Best of Berlin, Prague, & Vienna
August - September 2014
Prague
Friday, August 29th
70°F, Mostly Sunny
Friday, August 29th
70°F, Mostly Sunny
On the bus ride to Prague we made a stop at the fortified town of Terezin, which was converted into a concentration camp in 1941. Today it's the Terezin Memorial. Very bad stuff happened here. It's necessary to see it to believe it but it's hard to look..
Our next bus stop, Nelahozeves Castle
Prague Castle
Most of this is standard "castle". The outstanding room was the Gun Room. The most extensive collection of period guns I have ever seen. Unfortunately, our 20 year old guide didn't know anything about these guns and you only get 3 minutes in the room for up close viewing.
Prague
Saturday, August 30th
72°F, Sunny + Shower
Saturday, August 30th
72°F, Sunny + Shower
Prague
Sunday, August 31st
61°F, Rain all day
Sunday, August 31st
61°F, Rain all day
Nothing small about this castle. It's the largest ancient castle in the world.
No way I can get a picture of this place so here's one I stole.
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No way I can get a picture of this place so here's one I stole.
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Barbara found a friend
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Great view of the city.
Celebrated my 70th birthday in a wonderful Spanish restaurant.
Now that's a special birthday !
Today we enjoyed a full morning of sightseeing with our local guide, beginning with a walking tour of the Old Town Square. After learning about the Velvet Revolution, the people's march that toppled the Communist regime in 1989, our tour ended in the old Jewish neighborhood. On walls of the memorial were inscribed the names of the 80,000 Jews who lived in this neighborhood, were sent to Terzian and then murdered in concentration camps.
The Old Cemetery, built in 1439, was interesting. Once the cemetery filled up, they added a layer of dirt and a layer of caskets followed by another and another, 12 layers, until the top layer was 20 meters above the original layer. As you can see from the picture below, the cemetery is kind of mounded and the gravestones from all the layers are grouped together.
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The Old Cemetery, built in 1439, was interesting. Once the cemetery filled up, they added a layer of dirt and a layer of caskets followed by another and another, 12 layers, until the top layer was 20 meters above the original layer. As you can see from the picture below, the cemetery is kind of mounded and the gravestones from all the layers are grouped together.
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During our walk we saw this interesting building jokingly known as Fred (Astaie) and Ginger (Rogers). This is a test: Which one is Fred and which one is Ginger?
It was opened in 1996. I looked it up, the architectural style is called Deconstructivism. I'm not sure that is a formal style. I don't think the locals like it because it doesn't fit in with medieval style of the surrounding buildings.
It was opened in 1996. I looked it up, the architectural style is called Deconstructivism. I'm not sure that is a formal style. I don't think the locals like it because it doesn't fit in with medieval style of the surrounding buildings.
