“I want to see the Parthenon by moonlight.’ I had my way. They floodlight it now, to great advantage I am told, but it was not so then, and since it was late in the year there were few tourists. My companions were all intelligent men, including my own…
In Crete and Athens I noticed dogs and cats lounging around in the grass soaking up sunshine. While sitting on a terrace they will pass by with maybe a glance in your direction never in a hurry to get anywhere. The dogs and cats didn’t seem to belong…
Athens has an allure all its own. And its not just archaeology and history. The ancient capital feels vibrant and alive. With equal measures of grunge and grace, it is a heady mix of edginess and antiquity. The city may be known for the Acropolis, but driving…
According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. It may be huge but it is the most visited tourist attraction in Prague and the day we visited I was in awe and anguish over the hordes of tourists roaming the castle…
The first Cubist building in Europe, the House of the Black Madonna, was designed by Josef Gočár in 1912 and was built as a department store. A copy of a Baroque statuette of the Black Madonna adorns the corner of the building, giving it its name. Following an extensive…
We were on the outside patio of the Grand Cafe Orient Cafe on the second floor of the House of the Black Madonna when I looked down and saw a young woman and thought to myself: She looks like a model. I should take a picture. All my years…
Tavern U Krale Brabantskeho is the oldest pub in Prague and dates back to 1375. It’s dusty and dingy with that dark ages atmosphere, candle lit inside, beers slammed on your rickety old table, creaky chairs, and cheeky bar maids. Our bill was brought out in…
The ancient splendor and beauty of Prague, a city beyond compare, left an impression on my imagination that will never fade. Richard Wagner Prague is the equal of Paris in terms of beauty. Its history goes back a millennium. And the beer? The best in Europe. The Lonely Planet…
The event preceded the architecture and the poem was the mediator. The story is clearly delineated; poetry and architecture are talking to each other forever. —Carlos Brillembourg The event was the heroic political protest by Jan Palach on January 16, 1969. On this day Palach set himself on fire…
Sure, we know you came to Prague to see the sights. But we offer a different angle. An opportunity to stop in the tracks for a few hours, get off the beaten path, and just be. Be among the locals. Get a better understanding of who the Czechs are. What…