Prague Castle And An Amazing Meal

We finally made it up to the castle.  And I do mean up.  We crossed the bridge to the castle side of the Vltava River and found a place for a quick bite to eat before going to the compound.

As we followed the tourists to the street to go to the castle, my GPS was giving me completely different instructions.  We must have been in a no signal area.  We also were in a no signage zone, so I asked the hostess at the restaurant we just left.  She said this, "Go up this street.  Straight.  Straight up.  You come to square, turn right and go up.  Always up.  All the way up."  And, shit, she wasn't kidding.

Love the manhole covers on this side of the river.

View from almost the top.  You can see the spires of Our Lady Before Tyn just there on the left.

Now Joe and I have been in Prague before, and we've been to the castle.  I kinda think we must have been on a bus because I sure as hell don't remember that climb. 

Panting and sweating, we finally arrived at the Guard House.  "Can we stop for just a sec?" I said at least five times.

The guy on the right is holding a giant bat - to put you out of your misery after that climb.

For the record, the pictures you're about to look at in no way reflect the actual subjects.  Just sayin'.  Among the lies I'm about to share with you, the windows in the cathedral are far far more beautiful, the silver so much shinier, and the gold so much sparklier.  Shimmerier?  Glintier?  Whatever.

First off, a vast and fairly boring courtyard.  I'm sure it's very nice inside.

The Rectory and fountain.  There's also a cistern just to the left.

You go through a low tunnel and this is on the other side.  Immense.  Gothic.  Gilt.   

Inside the arches soar to the rather plain ceiling.  But the windows sell it.

The length of the church is saddled with incredible stained glass windows, each depicting something different but holy.  I know this because every one of them made me say, "Holy...something or other."

For my money, the Rose Window is the high point.

And the organ.

And this tomb - St. John of Nepomuk, the saint of Bohemia.

It's exquisite.

The outside of the cathedral

Gold Mosaic tile

Incredible.  Nobody builds stuff like this anymore.

This is St. George's Basilica. 

It was built in 920.  

This is the most beautiful crucifix I've ever seen.

St. George.  Slaying the dragon.

A lovely little lane in the compound.  It's where servants, and castle workers used to live.

And Franz Kafka for a while.

Going back down the hill was easier, but I'll let you know tomorrow how my knees are. 

We had a lovely dinner and headed back to the apartment.  It's time to move on to Munich tomorrow...Oktoberfest here we come!