Finding magic in Prague

Prague is one of my favorite cities, and not just because far-away friends often come and wander about with me when I'm there. It is truly a gorgeous city, with gilded theaters and graceful arched bridges, and the thousand spires it is famous for. The one thing I don't care for is the press of tourists, from gangs of Brits on stag parties to flag waving tour group leaders trailing mats of cameras like boats trail millfoil. It is frantic, loud, a press of people. But there is a magic moment in the day, after the sun rises but before the tourists do, when cafés are grinding espresso and shopkeepers flick cigarette butts from their doorsteps with straw brooms. 

the canal on the south side of the river, looking towards the National Theater

By the time we reached Prague, Jon and I were in a bit of a pattern. We walked all morning had our big meal sometime mid-afternoon, followed immediately by ice cream. He took a nap just before or after, since we had probably already walked 6+ miles, while I went out to buy or write postcards. We would go out and have a beer or snack later in the evening, then shower the city grime away and crash, exhausted, into our hostel beds. I would wake earlier than he (as I could fall asleep faster) and go out to find coffee, pastry, and the magic hour. 

Petra and her husband, Matje, spent our first afternoon in Prague with us. We wandered with the crowds along the river, which was bounded by festival tents on each side. By the time we were near overheating, we had passed through the microbreweries (an industry that seems to be humming in the Czech Rep, despite the surfeit of Pilsner Urquell!) and found ourselves on the quiet side of the river amongst the cideries. We bought sample glasses and discovered the most delicious lemon cider I'd ever had! When we said goodbye to my friends, I thanked Jon for letting us take that time to catch up... which he said was entirely worth it for the cider. And the block of fried cheese he had for lunch!

Our second day in Prague, after I took my morning walk at magic hour, Jon and I headed up to the Castle. And promptly got rained out! We took refuge in an open-early biergarten, and used the rain as an excuse to eat slices of Mednovic (honey cake). The castle and national cathedral were dripping from the cloudburst when we finally wandered through them. It was a fitting ambiance for dramatic Gothic spires and medieval arches.