Day 6—Budweiser and Chimney Cakes

Theresa in the Prague Post Office.  Fancy!!

Today we got a bright and early start, leaving for our touring at the crack of 11:30!  It was already 33F, and as the high of the day was to be 34F, we did not want to miss the heat of the day!  First order of business was heading to the Post Office to buy some stamps and send some post cards.  It was actually a pretty cool looking place, and pretty modern-ish.  After showing him our post cards, he gave us a price, we paid, he took the cards.  (We hope that works!  We sent one to EVERYONE who reads this, so if it didn’t, we blame him!) [[Theresa comment - I do not support Bill's outright lying in here!]]  Then, before leaving, an Asian woman came up and asked us to help her.  In her broken English, we concluded she wanted two post card stamps and an envelope.  Using Google Translate (English to Chinese (based on her writing)), we confirmed the envelope need.  Then we accompanied her to the next teller and (using Google Translate (English to Czech)) conveyed it to the teller.

Saint/King Wenceslaus I, surrounded by 4 Saints.

Today we visited the "New Town", started in about 1400, thanks to King Charles IV.  Old names die hard...even new ones!  Off to Wenceslaus Square!  At the top of the plaza, there is a large statue to King Wenceslaus I, surrounded by four Saints, with the National Museum behind it.  The square extended a very long way down a “hill” with all sorts of stores on each side, and in the middle.  We listened to the “Rick Steves” narrated walking tour, and hit a few places he pointed out.

National Museum at the head of Wenceslaus Square.

Looking down Wenceslaus Square.

When the Soviets broke up a demonstration on Czech's 50th
Birthday celebration (1968), there were a lot of bullets flying.
The locals were forced by the soviets to repair the bullet holes...they intentionally mismatched
the color so the marks would never be gone!

In 1989, when Czechia again declared their independence, they
did so from this balcony (kind of hidden behind the tree).

No idea.  King Wenceslaus, not getting the whole "horseback" thing!

Back when "Tesla" was a radio manufacturer!

Entrance to the Franciscan Gardens.

We saw the Franciscan Garden (a little park area) and then ended up in a mall.  There was a Pizza Hut, and we thought about combining a snack stop with “Customer Only” bathrooms.  Something about being cold all the time…So we got some pizza, a beer (because why not?), and enjoyed the double respite!

We made it back to the Astronomical Clock, just a few minutes before they started the next English Tour.  It was interesting seeing the inside (some of it) of the clock.  The tour also took us to the basement, which included the jails.

Part of the original bridge over the moat that surrounded "Old Town"
The moat has long since been filled in, but this marks the divide
between "Old Town" and "New Town".

The Apostles who process in front of the windows which open
as the Astronomical Clock rings in the new hours.

Once the first floor, as the city dealt with floods, they filled in streets and
lifted" the elevation.  This made first floors "basements". 

In the "Jails".  A "chopping block", an axe, a "violin"
(for the head and two hands), and part of a stockade for just the hands.

There is Theresa down at the bottom, waiting for an elevator!

Afterwards, we went up to the top of the tower.  It was some interesting views of the Old Town Square.

Views from the Tower!

St. Mary of Tyn (where we went for Christmas).

The tower from which we just viewed.

Part of the Astronomical Clock.  This face has a Saint for every day!

Today's Saint (in Czech/Slovak)!

This Bud's for ME!!!

There were a few things I HAD to try while here, and one of them was Budweiser Beer—the REAL one!!  Budweiser Beer here preceded the one in the US, but since Bud is King in the US, the Bud here was allowed to keep their name but can not export their product to avoid copyright infringement, etc.  Well, based on their dark beer, I think there is no comparison!  While in this little restaurant, Theresa got a hearty bowl of soup (called goulash, but NOT goulash), and shared some of it!  We capped off the evening with a Chimney Cake.  They take dough rolled in sugar and spiral it around a tube, and cook it over a fire.  The sugar melts and coats the dough.  Then they roll it in cinnamon and more sugar, and serve it steaming with a napkin!  You can also get them to put cream and strawberries, or Nutella, or even ice cream in it.  At this point, it’s really just an ice cream cone!  But we tried it the original style.  It was good!

On the way back, someone asked (in serviceable but broken English) where the Palladium was.  We walked by there almost every night, so we told him which way it was and made up a distance.  Theresa thought it was 200 meters, but Bill thought 500.  Neither of us know for sure, and away he went!  J

Just in case you don't believe this is "Budweiser".

Tonight is our last night, so packing and getting ready for the sojourn home!!

Last look as the Christmas Lights in Prague!