Prague Hits and Misses

Today was another sight-seeing Saturday for us.  Unfortunately, it got off to a real bad start.  We had a long series of misses that had me feeling a little Twilight Zone-ish.

The Maroldova Panorama (a 360-degree diorama of the 1434 battle of Lipany) - closed from November to March for unexplained reasons

The Lapidarium (where the Czech Republic's best sculptures are housed) - closed for "technical reasons"

The Jewish Cemetery - closed on Saturdays (duh, Holly)

The Museum of Decorative Arts - open, but disappointing

The Astronomical Tower at the Klementinum (with some of the best views of Prague) - closed for reconstruction

The Antikvariat (used book store) around the corner from our school - closed closed closed

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Lots of misses.  But the misses led us to some unexpected hits.

The site where the Maroldova Panorama and Lapidarium are is a big fair ground originally built for that Prague Exhibition back in 1891.  There's a zoo, an aquarium and other museums.  Evidently they were also hosting a construction trade fair this weekend.

So we got to check out different types of insulation, solar panels and lawn furniture.

I kept wondering if the crush of people in the pavilion were Czechs with disposable income looking to build free standing homes in the 'burbs or if they were all just super confused tourists like me.

Another hit was when we found the giant-handed stilt-walking clown in Old Town Square.  Ryan really liked him.  (Also funny - I just noticed that Ryan looks pretty much as tall as the guy on stilts).

Then we went to this church (St. Nicholas).

And there was a concert going on inside.  So we took in the beauty of the building along with some Handel and Brahms.

Next we stopped for Prague street food.  Sausage (not pictured), cinnamon bread goodness (these have an official name I can't remember) and hot mulled wine.  They take dough, wrap it around a big metal rod, and then turn it over fire for a few minutes.  Then they roll it in cinnamon sugar and you eat it all up.  Essentially a Czech churro, but not fried.  Completely delicious.  Ryan got his filled with Nutella.

And not to be excluded, the last big hit of the day.  We took our hot mulled wine to the Charles Bridge and people watched.  Soon enough, a large group of Czech Tweeners rolled by with big signs that said "We want Justin Bieber in the Czech Republic."  They even stopped strategically to sing some Bieber tunes for the tourists.  Bless them.