[The following post is from the archives of my In Search Of Incredible blog, originally published on 23 October 2016]
8 December 2015, Tuesday
After spending two days in Berlin, it’s time to move on to a new country and city – Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. For the commute to the train station, we decided to hire an Uber taxi again. From our apartment at Heinrich-Heine-Straße to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof central station, the distance was 6.83km and the ride took 20 minutes, with a fare of €18.40 (S$28). Feels pretty pricey.
We arrived at the train station at 7:54am and proceeded to the platform to get ready to board our EC 173 EuroCity train. Our train departed Berlin at 8:46am and the journey to Prague took 4 hours 39 minutes. We paid €39 each for the ticket and an additional €13.50 for seat reservation, which was for the three of us. So after taking into account the seat reservation fee, each person paid €43.50 (S$66) for the train ticket, which is quite reasonable and definitely cheaper than taking a flight. We arrived at the Praha hlavní nádrazí (Praha hl.n) train station at about 1:25pm. By the way, Praha is the Czech name for Prague.
Before we go any further, just a quick introduction about Prague. The city centre is divided into five areas, with the Vltava River running through it. On the west side of the river is the Lesser Town (Malá Strana) and the Castle District (Hradcany). On the east side is the Jewish Quarter (Josefov), Old Town (Staré Mesto) and New Town (Nové Mesto). The east side is where most of the hotels and tourist facilities are located. However, the city is very compact and it takes just 25 minutes to walk from the Prague Castle in the Castle District to the Old Town Square. Furthermore, you can’t really tell the distinction between the Old Town and the New Town as it blends in seamlessly with one another.
Our Airbnb apartment was located in the New Town, about 1.3km away from the train station. I originally envisioned walking to the apartment but we decided that taking a taxi was a better option, given the cobbled streets and the suitcases that we were carrying. As we did not have any Czech Korunas with us, we changed our currency at the train station before moving off. I do not remember the exact exchange rate at the time but it was around 100 CZK = S$5.75 or S$1 = CZK 17.40.
The taxi ride took less than 10 minutes. Our host was already there for us so she let us in to the apartment and showed us around. Like the one in Berlin, this was another of those Airbnb apartments owned by a company rather than an individual, so the check-in process was rather more formal. The host, or rather a service representative from the company, made us sign an agreement, which was like a rental lease. She also made us pay a refundable deposit as guarantee that we will not trash the apartment. Formalities aside, she was very friendly and answered our enquiries patiently, and she conveniently marked out the places of interest on the map for us.
Airbnb apartment: Vladislav Exclusive Apartment 5
Address: Vladislavova 1587/24, Prague 110 00
Price: S$180 for 2 nights (i.e. S$30 per person per night)
It was like a service apartment, with a huge living room and bathroom. It was spotlessly clean and very classy. For only S$30 per person per night, it was very worth it. Compared to the other European cities, prices in Prague are considerably lower, making it an attractive destination.
After freshening up, we headed out to explore the city. One of the main areas in the New Town is Wenceslas Square, which is actually shaped more like a rectangle than a square. It is a long strip of road with many shops and restaurants on both sides. At one end of Wenceslas Square is the National Museum and at the other end is the Mustek Metro train station. It is one of the main train stations in the city as it serves as an interchange for the green and yellow lines.
From our apartment at Vladislavova, it was only a short 5-minute walk to Wenceslas Square. Along the way, we saw trams plying the roads. I’ve said it before, but I really love cities with trams! Just walking along the cobbled pavements and looking at the buildings, it was immediately apparent that Prague was as beautiful as everyone said it was. And we haven’t even reached the Old Town Square yet.
We took a quick stroll along Wenceslas Square just to take stock of what was in store. It was like the Orchard Road of Prague, but with no major shopping malls save for one Debenhams department store. On the pedestrian island between the two roads, there was a Christmas market going on, with most of the stalls selling foodstuff. I was fascinated with a bread roll that was being “skewered” through a cylindrical stick, where it was turned over periodically and grilled over a fire to achieve a light brown finish. I learned that this pastry is called Trdelník and it is topped with sugar and walnut mix. I made a mental note to try it over the next two days.
