Mon 29.June.2020
California
Imagery June 2019
The time is approaching to move on from Czechia, even though I keep coming up
with pictures from that photogenic country.
Considering that I visited only
two places in the country that year, that is not too bad a pictorial hit rate.
So here we go, wrapping up the Czechia pix for 2019.
Františkovy Lázně, Western Bohemia
In a region dominated by hills, Františkovy Lázně sits in a startlingly flat little
valley. This tiny spa town keeps up the painted pastel look of its pre-WWI
glory days. For now, we'll roam the ring of woods and lakes that surrounds -
yea dwarfs - the town itself.
I take a half-hour or so brisk walk every day I have the opportunity.
Františkovy Lázně offers opportunity galore. When my exercise is done, it is a
treat to savor the walk back into town.
We are so near the German border here, that the ATMs I used offered a
choice of (Czech) Crowns or Euros. You could spend a week here without ever
learning a word of Czech, or spending anything but euros in the tourist shops
and restaurants. (To say nothing of the spa resorts!)
A mellow four days I spent here.
(A week might have risked stir-craziness.)
A three-hour or so train ride through the richly-forested hills of Bohemia
makes a good transition back to normal-speed urban life.
And what finer urbs to land in than Prague!
The Charles Bridge
From above ...
... from below.
The church at Vyšehrad castle.
If your package tour spends only two days in Prague, you may not see
Vyšehrad ("Upper Castle"). While interesting historically,
it is no more scenic than many sights more central. If you are in
Prague independently,
you should make your way here sooner or later.
I can do no better than to quote Wikipedia:
The Olšany Cemeteries were created in 1680 to accommodate plague victims who died en masse in Prague and needed to be buried quickly. In 1787, when the plague again struck the city, Emperor Joseph II banned the burial of bodies within Prague city limits and Olšany Cemeteries were declared the central graveyard for hygiene
purposes.
At that time, Olšany was not in the Prague city limits.
The dozen-or-so adjacent cemetaries are noteworthy today for decorative sculpture
and smooth walking paths. And atmosphere!
The old entry hall at Prague Main Station. It would crumble under the
crush of today's traffic. That said, if you have spare time before your train,
there are worse ways to spend it than seeking out this hall for a coffee in its little cafe.
Finally, a spot of sign-spotting.
Can I count this as a sign? It feels right in spirit.
A restaurant near Prague Castle.
That is it for now for Czechia,
unless I find yet another interesting
picture.
What next? I don't know yet. I'll find something
Ciao!