Picketts in Prague

We decided to take Melissa, Jamie and Caroline to visit another European city during the time they would be visiting us...we returned to Prague in the Czech Republic and showed them this historically beautiful city.

They were not disappointed!

On our 2nd trip to Prague, Mark wanted to stay closer to the center of the Old Town...we were lucky to stay directly across from the old astronomical clock tower.

Here crowds gather on the hour to see the bust figures of the 12 apostles come out and also to see the many small clocks that decorate the outside of the tower....telling time in a variety of ways.

Also...on the hour, a person playing a trumpet plays a piece that is repeated on each side of the clock tower. By the time we finished our 3 day visit to Prague...we all had that music in our heads!

We stayed at the Grand Hotel Praha...an older hotel with no elevator...I thought that would not be a big problem...after all they only had 3 levels and we were used to stair climbing in Warsaw. Little did I know how steep each level was that we had to climb...

We counted almost 200 steps round trip .... loved the hotel, loved the location....but did not enjoy the climb we had numerous times each day!

Here are two happy girls thrilled to be in a new European city....

We ate at a great restaurant just below our hotel...it was spring...mid May and yet it was cold outside!

How convenient for restaurants to supply individual blankets as well as warming towers that help provide heat on these cool spring evenings.

On our first night we went up in the Clock Tower (how happy that they had a lift for us) and enjoyed the crowds below .... (our hotel is 2nd from the right...the top two levels)...

as well as the beautiful Prague city views on all sides of the tower!

I love the red roofs, churches, castles, and the picturesque view!

We had  fun revisiting this city and seeing Jamie, Caroline and Melissa enjoy it for the first time.

During the evening we enjoyed a small concert....it was relaxing and beautiful...both the music and the performance hall. 

Our 2nd day began with a walk across the Charles Bridge...

and then we began what would be our 5 1/2 hour bike tour! 

Our tour was to be for 3 1/2 hours...considered a family tour...not the scenic tour like we took last October. I was happy to go again, the exercise would be good, the sites great...but glad for a shorter ride...

Little did we know that we would be gone for 5 1/2 hours!

Last fall the trees were gorgeous with so many fall colors....this time the trees were a brilliant green...and it was a lot of fun to ride the paths and even hills of so many areas in and around Prague.

Here is our tour guide (Jan)...who is also the owner of the "Electric Bike"shop....I guess he liked us because we rode together for 2 hours longer than expected.

We all rode with helmets (except the owner)...we found it interesting that in Prague and like many European cities, though very "bike friendly" the bikers do not routinely wear bike helmets (though the Picketts did wear helmets!)

Here are two very happy girls...thrilled to be in Prague and having so much fun together!

We absolutely loved being together as a family!

Our guide did a great job in showing us places and sites that were different than our previous tour last fall.

This beautiful palace is used mainly for receptions and special events...close to the Prague Zoo.

The colors, figures surrounding the palace, and pathways were ornate and beautiful.

Mark was ready for a break and so he simply spread out on the ground for a short nap while the rest of us went up to the palace. We caught this little one staring back at Mark...wondering what this man was doing on the ground!

We saw the Charles Bridge again...

one of the famous "lock bridges" where couples will snap a lock on the bridge and throw the key into the water...

We also saw the John Lennon wall...and yes it does look different from when we saw it last October.

Though our bodies were a bit sore after riding for 5 1/2 hours....we were so glad for this outdoor activity in and around Prague. It was one of our favorite activities on our trip!

We were quite hungry after our bike ride...the bike shop owner recommended a restaurant just up the hill...we took up his offer and were not disappointed.

We loved the medieval food...of course we were quite hungry and would have eaten practically anything given to us.

Melissa saw the American Embassy which is just down the block from the bike shop.

We crossed the Charles Bridge again...Melissa loved taking pictures and what fun to see the sites through her eyes!

We were so glad to be "home" again...but did we immediately return to our hotel?

No...

A huge Czech Republic hockey game was taking place...hundreds gathered in the courtyard...the fan zone to see this quarter finals game between the Czech Republic and Sweden.

While Melissa, Jamie and Caroline stayed with the crowds, Mark and I returned to our hotel...of course we had a great view of the crowds (though not the game). The Czech Republic won and you could easily tell as we heard (for many hours)  cheers and roars from the crowd.

We had a great full day in Prague!