Fun w kids

We took kids down to beach the third to last day of school. Just for fun. Water is perfect. So much fun. So nice. 

Tessa and I went to Eli's field day. Here he is playing waterbaloon basebal

Our trip in maps

Here is a map of Vienna. It was the hardest city to navigate. Roads and alleys and horses on buggies and busses and lack of street signs and not speaking German, plus, all the streets wandered and mingled without reason or purpose. On our 3rd day things started to make more sense. 

Our road trip to Budapest. Really a pretty drive. 

Budapest was beautiful. I really wish I hadn't gotten sick. 

Budapest to Prague. Also a really pretty drive. I loved the little vines we passed through. 

Prague is awesome. One of my favorite places. Such a cool city. 

Last day in Prague

This is our last day in Prague and unfortunately, Bridget was not feeling well. We got up and tried to get some crepes but they weren't open yet. Instead, we are at hotel then headed to the cutest bakery in Prague. It's just around the corner from Charles bridge. I'll give you better directions if you decide to come. And you should if only for the cookies and the bridge. 

After getting cookies we went window shopping until Bridget was too sick to stand. She rushed back to the hotel while  Brian Brook and I hiked the clock tower for some panoramic majesty. For lunch we went tourist native. That means we are at street vendors that cater to tourists, speak English, and accept euros or Czech kronor. We are Kielbasa (no idea how to spell it) it's a smoked pork sausage which is so greasy, it's a beverage and a food at the same time. We also ate a hash of cabbage, potatoes, and ham all cooked in a steel kettle. Man it was really good. I couldn't eat it all. After our stomachs had made more room, we got crepes from a wood fired creperie. It was heaven in food cart form. 

After lunch I checked on Bridget who needed a rest, a nap, and zofran. I got her crackers and sprite and explored more of the city alone. I met a really drunk homeless man. He liked his liquor in beg bottles. Didn't know they sold two liters of liquor. And in plastics. 

Brian Brook and I went on a walking tour of the legends of Prague. I'll give the nickel version here. So after reading this you all owe me a nickel. I put in a lot of work for this dang it. 

Actually all these legends are on line and in pamphlet form. 

Here is the view from our really fancy hotel. 

This is the cutest gingerbread shop ever. The ladies running it are really sweet and patient with letting us look over the whole store. 

Here's another picture of the clock. The guide says it dates to 1410 but the stuff I've read says 1490. Either way it predates Columbus. 

This is inside the tower above the clock. Impressive 500 year old mosaic. 

View from the tower. 

My other favorite church in Prague. The church of the lady of Tyn.  

St Vitus in the castle. 

Yummy lunch. In the park. Sad thing was I threw 1/3 away. Some homeless guy ran up pulled it out of the trash and shared it with his friends. I just couldn't eat that much more grease. 

 I didn't throw anymore food away after that. This crepe was so good. 

The crepe artist her self and another discerning tourist. 

We actually got to watch the clock tower. I'll try to post it on YouTube when I get back. You really need to check it out. So cool and pictures just don't do it justice. 

On the hour. All 12 apostles appear in the windows. I captured a few on phone. 

This little skeleton dude keeps shaking his bell. I'm not sure if that is a symbol that time is measured by mortals so use what you can or just a way to get people to pay attention. Any time a skeleton does something, you should pay attention.  

Medieval apostles are creepy. 

Look what I found!

View across bridge. And some bearded bald guy. 

This picture taken from the only beach in Prague. It was covered in goose poop. 

This was my church watching buddy. He reminds me of Galveston. 

Me on my bench with my buddy. 

Ok so here's the story. This kid was being roust on this church built in 1200. The kid would not shut up and be quiet. A guy told him to be quiet. He ridiculed the man so the man cursed him. And turned him to stone. See him on corner of church. 

Mozart stayed here a couple times. 

Czechs love Mozart. Here is the oldest surviving, Mozart playing venue in the world. 

This is cubism in architecture. It was built on the spot of an old building called black virgin. They have a statue on the right of a black Mary and Jesus. 

