One Final Day in Prague - Day 6

Today was our final full day in Prague before catching our flight the next morning at around 9:30.  We planned on covering a lot of ground to see the sites we may have missed.  We ended up seeing a lot of famous buildings and statues including the peace statue with the words ”peace” in several languages entwined in the metal.  We also made it a point to see the dancing houses designed by Frank Gehry.  The building is pretty awesome and cool architecture like this should be encouraged more often.  It really is unique and worth checking out if you are in Prague.

Peace

Again, we ended up in an old cemetery that we both wanted to see.  Okay, I know it is seems like I am a really morbid emo, but the reality is that I was still riding the high of La Recoleta in Buenos Aires.  I love the sculptures of old cemeteries because I find the art work beautiful.  I guess I could hit the local museum which I always do, but it isn’t the same.  So yes, I did spend a few hours there and cleared my mind.  I think well in cemeteries for some odd reason.  Maybe it is the lack of distractions and welcomed silence.  I live in NYC, sometimes you need peace and quiet.

I have to say, I enjoyed my time there though Noah and I got separated in the process.  I don’t recall the name of the cemetery, but it was huge!  I tried looking for him for about 40 minutes but feared we may be separated for the rest of the day.  I thought about sitting on a bench and waiting for him to find me, but I am not that patient of a person.  Yes, I would totally be that idiot who keeps wandering deeper into the woods instead of staying put waiting for rescue.  Finally, I spotted him crossing a path near mine and ran after him.  I’m telling you, this place was huge.

Next we decided to go to Vojanovy Sady near the Charles Bridge.  It really is worth a visit for some quiet time and to be surrounded by nature and beauty.  We both were surprised to see that the place was almost completely empty with only a few locals talking on benches or students studying textbooks.

When we visited Vojanovy Sady, the trees and flowers were in full bloom creating a fairy tale setting.  We ended up sitting on a bench for a while taking it in and people watching.  Before we left we came upon a group of peacocks near a patch of sand cautiously watching nearby children.  Sand mixed with animals is a magnet for children and I am sure the peacocks have dealt with grabby kids a few times and were very cautious. 

So we snapped a few photos of the birds and we were off to grab dinner and then head back over to the TV Tower to see the view of Prague at night.  For some reason, we had this idea that the view from the TV tower was going to be something like going to the Empire State Building in NYC.  It wasn’t.  Prague is one of the most beautiful cities you will ever encounter in your travels, but it is not a city that is impressive at night. 

In NYC, the views are amazing at night because we have 5 billion buildings and skyscrapers lit at up.  It really is a sight to see, but Prague is not like that.  The only thing really lit up that we could see was the freeways and Prague Castle.  It was more interesting to see people come into the viewing room and leave 5 minutes later in disappointment.  So here is a travel tip for Prague.  Do not come to the TV Tower at night as there is no view!  Disappointed we looked back at the Prague Castle.  It felt like it was mocking us, but the reality was it wanted us to see it one more time, so we did.  We left the TV Tower and hiked over to the castle to bid it farewell. 

Now the grounds of Prague Castle are definitely worth seeing at night.  Everything is lit up beautifully including the fountains and even St. Vitus.  Oh, beautiful St. Vitus how I love you.  It is amazing during the day, but even better by night.  I have to admit, I had a hard time leaving it as it never got old to me but it was almost 11PM and freezing!  I can’t even imagine how cold the Prague Castle gets in winter as it is on a huge hill.  I don’t think I want to know as the cold is not my friend. 

So, to escape the wind we walked back towards Old Town to take in the historic area one more time.  There is nothing to argue, Prague really is as pretty as everyone says it is.  It really is.  I can’t even come up with a smart ass thing to say about it which is rare for me.  If you love architecture or are into fairy tale settings, then Prague is your city.  It is kind of surreal to think that this magical city was closed to visitors until around 1990.  Now it is overrun with them!

The next day, Noah and I got onto the plane collapsing into our seats.  This was our first chance to really relax in days.  And even though my feet hurt I didn’t mind all the running around.  As Prague is definitely a must see in a persons’ lifetime.  Besides, I will have plenty of time to sit around when I am 80.