This morning we headed for the Czech border and traveled to Prague, the "Golden City". Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic, the city of one hundred towers, several bridges over the Vitava Rivera, and countless valuable cultural and historical treasures. The last 1,000 years have shown triumphs in art and architecture as politics and ensuing conflicts have created a constant chaos and uncertainty. We arrived in Prague at around 4pm on Monday, just in time for a wonderful dinner and than on to an illuminated city tour. Our passionate and very knowledgeable tour guide Llanka, was with us through our stay in Prague. She shared with us the dramatic history of Prague, particularly emphasizing the changes since their freedom from Communism in 1989. Llanka was a child when the Communists took control over the former Czechoslovakia. She was extremely optimistic about the new way of life that democracy was bringing to the Czech Republic.
The following morning we toured the grounds of Prague Castle, the largest harmonious castle complex in the world. As our walking tour took us through the Old Town Square in Prague, we journeyed back in time 700 years. The Old Town Square is one of the two main squares in the city centre (the other is Wenceslas Square, a 5 minutes walk away). With its ancient buildings and magnificent churches, Old Town Square is one of the most beautiful historical sights in Europe. Dating back to the 12th century the Old Town Square was the central marketplace for Prague. Charles Bridge is a 14th century bridge linking the Old Town and Prague Castle. Charles Bridge throngs with people during the day. Street artists sketch and musicians play. For a spell-binding experience we strolled over Charles Bridge in the evening when the city was illuminated. There are now 75 statues on the bridge and I stopped as crowds surrounded a particular statue. Touching the statue depicting John of Nepomuk is a Prague ritual. It is supposed to bring good luck.
What better way to end our much too brief stay in Prague than with the opera La Traviata at the National Theatre, a strong symbol of Czech national identity. When visiting Prague, please attempt to experience the opera as their culture expects only the finest in operatic talent.
Prague is truly special as its history has been recorded for over 1100 years and during the wars it has stayed intact. The spirit of the people of Prague is one of resilience as the city is vibrant and has great expectations for its future. These are people who have survived years of oppression and now covet and appreciate their new freedoms.