Day 3 PM - Mostly Riding Around On Trams

We stopped in a little coffee shop for a cuppa and cake and a planning session for the remaining 5 hours until we had to leave for the airport.  We both felt we'd more or less "done" Prague so decided to make use of another day's travel card and take a tram ride into the suburbs.

However when we got outside the weather was so lovely and, as we were already quite close, we decided to take a walk along the river.

The Rudolfium Concert Hall

A tiny part of a much larger sculpure

The river cruises at this time of the year are very restricted as the lock isn't operable, so we didn't bother to do one.

Charles Bridge

We'd seen doves on our first day and had assumed they belonged to someone and were being used as photography props (at dusk on the bridge there are people with puppies and kittens getting tourists to pose) but no one told me off for photographing, just a pity I couldn't get a better angle.

Gollom - in Czech and Jewish folklore a legendary, supernatural figure that once stalked the crooked alleyways and dark corners of the Jewish ghetto.

We then hopped on a tram with the intention of going to its farthest point further down the river.  Enroute Ian noticed a castle high on a hill which we though would be worth stopping off for, but once we'd got off we realised it would mean either a stiff climb up a flight of steps or a long walk on the road.  So we got straight back on the next tram and having reached suburbia very quickly, got off again just before the tram tracks headed away from the water.  A few random photos.

This dog was with a couple who were feeding the water fowl and he was desperate to get the food.  One of the swans chased him up the bank at one point but I missed it.

A few more tram pictures I collected in the 3 days (as you can tell from the varied lighting)

We passed this enormous building which we felt should be occupied by a government department but it turned out to be a hospital.

Another stop to walk around this park but there was no obvious way up the cliff and the park was very small so we walked on to the next tram stop.  Incidentally tram stops are quite a distance apart.

Whilst the centre of Prague is very clean and tidy, graffiti is a huge problem out of town, every available bit of concrete is scrawled on.

We went back into the city centre and then out the other side on the same tram.  We'd seen this rather lovely building the day before so this time got off to take a look.

There was quite a lot of activity going on with people scurrying in and out with boxes and all sorts, so we just wandered in to have a look.  Built in 1891 for the Jubilee Exhibition, the glass was lovely - I imagine the original Crystal Palace might have looked similar

There was some kind of beauty trade fair being set up.

We walked back out of the main hall with the intention of looking around elsewhere but got spotted by a security guard and escorted off the premises!

Goodie Bags lined up ready to be handed out to visitors.

The same building from different angles

I'd seen a picture online of the lovely autumn colours in Prague which was taken in Stomovka Park and as we were just next to it we thought we'd go for a stroll.  There was a nice open air cafe so we stopped and had coffee/tea and delicious cake (my taste buds have certainly changed) and then wandered around for a while.

The trees were beautiful but unfortunately I managed to tread in some dog poo, so poor Ian spent a good time cleaning my shoe whilst I sat and watched the ducks on the lake.

The sun was going down now and it started to get chilly so we headed back to the hotel, collected our case and popped into a nearby supermarket to see what we could spend our last few coins on.  This noose caught my attention so I photographed and promptly got told off.

Bet nothing would have been said if I'd used a phone.

We then did the trip back to the airport, metro first and then bus and found that check in wasn't due to open for another 1 1/2 hours and as we hadn't got boarding passes we couldn't get through security and reach the lounge - major panic.  Luckily I was able to download the BA App and we could get the necessary on my phone.  But what a dump the lounge was; a miserable space to sit around in

Poor choice of drinks

Barely any food (and certainly nothing to take home for upcoming dinner parties!)

And the cleaners couldn't wait for the passengers to leave.

We're certainly learning that not all lounges are up to BA's standard.

The skies were very clear as we flew over London.

We'd heard a lot about Prague and are glad we visited, albeit briefly, but it's not one of the cities either of us feels the urge to rush back to.

Day 3 AM - Josefov (Jewish Quarter)

This morning we checked out of the hotel at 09:30 and left our tiny case there for collection later as we don't have to be at the airport until about 18:30.

I mentioned to the receptionist how lovely it would have been to have tea and coffee making facilities in the room (as is quite normal these days and we'd taken cappuccino sachets and redbush t-bags with us in anticipation).  Apparently all we had to do was ask and we could have had a kettle etc - except there wasn't anything in our room to tell us it was available on request.  I tried to explain that to the receptionist but I fear it went over his head.

We headed off to explore the Jewish Quarter; somehow I'd expected Prague to be greener, with many trees and parks but in fact this was one of the few spaces we saw.

This surrealistic sculpture depicts a mini Franz Kafka (Novelist 1883-1924) riding on the shoulders of a giant, empty suit.

On arrival at Josefov, once the base of one of the most influential Jewish communities in Europe, we bought another circuit ticket giving us access to 6 sites.

The Jewish community in Prague was founded in 11th century and since then has been alternately accepted and ostracised by the ruling dynasties.  We learned that one of the main reasons that Jews became traders was because they weren't allowed to own land and be farmers, nor learn a trade.  All they could do was be moneylenders as that was considered an unacceptable profession for gentiles.  Over time and with permission from certain Kings, with the wealth many amassed from money lending they were able to start trading, often in precious metals.

Our first stop was the Old-New Synagogue.  Built at the beginning of the 13th century it is the oldest active synagogue in Europe.

Never having been in one, I had no idea what to expect and it all seemed rather basic and medieval.

A close-up of what at first appeared to be metal toilet seats.

All male visitors were required to wear a Kippah

Instead of lighting a candle in memory of someone, you can dedicate a light which is then lit up on birthdays and special occasions (looks more like a room call system from a large English stately home)

Next on the itinerary was the Maisel Synagogue which is now a permanent museum (I could pretend I shot at an arty-farty angle but it's just wretched converging verticals). 

In the days leading to the genocide of millions of Jews by the Nazis in WW11 the treasures of numerous synagogues in Bohemia were brought to Prague for safe keeping but everything was behind glass so not photographable.

Then to the Pinkas Synagogue which is the second oldest building in the Prague ghetto. It began in 1535 as a private house of prayer but today its importance lies in its role as a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust from Bohemia and Moravia. The list for the inscriptions was compiled from sources which include surviving transport papers and registration lists.

It is a beautiful, sobering, thought provoking place.  Very simple in design internally so all your focus is on the thousands and thousands of names - 80,000 in total -  hand-painted on the walls.

The names were arranged alphabetically by district/town and then by name and all family members were together.  A truly mammoth task and the writing was so consistent throughout.

There was an upstairs gallery containing yet more panels of names

Which afforded super views of the lovely ceiling and stained glass windows.

I'm not usually in favour of "piped" music in buildings, but here I make an exception - the beautiful music being played throughout our visit added to the whole experience even though I have no idea what it was.

The Jewish Cemetery was next.  This small area was once the only burial ground available to Jews and as such each plot was used by several generations.  It is thought that over 12,000 gravestones were placed here between 1429 and 1787, indeed in some places the gravestones are just piled up where they've fallen over.  I took a few too many shots.

I presume these little notes are messages to ancestors buried here.  We did see several people showing emotion standing by certain gravestones.

On to the Ceremonial Hall but by now we were a little tired and not overly interested in the displays.  Upstairs there were some rather cute paintings, all by the same artist and I'd have like to photograph more of them but the window and ceiling light reflections made it impossible.

Our final stop was the Klausan Synagogue which housed an exhibition of Jewish Customs and Traditions, again mostly behind glass.

But I rather like the stained glass and ceiling

Time for lunch, I think.