We got lost enough on our first day that we felt we can finally venture a bit further and be lost some more.
Armed with a couple of maps and Rick Steves App and off we go.
Light showers? No biggie, it doesn't look so bad.
I said "let's just do the Old Town Square now and then do the Wenceslas another day". I was thinking about our dinner and the distance.
Sure enough we got lost again and actually ended up at Wenceslas Square. Apparently our house is no-kiddingly close to every single place that matters.
Armed with a couple of maps and Rick Steves App and off we go.
Light showers? No biggie, it doesn't look so bad.
I said "let's just do the Old Town Square now and then do the Wenceslas another day". I was thinking about our dinner and the distance.
Sure enough we got lost again and actually ended up at Wenceslas Square. Apparently our house is no-kiddingly close to every single place that matters.
First things first, foodie call. We have to try some hotdogs, streetfood way, standing and while walking.
The sauce made the difference. It's a special mixture with lots of onions and a REALLY generous amount of mustard. I meant REALLY GENEROUS.
Chilly weather made me enjoyed it, Alex did and hubby too,,, Jason had to order another one of a different type because he had to run to his cola after the first bite!
So he got a very plain one with just bread, hotdog and ketchup. They have no mayonnaise!!! Surprising, but hey, welcome to Europe and welcome to something new.
Suffice to say I ended up eating his first sandwich.
The sauce made the difference. It's a special mixture with lots of onions and a REALLY generous amount of mustard. I meant REALLY GENEROUS.
Chilly weather made me enjoyed it, Alex did and hubby too,,, Jason had to order another one of a different type because he had to run to his cola after the first bite!
So he got a very plain one with just bread, hotdog and ketchup. They have no mayonnaise!!! Surprising, but hey, welcome to Europe and welcome to something new.
Suffice to say I ended up eating his first sandwich.
Bravery is good but European weather demands smart wanderers. For which we were initially not.
Hubby had to go back home to get some more armour for the now becoming heavy drizzle. Our house comes with umbrellas and raincoats. How awesome is that?
An excuse for my boys to have their desserts, coffee for me and a shmoke while enjoying the square get damper and damper. People watching was also pretty nice. Some were so used to the cold drizzle that they don't really care... they looked like they were walking on sunshine.
We hang out at Kolkovna Celnice Restaurant, somewhere in the alley towards the Powder Tower/Gate.
Hubby had to go back home to get some more armour for the now becoming heavy drizzle. Our house comes with umbrellas and raincoats. How awesome is that?
An excuse for my boys to have their desserts, coffee for me and a shmoke while enjoying the square get damper and damper. People watching was also pretty nice. Some were so used to the cold drizzle that they don't really care... they looked like they were walking on sunshine.
We hang out at Kolkovna Celnice Restaurant, somewhere in the alley towards the Powder Tower/Gate.
Since we are gluttons, after a few minutes walk, the hotdog happiness wore off. We stopped at Como for a nice lunch. Did you see my dessert? (fine, I'm keeping it parental guidance!)
Delicious lunch, pricier than the usual Czech fare but reasonable for Dubai standards.
Its location with a terrace sticking out to the side walk, it's a fabulous way to people watch. Stalkers, guard!!!
Delicious lunch, pricier than the usual Czech fare but reasonable for Dubai standards.
Its location with a terrace sticking out to the side walk, it's a fabulous way to people watch. Stalkers, guard!!!
Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen.
When the snow lay around about, deep and crisp and even.
-Christmas Carol
THE HORSE'S A**
The start of our tour is in front of the National Museum, under the horses a**... I meant tail. That by the way is how the locals meet up at the square. "I'll meet you at the horses' tail"
King Wenceslas is a historical icon for Czech. A smart and benevolent 10th century duke who Christianiased and lifted Czech culture and who the Christmas carol fame refer to when they say "good King".
He was canonised as a saint after his death.
Next to him are four statues. The nation's patron saints with its focus on books. A symbol that enriching their culture is through thinking, rather than fighting.
The start of our tour is in front of the National Museum, under the horses a**... I meant tail. That by the way is how the locals meet up at the square. "I'll meet you at the horses' tail"
King Wenceslas is a historical icon for Czech. A smart and benevolent 10th century duke who Christianiased and lifted Czech culture and who the Christmas carol fame refer to when they say "good King".
He was canonised as a saint after his death.
Next to him are four statues. The nation's patron saints with its focus on books. A symbol that enriching their culture is through thinking, rather than fighting.
National Museum is the imposing building overlooking Wenceslas square. 19th century Neo-classical architecture built to show everyone that they are unique and deserves independence from others.
We haven't been in, the facade is beautiful and apparently the interior is rich too but the collections inside are boring.
We will still visit to pretend we're the cast of Mission Impossible where the Museum stood for "the embassy". Where's my evening gown!!!!
We haven't been in, the facade is beautiful and apparently the interior is rich too but the collections inside are boring.
