Church of Saint Nicholas was built in the late-Gothic and High Baroque styles between 1732-1737, and sits on the site of an earlier Gothic church dating back to the 13th century that was also dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Mozart played the church’s main organ during his stay in Prague — it has over 4,000 pipes! It is said that Mozart finished his overture for Don Giovanni while saying with friend and composer Frantisek Dusek and his wife Josefina. Formerly used as the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church, Saint Nicholas Church has been the main church of the Hussite, a Christian offshoot of the Catholic Church, since 1920. It serves as a well-known venue for classical concerts presented in Prague.
Tired, hot and hungry, it was time to head back to Dancing House.
Back at Dancing House, Juli’s room was changed to an incredible deluxe suite for one-night only — sadly it is not until tomorrow night that her Konstantin arrives. Complete with a large hottub-size bathtub, 180-degree curved windows, we ordered in room service, danced and otherwise party-down until our eyes couldn’t stay awake any longer.
A note about my room — spacious, very comfortable and modern, great views of the Vltava River and Jirasüv Bridge, it has recessed chromotherapy lighting that one can dial the mood they prefer . . . I’m going to sleep with a soft purple hue!