Monday, May 29: Hradcany, Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace, Midday Concert, Opera

First, a word about the weather.  In Prague we anticipated temperatures from the upper 50s to upper 60s.  Instead, it is HOT.  Every day has at least been in the 80s with today reaching the upper 80s and tomorrow expected to push 90.  Unfortunately, I didn't pack for these temperatures.  I brought exactly two short sleeve shirts.  I am scrambling.  And you know how I like the hot weather.

This morning we head by mini-bus to Hradcany, the Castle District of Prague, on the west side of the Vltava River.  We have an unusually early start for Road Scholar and depart at 8AM sharp.  We are rewarded by shorter lines and smaller crowds.  May and September are the busy seasons in Prague and it is busy.

Before we enter the Castle, which doesn't really look like I would expect a castle to look, we catch our first glimpse of gothic St. Vitus Cathedral.

Once inside the castle

we pause with our group
before going inside the cathedral.
The castle area is very popular for weddings and as we come out of the Cathedral we see a couple getting their wedding photos taken and sneak a shot.  I am now a wedding photographer.
We tour the Basilica of St. George
and pass through Golden Lane, a very narrow medieval street with tiny shops.  Too crowded for my blood.
Next up is Lobkowicz Palace, a palace right next to the castle containing the family's collection of terrific art and artifacts
including several original manuscripts of Mozart including this rendering of the Messiah for full orchestra.
We have lunch in the palace and even the lunch room has amazing art
and Beverly.
For lunch we have beer (the wine is still too risky),
corn soup, roast beef sandwich and
what Beverly would call "ground cherry" cheesecake.
Following a midday concert, still in the palace, we get terrific views of Prague, especially the Little Quarter
and the very famous Charles Bridge
over which Beverly and I walk on our way back to the hotel.

Dinner tonight is in the hotel
 of grilled pork tenderloin with colored pepper, pressed potatoes on beans and
 Jablkovo, warm apple and pear crumble with vanilla ice cream.
Tonight I attend my very first opera, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro,
at the beautiful Estates Theater.

Afterward we pause for a drink at an outside cafe in Old Town before preparing to retire for the night.


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