Bye bye Prague ... Hello London

One more night and then ... I am leaving back for London.
Bye bye Prague ... it has been good to be here.
Hope to come back some day.

Wenceslas Square, Prague

This weekend I visited Wenceslas Square, which is one of the main city squares and the centre of the business and cultural communities of Prague. Many historical events occurred there, and it is a traditional setting for demonstrations, celebrations, and other public gatherings. The Nazis used the square for mass demonstrations, in 1969 Jan Palach set himself on fire in Wenceslas Square to protest the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union and in 1989, during the Velvet Revolution, large demonstrations were held here.

The square is named after Saint Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia. On this picture, you see me at the top of Wenceslas Square, in front of the statue of St. Wenceslas on his horse. In front of St. Wenceslas, just where I stand, there are two plaques in memory of those killed during the Communist era. One is dedicated to Jan Palach.

Drinkin' Czech beer ...

Readers from this blog know that - since I am from Belgium - I love beer.

Czech beer is world famous. The Czech Republic is the No. 1 beer drinking nation on the planet, with an annual per capita consumption of some 157 litres (Belgians only drink 93 litres!).

Beer is served almost everywhere in Prague, even in breakfast cafés!
It tastes terrific and it is cheap. Here you see me with a Krušovice.
Mmm, tastes for more ...

Meeting Charles IV, Prague

Here you see me with in the background the impressive statue of Charles IV (1316-1378).

Charles IV inherited Luxembourg and the Kingdom of Bohemia from his father. He was crowned King of Bohemia as Charles I (!), was elected King of the Romans (rex Romanorum), and was crowned King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor. With his coronation as King of Burgundy he became the personal ruler of all the kingdoms of the Holy Roman Empire.

He rebuilt Prague on the model of Paris, establishing the New Town of Prague (Nové Město). He made Prague the imperial capital, refusing even at the insistence of Petrarch to move to Rome, and he was a great builder in that city, which bears his name in so many spots: Charles University, Charles Bridge, and Charles Square.

I feel but a small, small rat in front of this impressive statue of this impressive historical figure!

Where is Woody ?

I am still on Charles bridge ... can you find me in the picture?!
I am somewhere on the statue :-)
Maybe it helps if you click on the picture ...

Charles bridge, Prague

Charles Bridge is a stone Gothic bridge that crosses the Vltave river in Prague. Its construction was commissioned by Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and began in 1357. The bridge is decorated by a continuous alley of 30 statues and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, erected around 1700. Now many of them are copies and the originals can be seen in the Lapidarium (Prague Museums).

Here you see me on the bridge in front of one of the statues together with Katie's mum Catherine.

Finally ... Prague

Hey... I just came back to London from Prague. I had a very nice time there together with Katie. We had all kinds of weather: some sun, lots of rain and even snow ... but it was mighty fine in this wonderful city !
On this picture you see me near the Charles bridge that connects the old Town with Prague Castle.
There are more pictures of Prague to come soon ... so keep in touch!