Today is another rainy day, but we are enjoying the cooler temperatures. We both are feeling tired from our long day yesterday and decide to have a slower day today. We left the hotel about 10 and used the guide book to find and tour the Jewish Quarter, which is the location of the former Jewish ghetto. The most remarkable sight there is the cemetery, which has 12,000 tombstones, all jumbled and crowded together, dating to the 15th century. Because local laws prohibited Jews from burying their dead outside the ghetto, there are thousands of bodies buried here, stacked up in 10 to 15 layers below ground. The old synagogues have been converted into museums which cover Jewish history as well as customs and culture. We rented an audio guide. Because I work at a hospice, I was particularly interested in learning more about how the Jews deal with sickness, death and burial. We found the entire Jewish Quarter a bit difficult to navigate, even with the site map, but visited the cemetery, the Ceremonial Hall and some of the museums. When we exited the last building, we found ourselves a bit disoriented and had to consult our map again to find the place to turn in the audio guide.
It is nearly 2, and still raining. We headed back to the main square, and on the way, David pointed out a restaurant for lunch and we ducked inside. I had goulash in a bread bowl, a local favorite I have been wanting to try. It did not have vegetables or even potatoes, but was chunks of cooked roast beef in a hearty thick broth. Really tasty. David ordered ham wrapped in a pork tenderloin with a blue cheese sauce. He thought it was excellent and wondered if we could make this dish when we get back home.
With no specific itinerary this afternoon, we slowly made our way back to the hotel, browsing in shops and watching people. We stopped at a corner and I noticed an Asian woman studying her tourist map. I said "All of us tourists keep looking at these maps." Her husband smiled and said "They are our lifeline"
We stopped at the tourist information office and two young women answered some questions. Our friends Stan and Jean were in Prague a few years ago and saw the Krizikova Fountains, which is a water and light show choreographed to music. Our guide book did not list this place, so I asked the info staff. She knew immediately what I meant and found a brochure for me and printed from the internet a schedule. We will plan to go one evening before we leave. She also told me how to use the metro toget to the museum of composer Anton Dvorak. It is not very near our hotel, but if we have time, I would enjoy seeing it.
At the room, David napped while I work on a plan for tomorrow. We have decided to take the castle tour listed in our guide book. I also look up information about a Prauge by night dinner cruise. We might do that too. We just have two more days here. Our train for Munich leaves at 9am on the 22nd.
Our hearty lunch has carried us through the evening. I brought some peanut butter from the states, so have a few crackers and PB.
The concert tonight is only a block away, held in Smetana Hall at the Municipal House. This magnificent hall is considered one of the most impressive of Prague's concert halls, not only because of its stunning Art Nouveau interior, but also because of its superior acoustics. We can take photos of the hall before the concert starts, but cannot take photos during the concert. We hear the Prague Royal Orchestra play Pachelbel's Canon in D, Mozart's Divertimento in D, and all of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, with an impressive violin soloist.
We walk around the block on the way home and stop in at the shopping center, where shops are in the process of closing for the night. Then we check out the lobby of the Marriott, where a costumed trio of performers were playing Mozart for a business reception. Finally, it is time to return to the hotel. I get a cup of hot water to take to the room for tea, and David gets some ice for his Coke. I blog until bedtime.
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