After Munich, AN and I took a bus to Prague. I visited Prague for the first time in 2010 and was excited to go back. I find it hard to describe Prague adequately – it’s a city steeped in history and atmosphere, where the light is just a little bit more golden than other places. Of course it rained for most of the time we were there, but that didn’t stop us from seeing as much as possible of the famous city.

One of our first stops was the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square since you haven’t been to Prague unless you’ve heard and seen it chime. The clock was installed in the Old Town Hall in 1410, making it the oldest working astronomical clock in the world. When the hour strikes, the 12 apostles parade through the doors above the clock. The four figures to either side of the clock (Vanity, Greed, Death and Lust) also participate in the hourly ritual.

From the Old Town Square, we made our way over the Vltava River via the Charles Bridge with its elaborate statues and archways, completed in the 15th century.

Around the corner from the Charles Bridge on the opposite side of the river is the John Lennon wall. This famous collection of graffiti was begun during the Communist period in Prague when kids defaced the wall owned by the Knights of Malta with Beatles lyrics and criticisms of the government. Since the wall was owned by the Knights of Malta under diplomatic protection, the Communist government couldn’t do anything about it, and the Knights of Malta allowed the graffiti to continue. It’s a constantly changing piece of Prague’s history.

Check back tomorrow for more of our adventures in Prague in the Hradcany district.

Title quote: Franz Kafka