happy steps

(Continued from Old Town Square, Prague: Tyn Cathedral, Old Town Hall and nearby buildings)

It was already midnight when we arrived at the Old Town Square in Prague and I thought we would be greeted with empty streets and deserted cobblestone walkways, but I was wrong. Even at such late hour, there were still tourists hanging around at the square. Most of them were on their way home, while some were already drunk with pivo (Czech for beer) and starting to get noisy in the sidewalks.

The Ministry of Economy building, the Goltz Kynsky Palace, the House at the Bell and the Jan Hus Memorial at the center of the square.

At night, the Tyn Cathedral looked even more beautiful yet somewhat intimidating.

The evening atmosphere at the Old Town Square has a different charm of its own, where devoid of the bright sun, one can have another look at the beautiful buildings which flaunt an interesting play of shadows and varied lighting.

The Old Town Hall Tower with the astronomical clock looked like a building out of a fairy tale. I can almost see Rapunzel letting down her long hair from the window.

The street lamps with their yellow colored glow add to the fascinating and historical character of the buildings.

We rested for a while at one of the benches beside the Old Town Hall Tower while enjoying this view in front of us.

Walking along the Old Town that evening, it felt like I was in a dream save by the loud singing of the Czech national anthem by some drunken guys across the street.

One of Prague’s must-see attractions is the Old Town Square which tourists can find within walking distance from the Charles Bridge.

Going to the Old Town Square, tourists are greeted with buildings lined up at the sides and the Tyn Cathedral straight ahead.

The varied architectural styles of the buildings in the square make it an open-air museum featuring the Gothic styled Tyn Cathedral with its pointed spires, the Gothic façade of the House of the Stone Bell, the nearby St. Nicholas Church with its Baroque dome and other buildings.

The Old Town Hall with the Kriz House (pink building) adjacent to it.

The Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Hall’s tower provides brief entertainment to tourists with its “Walk of the Apostles” mini-show every hour.

Another view of the Town Hall Tower.

The House at the Bell (right) and the Goltz Kynsky Palace where the National Gallery is housed.

The Ministry of Economy building.

St. Nicholas Church

At the center of the square is the Jan Hus Memorial made of bronze by Czech sculptor Ladislav Saloun.

The Jan Hus memorial is a favorite place for tired tourists with its benches around where one can sit back and enjoy the great view of the surrounding buildings.

To be continued

It was just one of those lazy Saturdays when you crave for grilled food and a picnic out in the sun, away from the usual environment at home.

There was really no definite place to go, and so we ended up at Branik, just few minutes away from Praha 4 in Prague. We were greeted by a wide expanse of green with the Vltava River calmly flowing by the side. The place is an idyllic weekend spot for sunbathers, families and yes, pets.

Catching the sun’s rays while reading a book

Few meters farther are thick trees along a higher terrain with a path where some enjoy speeding with their bicycles or skates

Bridge over peaceful water

Sitting by the Vltava River while discussing politics, hehehe…

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Would you paint a war tank pink? Maybe not, but controversial Czech artist and sculptor David Cerny did it to a Soviet tank when he was still an art student in 1991. While that tank is now kept in Lešany Military museum, a pink torso of a tank by Cerny was just recently planted on the grounds beside the Justicní Palác in Prague. The white stripe at the center is reminiscent of the invasion of the Soviet tanks in Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Call him weird, creative or what, incidentally he’s also the sculptor of the Viselec or the ‘Hanging Man’ at Jilska Street which I featured in my previous Wordless Wednesday post. The ‘Hanging Man’ is a life-size statue of famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud who was born in Moravia, Czech Republic. In 2007, the sculpture was part of art exhibitions held at the Open Concept Gallery in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the Columbia College in Chicago where it was installed high on top and caused alarm among the motorists who thought it was a real man about to take his own life. It has also made its appearance in other art exhibitions in Europe such as Berlin and Stockholm. Now that it’s back home, nobody seems to mind this hanging artwork when we were at the Old Town in Prague.

Another interesting work of Cerny is the crawling babies at the Prague Television Tower.

Photo credits: Prague TV Tower by rainydazeee.com

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A district in the southwest of Prague, Lipence is great for weekend getaways. Thanks to a friend who invited us for a Saturday barbeque at their cottage in this picturesque place. Though the weather was a bit cold (she sent an SMS to bring sweaters), it was just fine for us with the sun peeking out of the clouds oftentimes during the day.

