Prague during Easter is not without eventful stories....

Day 1 – Friday 6 April
Finding the way to the hotel was a bit scary. I was thoroughly organised and knew each step to take, but there were NO signs at the station to even indicate the exit or direction to the Hilton (not even the street name!), which is a bit odd given the significance of the hotel... the biggest in Europe. Anyway, after 5minutes I figured, just get out and look up for the building. Was a bit scary when the first thing I saw were men hovering around looking a bit dodgy…and here was I pulling my little trolley hoping not to get mugged or something!

Anyway, first stop was to the Old Town. Saw the Powder Tower next to the Municipal House. The tower is one of the 13 original fortified gates to the Old Town, dating back to 1475 and was used for storing gunpowder (thus the name!). Also visited the Easter Market at the Old Town Square
where they sold painted eggshells (‘kraslice’) and whips (‘pomlazka’) made of sallow wicker decorated by ribbons of different colours. Sounds a bit bizarre but the eggs were a symbol of fertility and the whips (aka. braiding switches) were used to lash women on Easter Monday, which is an old Pagan tradition that the strength of fresh spring nature is passed over to women this way and increases their fertility (…yeah, don’t need that yet!). Witnessed the Astronomical Clock changing, where the 12 desciples come out (think Daimaru clock!). Rest of the day was spent meandering through the old pebbled streets, shopping and even venturing into parts of the Jewish Quarter.

Dinner was quite a difference - saw an ad for the only restaurant set in an underground cave- below the Troja Castle vineyards. The restaurant Svata Klara (The Saint Klara) was originally a wine cellar for the count Vaclav Vojtech of Stenberk in one of the Prague's vineyards next to the baroque castle Troja. The food was quite good, but had too much Czech wine (which was really nice too..sweet, light and not too acidic) and returned to the hotel with a headache.

Day 2 – Saturday 7 April
Had originally planned to go down to Cesky Krumlov, which is a UNESCO listed site, however due to popularity, couldn’t get a bus ticket for the day. Instead, took a trip to Karlstejn where the Karlstejn Castle was (originally scheduled for Sunday). Karlstejn Castle was most important medieval castle built in the years 1348 - 1355 under Charles IV. It was to serve as a treasury for coronation jewels and state documents. Understandably, the castle was perched on top of a big hill that took an effort to climb!
According to the tour guide, he mentioned lots of things but were “not important” (due to lack of English skills??). The tour includes historical interiors of the Imperial palace and the lower floors of the Marian tower with equipment dating back to the 14th – 19th century. Also visited the Courtier’s Hall, Hall of Knights, Chapel of St Nicolas, Chapter Deanery, Royal Bedroom, Audience and Banquet Halls, Hall of Ancestors (where there were paintings of all the fabled and actual kings), Treasury and Jewels Hall and the former castle prison. What was unique about the castle as compared to the ones in UK is that the walls were painted with various murals.

Back down at the town I managed to purchase a beautiful Egermann vase. Travelling around Europe you often see nice pieces of items that I always would like to buy, but kinda difficult when I’d have to bring it home, and not to mention I don’t have my own house! Anyway, figured, bugger it, when am I ever coming back to Prague again right?

