Friday 24th May
In the morning we leave our camp via a back gate directly onto a cycle path alongside the river. Immediately behind our van the river has a slalom run. There is a group practicing with their coach on the side timing and blowing his whistle. It’s impressive to watch.
A few minutes cycling down river we get to a small ferry which is free to cross over to the City Park. From there we skirt around the park, though a few suburbs to Prague Castle. 9am in the morning and it’s already packed. We go though the security screening into the first courtyard. The queue to purchase tickets to enter the buildings isn’t that long but the queue to actually enter winds halfway round the Cathedral. We flag that and just wander the inner courtyards and lanes looking at the different architecture, gargoyles and designs. Sit in a cafe patio drinking coffee and people watch. There are the groups moving in close formation following a scarf held aloft, listening intently to their earpieces. Three Asian girls in Serving Maid costumes pose for selfies. A bride and groom in wedding finery with professional photographers gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes for long moments while assistants throw her 10 foot train in the air. A lady puts on ballet pointe shoes and attempts to do an arabesque, while a large tour group files past her, ruining her shot. Hundreds of cellphones capturing the same pic.
We watch the ceremonial changing of the guard and after they’ve matched off in perfect step with shiny swords and polished shoes the real guards in camouflage with automatic guns do a quiet shift change and leave in the same direction.
We then walk down to Charles Bridge and lock our bikes up on the town side. We meander the old streets in daylight. The large square now full with entertainers and stalls. We have lunch at a small table on a crossroads. This is what I’m enjoying about our holiday; the lack of deadline or pressure to see everything. To just sit and soak it all in. I don’t need to visit museums or art galleries, troop though castles or cathedrals to get a sense of a place. It’s the interaction with waiters and other local people. The sitting in a very old place looking at very old streetscapes with the knowledge that people have been sitting and looking at that same view for hundreds of years. Greg comments he’s jealous of the photographers selling photos on the bridge. They have photos of the same scene in all seasons, differing lights and moods.
We walk off lunch be heading up to the Legii bridge which crosses to a small mid river island. The island is grassy with shady trees. We sit on the bank and watch the young teens in peddle boats. Some peddle boats are shaped like racing cars, some are more traditional but with deck chairs. Young women are floating around hardly peddling while the young men are racing and crashing, showing off. On shore ducks are behaving in a similar manner.
Somehow it’s now after 5pm so we make our way back to our bikes via the town again for some Tyrdelnik, this time with gelato filling and cycle back to the van via a different route but still using the little ferry.
Overall we both liked Prague. It is pretty full of tourists but there is room for the all (the castle excluded). The tourists generally seem to young so bring a fun enthusiasm to the spaces. There are Lime scooters and cycling bars, horse drawn carriages and ‘old Prague cars’ doing circuits. Lots of live music either buskers or in bars and restaurants. The music ranging from classical, jazz to modern. It all adds to an atmosphere respectful of the history but is a fun now environment. And there is something very compelling about rivers and bridges.
Tomorrow we move on………
BAGGAB 