Dazzling Prague, Czech Republic

After a cheap train ride from Munich and great directions from the Clown & Bard Hostel we arrived at our Hostel in Prague at night. Who did we meet at reception? No other than Tim, the Australian from our grape picking experience - small world.

We had a good catch up with Tim and meet his mate Mark (American) over a few good Budweisers (not the American one) in the underground hostel bar. A great grungy place with loads of mirrors on every wall and legs walking past the windows instead of faces.

On our first full day in Prague we caught the tram back to the train station and walked from there into the Old Town centre. It had numerous amazing prominent Gothic buildings to feast our eyes on as well as countless yummy Czech tasty cuisine which of course we couldn't resist.

We spotted a Dali exhibition around the square and after seeing some of his art in Venice shop windows we proceeded our investigations further. Tom's highlight was Dalis' moustache with the twisted flicks at the ends. Inspirational. Dali definitely had an imagination on him, shown through some amazing woodcuts and sculptures on display.

After our 'art culture' experience we just had to see the town as a whole and maybe feel like God for a minute or two. We climbed the Clock Tower (watch tower) which was more a stroll up a square path with a DNA strain running a lift through the middle to remind you are in the twenty first century still?

After the amazing view of the city and a pinch of vertigo we quickly made it down to the clock outside in time on the hour for the little Apostles display out their windows. There was a huge crowd and I think I can speak for everyone when I say we all expected a little more but it was still a laugh and something to see.

The square led onto Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) which reminded me of the Angles bridge in Rome only a little darker. It had some wonderful views of the river Staré Mesto and the castle on the hill ahead. There was loads of vender's selling the usual tourist gifts but in a nice relaxed atmosphere, which was a nice change from other countries.

We roamed the streets around Mala Strana and found out about a few wind instrumental concerts being played every night at 5 pm which sparked an idea for my birthday night celebration. After all that brain work (no work in six months makes us a little on the dumb side) we popped into a cute pub and had a warm meal. Tom had himself another Budweiser beer before we slowly made it to the top of the hill where the castle grounds were and more amazing views of the city at night.

We left it too late to see the inside of what the castle grounds has to offer but planned to return the next day. The outside of the church was another amazing Gothic example of mind blogging architecture. The walk down and along the river gave us plenty of Christmas lights exposure before we reached the supermarket Tescos. Prague is the first place we have come across England's major brands like M&S, Debenhams and of course Tescos.

With our small bags of dinner supplies we took the metro back to the hostel with little hassle and started to cook up a healthy meal of the veges we have missed along our travels.

The next day started with our free full breakfast, a great way to start your day of course! and walk from the hostel with Tim in tow showing us the way without the tram. All three of us took a tour around the Jewish ghetto led by an interesting guide named Romanio. Once Tom got himself sorted with a 'hat' of a cute blue nature we first visited Old New Synagogue and were surrounded by 77,000 Jewish names, Prague victims of WWII. The guide told us at the time of the second war world there was 130,000 Jewish people living in Prague, after the war only 50,000 survived and today only 1,600 live in the city.

The tour continued onto the Jewish cemetery which can easily be described as higgledy-piggledy. With only a small area in which they could bury their loved ones they buried on top of each other and in some places the ground has gone up twelve layers. This can help to explain why the headstones are all over the place, with soft ground below and it always being removed when another layer is going on top.

Most of the writing on the headstones were in Hebrew, not in Czech. Some of the more well known tombs had coins, paper messages and stones to symbolise that someone had been there and this tomb is remembered. There are always flowing water at the gates of the cemeteries as you have touched the dead and need to cleanse yourself before leaving.

We also visited Maisel Synagogue which has been a museum since the German Nazis set it up for a different purpose for the extinct race which thankfully they never accomplished. It was only a snippet of the history but was told passionately which planted the seed to know more.

Tim recommended the Communist Museum so we went our separate ways after a Christmas market hot dog - which I'm still burping from! and headed for some more history learning - back to school! The museum gave a brief idea of what communism really means to the Czechs and how it affected them in resent history. It really raises questions and the thirst for knowledge has only begun. Tom wishes his history classes back at school had field trips to these places in Europe, now that would inspire even the naughtiest student!

My birthday celebrations started with a wind concert (not that kind of wind) which was really fantastic with some melodies we recognised and finished with a collaboration of the worlds Christmas carols to set us on our merry way. It definitely struck a note in me to sit at the piano again or even blow a cord on the clarinet.