Monday 16 July 2012

Prague

http://joyolney1.blogspot.com.au                                                              

29 April 2012
We had a 4 hour coach trip from Regensburg to Prague.
There were many solar panel farms along the way.  We heard they have not been all that successful.
In the afternoon we took a walking tour "Secrets of Prague" to see the Palace Gardens, also Senate & Parliamentary Buildings on top of the hill. The Senate Building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site - beautiful paintinsg on the walls and ceiling and marble architraves.  It looked more like a palace.

Main Hall in Senate Building - a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Mythological Corridor in Senate Building

We walked down the hill through the Castle District, Lesser Town and over the Charles Bridge into the Old Town. We enjoyed pizza in the Town Square and saw the Astronomical Clock strike 5pm.

Castle District, Prague
Old Town Hall in Lesser Town
Charles Bridge with its 30 statues
Oldest working Astronomical Clock in the world 1410
  
Old Town Square, Prague
Old Town Square, Prague

30 April 2012
The next morning the coach took us up the hill to the Palace & St.Vitus Cathedral.

St Vitus Cathedral - a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Joy at Palace, Prague


In the afternoon we travelled 60 kms north of Prague to Terezin Concentration Camp.  In 1939 Hitler used Terezin as a "Resort" for the Jews safety, but in reality used it as a transport camp before going to various "gas chamber" camps.  Numbers were overwhelming, many died before going to the gas chambers because of the harsh conditions.  We saw the cells, delousing areas, Christian & Jewish cemetery, museum exhibits and a film of actually footage of the time.  War is so so sad.

Jewish & Christian Cemetery at Terezin
Cell windows open to hear torture of prisioners



Delousing equipment at Terezin
Delousing showers at Terezin
 Accomodation Block A at Terezin














1 May 2012
Our third day in Prague was a free day to do as we liked.  We wandered the Jesish Quarter where the oldest Synagogue in Europe is found, also a cemetery with 12000 tombstones. Spent some time in Kampa Museum where it was air conditioned. Many people were enjoying the paddle boats on the Vitava River as it was so hot. We walked over the Charles Bridge again and wandered the Old Town.                                                                               
12000 Tombstones in Jewish Cemetery, Prague
Jewish Cemetery 1439 - 1787
                                                                 
Vitava River with St Vitus Cathedral & Palace on hill.

Charles Bridge over Vitava River, Prague

 2 May 2012
 Our train left for Dresden at midday.

Prague Railway Station
1st class train Prague to Dresden, using our Eurail Pass

Prague Railway Station

You may wish to contact the author Joy Olney via email: joyolney@gmail.com