One more day in Prague! I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night but the last few hours were OK. I was, in fact, fast asleep when my alarm woke me at 0700 - strange feeling, since I normally wake on my own. Perhaps the fatigue is finally getting to me... I got ready quickly and then went down to breakfast in the Art Deco Imperial Hotel restaurant (0745). This morning, they had Kolaches! Due to the limited time after my "oversleeping", I didn’t return to my room - instead, I met my tour at 0815 in the lobby. After weeks of excursions and organized events, we finally reached the last day where I could take advantage of the wonderful local guides. Today, we had an exceptional leader, Barbara (Prague local) to show us the amazing Castle District of the city. We departed our hotel at 0830 and took a scenic route to reach it - lots of good things to see on the way. Located high above the Vltava on the opposite bank from our hotel, the destination featured spectacular views, amazing architecture and a museum that showcased the opulence of Bohemian Royalty. I was particularly interested in going inside St. Vitus Cathedral and this part of the tour did not disappoint. Despite seeing dozens of church’s during this trip, I’ve never gotten tired of looking at Gothic vaults, flying buttresses and stained glass windows. “Good King” Wenceslaus was buried there, along with another famous local saint, John of Nepomuk. The church was magnificent, inside and out, and it reminded me of the Kolner Dom. Moving on, we passed by other churches (St. George) and a convent. Another highlight nearby was the “Golden Lane”, which was initially populated by soldiers guarding the castle but later used by artists and writers (including Franz Kafka). We next went inside the Lobkowicz Palace, which used to be owned by a princely Bohemian family and is now a museum. In addition to the artistic beauty of the building itself, the walls were covered with priceless works of art. The story of the Lobkowicz family was interesting by itself - they lost, regained, lost and regained the palace between Nazi occupation and the Velvet Revolution. Meanwhile, they lived in the US and didn’t expect to ever visit Prague again. Since the 1990s, the family has orchestrated a conservation and restoration of all of the art and buildings. Several of my fellow passengers seemed annoyed that the Lobkowicz’s were back in possession but I put myself in the shoes of the young man who narrated the story on our listening devices: from pauper to prince, with responsibility for maintaining the legacy, all in a matter of days. I know I wouldn’t like to have that honor thrust on me… Our tour wrapped up at around noon with a walk down the Castle Steps into the Lesser Quarter (we met our bus there). Overall, the Lobkowicz Palace was an interesting and beautiful place! Once our bus returned us to the hotel, I spent some time in the room, resting and recharging. I also checked into my flight - it's hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of fun for this trip... My lunch was leftover breadsticks (from Vltava cruise). After hydrating a bit more (1400), I departed my room again so I could spend a few hours in the Jewish Quarter. It didn't take too long for me to walk to some of the principal locations connected with the Jews in Prague - I passed a statue of Franz Kafka on the way. I was soon immersed in learning about the long (1000+ year) history of their culture in Bohemia. At times, it was somber and sad: looking at the printed names of 80,000 Czech Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust and viewing artwork of little Jewish children who lived in the Ghetto before they were exterminated. At other times, though, there was a sign of the unconquered Human spirit in the fact that Jews weathered the storm of political, religious, national and cultural persecution and still retained their character and community. I went inside several Synagogues, some of which had been been converted to museums and memorials, and walked through a big Jewish Cemetery. I’ve seen evidence of the Jews in nearly every city I’ve visited but, in Prague, I was impressed by how a larger part of a city was still occupied and proudly claimed by people of their faith. At one point, I was asked by a young man if I was Jewish (he was building a group for a Mitzvah) and, though I told him I wasn’t, we had a good talk about how the world is like a scale - one good deed can tilt the balance and make things better. What an encouraging message! After finishing my time in the Jewish Quarter (1600), I walked to the Old Town Square and finally found a way inside “Tyn Church” - I’d read that Tycho Brahe was buried there and I found his tomb. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed. Next, I walked to a place (U Supa) where I’d seen people getting flights of six beers - I found a nice place inside and proceeded to sample them. They were all good and I had fun talking to the server about Texas (Czech beer and kolaches). Coincidentally, there was a Texas couple nearby and I also got to talk to them for a bit. After finishing my (probably last on the trip) "brew culture" experience (1700), I walked back to the hotel and got ready for our Farewell Reception. At 1800, it began in the hotel hospitality suite. There were appetizers, drinks (Prosecco, red wine) and I had fun talking to several folks I’ve come to know over the last few weeks. I made sure to thank Alan (AHI) and his colleagues for their excellent support during our long journey. Afterwards, I walked with Jim, Sue, Steve and Donna to a restaurant (La Republica) where the had made a reservation. Once inside, I finally had a chance to try the Staropramin Pivo that Gerard had mentioned - it was, of course, quite good! My meal included local sausages and some peppers. The evening was filled with lots of nice conversations and some farewells. At 2115, we all walked back to the hotel and I settled into my room. Despite the impending end of our trip, I procrastinated on packing going to bed at 2200. Last night in Europe...
