DAYS 116 & 117– “Where is My Home?” (9 countries in past 100 years)

July 13 & 14 – Prague...in the Czech Republic (for now)

The day started with some Milch Reis (Milk Rice) - so good!  Reminds me of my Grandma Olson as she loved to make puddings from her English ancestry.  This, of course, is from Germany.

We had a full day (10 hours) to ride by the slow, inexpensive train to the next country, the Czech Republic.  It is so hard to go through the beautiful Bavarian Germany and not stop to see everything, but we did have a 30 minute layover in Nuremberg (Nurnberg).  I jumped off and went across the street and snapped a few photos.

The train station where we had a stopover.

Gateway into the Castle area and Old City.

 Nuremberg is best known for the city where the trials took place after WWII...the Nuremberg Trials.  On 14 January 1942, representatives from the nine countries occupied by Germany met in London to draft the "Inter-Allied Resolution on German War Crimes". The three major wartime powers, the United Kingdom, United States, and the Soviet Union, agreed on the format of punishment for those responsible for war crimes during World War II. France was also awarded a place on the tribunal.

The day was quite warm, so children were enjoying the fountain -running in and out.

Watching and working - organizing pictures, but also viewing the beautiful hillsides of the area of Bavaria

Odile met us at the train station and we could tell immediately we were going to like this vivacious and out-going woman.  AND...she cooks very well.

Baked Chicken and potatoes with vegetables - scrumptious!

Her strawberry cream cheese pie was the BEST!  It's always great to get home-cooked meals as we couch surf across Europe.  Her accommodations were clean and just lovely. We came on the week-end, so she had time away from her work to show us around.  Her cat also liked our attention. 

Oh yes...she is part of the family and has her place at the table, too.  What was her name??

Odile gave us her large bed and the whole bedroom.  In fact - she couch-surfed on her own couch.

We woke up early the next morning as Odile was going to give us a tour of Prague.

We had a quick breakfast and her cat munched on wheat grass and strawberry pie.

The Cathedral is next to Prague Castle on a hill above the Vltava River

It happened to be Sunday, so Odile took us to the St. Vitus Cathedral.  If you attend church services in Europe, you don't have to pay an entrance fee.

We hopped on a bus and it took us to the top of the hill where tourists are EVERYWHERE!

St. Vitus Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church is one of the "draws" that bring people to Prague

Odile gets so excited telling us about the history of Prague and being our Tour Guide

We heard beautiful organ music and enjoyed the inside of the Church after the services

Located within Prague Castle and containing the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors, the cathedral is under the ownership of the Czech government as part of the Castle complex.

I can't even begin to tell you the places Odile took us.  She knew Prague like the back of her hand and she was not even from this area.  She is French, having lived in France the first 1/2 of her life.  She has always loved Prague, however, so this is her home now.

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. It is also the historical capital of Bohemia Proper.  Prague has been a political, cultural, and economic centre of central Europe during its 1,100-year existence. Founded during the Romanesque and flourishing by the Gothic and Renaissance eras, eras, Prague was not only the capital of the Czech state, but also the seat of two Holy Roman emperors and also the capital of the Holy roman empire. It was an important city to the Habsburg Monarchy and its Austro-Hungarian empire and after WWI became the capital of Czechoslavakia. The city played major roles in the Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Year's War, and during both World Wars and the post-war Communist era.

Beautiful architecture into the Castle Grounds

We happened to witness the Noon "Changing-of-the-Guard" ceremony

Getting a view across the city to the "Mini Eiffel Tower" on the hill

 We went to one of Odiles' favorite Czech Restaurants.  We each ordered something different to taste a variety of foods.  Everything was delicious.

Svíčková na smetaně served with dumplings is a popular dish. 
Dumplings (knedlíky) (steamed and sliced bread-like dumplings) are one of the mainstays of Czech cuisine and are typically served with meals. They can be either wheat or potato based. 

 Their meals are based around meat, usually pork.

 I ordered a pancake with apples and cinammon.  YUM!  This was great.

A picture I took from inside the restaurant

Good King Wenceslas enjoying the feast that we all hear about

Posing for her picture on this bright sunny day.

I wish I could remember all the wonderful stories that Odile told us.

 We stopped in to see some creepy inanimate people of Prague.

Hey - that one one the right is not from Prague.

 Some VERY cool marionettes in this shop.

 Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague has become one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. It is the sixth-most-visited European city after London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin.  Prague suffered considerably less damage during World War II than some other major cities in the region, allowing most of its historic architecture to stay true to form

 

A popular architectural style meant to resemble caves.  It was a "stucco-type" of covering that was done at the time.  We found it very interesting because it was done 200 years ago.

One of the VERY narrow places in Prague

Where are the Love Locks?  Do you see any Love Locks?  The picturesque Charles Bridge.

 

We saw a similar "Dancing House" like this in Hamburg, Germany

John Lennon Wall of Fame - picture we took of today 2013

The John Lennon wall was a symbol of freedom and rebellion against the communist regime in the 1980´s. On the death of John Lennon, the young people in Prague decided to have a symbolic burial place for a man they admired for his fight for equality and peace and freedom for all. The site of this burial place became the John Lennon wall. They expressed their grievances with the regime by writing them on the wall in the dead of night as they faced a prison sentence on being caught.  The authorities would then white-wash the walls and the next night there would be all new pictures.  This happened night after night after night.  There were demonstrations and riots on the St. Charles Bridge leading to a movement called "Lennonism".

John Lennon Wall - 1981

John Lennon Wall - 1993

Odile said this lasted from 1981 until about 1998 when the wall started crumbling.  It was then re-constructed and left alone for the youth to continue writing messages of peace and love.  These young men are playing music of the Beatles, obtaining donations in their little hat.

Beethoven called 285 Lazenska Street his home while he composed some works for harpsichord on two visits to Prague in 1796 and in 1798

mmm...not sure what these two pictures are of.

The beautiful St. Charles Bridge on a sunny day

 National Anthem - “Where is My home?" composed in 1834.    Prague has been a city in 9 different countries over the years and has seen much turmoil and tribulation.  People of Prague sometimes feel they have no roots or sense of pride because there has been so many changes.  Hopefully, that is changing now.

Where is my home, where is my home?

Water roars across the meadows,

Pinewoods rustle among crags,

The garden is glorious with spring blossom,

Paradise on earth it is to see.

And this is that beautiful land,

The Czech land, my home,

The Czech land, my home.