Prague - Day Three

What happened to day two? Didn't get to a computer, so will come back to that day later.

Today we got out of the hostel around 9:30 and made our way to the Jewish Ghetto. We toured three different synagogues: the Spanish Synagogue, the Old-New Synagogue and another that I don't have the name of it front of me right now. The Jewish quarter in Prague was not destroyed by the Nazi's as Hitler planned to make the area into a museum of an extinct race! The people from the ghetto, all 188,000+ were sent to Terezine and then most of them onto death camps. Terezine was a "model" Jewish Quarter where many Jews were housed and was used by Hitler to show the red cross and others that the Jews were not being sent to their deaths. In the one synagogue, the walls are covered with the names of all the Jewish citizens who were moved out of the ghetto. In the upstairs is art work from the children who lived in Terezine. Quite moving and difficult place to view. Upon exiting this Synagogue, we went through the Jewish Cemetery. It was in use for 2-300 years and the grave stones are literally on top of each other. The graves are 12 deep. The Spanish Synagogue is patterned after the Alhambra in Spain and is absolutely gorgeous. The old-new synagogue was a typical synagogue from the time when it was built. I will verify my facts when I get back to Kisvarda and will update this at that time.

From there we crossed the river and went back to the castle, as the tickets were good for two days and we were unable to see everything the first day. This time we approached from a different side and walked through a very nice park and came in a side entrance. We arrived just in time to see the changing of the guard - it's an hourly event and not of the same scales as at Buckingham Palace - at this side entrance and were the only ones there to view it! At the castle today we went through the Abby which holds an art collection, the royal residence which is mainly bare, and the Basilica behind St Vitus' church.

We walked back into the old town square area, through it into another square and hunted down dinner. Using one of the guide books we found the restaurant we were looking for on the 5th floor of a department store! Good Czech cafeteria food: fried cheese with potatoes, served with tarter sauce!!!! This was listed as one of the traditional foods and they just happened to have it on the menu today. It was great to take a break off of our feet after walking for hours. No public transit for us!

One of the best things about Prague is that every time you turn a corner, another steeple or tour or art nuveau building comes into sight and takes your breath away. The day was not as cod as yesterday, but still overcast for most of the day. The views from castle hill were typical of pictures of winter in Prague that I have seen, although there is no snow.

Tonight we watched a marionette show! It was Don Giovanni in Italian, so although we could not understand the words, there was a storyline synopsis that allowed us to follow. The working of the marionette puppets was incredible to see. There was a team of 6-8 puppeteers who were quite skillful.

Now off to bed, so we can get up early to cram in the last few things before we head to the airport around 2:00.

(Day two: 9am - 4pm at Castle, back to hostel for rest and grocery store dinner, back out to blues club and through the closed Christmas market at midnight.)