Anyway...Prague was an adventure. We hopped on our easy jet flight and got there in an hour and a half. EASY! Then we went to the ATM machines where each of our ATM cards were inhaled and not returned. NOT EASY! After a few tears (mine) and some brainstorming (Jim's), we figured out that we could use our credit card to get money from one of those money changing places. Fortunately, we were staying in a nice hotel, because we had to spend our afternoon in our room calling Bank of America and sorting things out. Lesson learned: get money BEFORE arrival in the Czech Republic.
Despite our money woes and after a much needed nap, we headed out to explore Prague. We were staying a little outside of the main part of the city so there were fewer tourists and it was quiet. Our hotel was rustic and very nice with a beautiful garden and a yummy breakfast that served more than just ham and cheese and bread (something which we had a lot of during our week in Prague and Salzburg).
This pile of wood makes Dad's pile look like a pile of twigs:
Peaceful cobblestone streets and colorful buildings and a palace! Prague is really a beautiful city.
I can never resist the urge to try and look like a statue:
Prague is not a city for people who don't like to walk. It seemed like to get anywhere, you had to walk up a flight of stairs. These stairs went on for about half a mile and descended into the city. It was fun going down them and a trek coming back up. I can see why people in Prague don't have issues with obesity.
As we were walking down this street, someone reached from below and grabbed at my legs...or so I thought. I did the natural thing, which was to jump three feet in the opposite direction and squeal, which made everyone else around us laugh. I bet that happens a lot.
One of the famous landmarks in Prague is the Charles Bridge, which is lined with statues. It's also crammed with people and under construction, so we took this picture and then went BELOW the bridge, where things were much more civilized.
The Charles Bridge and seagulls:
Some glowing plastic penguins--part of an art exhibit at the modern museum of art.
Eventually, we made it up the stairs again and to bed. We were well rested and ready to schlepp all over the palace and beyond. But first, some silly pictures of Jim:
Inspired by Arrested Development, Jim strikes a chicken pose outside of this gigantic birdcage:
And was set up to look like the fountain was flowing onto the top of his head (I am a great and serious photographer, which Jim often appreciates):
We escaped the hoards of tour groups outside of the palace and wandered into the palace gardens. In keeping with the "many stairs" theme, they were built straight up on a hill and required much up and downing. They are actually almost maze-like and we found that we had to walk up a lot to eventually get out.
Back before I began carrying fifteen extra pounds around with me, I would have gotten much joy out of all the exercise we were getting and I would have been running a lot so all those stairs would have hardly phased me. In my current state, we had to take lots of rests in the shade and I humiliatingly got leg cramps. I sometimes feel like an old lady, but Jim is a fan of pregnancy: slower walking, more rests, lots of naps, increased food consumption, priority seating on some airplanes...it's right up his alley! He actually suggested that I stay pregnant for the rest of my life so that we can get on all our airplanes early.
A rest in the shade of the 'small garden'
Upstairs, downstairs...
Ok, getting a little tired of the stairs...
Defeated by stairs.
From the top of the garden, we noticed a wall that looked like it was made of black stalactites. It WAS made of black stalactites and hidden within were creepy animals like snakes and lizards. There were also many peacocks just hanging around. I tried feeding one bread, but apparently peacocks don't like bread. Later in the trip, I found out that ducks are not fans of apples. There was much to learn about avian life!
Albino peacock rejects my efforts to bond through shared rye bread. Oh well. More bread for me.
Following the stalactites, we happened upon the Czech version of fried dough (which I don't actually think was fried but was cooked over a fire). It was hollow, cinnamon-y deliciousness.
Then we went up a huge hill on a very crowded train/gondola thing, I hit a wall, we walked back down to our hotel and took a nap.
But that's not all! THEN, we went back into town and to a classical music concert! I actually was totally exhausted by this point, but something that hasn't changed with pregnancy is that once we've spent money on something we're doing it damn it. I don't care if my hands and feet are swollen to epic proportions and I can barely walk due to leg cramps!
In the square that is touted as the most beautiful square in Europe. We've seen so many squares now that I can't really say whether or not this square is the most beautiful, but it is pretty nice.
The concert hall. The chairs were very, very hard and there was a woman sitting in front of us who was wearing a shirt that had giant eyeballs on it that couldn't help but draw your eyes to certain areas...which, along with her ridiculous hairstyle was very distracting (for me at least).
It soon became obvious that some of us weren't going to last through this concert, so despite our efforts to make sure we got some culture in the form of classical music, we snuck out early. It was 9:00, after all!
The next day, refreshed and full of a hearty breakfast (there is stark contrast between how much we Americans eat for breakfast vs. how much Europeans eat for breakfast. We had about three times as much as everyone else.) we climbed up some more stairs and clambered onto the tram, headed to the museum of modern art to see the penguins up close and personal.
On the way up the stairs, I encountered the biggest slug that I have ever seen in my life. It was about the size of a small squash.
The penguins had friends in the form of rabbits and dogs and alligators. Plastic sculptures and cubism were the main themes.
And there were couches, which made me happy.
The one thing we had to do before leaving Prague was to visit and pose with the Frank Ghery building!!! It's apparently an architectural masterpiece and Jim studied it when he was in school. I actually like the building in Cleveland better...
ANother thing we thought we should do before leaving town was to try some traditional food, so we both ordered a bowl of goulash. Jim's face in this picture pretty much sums up how we both feel about goulash. Needless to say, we avoided goulash for the rest of the trip.
And is a picture of me looking pregnant so that my mom will be happy.
