Weekend Wandering

Well since I didn't do much on Saturday (due to staying out way too late, missing a Tram and having to wait 30 min for the next one and gettting home 1 1/2 hours after I wanted to be in my bed) I decided I should do a little wandering around Praha. I haven't really seen a lot of Praha, I have seen the main big touristy things, but I haven't been that explorative. So after attending the beautiful Irish mass, I headed home for street clothes to do a little exploring.

St. Thomas Church (Interior)

Look at that Blue Sky behind the Koleji!

I started out by riding the Tram to a stop that has a gorgeous view of Charles Bridge. I have seen the view before when I ride the Tram to Sunday Mass. So I headed towards the hill and took in the sunshine happily. I have not seen the sun since last Friday, seriously, it hasn't shine! So I got snap happy and took some amazing shots of the Vltava and Karlov Most.

View of Vltava and Karlov Most

View of Hradcansy

An Amazing View of Hradcansy with Sunburst

Next I wandered down the hill and noticed an amazing view of the Hradcansy with the sun shining behind it, so I again got snap happy. :) Have I mentioned how beautiful it is here? I mean it is hard with the language barrier, but I do try and I have been learning a bit more. It just comes with time. But even with that, I'm sure everyone appreciates the beautiful Architecture just the same. So after snapping shots of Hradcansy, I headed down towards Karlov Most. I walk towards my favorite spot to take pictures (ok you guys are going to see the same picture of the same spot a million times...ummm...ok Madeline you are right, same bridge different people). When I got there, my spot was taken, by what looked to be a filming crew.

Under the Karlov Most (Yeah I know Madeline)

Filming Crew

So I waited for them to finish up what they were doing, and snagged my picture. I know there are many beautiful spots in Praha, but this has to be my favorite one. So I get done and head up to Karlov Most, wow was it crowded, if this is what to come, I don't think I want to be out at this time of day. I just about crossed the bridge and here came a protest parade against the war and occupation (young communists), I was first shocked, but I snapped a shot (which I am now advise not to do again). This was my first experience overseas for demostrations against America. I finished crossing the bridge and head to the Tram stop to catch my Tram to Vysehrad.

Protestors

A View from Karlov Most

I ended up going on Tram stop too far and had to back track to get to where I needed to go. Luckily I did, since there was this beautiful old street tunnel that had part of the old castle on it, and I took a few snaps of it. This walking along the Vltava made me decide, after I explore the castle, I would walk all the way back to the Metro to get home, it was such a lovely day. I could probably do this more if the weather keeps up like this.

I totally caught this picture on accident, quite good I believe.
This is in a little bay area, and the water had a thin enough
layer of ice for birds to be on.

I haven't been this far north on the Vltava

So I get to where I needed to be, the base of this long staircase up to Vysehrad. I don't know what I was thinking, maybe I'd magically get to the top, but did I have a long climb to go (in the picture it's not even at the top). I have to say though the view, definitely made the climb worth while. You can see north from Vysehrad, but you can also see south. There are lookouts all the way around it, definitely a good day to be out taking pictures of Praha. So I wandered around Vysehrad, took a few pictures of the contents (there is a nice Cathedral, but it was closed and an old graveyard).

Peaking Through at the Church

The Graveyard

Sunny Day

Peaking Through

View of Vltava through Fence

Tunnel Under Castle Ruins

Vltava Looking North

On top of the World!

Looking South to Praha

Vltava Looking South

After an hour of wandering I decided to head down. I could have the next hour to walk along the river and get back to the Metro. I wanted to make dinner by 1830, and we were supposed to be going to the Cinema tonight. So, I started back down the stairs, I noticed there were two routes so I decided to try a different way down to do some more exploring. I must have missed a turn and ended up going down and arriving at a long set of stairs going all the way back up to Vysehrad. Oh boy, so I turned around and went back, and noticed the staircase I had missed. This was was more windy and turny and was quite lovely. I finally made it back to the Vltava. I started walking down and getting snap happy once in a while, and took a bunch of pictures of river or a building, or a view of Hradcansy. So after walking for 1 1/2 hours down the river, yeah it took me forever, longer then I thought. I arrived at the metro station and caught a metro back to the Koleji.

A Random Bridge

Petrin Hill

Hungarian Wall

Pinky Sky

Vltava River

Hradcansy

I got back and grabbed dinner (something scary), and went with Varie to meet Michal, Mathieu, and Asther at Andel for the movie. We went and watched Casanova, it wasn't a supurb movie, but I did enjoy watching it (come on it has Heath Ledger in it). So after a long day of wandering around and enjoying a movie, I do believe it is time for bed. Ahoj!