We took the metro to the old town area and wandered through the streets until we wanted to take the hop on/ hop off tour. We followed one employee to the office and then another to our pickup point. The guided tour at the castle/cathedral was awesome. He knew so may details and cared passionately about his country. The cathedral took over 600 years to build as they had to stop several years to slay the enemies. On the south side of the church, you can see the three stages: 900's and then the renaissance period and finally the new gothic era.
The castle was built and rebuilt many times due to wars and each to me the style was changed to capture the current craze. The castle had one remaining moat but it contained no water. There was also a renaissance garden.
The Czech favorite king was Charles back in the 1400's. Most things are named after him. The favorite saint is Wenceslas. There are things named after him also!
We watched the changing of the guard ceremony at the castle and were impressed by the pageantry and precision of the special armed forces. There were trumpeters. To announce the guards arrival..
John and I ate at the monastery which had a brewery. It was pretty good but dinner tonight at a local Czech restaurant was awesome! Food is cheaper here than any other place in Europe! Dinner tonight was wonderful. We ate at a local restaurant close to the hotel and it was probably the best spaghetti with chicken, dried tomatoes and argula I've ever eaten. Yummy! Also the salad was wonderful - argula, lettuce, strawberries, goat cheese, bacon and balsamic vinegar.
We went to another organ concert down in old town. Decided we were over the concerts now. This was #4 but there was also a trumpeter. While there are many churches in Prague, only 11% claim to believe in God and only 1% attend church. A lot of churches have closed because they cannot afford to be open. The buildings have been repurposed to commercial uses -- post offices, offices, etc. Sad!
Not sure this is making sense. I'm so tired tonight. No blog tomorrow night as we will be on the train!
Life is good in Prague! One of our guides was from Portugal but has lived here 7 years and cannot say enough good about the CR. Unemployment rate is 7% and there are jobs available. Health care is cheap and available throughout the EC. University is free but one must pass the entrance exams. It is not on,y free to Czechs but to anyone. The caveat is that all the courses are in Czech!
John and I really like Prague. It is # 2 favorite -- Hamburg being first.
At breakfast this a.m. they served jams in these small cones for ice cream - really clever
Castle/cathedral from old town
opera house
area in old town between opera house and atomic clock
Same
St. Nicolas
area in old town
Our wonderful guide
Area in old town
Same area
Same
Last remaining gate between old and new town
Elbe river
Close to Elbe
Looking out over city
City of 100 spires
Cathedral at castle
Outer building of castle
Cathedral from other side of moat
Guard at north gate
Interior courtyard of castle
Exterior of cathedral
Same
Interior of cathedral
Same
Same
Same
Across from cathedral
other side of cathedral
Prior to changing of guards at castle
Marching to posts
North gate
Castle
Renaissance garden at castle
same
Church at monastery
Lowering of post so cars can get through gate
Post rising from ground -- really cool
Wall at abbey
Workers plastering/repairing building across from monastery
Tour car
Ugliest communist building in Praha - seats 240,000 but is dangerous to use because it's falling apart. Will be torn down and shopping/hotels, green areas created in its place. First concert there after fall of communism was the rolling stones
Around city
Around city
Around city 
Same
Same
Street musicians - playing bassoons
Street band playing sweet Georgia brown. Soloist only knew the words: sweet Georgia brown which he sang over and over. :) 
Inside of St. Nicholas church where organ/trumpet concert was held
Same
Same
Same
Same
In hotel neighborhood
In hotel neighborhood - did not eat here
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