Around the Town

◊ This weekend there has not been much to do, so I figured there was no better time to just walk the city. So that is what I have been doing. I have been going out of my way to find the back alleys and streets that are would not be classified as 'tourist areas'. For days I have been at this now and I still have only been down a fraction of the streets in Old Town and New Town. I have not really seen much of the Jewish Quarter except for the main streets. Anyways, Friday I finally climbed the Petrin. It is a smaller version of the Eiffel Tower set on top of the tallest hill overlooking the city. I dragged my parents up there when they came here, but it was too late and the Petrin had closed.

The Pertin up close. The second one is looking towards Strahov Stadium. It is really diffiuclty to describe just how large this place is. It was originally constructed to house the "soviet Olympics" for all of the Warsaw Pact countries. I is big enough to have 3x3 football... er soccer fields going at once and then some. It is too large to be used for anything now and as such has fallen into disrepair. Along the left side of the picture you can see some of the buildings of Strahov Kolej. These prison-like dormitories house many of the college students in Prague and were originally constructed to house Olympic athletes in training.

I can see my dorm from here!




There is supposed to be some kind mirror labyrinth in some tunnels on top of this hill, but I have yet to find it.



Please don't ask, I don't know.


St. Vitus's tower as seen from Malestrana (Translation: Lesser Town)


From the bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral.

◊ Saint Nicholas Cathedral; this place is most famous for it's giant baroque statues and it's several organs. I did not actually go into the cathedral at the time, and instead went to a concert of sacred music Sunday night. For some stupid reason I did not take my camera with me. The concert was beautiful, especially the organ, but the real delight was being inside as the sun began to set. The rays of light sliding across the walls and floor created shifting highlights on the statues. The whole experience was breath taking even if the soprano had a terribly piercing voice.