Day 3 – Sunday 8 April

Got bus tickets to Cesky Krumlov, but lo and behold, silly Czech drivers sell your seats if you are not shoving the tickets at their face. Common sense would require you to ‘join’ the queue when you see people lining up to get on the bus, but apparently people with pre-booked tickets and reserved seats are meant to cut in and wave your tickets wildly at the driver since they obviously don’t understand English. Instead the driver grumbled in Czech that tickets are invalid, seats are gone, didn’t get here early etc. Stupid driver. Although, I do not envy the passengers all squashed in the bus, where even the aisles are filled for the 3 hour road trip. Funniest thing was going back to the ticket counter and explaining to the lady that the bus driver didn’t let us in. She grabbed her jacket and came rushing out, alas the bus was obviously gone. And no refunds either. Dude at information desk grumbles that he’s only for information, does not handle ticketing etc. So back to Hilton for them to sort it out. Ok, it wasn’t worth much, I think about £5, but still, it’s the principle of the matter!! Moral of the story: don’t trust Czech bus people. The buggers!!
Managed to book a tour to Cesky Krumlov instead, cost 10x as much, but definitely in more comfortable environment.
Cesky Krumlov is the medieval town in the charming South Bohemian countryside that has still retained its medieval nature. The town is called the pearl of Bohemia. Its historic centre was listed in the 1992 UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. The town is dominated by two national cultural landmarks - the castle and the Gothic church of St.Vitus. The renaissance castle is the second largest one in the Czech Lands (after the Prague Castle) and once the seat of powerful Lords of the Rozmberks and the Schwarzenbergs. It houses rich collections of period furniture, Flamish tapestries and historical weapons.
This would have to be the best castle I saw in the trip. The interiors were lavish, it was well preserved, and one of the most important pieces was the Golden Carriage (yep, the whole thing was gold...painted with real gold) used to present the Pope with gifts and inform him of a new successor. The tour started at the IIIrd Courtyard and leads to the St. George's Castle Chapel and continues through the large Rosenberg Hall to four Rosenberg rooms in the Renaissance style with original wall paintings and wooden panel ceilings from the second half of the 16th century. On the second floor was the Schwartzenberg Baroque Suite furnished with original pieces: the Entry Room – ‘Antechamber’, the Dining Room, the Canopy Lounge, the Bedroom with the oriental cabinet, the private Chapel and the Changing Room. At the end you of the tour was the unique Masquerade Hall which is a masterpiece of the Rococo period. The paintings are done in the Illusive painting style, with cheeky insertions of the painter looking across the room to a mirror image of his helper. Also there was a painting of a man in a costume with his stomach painted with a face. The coolest thing was that the eye follows you at any point in the room. And there was also a ‘castle ghost’ included in the painting.

Unfortunately, having to follow tour schedules only allowed 30-45minutes to venture around town. Once again it was pebbled streets, narrow lanes, medieval buildings and the likes. Would’ve loved to wonder around more, however the 3 hour ride back to Prague doesn’t really permit exploring if you want to get back at a decent time.

Back at Prague, managed to walk across the Charles Bridge at sunset, though didn’t have my tripod with me to capture the moment. Charles Bridge is a stone Gothic bridge that connects the Old Town and Malá Strana. It was actually called the Stone Bridge (Kamenný most) during the first several centuries and was built to replace the collapsed Judith Bridge during a flood in 1342. There is a tower standing on each end of the bridge and 30 Baroque statues scattered progressively on either side of the bridge from the 17th century. Touching the statue of St. John of Nepomuk, a Czech martyr saint who was thrown into the Vltava River from the bridge during the reign of Wenceslas IV, is supposed to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague (yep, did that!).

Day 4 – Monday 9 April
First stop was Prague Castle, supposedly the largest castle area in the world. However, the structure of this castle is different from the Disneyland type. The castle is comprised of many smaller structures in its 7 hectares compound and unlike the previous 2, is a ‘self walk tour’. The heavy use and lack of security is also visible in the wear and tear of the castle, not as well preserved as Karlstejn and Cesky Krumlov. The Czech Crown Jewels are also stored there. Visited the Old Royal Palace which also holds the Imperial Court Council, St George’s Basilica, walked the picturesque Golden Lane (16th-century houses built into the castle fortifications was once home to castle sharpshooters) and Daliborka Tower which is a torture chamber / dungeon.

After lunch, walked about the Jewish Quarter:
· Franz Kafka's House
· Maiselova Street – old Jewish ghettos until 1848. Now the majority of the buildings date from the end of the 19th century; several with stunning Art Nouveau facades
· Synagogues
- Maisel Synagogue (during the Nazi occupation of Prague, it was used to store furniture seized from the homes of deported Jews)
- Pinkas Synagogue (Prague's second-oldest Jewish house of worship)
- High Synagogue
- Old New Synagogue
· Old Jewish Cemetery - Europe's oldest Jewish burial ground, where the oldest grave dates to 1439. Because the local government of the time didn't allow Jews to bury their dead elsewhere, as many as 12 bodies were placed vertically, with each new tombstone placed in front of the last. Hence, the crowded little cemetery contains more than 20,000 graves.

And with that it was time to go home. An interesting note though, the number of KFC outnumbers the number of McDonald’s in Prague... from what I’ve seen anyway. Should’ve known when the first thing I saw at the airport was KFC. Never have I observed this anywhere else I’ve been!