I wanted to leave our Prague visit largely unstructured, in part because we would need to get over the jet lag, and in part because the river cruise has its own agenda of tours. But I knew also that there is a fascinating story of the Jewish community in this Central European city, and so we engaged a private guide for a 3 hour walking tour. Olga met us at our hotel yesterday morning, and since the hotel is a mere 5 minutes from the Josefov area of the Jewish quarter, it was a short walk over to begin the tour. Nestled in the blocks of an area now given over to elegant shops are several synagogues of an earlier time. Olga was a wealth of information, and it was both fascinating yet not without poignant reminders of a community decimated by the horrors of the Final Solution. We will be taking a similar journey in Budapest, and it was a morning well spent in history.
After the tour, Ned put on the leader cap and took Dana, David and I on an adventure to find a micropub mentioned in his Lonely Planet book - it took us on the Prague subway, and we found ourselves at what is billed the smallest micropub in the Czech Republic. David and Ned had to try at least 3 pivos, and we were also glad to have a delicious lunch as well - venison goulash was mine. Subway ride back to Old Town Square.
Some of us decided to head over to St. Nicholas Church for an afternoon trumpet/organ concert; it was an hour long, featured Handl, and had the best accoustics I have heard - amazing.
Swtiching gears for the evening, we made a reservation at Chez Marcel, a French bistro nestled in an area not far from Old Town Square; the French Embassy is here, and you see boulangeries selling pastries, a wine shop, Louis Vitton, etc. We drank house wine and tried the mussels, steak frites, quiche, salmon - a change from pivo and schnitzel. And with that another day in Prague comes to a close.
Comments (3)
What a packed and diverse day. But it does sound like it was very rewarding. I'm glad you are blogging so I can travel with you and learn about Prague
Posted by Marta | June 11, 2011 6:34 PM
Posted on June 11, 2011 18:34
Thanks for the blog and its wonderful contents.
I guess you didn't meet the Golem in the Ghetto? May have been gone to refresh on some pivo...
You and David: enjoy the trip and we will follow you from this blog.
Posted by Doru | June 14, 2011 6:08 AM
Posted on June 14, 2011 06:08
Sounds like an incredibly full and,as Marta says, diverse day. I would have enjoyed that tour (and the food,of course!).
Posted by sheri | June 15, 2011 6:17 PM
Posted on June 15, 2011 18:17