View Of A Bridge...Can't Take Any More

Gidday peeps!

Firstly, apologies if any of you received random emails 'from me' over the last 24 hours or so. A small hacking escapade has successfully been stymied and fingers crossed someone's on-line joy-ride has been brought to an end.

So, after a brief blog interlude, we are back in Prague, city of 1000 spires and the not inconsiderable Charles Bridge. Stretching over the Vltava River, Karluv Most (as it is known to the locals) was commissioned in the 14th century by Charles IV and joins the Old Town with the Little Quarter. It is 520m long, could originally accommodate four carriages across and is touted in every tourist guide as 'not to be missed'. Which made me desperately want to resist planning to see it. I know. It's perverse.

On the evening of Day 1, I fell across it from a slightly down river vantage point. 

Remember the postcard shot from Prague Post Number 2?

Feeling distinctly unimpressed by the Bridge itself, I decided to spend Saturday (Day 2) exploring Prague Castle and surrounds (which could constitute a whole other post but I am unsure as to how much Prague overkill you will allow yourself to be subjected to). The views are absolutely stunning from the top and the Bridge even managed a cameo in one of several panorama shots.

The rooftops of Prague with Charles Bridge, Old Town Tower and on the horizon, the spires of St Ludmila's

After several wonderful hours, I found myself descending to the cobbled streets of the Little Quarter where lo and behold, I fell across the Bridge again.

Charles Bridge Little Quarter Tower and entrance

There seemed nothing for it but to surrender to its call but as I passed through the archway, I noticed an ad for river cruises - weary and footsore by this stage, I was an easy mark for any seated distractions so I decided that this would be pleasant way to spend an hour. I even got a couple of Bridge shots in for good measure.

Charles Bridge before cruising beneath it...

...and after.

After the cruise had returned me to the shore, I did actually make it onto the Bridge but the Saturday crowds were out in force and it was not conducive to any sort of meandering or photo-taking. So I just went with the throng and made directly for the other side, determined to try again tomorrow.

Busy crowds heading for the Old Town on Charles Bridge

Tomorrow came all too quickly (as it always does when one is on holiday) and after spending a rather sobering morning in the Jewish Quarter, I ambled along more cobbled streets to find myself on the banks of the Vltava again but this time at the Manusov Bridge, a perfect vantage point for another go at capturing that other Bridge in all its glory.

View of Charles Bridge from Manusov Bridge

'It's my last day', I thought to myself. 'I cannot visit Prague having only had a cursory dash across'. And so began my purposeful stroll towards the Bridge's Little Quarter Tower.

Others clearly had similar stirrings...

Charles Bridge Little Quarter - are we there yet?

But finally I found myself ON THE BRIDGE.

The triumphant Tower shot which means...

...I am finally standing on The Bridge - with elbow room to spare!

Leaning over the Bridge I could see crowds gathered for a puppet show in the square below...

...but let's not get sidetracked. I am finally on The Bridge so let's turn our attention to it!

The Bridge is famous for its 'avenue' of mostly baroque statues. There are MANY statues (well thirty actually which is quite a lot for any bridge), all in various stages of dis/repair. Frankly after the first few, I got a little bored with the details and did not photograph them - I managed three and the one below is the best of those. If you are more interested and want the full run down, you can click here.

The Bridge is also a central point for entertainers and stall holders eager to take a few crowns from gullible generous tourists - here are a few of my favourites:

Ingenuity Czech-style

This one was particularly cute

These guys drew quite a crowd and much applause after each number

 Before I knew it the arch through to the Old Town beckoned.

Charles Bridge Tower - Old Town

  And with the Bridge finally behind me, I snapped a picture of it's namesake...

Statue of Charles IV in Knights of the Cross Square as you leave the Bridge

 ...before turning to see the sign opposite.

Do you think they mean that infernal Bridge?

So that's The Bridge post done and definitely dusted. If you are interested in checking out my previous Prague posts - and a big thank you to those of you that have - I've included a handy list below for you:

Prague Preview: Just A Peek
Prague...The Accidental Tourist (Trail)

They may just whet your appetite enough to inspire a visit.

Or not.

Prague...The Accidental Tourist (Trail)

When I travel somewhere for the first time, I am often torn between being supremely organised in what I want to see/do versus leaving myself free to soak up whatever comes along. Which invariably means I end up with a mix of the two. With other places I've visited, I have had a far better sense of their history so I must admit to feeling at a bit of a crossroads when I arrived in a gloriously sunny Prague on Friday afternoon - to plan or not to plan, that was the question!

