Today I was exhausted from flying overnight, and I did not get to the hotel, which is located in Old Town, until 3PM CET (Central European Time). Remember: I'm six hours ahead of New York! I would compare my single hotel room to that of a single dorm room. It's cozy, but has all the essentials. Of course I made myself right at home!
After showering and taking a short nap, because who doesn't feel gross and tired after flying over night, I decided to start some exploring. This first site is a statue of Jan Hus. Oh, you have never heard of him?!? Neither did I until today, but he was a very influential man to the Czechs.
This statue is located in the heart of Old Town Square, a huge marketplace that started in the medieval times and has evolved into a big touristy area today. For all my colleagues, students, and history buffs, technically we should know just as much about Jan Hus as Martin Luther, the German Monk who started the Protestant Reformation. The Hussite religion, a form of Christianity, was begun by Jan Hus in the 1400's, a century before Martin Luther wrote his 95 Theses. Unfortunately, timing is key with revolutions. Hus was burned at the stake for being a heretic, while Martin Luther survived because his ideas were so widespread and popular, all thanks to Gutenberg's printing press.
Next, is the astronomical clock. It tells both Bohemian and Roman time, has zodiac symbols, and statues that represent goals humans try to achieve under death's waiting gaze. Every hour, there is a little show it puts on, which is very interesting to watch. Basically, you are trying to figure out how in the world this clock tells time and figure out its complexity.
Everywhere you walk, you walk on cobblestones-- some small, some large.
Note to self: No wearing heels around here!
This is the view from the famed Charles bridge, named after Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor who ruled in the 14th century. I didn't actually take any pictures of the bridge, and I wish there wasn't so much cloud cover, but I plan on revisiting this location.
Before the bridge, there were these awesome trumpet players. I guess next time I should record people playing instruments...
Lastly, to cap off my exploring for the day, there seemed to be a wedding gown shoot in the middle of the marketplace. I was intrigued.
