Walkabout

Ahoj! It's been far too long since my last post, so I will try to post every day this week until Thursday (Friday through Sunday I will be in Vienna). I have been quite busy academically, socially and otherwise so fear not that I have been wasting my time.

Seeing as how very little of my actual stay in Prague has been recorded, I thought I would grace you with some descriptions of the sights I encounter daily. The above picture was taken as I was strolling across Mánesův most (bridge) on my way to class. The Vltava River courses through the city and separates Staré Město (Old Town) from Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter). This was a rare sunny day in Praha as the sun is usually shrouded by clouds that delight in sporadically dampening the populace. The mountains that encircle Bohemia plus the city's situation in a river basin conspire to trap moisture in the valley.

 From the bridge, directly behind me is Pražský hrad (Prague Castle). The spires you see are from Katedrála svatého Víta (St. Vitus Cathedral) which is located within the heart of the complex. The castle is closed until April 1st, at which point one can tour the estates, including the gardens and vineyard. Unfortunately, my camera is horrible with night photography, otherwise I would post a picture of it all lit up, its lights lambent on the waves of the Vltava.

Here you can see Mánesův most (foreground) from the vantage point of Letná, a park and biergarten that overlooks the city. The bridge behind it is Karlův most (Charles Bridge). Currently, it is being renovated for the upcoming tourist season so an unsightly white scaffold covers the end leading to Staré Město. The park was filled with people walking dogs and kids playing. Once Spring shifts into 2nd gear, I plan on spending much time here.

Taken from the same park, this picture shows Staré Město and to a lesser extent, Josefov (Jewish Quarter) and Nové Město (New Town). Far off in the distance, the twin spires of Vyšehrad, Prague's other castle, can be seen poking the sky, which had revealed its true colors by turning overcast in the span of the half-hour it took me to ascend the hill.

Another picture from the park, this time of Malá Strana. I live on this side of town. Its not as busy as Staré Město and less picturesque, but I appreciate how quaint and tourist-free it is. In fact, one of my favorite streets to walk down is on this side of town, which I will detail elaborately in my next post. The final picture I'll leave you with is of a miniature castle called Hanavský Pavilion, which is now an overpriced restaurant with an admittedly stunning view of the city from the edge of the park. Čau!