Cloudy and quite chilly this morning (45 degrees) requiring several layers of clothing as we are headed out for a walking tour of Prague this morning.

The two  most popular and must see sights in Prague are the Charles Bridge and the Astronomical clock in Old Town. Unfortunately, as we were crossing the Charles Bridge we had to break out the umbrellas as it started to sprinkle. So much for a weather forecast that said rain was not expected until late afternoon. We did arrive in time to see the hourly demonstration of the Astronomical Clock, along with hundreds of other tourists. It only lasts less than a minute so I must say it was a bit anticlimactic! I was amazed at how many tourists were here in old town at this off-peak time of the year.  I would hate to fight the anticipated crowds during the high season.

A bit about the clock: The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still operating. It has been repaired many times over the centuries, the last time in 2018. The four figures represent death (skeleton) who rings the bell at the top of the hour, calling for the other three figures: greed, vanity and lust. The 12 apostles appear in the two windows above the statues and the rooster lets out a sad sounding crow at the end of the short sequence. The rest of the clock shows the date, time and even the phases of the moon. It was and is a sophisticated piece of machinery.

A bit about the Charles Bridge: it was built between 1357-1402 and was an important connecting point between the Old Town and the Prague Castle across the Vitava River, which it spans. It was originally called the Stone Bridge but was renamed the Charles Bridge in 1870, after King Charles IV who ordered its construction. The bridge made Prague important as a trade route between Eastern and Western Europe. Interestingly it was patterned after the stone bridge in Regensburg that we saw earlier in our travels.

After the clock demonstration the walking tour offered an option to go see the former Jewish quarter. By this time we were chilled and somewhat wet and decided eating something hot would be a better option, so off we went to a nearby warm, inviting cafe where we all had bowls of soup, ample slices of bread and hot tea or coffee. We left refreshed and saw some more local sights on our way back to the bus meeting point at 12:30 where we were taken back to the hotel.

There was an optional walking tour of the Prague Castle complex later in the afternoon but it was still cold and raining so our entire group decided a nap was more important. We gathered for cocktails, then dinner at another nearby, local Czech restaurant that was owned by the previous personal chef to the President of Czechia. I had high hopes that it would be special but unfortunately it was not. It was good but we all enjoyed the dinner at last night’s restaurant more.