Czech Trek from Písec to Prague

27 July 207, Thursday: Right through the night the rain gently pours down and we leave at 9.15am with the rain still falling. This time we head west towards Česke Budejovice where Dad, Emile and I go to visit the Motorcycle Museum which Dad and Dave have been raving about since 2002. (Dad with the same enthusiasm as 15 years ago!) After lunch and visiting the Museum we drive further north to Písec where we park. Písec’s true pride lies in its 900-year old bridge which is the oldest stone bridge in Czech Republic. We are treated to Dürum Döner Kebabs before settling down for the afternoon to catch up on blogging and relaxing.

28 July 2017, Friday: Last night Mum has done some research on Písec and declares that a walk through this town is an absolute must. So off we go crossing the Stone Bridge to start our tour on the other side of the Otava River. Some of the historic places we explore are the Baroque Town Hall, Malt House, Marian Plague Column with statues at Alšovo Square, ‘The Black Eagle House’, Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, and ‘The Cannon Balls’ House and Putim Gate. We depart at 10.50am. Along the way we stop at a bridge over Vltava River for some photos. Soon after we have lunch and continue north. We enter Prague at 4pm and park on Ostrov Štvanice, an island in the Prague stretch of the Vltava River. After updating the blog and some supper we go for an evening stroll through Prague. We walk to Prague Castle with the magnificent St. Vitus Cathedral located inside the castle, and then to Charles Bridge. Before returning to Merzy we enjoy an ice-cold ice-cream. We are all in bed just after 11pm.

29 July 2017, Saturday: Up at 8am and ready at 10.45pm to walk through the glorious old city of Prague. We make our way along the river to the Old Town Centre. Some of the places we ‘stumble upon’ are St. Agnes Convent, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Rudolfinum, Charles Bridge with a tower on either side, St. Nicolas Church, National Theatre, Old Town Hall with its Astronomical Clock and Church of Our Lady before Týn with some other exquisite buildings around the Old Town Square, Powder Tower and Municipal House/Theatre and Opera House. We spend the day visiting and exploring and then return to Merzy to have a breather and some watermelon before making our way back to the Old Town Centre as the sun sets (Some people don’t think we’ve had enough exercise). It’s spectacular as the lights come on in the city. Just before 11pm before returning to Merzy, we pass a Chinese restaurant 5 minutes before they close. We order some chicken and noodle take away to share. While sitting outside in the fresh cooler air, enjoying our food, we are entertained through the open windows of a pub by an Asian opera choir having a sing-song after their meal. We would not have been able to sit closer to the entertainers had it been in the Opera House itself. We finally reach Merzy at 12pm. 

The boys are chuffed! Motorcycle Museum in Česke Budejovice

What a beauty!

Motorcycle Paradise

Some Military Oldies

Sand sculpture on the Otava in Písek

"Where's my handsome prince?"

"I'm getting there my sweet Princess!"

Sand sculpture at the stone bridge

Gorgeous

Seven granite arches have held this 111m long bridge over the Otava River since the late 13th century

Oldest stone bridge in Czech and second oldest in Central Europe

The south side of the Stone Bridge is ornamented by a statue of St. Anne

The statues of Calvary with Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. John, and St. Mary Magdalene

Statue of St. John of Nepomuk, supposedly the protector of bridges

Baroque Town Hall

Malt House/Art Gallery Sladovna

Marian Plague Column with statues at Alšovo Square

'The Black Eagle' House

Parish Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary

'The Cannon Balls' House and Putim Gate

Beautiful church near our parking outside the old city centre of Prague

Ministry of Industry and Trade building

View over old town of Prague

Beautiful architecture

St. Vitus Cathedral located within Prague Castle

Up, up and...

Kohl's Fountain in the second courtyard of Prague Castle

St. Vitus Cathedral

Matthias Gate

The main entrance gate to Prague Castle

Prague/Czech glassware - exquisite

Lesser Town Bridge Tower lit up

View from the bridge side

Rudolfinum at night

Swan Paradise (Prague Castle in the background)

Decorative columns at Cechuv Bridge

Cechuv Bridge

Rudolfinum - associated with music and art

Situated on Jan Palach Square on the bank of the Vltava River

Old Town Bridge Tower at Charles Bridge

Ornate Statue of the King (Charles IV) on Old Town side of Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge

One of the many statues on Charles Bridge

View across the Vltava River - Prague Castle with St. Vitus Cathedral

Lesser Town Bridge Tower at Charles Bridge - St. Nicolas Church in the middle background

Sightseeing through Prague in style

St. Nicolas Church

View to Charles Bridge and Old Town side

National Theatre

View from bridge crossing over Strelecký Island

Close-up of running Astronomical Clock on Gothic Old Town Hall Tower

Genie hanging around the Old Town Square - Church of Our Lady before Týn

Old Town Square

Old Town Square

So much detail everywhere

Human Statues... still breathing (blink, blink)

Prague/Czech glassware - bright and colourful 

Powder Tower

Municipal House/Theatre and Opera House

Lunch break

Theatre and Opera House

#CzechRepublic