But not wanting to waste time reading about it in my hotel room (which was rather lovely by the way), I put a few essentials in my daypack and armed with my new Nikon Coolpix camera (a frantic Amazon purchase the weekend prior upon discovering my trusty 5+ year old Fuji Finepix had died), I set off to roam the streets.

I was staying in a rather lovely part of Prague called Vinohrady (means Vineyard - how apt) which is just on the outskirts of the New Town...

...and is also not very far from Namesti Miru (Peace Square) and my first view of Prague's many spires and spirited architecture.

My first spires - St Ludmila's Church in Namesti Miru

Art Nouveau: Vinohrady Theatre and its winged figures, Drama and Opera

The first of MANY photos of random, un-named but pretty buildings

Namesti Miru is also where I learnt the rules about crossing Prague's streets - the guidebook says that the rules regarding mandatory stopping at crossings are quite recent so it's best to be on your toes, regardless of the little green man.

You got the Red Man pic becuse I was busy crossing on the green and too scared to stop in the middle.

As I wandered a little down the street I could see this in the distance...

...and being of an inquisitive nature, set my mental compass and began to walk towards it. I got rather close too and but for the sake of this headless man who 'showed the way'...

...I might never have gotten to the other side to see Wenceslas Square, centre of the Velvet Revolution and the overthrow of Communisim in 1989.

Wenceslas Square - that's St Wenceslas on the horse with the flag!

The gilded rooftop from afar became The National Museum

Monument to student Jan Palek who, in protest against Communism, burnt himself to death in 1969 (the year I was born!)

I don't know anything about the Velvet Revolution. I was 20 in 1989 and all I can remember about that year is the coming down of the Berlin Wall (a piece of which stands outside the Imperial War Museum here in London, but I digress). It's hard to believe that such enormous social change happened in my lifetime without my having a scooby. These are the times when I wonder at how big a place the world is and how little my world is in it.

Anyhow, it seemed that a stroll down this (in)famous square was in order...

A bustling Friday night

More amazing architecture (you saw the Grand Europa Hotel in my previous post)

The doorway to happiness? A modern and slightly jarring touch

Market stalls - souvenirs and sausages galore

 ...before leaving the main square to discover some lesser known delights.

This looks like it should be in a Wild West Town somewhere

A weary traveller

More spires against the darkening sky

Suddenly, a sign pointed me towards this archway, promising me passage to Starometske Namesti (or as I've now come to know it, the Old Town Square).

So after a quick glance at the stern features of this silent spectator...

Physician Jan Marek

 I entered and emerged to this...a veritable architectural masterclass!

The Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Hall Tower

A mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles carefully restored following the Prague Uprising in 1945.



Monument to Jan Hus and the gothic Our Lady Before Tyn Church



Rococo Kinsky Palace (now an art gallery)

Church of St Nicholas, classic Baroque

A little 'night' music

I thought this was as good a place as any to stop and enjoy a few local vittels...

View from my resting point - calm after the bustle of the Square

My first Pilsener

It's a (red) meaty city is Prague but I managed to find a passable chicken gnocchi on the menu

Feeling replete and relaxed, it was time for more wandering and I decided to explore the streets to the left of my entrance to the Square. I headed back towards the clock, wading through the crowds and wondering why it had gotten so busy. Suddenly the bells above me rang out and the little doors above the clock itself sprang open...

A performance every hour

Enchanted I held my ground amidst the throng, listening to the bells proclaiming the hour across the Square. And then the trumpeter appeared...

He played a little 'herald', waved his cape and took a bow on each of the four sides of the tower. Wow - climbing those stairs and trumpeting like that must take some lung power. (Please don't say he takes the lift and destroy my illusions.)

I tried to find out whether there was any historic significance to this but the 'best' I got was 'it's just for the tourists'. Illusions destroyed (unless you rekindle these by sharing your own learnings on the matter?)

By this time, it was getting dark-ish and so I decided to head in the general direction of the Vlatava River to catch a glimpse of the Charles Bridge. I went a little off piste and didn't land right where I thought I would but emerged a little down river to be greeted by this...

Charles Bridge and Prague Castle

There was a part of me that thought 'don't take the shot, you have seen it a million times in guidebooks and on postcards'. But the tourist in me just couldn't help it so I snapped three...before my camera battery died.

So it was time to head along the river and the darkened streets of the New Town back to the hotel...

Fabulous rooms at the Hotel Le Palais

...where I had a long, long bath, unpacked a little, collapsed into that big, big bed and slept like a baby!


If you enjoyed this one, here are my other Prague posts for your leisurely perusal:
Prague Preview...Just A Peek