Prague Castle

On my second day, I headed to the Prague Castle in the afternoon. It‘s a UNESCO World Heritage site & seemingly the largest castle complex in the world. The entry fee was really quite expensive (from memory about 250 CZK for the Short Tour that goes for 2 hours) plus an audio guide fee of another 200 CZK (about AUD$30).
The first stop in the castle grounds was the St Vitus Cathedral - a stunning example of Gothic architecture & the biggest church in the Czech Rep. It’s like sacred turf here as lots of kings, princes & even saints are buried in the cathedral. Unfortunately, the most precious chapel in the cathedral, the St Wenceslas Chapel, was being renovated, but there were many others available for viewing. And the stained glass windows are exquisite here.
2nd stop in the grounds was the Old Royal Palace which had lots of history attached to it, but no furniture or any decorations inside. There was a great view from one of the balconies here across a large part of Prague.
St George’s Basilica was the 3rd stop on my castle tour. Built in the early 10th century, it is the oldest church building in the castle grounds & holds the tomb of a famous saint. Its architecture is Romanesque. Sitting inside the old church, it feels like you’ve been transported back in time - interesting experience.
Last stop on my mini tour was the Golden Lane, a collection of adorable little shops specialising in all kinds of touristy brick & brack.
At just before 6pm, I completed my mini tour in time to meet with Zuzana for the eve.

Berlin Orientation

As soon as I could I was out & about wandering around my local Berlin area. I was for about 35 mins when I came to the most well-known of the shopping strips - Kurfurstendamm. People were everywhere, out spending their hard earned cash.
The Tourist Info centre was an experience. The guy there didn’t really think I needed any information & didn’t give me anything to read. He said that most tourists buy a book on Berlin & that I should have done this. When I asked if the drinking water here is safe, he laughed out loud & stated quite matter-of-factly that it’s some of the best drinking water in the world (as if I should dare to question German quality). Anyway, I purchased a 72 hour travel pass there for 22 euros that enabled me to travel by any public transport method in that period.
It was a really hot afternoon, & everywhere along the shopping strip there were fruit juice & ice-cream stands. I finally succumbed & purchased 2 scoops of Movenpick ice-cream - DELICIOUS!!!
I wandered past the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, a church that was bombed in WW2, & whose pastor had assisted in the resistance against the Nazis. Luckily, it survived, though only partly intact.