We left Berlin on Sunday around lunchtime. We took a 3-4 hour train down to Prague.
The kids loved riding the train! They ate their lunch and played UNO and games on their LeapPads. They were able to get up and walk around as well.
Ah, the luxuries of 1st class! OK, I know what you're thinking, Jimmy sprung for first class?? He did because it was CHEAP! LOL!
It was hard to take photos on a moving train but I did manage to snap a few neat things.
Part of the train journey took us through a National Park near the Germany/Czech Republic border.
We had no idea when we crossed into the Czech Republic. But we had a pretty good indication that we had when we pulled into this town's station and the words on the signs looked like this!
When we arrived in Prague we took a subway to the main subway terminal and then took another subway out towards our hotel. While Jimmy was checking us into the hotel, the kids found a brochure from a restaurant they really wanted to eat at.......
It cracks me up how much they love to eat here!
The cool thing about eating here that night was Jack finally made the connection as to what the Hard Rock Cafe is all about. Jimmy really likes the band Seether. I listen to one of their songs quite a lot and Jack has come to really like it as well. Here he's standing in front of one of Seether's guitars. When we explained that that was a guitar that the band actually used, you could see the light bulb come on!
Hanging down from the ceiling over the bar were a bunch of glass balls put into a 3D shape of a guitar (much neater in person!)
This is the Old Town Square in Prague with the red roofs of the Christmas market and the giant Christmas tree. That church was beautiful all lit up at night.
On the way back to the hotel after dinner we passed a massage parlor. We stopped and watched someone having their feet "cleaned" by these little fish! Kate could not get over it.......
Monday morning ~ We passed a couple of these setups as we headed back towards Prague's Old Town Square. There were three large tubs filled to the brim with live carp. We watched people "order" one and then one of the men would prepare it as asked.
the Prague Opera House
Our first stop that day was to a chocolate factory. They had a small museum and then we watched them make some chocolate molds.
Of course we chose a goody at their store on the way out!
I don't think they wanted the apple at all. They pretty much just bit off the chocolate and the sprinkles!
We have no idea.........
checking out the Christmas market in the old square
Even after living in Europe for 1 1/2 years, Euros still look strange to us, but....the Czech Koruna are even stranger, probably because everything is in thousands. 1000 CZK = $41.
Prague's Old Town City Hall
On the southern wall of the city hall is the is a medieval astronomical clock. The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest one still working.
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| We were able to go to the top of City Hall. Although the views were amazing, it was REALLY windy so we didn't stay too long up there! |
We walked up one continuous ramp to the top of the tower. The spiral thing in the middle is the elevator shaft.
After the tower we grabbed some lunch. We then headed to Charles Bridge. The Charles Bridge is a famous historic bridge that crosses the Vltava River in Prague. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. The bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the city's Old Town and adjacent areas.
The Prague Castle from Charles Bridge
There are 30 statues that line the sides of the bridge.
We came across several nativity scenes while wandering through Prague.
We decided to walk down to the next bridge that we could cross back over.
Charles Bridge from the river's edge
As we were walking back across the river on another bridge, the sun had been down just enough that lights were coming on and illuminating buildings.
We decided to walk back into Old Town and watch the clock go off.
I believe those two little doors open show the 12 apostles going around in a circle and some of the figures around the calendar moved as well.
After watching the clock we headed toward the "New Town" section of Prague.
Some expat friends of ours happened to be in Prague while we were in Berlin. She posted a picture of them eating at a restaurant where electric trains deliver drinks to your table. So we surprised the kids by eating dinner there that evening. There is a train track that runs around the restaurant and then down the center of it. Kate literally couldn't keep her head out of this because she was watching for the trains to come!
Our first set of drinks have arrived! The train stayed about 30 seconds at our table before it backed up and headed on down the track.
Here it comes again!
I'm not sure how much Jack actually sat in his chair during dinner! He was too busy watching for the trains to go by and watching where they were going. This was by far the kids' favorite thing we did in Prague ☺ In fact Jack told me he was going to bring his wife and their children here some day! LOL!
hmmm........
Tuesday morning we decided to take the subway over to the Prague Castle. Trying to buy tickets to ride the subway was the first time we encountered someone who didn't speak some English. But we managed to to buy some and as we were walking off Jack asked Jimmy, "Dad, why did you use your hands a lot when you were trying to talk to that man?" ☺
St. Vitus Cathedral is situated entirely within the Prague Castle complex.
During bedtime the night before, Jack threw up....not sure why he did....because he was just fine afterwards. So when Jimmy found this gargoyle on the cathedral he called it Gargoyle Jack!
a nativity all made out of straw
St. Vitus Cathedral
This door had several squares with different carved scenes on it.
the square just outside the Prague Castle complex
Our kids are amazing little travel troopers....but when we go too long past lunchtime.....it's a good thing when we can get some bread and butter and a Coke quickly! ☺
Which country tops the list for most beer drunk per capita?.....that's right, the Czech Republic (believe it or not Ireland is #6!). So....when in Rome........
Jimmy was quite impressed with these lampposts.
After lunch we walked back into the castle complex and walked around the Old Royal Palace. This was the ballroom.
Jack checking out different types of weapons.
We noticed a lot of the statues on the Charles Bridge had spots that had been rubbed on over the years. In fact we watched some people do it and then cross themselves. We didn't know the significance of the statues to know why they picked those particular ones. But we did become quite curious when we came across this statue as we were leaving the castle complex and saw where it has been rubbed over the years and wondered what the "wishes" were for.......
These chimney rolls were a popular treat in the Christmas markets. They tasted a lot like the pecan rolls Dad used to buy when we were kids.
This Christmas light was on top of a shopping center. We passed it every time we went into Old Town Prague. It was a favorite of Luke's.
Wednesday morning....well since it was Christmas Eve Day and Santa was due to come (and Mom and Dad still had all the presents to wrap!), we decided we'd better head home!
We enjoyed a nice quiet Christmas the next day. And then I got sick for the remainder of the Christmas Break. Jimmy didn't have to stay too long at work and the kids really enjoyed getting to stay home and play with their new things.
We have really been enjoying seeing places that we've only heard about. And although our time in Ireland is getting shorter we still have a few places on our list to see before we head back to the States! ☺
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