Tuesday, 5/24

Rebecca and I decided to take a good walk before breakfast, today, so we set out for the Charles Bridge. King Charles was the one who decided to build a strong bridge to replace the flimsy wooden one that had been in use for the previous two hundred years. It had been damaged in the flood of 1342 (remember that one?). 

Until the mid 1800's, the Charles Bridge was the only one over the Vltava. The bridge connected the castle on the hill with the old city, and also was an important link for long-distance trade. Today, it is strictly for foot traffic, and it may well be the most popular tourist spot. Who knows why I forgot to take a picture of it!

For my musical friends, the Vltava River is indeed the Moldau, the inspiration for Smetana's beautiful orchestral work. And for the same crowd, Rebecca and I discovered in the supermarket that Smetana means "cream."

What - you thought I was kidding?!

We had some breakfast at "the Bohemian Bagel," and set out on the return trip. Here are some street performers we saw.

Another view.

On the way home, we walked past the Spanish Synagogue. Here's what it looks like from the outside.

We hooked up with Bloss, Lauren, and Sam, and went into the old city for lunch. Sam provided a note of expertise on local beer and cuisine. 

Then we all went up to visit the old castle. It rained on us, but I still got a picture, looking back down at the city.

For those of you with a geological bent, this looked cool to me.

And who doesn't like a picture of a nice looking latte?

Rebecca and I had Italian food for dinner. Excellent as it was, I took no pictures. Just imagine one of your better Italian meals. It was comparable, or maybe just a little lower. 

Tomorrow we have our private guided tour. I'm eager.