Prague and return home: Day 184 &5

An informative day spent seeing Prague, followed by my return home.

I joined a walking tour of Prague this morning (feeling that I was missing something important as I walked without my rucksack on my back). The city had been around for a long time, and the guide talked of how houses were built on top and around older houses in different styles from Gothic, to Rennaisance right up to Art Nouveau and Art Deco. This meant that bits of older buildings could be seen in newer ones. Also the ground level had been increased due to frequent floods from the River Vltava, so that much of the houses were underground. Houses were once identified by names and a symbol of the name would appear on the building. Such as "The House of the Green Frog" which had a carving of a green frog on it.

There were a lot of tour groups and tourists around especially at the Charles Bridge and Astronomical Clock (which as each hour struck had a display in which figures moved). The tour ended at the Castle which itself had many additions and make overs in the centuries.

For lunch I had a sandwich at the Cat Café, which was full of cats who were amazingly tolerant of people, including children persistently stroking them.

In the afternoon I went on a Communist tour which included a visit to a Nuclear Shelter. The guide told if the many people killed by the post war regime, described how any desent was suppressed and how the Czech people suffered. Emphasis was placed on indoctrinating the young and teaching them how to shoot and throw grenades. He also pointed out that the current Czech President and Prime Minister had a communist past, although they have now gained power by democratic elections.

Our guide beside a monument to the 1989 student demonstration that started the Velvet Revolution against communism. 

Last night after spaghetti and salad at one place I stopped at the "Bar behind the Curtain" for a drink. The attraction here were the friendly dogs. It was a bar with character so tonight I tried another one. Like the bar last night it was half underground.

Czech beer is served with a lot of froth!

Today I caught the Airport Express bus from the railway station to begin my journey home by air, train and bus. A tedious journey but with the pleasure of a return to my wife's arms at the end of it.