When Daniel's parents and aunt came to visit us back in December, we all made the trek over to Prague for a few days. Daniel and I had been there in May when my parents were here to run our first marathon, and we found Prague to be such a charming city. Well, in December with all the Christmas lights and decorations, it is even prettier!
On Wednesday, December 9th, the five of us wedged ourselves into our car and drove 5 hours east through Germany, across the Czech Republic border, and into Prague. After settling into the apartment we had rented, we went into town to have dinner. Walking a few minutes brought us to Prague's Old Town Square. At first glimpse, it was breathtaking... the huge Christmas tree was absolutely gorgeous and the churches surrounding the square were beautifully lit. The Germans may be famous for their Christmas markets, but the Czech certainly know how to decorate for the holiday! After soaking up the ambience for a few minutes, we walked just a block beyond the square to the restaurant where we were having dinner.
Following some yummy pasta, we continued to walk around and enjoy the evening. Strolling along the Vltava river, we could see the Prague Castle lit up across the way, so we took the opportunity to snap some pictures. As we ambled on, we made it halfway across the Charles Bridge before deciding to call it a night.
The next day we made our way back towards the Prague Castle, this time walking all the way across the Charles Bridge to the western side of the city. After a bit of a hike, we made it up to the castle grounds, where we were greeted with a nice view overlooking the city. As we walked towards the castle, right then they were having the changing of the guard ceremony... it's not nearly as flashy as the one in London, but I am still glad we saw it. Our first stop inside the complex was St. Vitus' Cathedral... as you can see, it's a really beautiful church.
Across the courtyard from the church, we headed into the Old Royal Palace... unfortunately, unlike back in May, this time we weren't allowed to take photos inside. Once we were done with the palace tour, we did take a few pictures outside of the church though. Then we walked down to the Golden Lane and perused the shops there while braving the rain.
Once we were done checking out the shops, our stomachs were letting us know it was time to eat! On the way back down from the castle, we stopped at this refined little restaurant, where we all had a Czech specialty... goulash! It was very tasty. As we walked back across the Vltava, the early winter night was beginning to set in. We decided to squeeze in one last stop before dark, the Old-New Synagogue. At over 700 years old, it is the oldest synagogue in Europe. As we were walking in, they handed Daniel a yarmulka to wear... although we weren't supposed to take photos inside, I had just had to snap one of Daniel wearing it! It was actually quite a small space, but it was neat to see such an old synagogue still standing, especially after surviving the horrific years of World War II.
That evening, after another great dinner, we enjoyed the atmosphere of the Old Town Square once again. We tried some yummy Czech donuts, took photos of the amazing Christmas tree and square, and even enjoyed carols sung by a choir. At one point, while this Czech choir was singing the beautiful harmonies of an African song, it really hit me how much Christmas unites the world in a way like no other celebration does... it was a joyful moment. Despite the near freezing temperatures, we had to make one last stop that night... at a gelato shop! It's never too cold for ice cream :)
As we began our wanderings through the city the next day, we stopped at a hat store... though we often just browse, four of us ended up getting brand new hats. Daniel and his dad looked especially dapper in theirs. On our way to Petrin Hill on the western side of the city, we made a lap through the Old Town Square to see it in the day. Even though it was not as awe-inspiring by daylight, it was still a neat Christmas market.
After walking across the Charles Bridge once again, we meandered through the streets to the base of Petrin Hill, where we took the funicular up to the top. At the apex of the hill, there's an assortment of things to see, including an observation tower modeled after the Eiffel Tower, the Hunger Wall (so called because Charles IV ordered its construction as a public works project to feed the poor during a famine), and the Strahov Monastery. The walking paths that crisscross the hillside also provide neat views of Prague stretching out below.
With night creeping in, there was one last thing to see before leaving Petrin Hill, the Church of St. Michael. This church was moved to Prague when the Ukraine valley where it once stood was flooded. While the others waited at the bottom of the hill, Daniel and I hiked up and down the wooded slope trying to find the church, but we were having no luck at all. With darkness fully upon us, we finally gave up and started heading back down... and lo and behold, that's when we found the church! Though we couldn't go inside, at least we got a neat photo of the church, making the search worthwhile. Walking back across the Charles Bridge for the fourth and final time of our visit, I was also able to snap a cool night shot of it as well. Then we had one last delicious dinner before hitting the hay that night.
On Saturday morning, just as we were driving out of Prague, snow began to fall... it was quite a pretty sight. It would have been great to walk around and see the city blanketed in white, but it was time for us to head back to Frankfurt since the very next day we would be on a plane to Italy! This trip to Italy is the one I just blogged about in February... I know it's a bit confusing when I am blogging about trips backwards! I am starting to get caught up though... just three more and I will have covered them all. Well, I hope you enjoyed reading about our December trip to Prague, and I hope you will be back again soon. Until then, take care!
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