07/06/07
I couldn't sleep well last night because the two women in my room were rock and roll concerting in their sleep (in another words, they were snoring).
After having breakfast at the youth hostel, I went to Praha Hlavini station to buy my ticket to Vienna.
The ticket was cheaper than I thought, perhaps because I bought it three days before my departure.
From Hlavini station, I walked to the National Museum.
From its name, I was expecting it to be an equivalent of the National Gallery in London or maybe
the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
But the primary focus of this museum was stuffed animals and bones...
It was more like the natural history museum and I thought its name was rather misleading.
They had lots of stuffed animals, but an equivalent number of kids were running about screaming.
I have, unconciously, set myself some 'themes' for my trip.
It is hard to say explicitly what they are, but
it didn't take too long to realise that this museum cannot answer the qestions I have in my life.
From the National Museum, I walked down the broad shopping street, towards south.
By accident, I found myself walking down the same street as yesterday and decided to have a drink in the same cafe as yesterday.
I read a chapter in the Magic Mountain.
I have started to regret bringing so many long sleeve shirts on this trip.
I didn't expect Continental Europe to be so hot.
The UK was so damp when I left.
From the cafe, I walked a long way, until I reached the Vltava river (German name is Moldau).
I spotted the castle from here and decided to visit it.
There was a large park around the castle, through which I had a very pleasant walk.
One thing I always have in mind everytime I visit a new city or town is to get to the highest point as possible to overlook the whole city.
So, as soon as I arrived within the walls of the castle, I went inside the cathedral and climbed up the spiral stairs that lead to an observatory.
As I expected, the view of the city from here was spectacular.
Prague is a well preserved city, having never bombed during the war.
I was able to see the Charles Bridge.
As I was walking down the steps, a boy behind me was counting the steps aloud.
It was funny when the people climbing up heard the boy announcing
"100!", as they all mourned "what? 100 more steps?"
There was 285 steps in total.
I strolled around the residential area around the castle.
I loved the peaceful atmosphere of this district.
As I continued my stroll towards the west of the city, I spotted a yet another observatory-like tower in the distance.
I got into the observatory and searched for an elevator but there was none.
Another spiral steps...
Bring it on I love spiral stairwells... I wished I was more fit.
This observatory was perhaps 50meters higher than the previous one.
And it was a bit shaky.
But needless to say, the view was amazingly beautiful.
Walking down the hill to which the observatory stood, I rested halfway on the hillside and read my novel for a while.
At quarter to six, the bells from the churches resonated across the city.
I got down from the hill and walked across the Charles Bridge.
The bridge was filled with people.
There were many merchants at the side of the bridge, selling pieces of art and jewleries and all sorts of things.
The sun continued its way downward and the warmth of the sunset light strengthend.
Keeping a watch on the level of the sun, I continued walking around the city.
I had dinner in a pub located in a narrow street opposite of Tesco.
I ordered without knowing what I was ordering.
It was a dish with beef dipped in a sour sauce and four pieces of this munchy bread.
This random bread has a name, in fact it is one of the traditional czech foods, but I forgot what it was called.
The beer was high quality.
It was a nice day.