czech republic

August 25, 2020

Petřín Hill: Prague

While having lunch at Cafe’ Imperial, I chatted with two ladies from England who clued me in about Petřín Hill. According to them, this attraction was not to be missed during my trip! Gladly, I took their advice.

I rode the Funicular from Malá Strana all the way up to the top of the hill. It was magical to watch the city below shrink into tiny dots as I overlooked the entire panoramic view.

Surrounding Petřín Tower are landscaped gardens, including a beautiful rose garden.

Fresh air and fragrant flora dreams.

A mini version of Paris’s Eiffel Tower, the Petřín Lookout Tower (Petřínská rozhledna), was built in 1891. I obviously had to climb to the very top!

I climbed 299 steps to get to the top of the tower and see the city views. It was truly spectacular. I’m not sure I could ever properly articulate it.

I want to be there now. What a special city.

March 2, 2020

Old Town Square, Prague

Getting to see the legendary Astronomical Clock in person was so special.

The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the oldest clock in the world that is still operating.

The Church of our Lady before Tyn (please note the bear friends I met while I wandered).

The House at the Minute. Covered in ornate Sgraffito decorations depicting Greek mythology as well as references to biblical and Renaissance legends,

The Powder Tower

The Municipal House is the Art Nouveau gem

One of the eateries on my list was Cafe’ Imperial. The interior is decorated an art nouveau finish. It brings back the grandeur of the turn of the century in Prague with elaborately carved ceramic tiles covering the walls and the pillars of the cafe in floral and animal designs depicting Asian or Moorish scenes.

I had French onion soup and cucumber salad in yogurt.

February 5, 2020

Airbnb Tour: Prague

The morning after I arrived in Prague, I scheduled a 3 hour walking tour through Airbnb with a local guide, Michael. He presented us with a handful of treasured locations that were off the beaten path.

As we walked around the castle vicinity, we headed into Novy Svet. Dating back to the 14th Century, this unique area consists of a few streets that represent a small village. My favorite attraction was the very low-to-the ground, cottage-style apartments where artists and writers live. Early on, residents hung golden house signs for their homes (such as a Golden Pear, Grape or Acorn) in their fight against poverty. So special!

You could see canons that had been fired into the walls!

Even though it was a particularly foggy afternoon, we got to take in some breathtaking views! The combination of Gothic architecture, sprawling views, lush trees and red roofs was almost too much to process.

While the others guzzled down Prague’s famous beer, I opted for possibly the greatest hot chocolate ever at Garden Cafe Taussig. There, you can relax while enjoying views of Prague castle, as well as a dreamy garden.

There are many buildings that feature alchemical symbolism in Prague. Perfect for a witchy lady like me.

And beautiful frescos that make me feel faint.

The Vrtba Garden is one of Central Europe’s most astounding Baroque gardens. It has elegant staircases, decorated banisters, terraces, statues, flower beds, and hedges.

It also has a great view of the St. Nicholas Cathedral.

Kampa Island Park

These are three sculptures of babies with their faces punched in by David Cerny located in Kampa Park. Very creepy indeed.

View from Kampa Island

January 26, 2020

Strahov Monastery

This Premonstratensian monastery was founded in 1140. In the complex there is the church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Strahov Library (with a number of medieval manuscripts, maps and globes, the Baroque Theological Hall, the Classical Philosophy Hall decorated with frescoes), and the Strahov Gallery, one of the most significant Central European collections of Gothic painting, Rudolfian art, and Baroque and Rococo paintings.

It was a dream of mine to see the Strahov Library! Can you blame me? There’s one notch off my bucket list.

I snapped a couple of interior shots rather inconspicuously and quickly.

I mean, that ceiling.

I was overcome with gratitude for having had the opportunity to see this historical vision in person. Off to explore more of the city!

January 25, 2020

Prague’s Jewish Quarter

Early on in my Prague voyage, I did a small tour through Josefov (also known as the Jewish Quarter). In the 13th century, Jewish people were ordered to vacate their homes and settle in this one area. Jews were banned from living anywhere else in Prague. The monuments here even survived the Nazi occupation. Hitler decided to preserve the Jewish Quarter as a “Museum of an Extinct Race”.

This is the exterior of the Spanish Synagogue.

Maisel Synagogue was erected in 1592. It burned down in the ghetto fire of 1689 and was rebuilt several times.

On display at the Maisel Synagogue is a rare collection of objects. The interior was warm and beautiful.

Pinkas Synagogue has names of the Holocaust victims from Czech lands covering the inner wall. I didn’t take a photo of the names with my camera, because I wanted to be respectful.

The Old Jewish Cemetery is one of the most important Jewish historical monuments in Prague.

It ran from the first half of 15th century until 1786 and is now among the oldest surviving Jewish burial grounds in the world.

There are about 12,000 tombstones in the cemetery, many decorated with animal and plant motifs.

As space was scarce, bodies were buried on top of each other, with graves layered.

Walking through the cemetery alone in the crisp fall weather was an important moment in my life, and I carry the sensation with me. I felt the power of my culture and the wisdom of my ancestors.

January 24, 2020

My First Prague Morning

On my first full day in Prague, I made sure to wake up bright in early, despite the jet lag and different time zone. I had a packed itinerary, as I planned meticulously (see also: psychotically) in advance. There was so much to see, and I didn’t want to miss any of it!

Imagine turning the corner and happening upon this! This is the Powder Tower, the entrance by which Czech kings entered Old Town; it’s one of the most significant monuments of Late Gothic Prague (completed in 1475!) My jaw literally dropped.

This is the French Breakfast at Cafe’ Savoy. One of my best friends had recommended going there during my stay, and oh, how I am glad she did! Embarrassingly enough, this entire spread was all for me! The meal included scrambled eggs in a croissant, grilled pork sausages, mustard, potatoes, pickled vegetables, lettuce, French toast, freshly-squeezed orange juice, and café au lait. (This was before I went back to vegetarian lifestyle, of course). As if that wasn’t enough food, I had to try a little cream puff straight from their on-site patisserie. It was the loveliest atmosphere- perfect for a rainy morning. The walk there was magic, too.

Frescos

I kept ending up in front of this hotel, somehow! I’m convinced it was following me. Luckily, it wasn’t so bad to look at!

January 18, 2020

Arriving in Prague

It was a dream of mine to travel to Prague for many years. I had seen photographs of the city’s gothic architecture and red roofs in my grandfather’s National Geographic books. Growing up in America, (and South Florida, at that), I had recurring dreams about Prague’s ancient landscapes and earthy color palettes; the images shook me out of strip-mall monotony.

After going back to school and completing my Associate’s Degree, I needed a break to focus on my own personal growth. With the recent loss of one of my close friends, I started to rethink our tendency to put off dreams for a “better” time. The truth is, there may be no other time than right now.

I decided to take off the semester to see another part of the world (and develop my podcast project). I organized a budget-friendly experience and stayed in an Airbnb room in the heart of Prague 1. I had never traveled alone in a foreign country, so I was a bit nervous about the language barrier and my dreadful sense of direction. To prepare, I did a ton of research beforehand.

On my first evening there, I walked around the narrow, cobblestone roads with pink buildings and pistachio rooftops towering above me. I wanted to have dinner somewhere that offered a breathtaking view of the city, and Kate, who runs the instagram account @praguetoday, recommended T-Anker restaurant. I was overwhelmed by the panorama! My periphery was submerged in flower boxes of vivid red, and just beyond that lied a medieval skyline that looked straight-outta-fairytales. I genuinely questioned if I was dreaming it all. Turns out, I wasn’t!