Prague, Czech Republic

Looking south from the Metronome. (Center) Charles Bridge 

The sun was still sleeping when our train pulled into Prague's notorious main railway station. My friend and host, a graduate from VMI's arch rival - the Citadel - would meet us outside the city closer to his home, leaving Alex and I to make our way out of the city via one of the three color-coded subway lines. Easy, right? Not unless you read Czech! Granted, as with the previous countries traversed on our adventure, I had learned a few key words to help me get by, but quickly realized my Czech wasn't exactly up to par.


The subterranean station reminded me of Penn Station in New York City - an underground labyrinth of which any wrong turn could lead to instant death. Well, not really, but certainly evokes the mindset of being overly disoriented. I still haven't decided which would have been better, arriving at an empty station or a crowded one. Things were looking up when I finally was able to secure some Czech Crowns and purchase two metro tickets. Barely able to keep our eyes opened, we hopped on our subway, made a quick transfer, and were happily greeted by my friend forty minutes later.

Tribute to Franz Kafka

Sleepy towns and villages dotted Prague's surrounding countryside. My friend and his partner purchased an old house some years ago, and have painstakingly been renovating it one room at a time. Decoration varied from contemporary bedrooms to Rococo-style salons befitting a house with this storied history. Each room provided magnificent views high above the valley below. Atop the tower was an observatory complete with telescope and is soon to be renovated. The most welcome sight of all though was the washer and dryer. In that moment I was happier than Moses upon seeing the Promised Land. 

Most of our first day was spent catching up with our hosts, resting, and touring the house and grounds. I was not surprised to learn they had stables with several horses and one very small pony belonging to the chauffeur's adorable six year old son; what did surprise us was their five hundred pound, pet Siberian Tiger named Bajeera (remember the ones I saw in Manchuria?) It never crossed my mind that the first words from my friend's mouth would be, "Hey, you want to pet him?" Bajeera was very sweet, but as a precaution, I thought it better to use my opposite hand for contact. 

"Come closer, my dear, so that I can 'see' you better"

By mid-afternoon, the four of us were sitting at a river side restaurant for a light lunch, looking out over the Vltava River. Our hosts pointed out where the river crested during major flooding earlier in the year. No stranger to floods living in Richmond (Hurricane Gaston ring any bells?), it was still hard to fathom such destruction. Luckily for us, today was as beautiful as they come. Together we walked along the riverbank to the Charles Bridge, the most famous landmark in the city. Merchants, street performers, artists, tourists; there was room for everyone. Young lovers embraced one another, old lovers casually strolled along hand in hand as countless others have since the bridge's completion in the 14th century. 

Entrance to Charles Bridge

Our hosts had arranged a special treat for us that evening: a dinner party with friends that made us feel right at home, truly an experience never to be passed up when visiting a foreign country. There is in my opinion no better way to fully embrace a culture than spending time at a candlelit table drinking wine, telling jokes, and listening to stories. Tonight's hosts live in a renovated top-floor apartment of an old Stalinist-style residential building, though I doubt the communist leadership ever imagined such a home would be as glamorous as theirs. I couldn't help but wonder how many 'gay' dinner parties such as this one had taken place secretly in homes across Prague throughout decades of communist rule. 

Týn Church

Alex and I got an early start the next day, beginning in Old Town Square. We joined up with a free walking tour and proceeded to spend the next five hours exploring Prague's winding, narrow streets. We first came to the Powder Tower, one of the original city gates still standing from the 11th century. The name was derived from its former purpose storing gunpowder. We listened to stories from the early Holocaust as we walked through the old Jewish Quarter, passing the Spanish and Old & New Synagogues. Terezin, located south of Prague, was a fortified camp where Czech Jews had been relocated to and was used as a showcase to international organizations for its humane treatment of Jews under Hitler's anti-Semitic policies. They were allowed to live and work in a somewhat 'as usual' manner until things disintegrated, and before long, were all deported to death camps. Next to one of the synagogues was a small building that Hitler had planned to use as a museum of past races, i.e., the extinct Jewish race. 

Like all the great cities of Europe, Prague is home to numerous theaters and performing arts halls. The famous Estates Theatre where Mozart debuted Don Giovanni sits on a quiet pedestrian street. Though he called Vienna home for most of his adult life, Mozart claimed that he connected best with the people of Prague - they had, in his opinion, a true appreciation for his work.

