Adventure: Prague

McKay: It is lovely sitting on a train… to gaze languidly at the passing scenery relaxed and relieved of any responsibility to watch for a bus stop or count metro stops. I love travelling by train.

Yesterday was another perfect day in Prague. We beat the tourist crowds again and got to see the first strike of the day by the astrological clock (really really neat!) and see the Jewish Quarter before being overrun with tour groups (notice Rob’s comparison photos from earlier). The synagogue with the names of Czech victims of the Hollocaust was very interesting and somber. The names are not only written on the walls with hometown, birth date, and last date known alive, but read aloud or sung softly over speakers.

One of my favorite exhibits in the Jewish Quarter was that of the art of the children of Tezerin. Tezerin was a camp near Prague, kind of a sending-off point to other concentration camps. The people there taught the children, held lectures, put on plays, and the like. It was stopped at first, allowed later, and eventually used as German propaganda to promote Tezerin as a wonderful getaway.

Other interesting sights were the Jewish cemetery with topsy-tuvy gravestones and the synagogues elucidating Jewish life and culture. We learned a lot of interesting things, thanks to the displays all being described in English as well as Czech.

We bought fruit and snacks at an outdoor market and had a picnic lunch in the Old Town. I got to shop a little (one of my favorite touring activities) and ended the afternoon with come gold bobby pins (so hot right now) and a new pashima.

Dinner was at a restaurant Rob scouted for its Czech food. We ordered the pig leg and won at food! Yum! The Germans we shared the table with told us they got McDonald’s earlier for dinner and were seriously regretting their decision as they averted their eyes away from our amazing and fragrant dinner. On a beverage note, I must find out what it is about Czech dark beer that makes me actually like it! It is so amazingly good! It has a taste like a smoky, tasty, smooth, dark peaty forest… so much better than regular beer (generally known not to be my favorite). After dinner, we walked to the river and looked at the castle lit up from far away then walked the Charles Bridge again before heading back to the hotel and sleep.

After another early morning, we left our keys at the desk to checkout (no one was up yet) and arrived at the train station in time to get two coffees and a pastry. WOW! So, Europeans really know how to do good pastries. This was a train station and it was AMAZING!!! Flaky, buttery, crisp.. everything one wants in a good pastry. Why have Americans let their food get so mediocre? Hopefully, this new movement toward locally grown food and “slow food” will help our tastebuds in America come alive again. Thank you, little brother, Chef Martin for your contribution to our tastebuds.