Sunday, October 31, 2010

Day Light Savings Time.. oops.


The cafe I go to on Sunday mornings opens at 9:00am... one of the very few cafes which open so early here on a Sunday morning. But this morning when I got there a little past 9am, I found it was closed. :-(

Then it struck me. Hummm....Prague WAS awfully quiet this morning as I rode the tram.

Sure, because...it was ONLY 8:00am!

I forgot to set my clock(& watch) back one hour last night. Ach....

A Witch on Halloween


The American Halloween is full of witches, however here, Halloween is not celebrated, although one sees more and more pumpkins in store windows and hear's more about Halloween parties throughout Prague.

The Czech Republic has it's Witch "celebration", which takes place on 30 April.
and it is a celebration of the end of winter and the beginning of Spring. Look back to 30 April on this blog and you can see what I mean.

But here is a witch seen in a window here in Prague, trying to escape...

Boo... Baf...


Seen strolling around Prague's old town square... frightened some little people but other children liked it...one I saw came away laughing. ;-) To her, it was not scary at all.

Happy Halloween


The Final. Carved a Plump Prague Pumpkin last evening. Here he is.....

and he IS winking at YOU...

Enjoy the day.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Vlašské ořechy a lískový ořechy


Walnuts and Hazelnuts: can be found everywhere this time of year, especially in all the "farmers" markets.

Fall Figs...


A friend's fresh flavorful fall favorite...
They really are amazing, like a fruit filled with honey...

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Today.... An Autumn update


How things looked today toward evening. An Autumn day on the river... not alot of colors, mostly yellows and browns. The leaves are dropping now very steadily. Soon... bare trees.

A Pair of Gargoyles

Albino cars

Wednesday, October 27, 2010


Old town side of the Charles Bridge

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Church of St. Peter Na Poříčí





Here is that Church in Florenc. ;-) I happened upon this really cool small Gothic Cathedral one day as I was walking from Florenc to the Ministry of Transportation via some back streets. I never knew this cathedral was there, hidden away on a small street which is not much traveled.

A small roman basilica, apparently existed in this location around 1178, and was gradually replaced by this church during the 14th and 15th centuries. The church was renovated in a Baroque style then in Gothic style.

The church of St. Peter at Na Poříčí has four steeples. The two large ones were constructed in a Romanesque style and refurbished in a Gothic style during 1483-1497. Unfortunately none of the steeples have their bells today. But...

There is a detached belfry, 39.5m high, which was built from sandstone blocks in the late 1500's. The ground floor has a walk trough passage from the street into the church courtyard, which is interesting. On the outside facia of the belfry there is an embedded stone with Latin lettering proclaiming: “The Commoners of St. Peter’s Church at Poříčí built this tower at their own expense and for their grateful descendants in 1598“.

The top of this belfry is covered with a bulbous bronze dome with clocks on each of it's four faces. Today the belfry has 3 bells. The largest, called Peter,(not sure why it has a name?) was cast in 1691 and re-cast in 1701. The second bell, called Pavel, (aka Paul) was created in 1724 and the last bell is called a passing bell, which I don't have a clue about. This belfry is accessible through a small door on the south side of the tower.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Caffe Corsini in Vinohrady


a nice quiet spot in the back... on an October eve... couldn't have been any nicer

(well, except if I had kept that book in my backpack. ;-))

Praha neni Jura.... Prague is not a Dinosaur(I think that is what it says). Found on the side of a Van here in Smichov; it had something to do with the Prague City Elections that just took place(on the 15 & 16th October).

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Ano nebo ne?


...Bought this huge great pumpkin Just in case. ;-)

...and will carve it sometime closer to All Hallows Eve...

IF you have never carved one... well, it is Fun. Something different perhaps. Figuring how you wish to have the face; scary or funny; pulling the "guts" out along with all the seeds; but then when you place a candle inside and light it. Vyborne! Nice.

Now what am I going to read.......

Momentarily at a loss.....

Millennium III - finished


This morning over my Sunday morning coffee, I finished "The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest: Millennium III", the final book in Stieg Larsson's crime/mystery Trilogy.

This one was the best of the three, although the first book was also thrilling 'edge of the seat' reading. An excellent series. It was published posthumously, after his premature passing. But these three novels stand alone and will into the future as they are really gripping works of art.

Garden "Stairs"

National Museum

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Riding along the Berounka River today...



...as seen today on the way to Křívoklát again this morning. Just a strikingly beautiful day. ;-)

Křivoklát Castle, revisited






A stunningly beautiful Autumn day today. I decided to return to Krivoklat castle just to take photographs, since last weekend when I was there it was dismal and gray.

Today was amazing. The country side on the ride along the Berounka river, although not at peak color was pretty. I actually found the trails today, that I was looking for last weekend, but did not find last and just walked around in the woods, the town, took the pictures I had been longing to take, enjoyed a cold beer outdoors(yes it WAS cold, but sunny). It was a magnificent day and I am so glad I returned today.

The pathways in the woods were carpeted with big yellow leaves with hints of greens and quiet...so quiet. I hiked along and found this great clearing where trees had been felled to capture the 2nd photo; the castle from a distance.

So here is how my camera and my eyes saw things today.

A Sign seen in Tabor, southern Bohemia


...for a friend here in Prague who bought a New Harley a few months back.
Vroom Vrooooommmmmmm.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Reach for a star....


Reach for a star
and never settle for less
than your heart's definition
of true happiness.

Perfectly said, words outlining the reasons why you see me
do things the way I do...

Watching and Waiting....

Štástný Narozeniny...


...to me!

I have just one Birthday wish....

well, maybe a few of them. ;-) Cheers.

I will try to blow out all my candles to make them come true. ;-))
Candles???

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Some More Doors



First is in Petřín, the Second is in Černošice.

Monday, October 18, 2010


...in Černošice.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Tří


wonder where this leads....

Cafe de Paris, deux


Great dinner, Riesling, conversation, brûlée, and all wrapped with excellence. dik. moc. hope to do it all again sometime soon. Yes? (Oui?) doufam. and I will get a larger 'French' pumpkin. ;-)

Today, sunny and bright



Yesterday was so gray, but still interesting to see the castle in a different 'light'.
... BUT today, What a beautiful colorful chilly Sunday with the sun shining brightly.

Morning Coffee....


I know it looks the same, but today is a NEW day... *-)

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Křivoklání 2010





Headed south today, as you have read in the first two posts on this Saturday, to the Charming Castle in the woods called Křívoklát. My Favorite Castle. ...and 900 years old!!! Can you imagine that?!

Here at the Castle a Renaissance Fair takes place each October. The woods and forests along the river were well into the Fall colors, past their peak perhaps, as the thick gray smoke from the train blew into the valley and settled down to riverside. All throughout the small towns you could see thin ribbons of wood smoke from the chimneys as the cold had also settled into the valley.

The castle of Křivoklát belongs to the oldest and most important castles of the Czech princes and kings. It was built in the 12th century during the reign of Přemysl Otakar II and used as his summer seat and hunting lodge. It was rebuilt later by king Václav IV and even later generously enlarged by king Vladislav of Jagellon.

It was cold and gray today and rain threatened for most of the day, but only a few episodes of actual drizzle occurred while I was there. But when the train left Křívoklát, it started to rain and rained all the way back to Prague; & still raining now at 7:30pm.

It was nice to be there though, even in the Gray. Good food, along with Hot wine, Renaissance music, sword fighting, and lots of people enjoying the events in the cold.