"This is Chiu Weng, reporting live from München": April 2006

Prague (14-17 April 2006) - Last Thoughts and Trip Back

So that was it for Prague. Nice Easter there, and ready to come back to good ol' Munich, back to work. Yes, contrary to how it may seem, I do work the full 5 days a week, 8 working hours a day (in the office by 8am, out no earlier than 5pm mostly).

So it was time to head back to the Praha Hlavni Nadrazi (main train station).

Praha Hlavni Nadrazi

There's a statue of 2 guys kissing outside, don't ask me why or who they are

And time to say goodbye to Prague, goodbye to a beautiful night view and the cheap chicken cutlet burger

But thanks to the efficiency of the Czech railways, the train was delayed by 30min. So I thought that it wasn't that bad, until I found out it was a Czech train cabin (old, smelly, cramped, 50s style). OK fine, bear with it for 3 hours till I get to Furth im Wald, then it's the nice and comfortable Deutsche Bahn again. No, that wasn't the end of it.

THE FREAKING CZECH TRAIN BROKE DOWN!!!

So we had to get off the train in the middle of nowhere, run to the coaches which the train company prepared for us and get in, before it started to pour real badly. Surprisingly, the coaches were faster and much more comfortable, with air-con. We got to Furth im Wald across the border only 15 minutes late, and quickly hopped on the Deutsche Bahn train back to Munich. With famous German precision, the train arrived at München Hauptbahnhof exactly 15 minutes late too, causing us to miss the S-Bahn train back home and waiting another 40 minutes. Sheesh!!! Interesting experience, but I don't like the feeling of being stranded in the Czech Republic with only 9CZK left in my wallet (approx. S$0.62 or €0.32), I still had Euros, but I didn't want to spend in Euros, too expensive.

Anyway, managed to get back safely, or you wouldn't be hearing from me now.

So that's it for Prague, beautiful place but keep your hands on your valuables and plan very very carefully your transportation. Never ever rely on any form of public transport there!

Photobucket: Prague

Prague (14-17 April 2006) - Day 4: Prague Castle

Of course, the best for the last. Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, according to the Guiness Book of Records, with a history stretching back to the 9th Century. Inside is the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral, a massive Gothic building which is the seat of the Archbishop of Prague and still used for Masses. The cathedral was founded by Duke Wenceslas I of Bohemia (also St. Wenceslas or Good King Wenceslas) and used to spread Christianity to the pagans. In the cathedral is the crypt of St. Vitus, as well as the crypts of Kings Charles IV and Wenceslas IV.

Prague Castle is also presently the seat of the Czech President, and the ceremonial guards change every day at 12noon. I was lucky to have seen the changing of guard twice, which is quite grand. Inside the castle, there is also the St. George's Basilica, the Old Royal Palace (now used by the Czech President), the Powder Tower, the Golden Lane (formerly used to house goldsmiths, hence the name) and many gardens. It was here that the Defenstrations of Prague took place, which sparked off the Thirty-Years War.

View of the castle at night from Charles Bridge

The castle in daytime, also from Charles Bridge (you should be able to see the St. Vitus Cathedral, it's the big one)

OK, just to show I've been there

Approaching the main entrance of the castle grounds

View from the top of the hill

The huge courtyard

St. Vitus Cathedral, it's so big I can't fit it in. You can see the huge rose window in the centre

From the side, you can see the viewing tower (in green), 278 steps to get to the top

The red building is St. George's Basilica

Inside St. George's Basilica

Frescos everywhere, very typical

The rear end of St. Vitus Cathedral

View from the garden

The garden stretches around the perimeter of the castle

Is this a cherry blossom tree? Looks like it, and it's the only one in full bloom

The Loreto Sanctuary

The changing of the guard at noon

The outgoing guards

Incoming guards

Handing over

Guards marching back to form up

Marching off

The Golden Lane. Initially the houses of the castle's snipers, then later goldsmiths, thus the name. Now, it houses souvenir shops and ONLY souvenir shops.

Main Hall of the Old Royal Palace

The king's chapel in the Old Royal Palace

Inside St. Vitus Cathedral

Beautiful stained glass windows

Crypt of St. Vitus

I climbed the freaking 278 steps to the top of the cathedral

Excellent view, worth the effort

Wallenstein Palace

View of the city from up there

Photobucket: Prague Castle

Prague (14-17 April 2006) - Day 3: Karlštejn Castle

Karlštejn Castle isn't very far from Prague (about 30min drive). Again, I followed alone on a guided tour, but it was a small group, mostly young people my age, and all of us just started talking to each other on the journey. It was the tour that I had the most fun with.

Karlštejn Castle was built in the 14th Century by King Charles IV as a "storage place" for the coronation jewels and other relics, thus it is tucked in a corner not very close to Prague and on top of a hill. The climb up was steeper than Neuschwanstein, so it was a challenge, for those who know what I'm talking about. It didn't help that the weather was alternating between hot sun and rain.

View of the castle on the way up

A close-up

Almost at the top

The main castle courtyard

View of the tower...

The castle walls...

And down at the town

The Czech and EU flags flying high in the wind

Looking down the 78m-deep Well Tower

The seemingly safe well

They even got musicians at the entrance

The 3 guys from Dubai, (L to R) Yusuf, Abdullah, Myself, Majid

And the 2 ladies on exchange in Wales, (L to R) Sheena (from Canada), Myself and Meg (from Australia)

Photobucket: Karlštejn Castle

Prague (14-17 April 2006) - Day 2: Český Krumlov

The next day, we went to Český Krumlov, a town 180km south of Prague. This time, though, we went with a tour group, so no more getting lost, no more lousy maps and no more missing the last bus. The tour guide wasn't very good though, but the castle tour was fantastic.

Český Krumlov means "Czech Krumlov" and is famous for its beautiful 13th-Century Krumlov Castle and the Old Town. It is also a World Heritage Site under UNESCO. From the castle, which is on top of a hill, there is a beautiful view of the Old Town and the river that runs through it.