Fun Fact -- The Czechs drink more beer than any other country. That moment when you discover the beer costs the same or less than bottled water, it hits you: Well, drink more beer then. Hello, Prague!
Prague evokes romantic, old world charm. Try to see beyond the mass the gauntlet of selfie sticks and commercial stores - look up to savor the Art Nouveau facades, look down to marvel at the cobblestone streets and sidewalks; see how many different intricately cast manhole covers you can spot (yes, unlike ones back home, there are many different designs). One of the best preserved cities in Europe, it's dubbed "The City of a Thousand Spires" and it's such a photographer's delight, whether you're a pro, amateur or just someone who enjoys taking photos.
However, in spite of escaping WWII bombs, the Czechs and its large Jewish population suffered horrific acts of human affliction - essentially jumping out of the Nazi frying pan into the communist firepot. But as communism began losing their stronghold in the later part of the 1980's, Prague has been experiencing their own renaissance in areas of art, music, tourism explosion and of course, craft beers.
This is called a "Split Beer" - half light, half dark and it delights the senses. If you're lucky, your bartender might be willing to make this for you. It requires patience by holding a spoon upside down over the light beer and pouring the dark beer s.l.o.w.l.y. over the spoon. If poured too quickly, the colors will mix and you won't get that separation as you see in this photo.
One of the towers book casing the two ends of the famous pedestrian only Charles Bridge. The bridge is one of the best spots to people watch as they gawk at craft vendors and street performers.
The picturesque towers of the gothic Tyn Church looming over the Old Town Square
Manhole cover.
From Prague Castle overlooking the city and the Vltava River.
Charles Bridge over the Vltava River and forever locks of love.
Communist era buildings like this are rare around the town center. The empty space next to the building is a construction site, ready to bulldoze and rebuild something new.
The upstairs entrance of Prague's main train station is the original Art Nouveau hall.
Famous 20th Century Art Nouveau Czech artist Alfons Mucha was commissioned to create this stained glass window at St Vitus Cathedral. This is notably more modern than the rest of the traditional and typical stained glass windows of its time.
Czech glass artist at work.
Absinthe is making its way back since it was banned throughout Europe in early 1900s. The medical experts at the time thought the elixir was so strong that it made people go mad from hallucinations and died from drinking it. It was never medically or scientifically proven. The formula has changed since.
I almost always post photos in color. Except when I feel like making a dramatic entrance...
This is the Spanish Synagogue in the Jewish Ghetto. The term ghetto just refers to a neighborhood or community; however, when the Jews were persecuted and forced to living in a closed off community, their living conditions were squalid and appalling.
The names of over 77,000 Prague Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust are hand inscribed on all the walls of the Pinkas Synagogue. The names shown in red is the family name, followed by the individual's name, date of birth, and the date they were last seen. A voice recording reads all 77,297 names played in a recorded loop.
The Jews were not allowed to bury their dead outside of their own community. Therefore, they had to be buried in this cemetery in multiple layers on top of another. As you stand on the path, you'll realize you are about 10 feet above the street level. The tombstones were upright and orderly at one point but soil movement over the years caused them to topple on top of each other.