Green with...

Remember Yellow?

Here's Green.

A few Prague highlights

Here are a few that didn't quite fit elsewhere:

(Above) Czech Countryside

(Below) Prague Cityscape

(Above) Some may recognize this building by Frank Gehry.

(Above) This is a monument to the victims of Communism. The disappearing bodies represent the loss of the individual under the Soviet regime.

(Above & Below) I just kind of liked the inter-building bridges and the pink building.

(Above & Below) On our last day, Maddie and I went to Prague Castle which is still the seat of government for the Czech Republic. Because of President Obama's visit, many spots were roped off, but on a residential building nearby, we did see this American flag. The lack of their knowledge of flag etiquette means it probably wasn't hung by ex-pat Americans (I hope).

Vitava River Dinner Cruise

My guidebook recommended booking a dinner river cruise. Please note it was a student guidebook, yet the majority of if not all of the other guests were couples or families. Still, Maddie and I enjoyed ourselves. We just weren't sure we were the target audience.

(Above) That's the Charles Bridge, a popular tourist spot and "treasured landmark" with lots of history.
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One highlight of the cruise was seeing President Obama's convoy. Most of the (mostly English) passengers rushed to the side of the boat, cheering and waving.

Walking tour in the Golden City

Walking tours seemed to be popular in both Budapest and Prague. We chose one recommended by our hostel, Free Prague Tours. Their tours are run by students who work on tips. It was a great tour - informational and entertaining so I would recommend it to anyone visiting the Prague in the future.

(Below) Our tour guide was named Huw - he was Welsh. First stop was the Astronomical Clock which is notable as the oldest-still-working-machine in the world. According to Huw, that is.

Above is the outside of the only concert hall that Mozart performed in that is still standing. And below is a Pieta outside of the Church of St. James, known for its display of a mummified forearm right inside the doors. According to legend, it belonged to a would-be thief intent on stealing jewels from the Madonna statue at the alter who was shocked when she came alive. His arm had to be sawed off to free him from her vice-like grip the next morning.

The image above and those below are of the Jewish Quarter. Formerly a walled ghetto, it is home to multiple synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery which dates back to the 14th Century. Those interred are buried in layers due to lack of space.

In the photo below, it is possible to see a large metronome which sways back and forth as one would expect it to. During the Communist rule of the city, a statue of Stalin stood in its place.

Praha or Prague? Either way, it's Easter.

Even though we arrived in Prague at the end of the week after Easter Sunday, the Prague Easter Market was still lively in both Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.

In each case, the squares were filled with delicious smelling food stalls, craft booths, and souvenir stands.

And this delicious looking pastry is called "Staroceske Trdlo" which supposedly translates to old bohemian muff. The dough is wrapped around a heated metal tube which is rotated over an open flame. When golden brown, it's rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Paris is the Budapest of the West

The general beauty and (somewhat decaying) splendor of Budapest is what impressed me the most about the city. You'll find the various architectural details that caught my eye, as well as a few other things, below.

One quick note - this was our breakfast at Gerbeaud, a glamorous cafe established in the mid-19th century. As you can see, it was amazing.

City Park of Budapest

To the North-West of downtown Budapest is
City Park & Heroes' Square.

(Above) Heroes' Square commemorates battles won and the virtues of Hungarian society.

The park has various amusements including a zoo and circus in warmer weather. There is also the castle built in multiple architectural styles.

(Below) And this statue to commemorate Anonymous writers.

(Below) Another excellent feature of the City Park is the Turkish Bath which has both heated indoor and outdoor pools.