I figured out how to upload pictures but they are placed at the top. The picture of the old house is the original home of my great, great, great grandfather, Franz Appelt. Inside the church where my ancestors were baptized.
About the Dahlia Inn, you have to see it to believe it. We are just the fourth floor of a very old building. The rooms are all very clean and nice but much smaller than a typical hotel room. We have a key to get in the front door from the street (no lobby), we then climb 4 flights, use another key to get onto the Dahlia Inn floor and then the third key to our room. I'm guessing there are about 12 rooms. We met a girl from New York, saw a couple other American girls, and found out from Jakub that this hotel is not advertised to Czech people. I think it is kind of like a hostel but on a very small scale. Mark is only here from 8-5 and after that the guests are on their own. The picture is the view from the window outside our room that opens to an interior courtyard. See what I mean?
I was up until 2 a.m. so slept until 10 a.m. We are six hours ahead of you on Indiana time. I have managed jet lag very well. About 11 a.m. we took the tram across the river to the highest point above the Prague Castle and then slowly made our way back. I was on my feet walking for over six hours! Advice: get in shape before making this trip!. Plus it was the hottest day so far this summer. I felt like I was in Indiana!
Being in Prague is kind of like visiting Disney World during spring break except all the surroundings are very old and historical. It is a huge tourist trap. I find this a bit disappointing. To have McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Starbucks, and even a Hooters intermingled with incredible architecture seems wrong to me. If I were to come again, I would come during an off season and only after a year of intense exercise, especially practicing walking on cobble stones.
I'm guessing our walk was at least 5-10 miles, mostly downhill, thank goodness. First stop: "The Prague Loreto", an artistic and historical monument and a Baroque pilgrimage site. Never been to Rome, but this was awesome! There were all kinds of priceless objects inside a huge walk in vault.
Next, on to the Prague Castle. Imagine all the streets very narrow and cobble stoned. Then imagine all the trappings of current life intermingled up and down the narrow streets. Really spoils the ambiance. Like, looking down at the cobbled street and seeing cracks filled with cigarette butts!
After walking around the castle grounds, we made our long journey down hill, across the Charles Bridge and Peggy and I decided to split up. I had had it! She had tickets to a ballet and wanted to see the Jewish Museum and Jewish Cemetery. I shuffled home, thirsty, dripping with sweat, and hungry. I just couldn't take my chances on another "original Czech meal so I stopped at Subway and had a turkey sandwich on wheat, real chips, and a light Pepsi with real ice. It almost seemed sinful (while in Rome, do as the Romans do) but I needed a normal meal. Once back in the room, I took a nap and wrote my daily blog. Tomorrow we are going to take a 6 hour trip to Kutna' Hora and the Bone Chapel, about an hour from Prague. Details tomorrow. The reason I end with "sleep tight" is because the time I do these blogs is always after 10 p.m. here, regardless of what it says. So....
Sleep tight!