We will still visit to pretend we're the cast of Mission Impossible where the Museum stood for "the embassy". Where's my evening gown!!!!
I WILL SET MYSELF ON FIRE!
Just a few walk from the good King Wenceslas statue is a patch of green. Looking at it it says Jan Palach and Jan Zajic. Two students who were two of the many heroes who fought for Czech revolution.
Jan Palach in particular was the student who stood in front of the Museum and set himself on fire because he cannot take the oppression anymore and felt no change will happen (if people don't do anything drastic).
Just a few walk from the good King Wenceslas statue is a patch of green. Looking at it it says Jan Palach and Jan Zajic. Two students who were two of the many heroes who fought for Czech revolution.
Jan Palach in particular was the student who stood in front of the Museum and set himself on fire because he cannot take the oppression anymore and felt no change will happen (if people don't do anything drastic).
All throughout the square are remnants of Czech's period architecture. Neo-gothic, Neo-Rennaissance, Neo-Baroque, Art Nouveau and Functionalism.
The Grand Hotel Europa is the bright yellow Art Nouveau building on your left as you thread down the square.
The scene was set in November 1989. The Velvet Revolution happened here. Every night, people gather in front of this grandiose structure and jangled their car keys. Hundreds of thousands of them, Symbolically telling the communists to pack up and leave their country.
Velvet Revolution, no force were used, no blood were spilled. It was sheer boldness and standing tall and proud together as a nation while demanding freedom from the dictators..
The Grand Hotel Europa is the bright yellow Art Nouveau building on your left as you thread down the square.
The scene was set in November 1989. The Velvet Revolution happened here. Every night, people gather in front of this grandiose structure and jangled their car keys. Hundreds of thousands of them, Symbolically telling the communists to pack up and leave their country.
Velvet Revolution, no force were used, no blood were spilled. It was sheer boldness and standing tall and proud together as a nation while demanding freedom from the dictators..
The balcony of the now Marks and Spencer was the same balcony were the famous individuals of Czech, stood to greet and cement the success of the uprising. A rock star, a well known priest, a poet, Alexander Dubcek and Vaclav Havel to name just a few.
Following our guide to some secret nuggets spread across the city, we were brought to an art deco mall of the 1930s. The Lucerna Arcade.
We found Wenceslas riding an upside down horse. It was huge and funny and we're glad to be led to it.
We found Wenceslas riding an upside down horse. It was huge and funny and we're glad to be led to it.
The last side trip before The Old Town Square was a Franciscan garden hidden within another popular place to the locals. Svetnor Mall. If you want ice creams, this is "the" place.
The Franciscan garden is from the 1600, boasting a playground for kids and offers a romantic rendezvous for couples or... as what we saw, two boys hiddenly smoking cigarettes.
The Franciscan garden is from the 1600, boasting a playground for kids and offers a romantic rendezvous for couples or... as what we saw, two boys hiddenly smoking cigarettes.
Our tour was cut short because we have dinner reservations at Bellevue. We will resume our self guided tour on Saturday after a series of out of town tours.
Our night ended with a meal to remember. Dinner with a view of Charles Bridge.
The food were great but I think the captivating beauty of the bridge, lit or not, overwhelmed the gastronomic creativity.
That and the fact that for the first time I ate rabbit. There were the usuals but I wanted to try something new, so rabbit it is!
It doesn't really help that while I was eating, my two boys were making cute sad bunny rabbit faces. Aaaargh!
The food were great but I think the captivating beauty of the bridge, lit or not, overwhelmed the gastronomic creativity.
That and the fact that for the first time I ate rabbit. There were the usuals but I wanted to try something new, so rabbit it is!
It doesn't really help that while I was eating, my two boys were making cute sad bunny rabbit faces. Aaaargh!
Amuse Bouche - prawn in tomato and strawberry sauce
specially prepared egg, not poached but cooked at a certain temperature where it's cooked to a certain point that even pregnant women won't worry about salmonella but it's still oozing with awesomeness egg greatness
Foie gras terrine with seasonal berries, elder flower, brioche
Best end of Irish lamb, cassoulet, herritage carrots, fennel jus
Pan fried sea bass, crushed potatoes, bok choi, lemon caper velouté
Roasted saddle of rabbit with serrano ham, sweet garlic purée, provensal vegetables, kalamata olives... RABBIT!!!
palate cleanser, yoghurt of some sort
Valrhona "Araquani" chocolate Cremeux, caramel, banana ice cream, sweet popcorn
Tahitian vanilla Panna cotta with tropical fruit delight
Tahitian vanilla Panna cotta with tropical fruit delight
Deconstructed cheese cake with strawberries, basil and Voatsiperifery wild pepper
alas! we managed to prolong dinner to a record breaking 4 hours... the bridge was finally lit by 10:15... THANK YOU!
Grainy photos and all, this wrapped our second night in Prague. We are undoubtedly having a blast!
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