Prague, Czech Republic, part 2

Once we returned form Plzen, we headed into Prague again to see the city by night. The Hrad, churches, and the Karluv Most were all lit up, and it made for a nice evening stroll.

The next day, our last full day in Prague, started with a visit to the local bazaar/flea market. It did not provide us with any good souvenir opportunities, but we did seem to find the inexhaustible source of all the brand-name rip-off track suits we'd been seeing throughout our trip so far.

We spent much of the day at Vyšehrad, the original Prague castle, during a light drizzle. Our guidebook led us around the complex, including the cemetery that is the final resting place of both Antonin Dvorak and Jan Purkyñe, among others. We toured the casemates within the castle walls, and when we reached the end of the tour the guide gave us a choice: leave the casemates and go outside, or walk back to the starting point with the overhead lights off. We couldn't pass up this opportunity, so the lights went out and we guided ourselves in authentic medieval fashion, running our hands along the wall in pitch darkness until we arrived at the gate. The only light came from the overhead ventilation shafts, and it formed small pools on the floor, but not enough light to see anything by.

We left Vyšehrad and went to the Staré Mesto (Old Town) on foot, visiting the botanical gardens en route. We watched the crowd at Staromestské námestí watch the animated clock in the tower of the Old Town Hall, and peeked into the Kostel sv. Mikuláše (St. Nicholas's Church, photo at left).

After dinner at the Maršáks', we waited for the rain to cease, then we decided to visit the city by night again. Prague is so beautiful it's difficult to pass up any opportunity to see it, especially since we knew this would be our last visit for a while. We went back to U Cerného Vola for a couple of pints, and then walked through the castle, leaving it just as one cadet was helping another return home from a night on the town.

The next morning we bid farewell to our hosts the Maršáks, and caught a train back to Munich.