From Wenceslas Square, we continued walking past the Mustek Metro station and soon found ourselves at Old Town Square. This historic square dates from the 12th century and it is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. Some of Prague’s most notable buildings surround this square. The most famous is perhaps the Old Town Hall Tower and the Astronomical Clock that is attached to one side of the tower. The clock, also known as Orloj, was built in 1410 and it is the oldest astronomical clock that it still in operation today.
What is an astronomical clock, you ask? According to Wikipedia, an astronomical clock is one with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information such as the relative positions of the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations and sometimes major planets. In other words, it doesn’t tell the ordinary time so it is not meant for mere mortals like you and I. But if you would like to learn how to read it, this webpage provides some pretty insightful information.
When we visited, there was a huge crowd in front of the Astronomical Clock. They were not there to read the time but rather, they were there to witness the small “performance” by the clock. At the top of every hour, two trapdoors above the clock will open and Christ and the 12 Apostles will appear, while the skeleton of death rings the bell. The whole “performance” lasts less than a minute, and it has been rated as one of the most overrated tourist attraction/activity in Europe. Granted, it is not much, but it is still fascinating that something that is a few hundred years old is still working today.
As the crowd dispersed after the “performance”, we headed to the main square itself, where there was a huge Christmas market taking place. Standing in the Old Town Square, the most prominent building before us is the Church of our Lady Before Tyn, also known as Tyn Church. Completed in the 14th century, it is instantly recognisable for it its two towers standing at 80m tall. The blue-topped spires give it a look that resembles a castle more than a church.
However, I just read that the two towers are not symmetrical – the tower on the right, nicknamed Adam, is larger and more “masculine” than the tower on the left, nicknamed Eve. Upon closer inspection of my photo, I realised that it is true! I did not even notice it when I was there viewing the towers in person.
With the Christmas market occupying the Old Town Square, we could not fully appreciate how beautiful the square was as the many stalls and Christmas decorations competed for attention with the pretty buildings surrounding it. It made for a very lively and magical atmosphere though. It would have been absolutely perfect if there were just some light snow falling down, completing the perfect illusion of a fairytale Christmas.
As it was about 2 degrees Celcius that day, I bought a cup of hot red wine to warm myself up. I also bought a small snack of roasted cheese on toast to try. I like everything to do with cheese, but it was a bit too salty for me.
We decided to carry on exploring and walked further along to Charles Bridge, which connects the Old Town to the Lesser Town across the Vltava River. Charles Bridge was completed in 1402 and it is Prague’s most iconic landmark. From Charles Bridge, we had a splendid view of Prague Castle sitting on top of a hill in the near distance. It was very pretty.
The cobblestone pavement on Charles Bridge is about 10m wide and it is functions as a pedestrian walkway today. In the past, vehicles were allowed to go on it. There is a bridge tower standing on each end of the bridge, and lining both sides of the bridge are some 30 Baroque style statues.
It was very crowded when we visited and it was hard to get a good shot because the bridge wasn’t very well lit and it was rather dark. I wished the lighting was better as I did not have a tripod with me and the photos appeared blurred. What a pity. Nevertheless, Charles Bridge was indeed very beautiful and I could only imagine how much more beautiful it would be if it were snowing.
On the way back to our apartment, we visited the Bontonland Music Megastore located at Wenceslas Square 1, Prague 1, near the Mustek Metro station exit. It is somewhat hidden inside a building and not that obvious. It had quite a huge collection of CDs and vinyl records and prices were generally lower than the UK. I bought two vinyls – the Foo Fighters’ first album for CZK 449 (S$25.81) and RHCP’s Californication double LP album for only CZK 379 (S$21.80). They would cost at least S$15 more in Singapore. I would have bought more, but vinyls are heavy and my luggage was getting quite full by this stage of the trip, so I wisely withheld my horses. The shop closed at 8pm and we were among the last customers, so I quickly made my purchases before being chased out.
After that, we made our way back to our apartment for an early night. Partly also because it was bitterly cold to the point of discomfort, so we gladly sought refuge in our warm and cosy apartment. Tomorrow, we have a fully day to explore Prague further!