Prague and Our "Vacation" in the Czech Republic

Astro clock tower

Famous clock tower in Prague

Intact church in Baroque architecture

On the way up towards the castle, looking down at the city

Stained glass

Lots of bridges in Prague

Castle entrance

Folklore Festival

Folklore performance, the Greek team

·          



Train to vacation spot... so ready for vacation!



Classic style Czech houses with red flowers

Homemade dinner!

Czech countryside

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and one of the few old cities to not be bombed in WWII. Therefore, many of the oldest buildings, castles, and churches still remain intact. We opted to take a tour of the old and Jewish quarter with a local guide that had many great insights into what life was like during the communist occupation. It was fascinating to learn how they were forced to learn Russian, and families had to wait in long lines for access to rationed goods and food. Highlights of the city included exploring Castle Hill, the Charles Bridge (a famous bridge filled with sculptures), and the astronomical clock that puts on an animated show each hour with dancing skeletons. We were lucky to stumble upon a large Folklore Festival, including cultural music and dance in the old square of the city.  There were dozens of groups dressed in their traditional clothing representing a region of their country with a song, music, and dance. A few of them we recognized, and many more that we did not. However, each was unique and interesting in their own way, which really helped boost our overall image of Europe as a cultural melting pot.  

After visiting so many European capitals and cities, we both decided we needed a small vacation in a quiet off the beaten track village. We found an apartment in a village named Vrane nad Vlatvou just a quick 30 minute train ride along the river outside of Prague. It was great to just slow down and stay in one place for a week in a scenic and quiet town. Our favorite activity here was taking daily walks and looking at all the nearby houses with red flowers in the windows, extensively cared for gardens, and lots of fruit trees. Another treat was walking to the nearby market, buying the daily supplies, and then cooking all of our meals instead of having to eat out. Marisa got the chance to finish off a few books, Denton watched a lot of the Olympics, and we picnicked by the river on sunny days. Needless to say, it was a much needed vacation from travel and gave us the time to plan our next few stops on the trip Budapest, Vienna, and two weeks in Italy!