Prague, Czechia
Breakfast at hotel was all delicious. European hotel breakfasts are delightful. Creamy scrambled eggs and light, flaky croissants never fail to inspire.
Walked around Prague. It was hot and humid, but we saw a lot: Passed by the New Town Hall, David Cerny’s rotating Kafka kinetic sculpture (which was not moving when we saw it, unfortunately), visited a LEGO museum in the basement of a shop, saw a few amazing candy shops, toured the bizarre and decidedly un-sexy Sex Machine Museum (nothing less sexy on earth), walked through the major tourist plaza Old Town Square, tried to see the Alchemist museum but it was in 45 minutes and we were hot/hungry, so we ate at a nearby Bahn mi shop, Bánh Mì Makers.
Back to the alchemist tour. It was actually quite interesting. According to our guide, there was a big flood in the city around 15-16 years ago and part of the damage to the nearby Old Town Square was sections of long forgotten tunnels that ran throughout the area. After discovery, folks excavated the tunnels and found that they led all over from the old Emperor’s castle and into the old Jewish section. This led to the discover of three floors (the bottom most being still submerged below the water table) of basement beneath a home in that section- a secret underground Alchemist’s laboratory. Sanctioned by the Emperor as he was fascinated with the healing promises of alchemy and Jewish mysticism (no other religion allowed alchemy to be practiced). This is the same city and area where Rabbi Loew supposedly created the Golem.
Walked through the tourist throngs to our hotel (Sylvia got an ice cream along the way), grabbed a couple aperol spritz at the hotel cafe, which features some cool moving floor to ceiling lamps. Brought the spritzes back to our room after a bit.
Rested in the room for a bit.
Made reservation for 5:30 dinner at the Michelin guide Chinese restaurant attached to the hotel, QQ Asian Kitchen. Showed up early. Food was FANTASTIC. Ordered 2 4-course chef’s tasting menus. Sylvia had a coconut margarita. I had a Pandan Old Fashioned and a Lime Leaf Gin cocktail. The meal was made up of four starters: tuna tataki w/ yuzu & onion, green mango salad w/ tamarind dressing, char su pork w/ chili lime & roasted rice, and fried oyster or po’ bao sandwich as well as two main dishes: slow cooked beef rendang w/ coconut and grilled prawn coconut curry. We also had a dessert of a slice of pie that was thick like fudge, covered in caramel and hazelnuts. Paired with a couple cappuccinos. Ridiculous all around.
After eating too much, we went for a nice long walk along the river, past Frank Gehry’s Dancing Building, then up to Vyšehrad church before sunset and back along the other side of the riverwalk. Prague riverfront is teeming. We joked that this is where the term “hole in the wall” must have come from because even the tiniest out of the way space seems to have a bar or restaurant shoved into it. Along the river, there are rooms that have massive glass rotating portal doors that can be rotated closed to protect them against rising waters. Inside these spaces we saw an art gallery, a DJ spinning music, and several bars and/or restaurants. The place is so full of life, especially as the sun sets and the temperature cools. Prague is awesome. It has replaced Paris as the city I would most likely move to if I could.
Back to the room to shower (humid walks have me thinking I didn’t pack enough clothes. I’m sweating through everything!) and start watching The Boy and the Heron. Sylvia fell asleep during the movie.
I put on Drugstore Cowboy and Sylvia woke up. We watched the whole thing before turning in around midnight.
(19,456 steps)