Finally, Prague photos part 2

I've been wanting to do this for days but life has kept getting in the way. I find it does that, but when it is paying work it is hard to turn it down. Lots of customer quilts are ready to return home, and I am feeling better for having cleared some of the pile. I think they start to intimidate me after a while.

If you remember in my last post on Prague, the night we landed it was clear. Cold but no snow. The whole reason for the visit was to find snow and I was really hoping the forecast was going to be right, 3 days or heavy snow. Well it was in a way. I don't know what heavy snow is like where you are, but here is tends to be very large lumps falling from the sky and being blown about a lot. In Prague it's just constant small flakes falling. It doesn't really look like much until you look at the floor and see how much it has built up. Waking up to snow was great, and it decided our first tourist stop, Petrin Tower. The tower was inspired by the Eiffel tower, but is somewhat smaller (60m). It is still 229 steps to the top. I wanted us to get to the top of it as soon as possible so there would be some view before the snow obscured everything.

The plan almost worked. There was still a view but it didn't really photograph as well as I would have liked. The Petrin tower is on the next hill around from the castle, and I love the view you get not only of the castle but also of the cathedral embedded in it. You can see how much the snow is interfering with the visibility. However you can also see how impressive the cathedral is. I think this might be the best view you can get of the cathedral

You also get a great view of Pragues great wall from the Petrin tower. The Hunger Wall was built for the first time in the 14th century. It was intended as a fortification for the Lesser Town and Castle. It is said that the wall was built as a make work project. There was a famine and the poor of the city could earn food by building the wall. Depending on which report you read people seem to either believe it was defensive and probably didn't help the poor much, or that it was useless as a fortification and was only a social project. Sorry I haven't done enough research to have an opinion. I just know it's impressive.

To get up and down Petrin hill we took the Funicular railway. I have a huge soft spot for them and I took dozens of pictures last time. This time we decided to walk a little way down the hill to a bridge over the railway. It was well worth the walk. I love the view between the trees of the railway and in the distance the town. I think you can probably see the river and then across the river the main part of the town.

After taking the railway back down the hill we had lunch at a local restaurant. It was one of the best means for me. I loved the garlic soup and it was only 1.50! That is just amazing value. Refuled it was time to head for our next tower. This tower doesn't need long sight lines to appreciate it, as the best view is right below it. Well technically part of it. The tower I am talking about is the Charles Bridge tower. I love the solidity of this tower. It feels safe and strong. It also has rooms in it with the most amazing ceiling I also find it's stairs a lot more comfortable, they are a square spiral. It works surprisingly well. When you pay for access to these towers you often have access to the roof, and this one is especially magical in the snow. You can peer through arches in the wall around the roof and look down on the tourists on the bridge. Again you get a good view of the castle across the river. At the other end of the bridge is another tower, which I really must climb next time, and behind that is the church tower we climbed on our last day.

As you can see maintaining the bridge When I was last there 2 years ago they were working at the other end of the bridge I assume they have been working their way along the bridge since the. It's a huge project as they are taking They have also replaced pieces of the statues plinth. All this without shutting the bridge. I'm impressed, and you will just have to forgive scaffolding.

From here we moved on to another tower. Yes if I can climb a tower I will. I love being high The astronomical clock tower doesn't quite work for me, especially as to access the tower you have to go through a modern building. It just doesn't feel right. However it can be accessed by two lifts which was a lovely r I also think the second lift it beautiful. I am amazed they thought to put something so modern into a historical building but it works. The lift in in the center of a massive spiral slope. I am sure this is going to turn into a quilt. I'm not sure how, but the shapes are too much fun not to do something with them.

The tower does also give a good view of the church of our Lady before the Tyn. It's fabulous towers can be seen poking up beyond the other buildings in the old town square from the ground but then you climb the The tyn towers are further proof (if you needed it) that Prague got a great deal on gothic architecture. Having just checked on it's correct name it sounds as though a visit to the inside of this church is called for on our next visit.Apparently it's interior is particularly fine. That has to be worth seeing, as their more ordinary buildings are utterly stunning.

The last picture for tonight is another The Powder tower. We went up this one too but it will have to wait for another day. I've got another busy day tomorrow. Two more classes, and that means another early start.