A Perambulation around Prague or Prague through a window Sat 16th Sept

Just a short time available today as we will have to be back at 1-30 to pick up the cases before tubes and bus take us to the airport. We head into town on the Metro making for Republic Square which is not only a transport hub, but also the site of the Municipal House. This is the principal building displaying the artistic talent of Alphonse Mucha. He is responsible for the exterior and interior decoration. His work has made a major impact on Art Nouveau Prague but he was mainly a commercial artist designing posters, postage stamps and bank notes for the fledgling Czechoslovakian Republic after WW1. Sadly his Jewish and Slavic roots led to his premature death at the hands of the Gestapo in 1939.

The entrance to the Municipal House. To the left is now a rather an upmarket restaurant which we visit for coffee and indulgent cakes.

Time to go back into the old town via the Powder tower, where the gunpowder was safely stored.

As you can see we didn't have far to walk. Just another 5 minutes and we were back in the old town square and here is the statute to Jan Huss. You remember, the first defenestration and the Hussite war?

The old Jewish quarter here is of immense historical significance to the Jews in Europe. They successively thrived and were expelled over the centuries. In the early 18th century Prague had the greatest population of Jews living together of anywhere in the world. The Romanesque architecture of the Ceremonial Hall gives a clue to its millennium of existence.

  

On our way back to collect our cases we saw this Spaldingesque
knitted statue. This is outside the National Theatre and I'm sure that you recognise the image, but who can tell me the film that it comes from? First correct answer via the comments box on the blog wins a free drink.

Sadly and too soon it's time to go home. They say that it is always best to leave a place wanting to do more and we have certainly done that. There are a couple of other points that I would like to make. You may know of the "thank you" slot on the radio 4 programme Saturday Live when people have the chance to thank strangers who have rendered assistance. We would like to acknowledge and thank two members of the railways staff.

The ticket office man at Cambridge station who, when we had two minutes to catch our train on platform 8 from platform 1, carried both of our cases up and over the bridges, wrestling against the outgoing tide of passengers, and secured a place for us on the departing train.

Next the lady Guard who insisted on finding us seats on the 17-00 Cambridge to Birmingham New Street train when there were more people standing than sitting. Two examples of superb customer service. Thank you both very much.