The wooden cottage is situated on a hilly terrain overlooking vast fields of wheat. It’s small yet charming, with a kitchen, dining room, guest bedroom and a T&B downstairs and bigger bedroom up in the attic. It was like stepping into a little Czech museum seeing some old paintings and antique household items being displayed – from tableware to cooking stove and some really old clothes irons on the shelf.

Later in the afternoon, we hiked to the River Berounka which is about 15 minutes walk from the cottage.

It was such a relaxing Saturday; we went home at almost midnight. Having a cottage in the outskirts is a good idea for those who need a place to unwind after a stressful work week in the city. In my friend’s case though, it’s more of a summer cottage – it’s not advisable to stay there during winter since the walls are not that thick enough to withstand the cold.

Waiting for us by the roadside or under the trees, benches provide not just a breathing space for passersby to rest but a chance to initiate a conversation and meet new friends.

At a neighborhood in Praha 4, Prague

Whenever I see an empty bench, I would often wonder how many people have stopped by and rested on it, and how many brilliant ideas, endless arguments or crazy jokes have been exchanged among friends and strangers with the bench as their silent witness.

Thus I have acquired an interest in taking photos of benches recently. I have my virtual collection of benches captured by the lens and I’d like to share some of them in a series of posts.

A lady leisurely reading by the wall, Vyšehrad Castle, Prague

Inside the Vyšehrad Castle grounds, Prague

By the fountain at Justicní Palác, Prague

Bench around a tree, at Kutná Hora, another town few hours travel from Prague

Castles, churches and other historical buildings are usually on my top travel destinations. Aside from being interested with the architecture of the building and the exterior details, going inside can be even more breathtaking. For instance the interiors of the cathedrals such as the St. Vitus Cathedral and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at the Vysehrad Castle are elaborately done, with the detailed chapels at the sides decorated with statues or paintings and other interesting artifacts. Not to miss are the beautiful hanging lamps and chandeliers which provide a subdued mood.

Chandelier inside the St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle

Hanging lamps provide a quiet mood for contemplation at the church of Sts. Peter and Paul at the Vysehrad Castle

Chandeliers and other stylish lighting fixtures lend an artistic touch to a room, aside from providing mood lighting. They’re even considered as art centerpieces to hotels and some homes. Finding one for your home can’t be that easy though since they should complement the room’s look.
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Yesterday, we headed off to Kutná Hora, a town about few hours travel from Prague and with its historical town center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site together with the Church of St. Barbara and the Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec.

We stopped first at the famous Cemetery Chapel with Ossuary (a place to keep the bones of the dead) which was built during the late 14th century. The unique interior of the cemetery chapel contrasts its simple exterior design. Inside the chapel, you can see bones intricately made into a massive chandelier, as wall moldings and other decorations. These bones were estimated to come from the 40,000 people who died during the epidemic in the 14th century and during the Hussite wars early in the 15th century.

Inside the Ossuary, tourists inspecting the details of the bone decorations

One of the Baroque candelabras (candle holders) at the middle of the chapel, decorated with skulls and with an angel sitting on top

The intricate arrangement of skulls and bones as ceiling decorations

The main altar

The Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms with the pyramid of bones behind

The simple chapel exterior

Stepping inside gave me a bit of a creepy feeling especially seeing the piles of bones, though I can’t help but admire the creativity of the artist, Czech wood carver František Rint, with the skeletal art work and arrangement particularly the elaborate Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms.

Yesterday my cutie sis in Prague showed me some pics of my parents posing by the trees at the park nearby their flat. It’s spring time there and the photos look so refreshing especially this:

Spring flowers in Prague

It left me green with envy (kidding!) – they’re finally in Prague and I’m still here - but I just tried to cheer myself up with the fact that next month I will be going there too. I can just imagine those hotels in Prague filled up with tourists for the summer.

One of the must-visits in Prague for tourists especially Catholics is the Church of the Infant Jesus or the Church of Our Lady Victorious where you can visit the famous statue of the infant Jesus (Pražské Jezulátko). Another tourist attraction is the Charles Bridge which crosses the Vltava River and is a historical landmark of Prague.

Tourists at the Charles Bridge
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I met a friend in Austria who gave me this treasure of a book:

A Photographic Guide to Prague

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Finally I bought myself a ticket to one of my dream destinations in a continent far far away. It’s a place of charming architecture, cool and subdued dreamy-like ambiance. Soon I will be eagerly stepping on its ground, ready to explore its many attractions.

Aha…where in the world could this be? Oh well, I’d rather keep it a secret for now. *winks*

Photo credits: rainydazeee.com