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St. Vitus Cathedral. It closes at 5 PM though, so get to it quick! (Photo credits by PintsizedPioneer) |
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The interior (Photo credits by PintsizedPioneer) |
If you cannot already tell, this area was reserved for the nobility at the time. Today, the presidential office is located here with the Parliament building being more so by the river. Sometimes on tours, President Miloš Zeman can be seen walking out of his office. However according to some Czechs, he shouldn't be there at all ... He's a friend of Putin by the way ...
Formal occasions and visiting diplomats are kept here as well, so do not be surprised if there is a more heightened military presence around the castle than in the actual capital.
Do not be alarmed; the military seems to be quite unstressed when it comes to thousands of visitors entering the nation's executive quarter. Even the hourly changing of the guards is relaxed.
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The side of the cathedral (Photo credits by PintsizedPioneer) |
Hundreds of legends surround the Czech Republic and its history, and they are interlaced within the architecture and construction of the ornate buildings of the complex. Every piece has meaning.
If you skip the tour, you may miss out on some interesting anecdotes and Czech stories.
For example, did you know that the Charles Bridge has eggs in its cement to give it strength? According to the Catholics at the time, angels caught the defenestrated bishops who later went to the Pope, which ultimately started the Thirty Years' War? The mythical founder of the Czech Republic's brother, Lech, founded Poland? And, the fabled Czech founder's daughter, Libuše, was a seer and feminist queen?
A few of these tales apparently aren't too fictitious either.
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Whichever you choose, you can't really go wrong. (Photo credits by PintsizedPioneer) |
So, should you take a tour or go it alone? Here, is a breakdown of the pros and cons -
Pros
Tour: Learn about Czech mythology and history - Know exactly what you are seeing - No travel worries
Alone: Go at your own pace - You probably won't/shouldn't feel like you have to defenestrate anyone - More freedom to explore the area
Cons
Tour: Pay a little more (remember to tip too!) - Can run long/ be long to begin with
Alone: May not understand what you are seeing (the historical and cultural significance) - Easier to get lost (though that is not so bad, right?)
It's totally your decision, but I would definitely opt for using a vehicle to ascend to the castle - Some fellow hostelers have said they were warn out after a hike up to the top.
Tomorrow, we say goodbye to Tess, Grace, and Nina and are off to the farm! Time to experience rural Czech culture, get a little (or a lot) dirtier, and live in the mountains. Then after about a month, we are off to Croatia to stay with Nina and see the Balkans. We are about half way done with Expat-tern's European excursion. Stay tuned for much much more happenings here.