ROMANTIC PRAGUE
Conquer Love and Indulge Your Inner White Knight
So
love conquered her heart like the white knight of fairy tale romance. You want
to take a romantic honeymoon in Europe, but Paris is too expensive after the
blow-out reception for for two hundred of your parents’ friends and the
Morgan Stanley guy. Prague is one of Europe’s great romantic destinations.
Not as cheap as it once was since having discovered tourism, but Prague is still
a bargain by half. The savings on the liquor bill alone would cover at least
two bridesmaids dresses. Clubs for dancing and music light up the night along
the riverbank of the gentle and wide Moldau River. The lines to get in to the
hottest spots start just after sundown. And dinner cruise boats even take the
party out onto the water, beneath the spectacular lit palace walls of one of
historic Europe’s first romance cities.Tax Free shopping and world reknowned porcelain from exquisite legacy estate pieces to still good quality factory knock-offs for the tourist trade are attractions to Prague, along with the Original Budweiser in this former East European communist satellite turned eager European Union newbie. Unlike much of Western Europe ravaged by the bomb damage of two world wars, architectural history remains largely intact in this original city of romance (see Orloj Astronomical Clock).
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Crossing
the Karlsbrück, the signature stone bridge built in 1357
from the central district old city surrounding the town
square lined with restaurants and alleyways of shops (some staying open to
nearly midnight eager to snag last minute souvenir hunters on the way back
to the hotel)
across the river to the walled city of the Prager Burg which ruled one of Medieval
central Europe’s most powerful 
states
is like the march of an assaulting army. Slogging through bastions of tourists
armed with digital cameras entertained by all variety of street artists
at the feet of the time blackened
statues of the saints lining the stonework where Holy Roman
Emperor King Karl IV intended
to honor his 14th Century piety you pass jazz quartets in funny hats, stick
puppeteers
and jugglers on unicycles. The old meets new incongruity of religious solemnity
meeting modern tourism commerce is only just slightly less palpable here
than the smarmy merchants selling fake Dior sunglasses across the Tiber
from the
Vatican.
Your march of conquest leads up the steep walk to the top of the hill which overlooks
the Czech capital city. To the north on the horizon is the odd curiosity of the
upper half of the Eifel Tower sticking up from a ridge top, a replica presented
by the builder of the original, giving the impression that Paris is just over
the rise.
The walled old Prager Burg is a journey itself through five century’s
of
palace living (see Prague
Castle). The monarchy here from Empire days to present, from early
gothic cathedral to modern sculpture garden, the Czechs just added palaces like
architectural addendums, a building style code while not exclusive to Prague
is especially noticeable. (See Stairmastering
Old Europe). And one is reminded that Popes and Holy Roman Emperors
of ages past were certainly not adverse to the Medieval version of selling counterfit
souvenirs themselves – relics and indulgences.
The Castle itself offers a gated medieval living arts section
where period artisans recreate the earlier age. Climbing
narrow stone floors you discover the old toilet
hole that dumps out of the wall to the woods below, but please
refrain from use. It doesn’t flush. Or try impressing your new honey
bunny with a cross-bow in the medieval version of a carnival side-show.
No kewpie dolls awarded here,
just a souvenir target commemorating your cupid’s aim. And if a medieval
key chain charm isn’t enough to satisfy your inner Lancelot,
the blacksmith armorers will make for you a custom suit of jousting
armor,
from bassinette
helm to spurs. Though I suspect the shipping bill will be significantly
more than
the duty-free porcelain tea set for your mother-in-law. © Bargain
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SEE ALSO:
GETTING
MARRIED IN EUROPE
Plan a
European Destination Wedding on a Budget
INTREPID
FAMILY TRAVEL TOURS
GET MARRIED IN MONS
