After A Long Trip - Beautiful Prague

Smooth sailing - or should I say, flying - on the way over.  The in-flight food service was fantastic, and the seats were comfortable.  We didn't get a full night's sleep, but at least we were well-fed, watered, and bedded. 

We flew straight to Munich, but then took a short-hop flight to Prague.  When we were planning this trip, we knew we wanted to return to Prague - this lovely city we visited more than 10 years ago.  A lot has changed, but some of the most recognizable landmarks still greeted us.

So this is the church you always see in Old Town Square.  It's called the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn.  It's one of the most impressive examples of Gothic architecture just about anywhere.  Construction started in the mid-14th century; it was completed in the early 16th.  It's massive and simply breathtaking.

Across Old Town Square from the church is the clock/bell tower.  Just a bit older than the church, this tower has an amazing clock.  See below.

We entered the Square just as the sun began to set, and we were not disappointed.  Good god we look tired!

Not only do I love the architecture of this building, its decoration is stunning.

See...sunset was not disappointing.  The steeples silhouetted here belong to the Church of Saint Nicholas.  Not as old as Our Lady, it sports beautiful patinaed copper domes.  I promise I'll get a better pic of it in the daylight.

The clock tower from its base.

Our Lady looming over the Square.

So here's the clock that was installed in the tower in the early 1400s.  It is the third oldest astronomical clock in the world, and the older clock still operating. It has three components: the astronomical dial, representing the position of the sun and moon in the sky, the walk of the Apostles - a parade that happens every hour as a skeleton sounds out the time, and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months.

So on the hour, the two blue doors at the top slide open and wooden figures of the Apostles move past the openings, waving at the crowd below.  To the right of the dial, is a skeleton that rings a bell striking the hour - as in "for whom the bell tolls."

  After a cursory walk through the Square, we stopped in at the Clock Cafe for a bite to eat and capped off the evening with a raspberry and mascarpone cheesecake.  It was delicious.  

Time for home and a good night's rest.  Instead of staying at a hotel, we decided to rent a VRBO (vacation rental by owner).  It rocks - literally...with a stacked stone wall.  

Tomorrow we plan to hit the Prague Museum of Beer, a stroll across the Charles Bridge, and a visit to the Old Jewish Cemetery.  So much to do!  Stay tuned.