This morning I woke up early and took the Subway to the bus station in Berlin.  I boarded the bus to Prague and arrived in Prague around noon.

I walked through town and across the Charles Bridge to the hostel, checked in, dropped off my things and started walking around Prague.

http://www.pragueczechtravel.com/information/prague-history-story.php

My thoughts on Prague:

-Beautiful, unique architecture.  The typical building in old town is about 4-5 stories high with nice ornaments and designs on the buildings

-Finally feels like I’m in Eastern Europe.  It probably has to do with the former communist rule (democracy began in 1989)

-there is some interesting geology here (something which I haven’t seen much of since Ireland).  There are hills, mountains, and cliffs, which means beautiful views from many parts of the city

-For some reason there aren’t any Muslims in Prague (<.1% of the population).  That’s odd considering that the Czech Republic is part of the EU, and is near Germany and other countries which have been welcoming a lot of refugees.

The first stop of the day was Prague Castle. Prague Castle itself isn’t anything too exciting but the view from Prague Castle and the surrounding square is incredible. You’re looking down and across the red roof tiles and spires of Prague.

Next, I was en route to the Metronome and ended up noticing an entry to a garden.  I entered the Prague Gardens, a group of five multi-leveled/tiered gardens near the Prague Castle.  The combination of the gardens, architecture, and view made for a great experience.

I continued on to the Metronome is located atop a hill in a beautiful park across the river from Old Town Prague.  I walked up the many steps until arriving at the Metronome.  The Metronome and surrounding skateboarding area seem to be frequented by both locals and tourists.

Next, I walked to Old Town Square, passing through the Jewish Quarter on the way.  I spent a few minutes in the New-old Synagogue, one of the oldest synagogues in the world.  The synagogue was built in the 1400s and seems to be mostly in original condition.  One thing I noticed is that all the seats lined the perimeter of the room, rather than having many rows of seats.  This may seem trivial, but I think it has a huge effect on the atmosphere because it eliminates the seating hierarchy.  All seats seem to be equal in terms of status, views, etc.  This seating arrangement also makes the congregants feel less like schoolchildren, and more like active/independent participants in the prayer service.

After walking around a bit more, I heard back to the hostel, got ready, and then went on an evening walk.  By the river, there was s cover band playing American songs which I really enjoyed.  Then, I went to a restaurant and had some Goulash soup in a bread bowl.  Goulash soup is a beef stew which tasted ok.  However, ordering soup right before a restaurant closes probably isn’t the best idea, as the soup was probably prepared much earlier in the day and you’re likely having the bottom of the pot.