This is St. James church. It has the coolest story. There was a thief who stayed in church over night to rob the place. Once it was dark and locked he went about stealing what he could. He got close to the alter and the Virgin Stone Mary grabbed his hand and held on so tightly he couldn't get out. The next morning the told everyone what happened. They couldn't get him out so they called the executionor who cut off his arm. It now hangs from chains in the cathedral. 

This is the Jesuit chapel. When they were asked to leave Prague, they weren't allowed to take anything. So they hid the gold in the walls. No ones ever found it all. 

Rumor is the Angels transported this synagogue from Israel. 

Good night from Prague. 

Prague

Prague is an awesome city. It's history starts like 600 AD with some princess having a dream of a city with lots of spires. They started building right at away. 

You can read the rest on Wikipedia. 

So what I'll do is tell you what we did. We left our hotel and walked through the Old Jewish Quarter and did window shopping on our way to the Old Town Square. We people watched then looked at the churches and the astronomical clock. This is a clock built in 1490. The dude that built it was offered tons of money to build one else where. The leaders of Prague didn't want anyone else having such an awesome clock so they cut the dudes eyes out. 

After the clock, we hiked over to a tour of Prague with a sweet little 75 year old guide. We learned a lot about the history and beautiful buildings. We crossed through Old Tow , the Charkes Bridgr, then hiked up to the palace and church. What a neat experience. We then came back to the hotel. 

For dinner we meandered on back to the Old Town hall and had a dinner of goulash and Prague sausage. Our feet are sore but it was awesome. 

We then went back to the bridge,  and watched the sun set. 

Here is the oldest still used synagogue in Prague. In the medieval time almost 25% of the city was Jewish. This part of the city could be walled off to protect them from raids. 

Old Town Square. 

Front of the clock. 

This is the clock. The Clock. 

No idea how to read it. Has Roman Greek numbers. Also apostles come out of the door on the left. 

This is the side door to the clock. Look at how intricately it is carved. 

Kafka was a philosopher I guess. This is his house. 

Clock and church and Old Town Square. 

That Church is The Church of Our Lady Before Tyn. There is slight asymmetry because when building the towers, the contractor misread the plans. One is slightly bigger than the other. The Church quickly did some PR work and said one represented Adam and the other Eve. 

I like this picture a lot. Beautiful lady in a plaza with a cool clock and interesting church. Also that small gray/white building dates back to 1100/1200  

Look at these barrels of candy!

Our guide showed us this random church. Built in 1317. Humble outside. 

Amazing interior. 

This church is a Lutheran St. Nicholas Church. That's right, Santa's Church. 

Next we hiked the Black Tower. It was a part of the old castle till a plague came through and the royalty moved to the hill. It was also a munitions tower. 

Our attemp at being artsy. 

This gray building in the middle was built in 1100's and housed Kimg Charles mother. 

Entrance to the Charles Bridge. 

What a view. Bridge was built over 800 years ago. 

One of the many statues. 

This is where Tom Cruise watched John Voyt go over the bridge in Mission Impossible 1. But as we all know he ended up being the bad guy so he survived the fall ok. 

If you touch this it means you'll come back to Prague. 

Our guide was 75 and super sweet. 

This flooded in 2002

Lock bridge. Throwing the key to your lock means you'll be happy forever. 

This is the John Lennon, this wall is constantly being painted by tourists. See Brian the tourist?  What a tourist. Taking pictures like a chump. 

The Knights Templar church!  If Dan Brown and Nicholas Cage have taught me anything there's treasure here. 

This is a sad monument to the plague. 

That is all. 

View from palace compound. 

This is St. Vitus Chapel it is located Inside palace was built same time and style as Notre Dame. It just took longer. 

15-1600

Like 1900 I think. 

Same as Notre Dame. 

These Mosaics represent the resurrection 

On our way back to dinner we wandered Intel Jewish quarter again. 

Old Jewish cemetery. 

Very old synagogue. 

Newer building. Beautiful. 

Just in old town for dinner. 

Dusk on the bridge.