Carpenter File 12: Prague Blog (sorry I couldn't help it)

Well I can say without a doubt that Prague is most definitely one of the most beautiful cities on earth! I loved my entire weekend here! Went with great people and had a great time! The top picture from left to right is Stacey, Lisa, Me, Lauren, and Monica. That picture was taken in the medieval museum on Golden Lane. Stacey and I shot at targets with a crossbow! It was awesome! The little man running the exhibit was dressed in medieval cloths and every time he loaded the crossbow and handed it to me he would do a little bow and say Mademoiselle. He was adorable! Stacey is a better aim than I am but we did manage to both hit the target. Anyway while we were in Prague or Praha (in Czech) we saw Old Town Square (lady in red dress), St. Charles Bridge (picture where I’m really little and posing), Prague Royal Palace(painted wall), Prague Castle Museum, Golden Lane (has Franz Kafka’s apt.), St. Wenseles Square, and St. James Cathedral. My favorite was the area around Prague Castle and just strolling around the city. Each building in the city seems to have its own unique flair and not just the ones in near historic squares. They are all different colors with different style architecture and lots of decoration on the outsides. You don’t have to spend a dime to enjoy the city.
Highlights from the trip:
The above mentioned crossbow shooting was really really fun! This same museum also sold real armor and weapons made in their armory. I was seriously considering buying Nathan and Seth a mace and suit of armor but I figured Maria wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate my intentions at the emergency room…
The Royal Palace: In the upper rooms there were dramatic and beautiful seals and shields painted right on the walls and ceilings. Really beautiful!
The Prague Castle Museum was also fascinating! They had artifacts from Roman times through to the present. One of the really interesting things they had was a shirt made of chain mail that once belonged to Saint Wenceles. Yes that’s right the one the songs names after. Apparently he was not only a real king but a good king who tried to free his people from over taxation but was martyred in the process. (Sorry mini history lesson, I couldn’t help it)
St. James Cathedral was one of the most incredible Baroque churches I’ve ever been in. Which is saying a lot because we’ve been in A LOT of Baroque churches since getting here! It was so elaborate with beautiful paintings on just about every surface of the church. The organ in the back was ENORMOUS and breathtaking! Mozart used to practice on it!
Saturday Night Dinner: We ate at this really adorable and quaint Czech restaurant. We were just off of Old Town Square. The restaurant had vaulted ceilings and only about 8 tables. I had roasted duck with cabbage and dumplings! So good!!! We just had a wonderful evening there! Then afterwards we went to a jazz club and listened to so great live music! Great night!
Discovery of Honey Cake: This has to be the best dessert ever! It is Bohemian in origin and someone in our group ordered it at every meal! I tried it on our last day! Mmm Mmmm Good!
Cheap Shopping! I bought a pair of really nice and comfy brown walking shoes for 200 crowns (basically 10 dollars)! They are GREAT and now I don’t have to stand out like an American everywhere with my WHITE tennis shoes! Just a side note: Anyone in Europe wearing white running shoes who isn’t actually running is an American.
Overall Prague was beautiful and unbelievably fun. I got much closer to the girls I was with and we had a FANTASTIC time!