Astronomical Clock

Back in the Old Town Square, it was time to witness the Astronomical Clock's impressive show of animated craftsmanship, still running on original mechanical devices despite being 600 years old. Hundreds gathered around to catch a glimpse of the four animated figures: death, in the form a skeleton; vanity, a man looking in a mirror; greed, a miser with his bag of gold; and a Turk, telling stories of pleasure. Each hour, the skeleton rings a bell symbolizing time is up. In response, the three other figures shake their heads in protest for they are not ready to pass on to the afterlife. Though it is almost impossible to actually tell what time it is, our guide directed our attention to one of two clocks on either side which give the actual time. 

Good luck figuring out what time it is!

Admittedly I wasn't very impressed by our young American guide - how could I be after such an astounding experience with our local guide in Kraków. I guess some things are better left to the 'experts' - but I digress, he took us everywhere worth visiting. Our last stop was the Rudolfinum Theatre, similar in appearance to the Palais Garnier in Paris. We sat on the steps listening to a brief history the Velvet Revolution, a string of peaceful protests during the last days of communist rule.

Prague Castle by night

My friend had purchased tickets to the opera for that evening, so Alex and I ran to the theatre and up the street for a quick bite before the show. We came back to the entrance and were surprised to find the theatre closed. Wrong entrance, perhaps? My friend found us a few minutes later, proclaiming he was just as baffled until he looked at the tickets and realized the show was for the following week. The evening was far from a total loss. Together we sipped cocktails in a bohemian bar across the street before heading to their friend's popular bistro, Cafe Cafe. After dinner, Alex and I took one last evening stroll through the city.

View from atop Prague Castle

For our final day, we focused our attention on the opposite side of the Vltava River, wandering along the steep narrow street towards Prague Castle; a bit of absinthe ice cream gave us just the right amount of buzz to make the hike all the more bearable. The original construction dates from the 9th century. Numerous expansions and improvements have given it the distinction of being designated the largest Medieval castle in world. Many Bohemian Kings and Holy Roman Emperors have called it home, but today it is the official residence of the nation's President. 

St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague Castle

At the center of the castle lies the magnificent St. Vitus Cathedral, a spectacular example of Gothic architecture. However, the church wasn't fully completed until 1929, which is evident by the addition of Renaissance and Baroque finishes throughout the cathedral. Though it is the seat of the Archbishop of Prague, the church itself is owned by the Czech Government. A court ruling mandated that the cathedral was a fixture of the greater Prague Castle, and thus declared the Catholic Church's possession of it null and void. Politics aside, it truly is a marvel to behold. The nave is stunning, brightly illuminated by sunlight shining through enormous stained-glass windows. 

Outside is no less beautiful. The Golden Gate located at the south entrance is adorned in colorful mosaics over a golden backdrop depicting scenes from the Last Judgment. Christ sits triumphantly front and center. 

Working our way east, we came upon a midnight clear small courtyard home to a very famous resident: "Boy with the Golden Penis;" no, I'm not joking. A more recent statue built to honor the youth in all of us, people rub his genitals for good luck, leaving a golden appearance as bright as a full moon in the night sky. Dare I say, even a blind person couldn't miss it! Coming from a country more or less founded on Christian values, I took pleasure watching numerous Asian tourists point, snicker, caress, and pose for photos with his "leviathan." For once, I was proud not to be that 'immature' American. 


Continuing eastward and outside Prague Castle, we reached St. Wenceslas Vineyard in time for the perfect sun-setting light. The views over the city below were more breathtaking than the ones in movies. 

Rounding out our hike opposite Old Town, we came to a more modern monument: the Metronome. Sitting atop what once was the pedestal for a large monument dedicated to Stalin on the highest point in Prague, the Metronome was constructed in 1991. Its graffiti covered dial glides back and forth from east to west, 'counting' down the time spent under communism. More a meeting spot than a tourist attraction, the square immediately aft was filled with young people on skateboards practicing different tricks. 

Lastly, we proceeding up Wenceslas Square - which actually is a long, wide street. At the top, a statue of St. Wenceslas sits opposite the entrance to the National Museum (often mistaken for a parliamentary building.) During the last days under communism in November 1989, each night some 100,000 people filled the square rallying for independence. When their wish finally came true, people pulled out their keys and rattled them in celebration. 

We rendezvoused with my friend at the railway station. He had kindly kept our bags in his car while we explored the city. Our time in Prague had come to an end, so we bid him farewell and boarded our overnight train for Paris. Looking back, Prague truly is one of the most amazing cities in the world. It did not disappoint; in fact, my only regret was that we didn't spend more time there. 

Prague Metronome