Rooftop View

View of the main square in Old Town from the
rooftop of the Hotel Prince : Prague, CZ

On Sunday, we decided to have lunch at the rooftop restaurant on top of the Hotel Prince in Old Town. Note to anyone planning to visit Prague: This is a great place to go for drinks or ice cream with friends and to get off your feet for a bit and enjoy an alternate view of Old Town and the surrounding area, but the menu isn't worth the paper it's printed on, so skip it for a meal.

Tourists in the Clock Tower : Prague, CZ

One of the places to enjoy a good view of Prague is from the Clock Tower in Old Town. At various times throughout the day, a trumpeter dressed in Medieval costume comes to the top of the tower and blows his horn.

St Nicholas Church Tower : Prague, CZ

Over the rooftops, you can see the domes of St Nicholas Church. This style of dome is common throughout the Czech Republic and Austria and is usually featured on a Baroque church.

View of the house Kafka lived in for a while. 

The feature to see on this building is the sgraffito. 

Also, cool pattern on the sidewalk! : Prague, CZ

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 7/11

Prague at Dusk

Prague Castle at Dusk : Prague, CZ

After enjoying dinner and a lovely visit with Maya's cousin, Petra, we headed back down through Letenské sady/ Letna Park. The sun had just set and the sky was that beautiful blue you get at dusk. From the park, there is a nice view of the Prague Castle and Old Town. Just a couple of pictures...

View of Old Town from Letna Park : Prague, CZ

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 7/11

Prague: Redux

Memorial to Jan Hus in the Main Square : Prague, CZ

We hadn't anticipated a second trip to Prague this year, but Maya wants to make a documentary about her great-grandmother, artist Růžena Zátková. In order to tell her story, we needed to photograph and film Růžena's art and interview the curator before the exhibit closes on 31 July. So, back to Prague we went. We didn't do a lot of touristing, but I did manage to capture a few photos here and there. The next few days will feature pictures from Prague and a few shots from the film shoot.

Inner Courtyard : 48 Karlova : Prague, CZ

I love Prague. It's equal parts elegant, but gritty; erudite, but down-to-earth; metropolitan, but small-town. It was great to be back!

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 7/11

Private Tour, Part II

Memorial to Jan Hus with Saint Nicolas Church in the background : Prague, CZ

Just a few more photos from our private tour with Dana Jungrova.  We covered a lot of ground that included explanations about the buildings and statues in Old Town. This series includes, from top to bottom: Saint Nicolas Church and the statue commemorating Jan Hus; the facade of Prague's original town hall; the inside of the Bohemian crystal manufacturer Moser; the Cafe de Paris, where we had lunch after our tour.

Original facade of Prague's town hall : Prague, CZ

During World War II, Prague remained unscathed by its German occupiers or by the liberating forces of the Allies. The exception is Prague's town hall, which was mistakenly bombed by an American pilot who thought he was over Germany and unleashed his payload on the town below. Unfortunately, the town hall burned to the ground with this one section of the building surviving.

Moser Crystal : Prague, CZ

If you travel to Prague, don't be duped by all of the crystal shops that cater to tourists. If you want genuine, Bohemian crystal look for the name Moser. Their flagship store in Prague is located in a beautiful restored building that includes gorgeous stained glass windows and intricate inlaid wood paneling. And the crystal is lovely, too!

 Cafe de Paris : Prague, CZ

To see more pictures, go here. If you're visiting Prague and you want a good, private tour, contact Dana by calling +420 604 65 45 45. She's fabulous and her English is excellent!

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Private Tour, Part I

Death on the Astronomical Clock in Old Town : Prague, CZ

Beautiful Baroque interior at the Church of St. James : Prague, CZ

On Monday morning, we met up with Czech native and private tour guide, Dana Jungrova. These are just a few of the treasures of Prague she shared with us. From top to bottom: The astronomical clock on the town hall in Old Town Prague; the interior of the Church of St. James; the Wallenstein Palace and Gardens; and just a random street in the castle district.

Gardens at the Wallenstein Palace : Prague, CZ

Venetian-style passage over a street in the castle district : Prague, CZ

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Mosaics and Frescoes, Oh My!

Walking around Staré Město and Old Town, you have to look up, because the buildings are so beautiful. When you do, your eye is treated to beautiful mosaics and stunning frescoes. Here are just a few examples of some of the beauty to be enjoyed.

This last photo features the Minute House, which is decorated by a Renaissance art form called sgraffitoes and is the predecessor to what is today called graffiti. The Czech writer, Franz Kafka, lived here as a child from 1889-1896.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Prague Signage

 U Kapra : Prague, CZ

The House of the Blue Horse : Prague, CZ

The Golden Fleur-de-Lys : Prague, CZ

As you wander the streets of Prague, you begin to notice bas relief signs and flourishes on the buildings. These symbols hark back to a time when reading and education were limited to the very rich and the nobility. For the common person, these signs and symbols were what they "read" to know where they were or where they needed to be. For example, if you wanted to get to the apartment where we stayed, you'd need to get to Karlova 48. If you weren't able to read, my instructions to you would be, go to Staré Město toward the Charles Bridge. Find the house with the golden fleur-de-lys, past the house with the blue horse, and on to the house with the man holding a carp. Turn the corner and go to the door to the right of the chocolate shop and you've arrived!

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Prague in the Morning

One of the many gates into Old Town : Prague, CZ

If you want to see Prague before the crowds become overwhelming, you have to get up before the birds. We were up at 5:00 and out the door by 6:00 to catch a few pictures from the Charles Bridge and around Old Town.

In about three hours, this square will be packed with people 

and walking through it will be like a fish swimming 

upstream to spawn : Staré Město : Prague, CZ

Jan Hus, patron saint of Prague : Prague, CZ

 One or two other early risers and a handful of pigeons enjoy the 

early morning light from the Charles Bridge : Prague, CZ

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11

Prague by Night, Part I

Portal to the Charles Bridge on the Old Town side : Prague, CZ

We arrived in Prague in the early afternoon of 6 April and, once we were settled in our respective apartments, we went out to find an ATM, buy some groceries, and then find some dinner. Friends Rachel and Chris came from Seattle to join us and we did a little exploring around Prague after dark.

Moon over Old Town : Prague, CZ

Scene on the Charles Bridge : Prague, CZ

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 4/11