We bought another 24 hr. subway pass (110 kr) to fight the weather. One good thing about rain is that it cleans the Charles Bridge of most of its tourists.
During the day there are usually so many people that it's difficult to cross.
As you can see, this makes me happy.
Our first stop was standing in a long line to buy tickets to the Old Jewish Cemetery. We realized late in the game that a small shop down the street was selling them and had a tiny line. So if there's a long line at the actual cemetery, wander around until you find one of the smaller shops.
The cemetery itself was pretty small. The rain fell lightly as we walked the perimeter, gazing at the old, worn headstones clustered together, nearly piled on top of one another.
The cemetery was canopied by trees, enhancing the solitude.
Some of the engravings could still be made out.
After the cemetery, we needed to find a place to warm up and dry out. That place happened to be U tri ruzi, where we had a fabulous meal.
Nothing like a good, dark beer to warm the soul. At U tri ruzi they brew their own. We chose the darkest one, and it was a fine choice. Rich and sweet.
I had wild boar ragout with potato pancakes. It came with a great sauce, not too dark, not too sweet. Just perfect.
This was one of our best meals on the trip. It was well worth the slightly higher price tag, especially since it was so close to the Charles Bridge. 2 beers + 2 entrees + tip = 600 kr.
We were hoping the rain would let up, but it just kept coming down. We took the subway to Visrehad, the point where Prague was initially settled. The palace walls still stand there, along with a cathedral and the cemetery where rests our new favorite artist, Alfons Mucha.
The quaint cemetery was inviting, even in the rainy cold.
Many interesting graves. From the famous...
...to the aesthetically pleasing...
...to the abstract Lego dragons???...
...to the creepy...
...seriously creepy...
...to the seriously understated.
We really thought Alfons Mucha would have a more festive grave. But I suppose he had enough color in his life that he didn't need any more in death. A little anti-climactic, though.
Visrehad would be an amazing place to wander around in good weather. There are beautiful parks and vistas all along the castle wall. One day, I will come back there and bring a picnic and a book and enjoy the afternoon.
We walked along the castle wall to the Back Gate. The tunnels used by the military long ago have held strong. They now hold statues from the Charles Bridge. We entered a small gift shop looking place near the Back Gate and discovered that the only way to see the tunnels was to purchase tickets for the tour (60 kr). We had to wait a half an hour, but we were assured by the couple who had just returned that it was worth it.
And they weren't wrong. We were the only ones on the tour. At first we were led through a fairly narrow, long brick tunnel. At certain points you could look straight up and see a small circle of light to the outside world, the only source of ventilation.
Then we arrived in a larger, open room that housed the statues. It smelled like cold, damp basement. I like that smell. I find it oddly comforting. The statues were well-preserved, and modern art pieces were housed next to them.
The faces of the statues were extremely lifelike.
Our tour guide informed us that there are sometimes concerts held here. It was odd how romantic the space was. I could see a trendy pop-up restaurant being very popular here. Table for two, please.
For the walk back to the subway, the rain had finally stopped.
Since we had such a great experience at the monastery restaurant, we decided to go back for round two for our last dinner in Prague. We took the #22 tram, which is the perfect way to see a lot of the sights in Prague on a cold, rainy day. The route takes you straight through the heart of the city.
I always forget when I'm in the moment, but seldom can magic be captured twice in the same place, especially in such a short amount of time lapsing between visits. The beer was still delicious. I tried an IPA and Hubs had the summer brew, so we literally tried all of the beer offerings. Ah, accomplishments.
For food, we ordered sausages in beer, which were cooked to death and too sweet for my taste. Hubs liked them, though.
We were blessed to be seated inside. There are only five or six tables in the whole place and were were fortunate enough to snag two seats at a communal table. It was far too cold to eat outside. However, the most annoying 23 year-old ever was seated at our table and was a loud speaker. She had big dreams of traveling the world teaching English as a second language, acting as though getting a job that paid well would be an easy task with her BA in psychology or whatever. You know, like any 23 year-old with zero experience would think, it's just easier to forgive when your voice doesn't travel as far.
Stuffed, we somehow still made room for caramel and chocolate beer ice cream. Yummy.
And that was the end of Prague. We walked slowly back to the tram, a little buzzed, savoring our last tastes of the Old Town. It was a romantic, wonderful trip and it was hard to admit that it was coming to an end.
Of all the cities I've been to, there are many that I've loved. But I have too many new places that I want to travel to, so it's hard to think about revisiting places I've been. However, Paris is a city that I know I will return to. And now, I must also add Prague to my return list. It was just such a gorgeous place with a unique feel, so old, yet so vibrant. I'd love to explore the more remote parts of the city, to get lost amongst the cobblestones only to find myself all over again.
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