I wasn't originally intending to do Prague in two posts, but the sheer number of pictures makes it inevitable.
My flight was Lisbon to Madrid to Prague. The Lisbon airport was an absolute madhouse. My anxiety level does tend to climb a little when there are so many people around that I feel like I can't breathe. But I survived the wait for the initial flight, and Madrid, while busy, was much more manageable.
In any case, I arrived in the Prague airport, collected my luggage, and then attempted to find a place where I would be able to take an Uber to the hotel. (Just an aside, the hotel would have sent a car for me, but at almost 3 times the cost of an Uber - and that was about $50.) I couldn't find a sign or anything that indicated the pick-up spot, so asked. I was directed up to the upper level of the airport and outside. Still no signs. But when I pulled up the Uber app it showed exactly where the drivers would come. So, success.
The ride to the hotel took about 30 minutes or so. We pulled up to a beautiful building, and the inside was obviously pretty new and also beautiful. My room was on the 4th floor, overlooking the building shown below. After my Lisbon hotel experience, this room felt even more spectacular.. Check out the pictures. Beautiful, bright, and absolutely amazing energy. Even the beginning of a sunset off to the left.
On Friday, I just went out and started wandering, with a couple of tentative ideas about things to see. My first actual stop was Old Town Square, only a relatively short distance from the Andaz. Among other things, it has a the third oldest astronomical clock in the world. And, I believe, the only one still operating. It was first installed in 1410.
There was just so many amazing buildings! Here is an assortment. Somewhere I have some notes of which is which, but some just required a picture, not matter what they were.
I walked as far as the Charles Bridge, but didn't cross it this day. However, on the way back toward Old Town Square (and then the hotel) I did pass by the Pinkas Synagogue. It was such a pretty small building as I first saw it, but as I came around the corner it was much larger than I had imagined. I think the first picture was the original structure.
Stealing from Wkipedia (because I actually didn't know). "The Pinkas Synagogue is the second oldest surviving synagogue in Prague. Its origins are connected with the Horowitz family, a renowned Jewish family in Prague. Today, the synagogue is administered by the Jewish Museum in Prague and commemorates about 78,000 Czech Jewish victims of the Shoah." I will be seeing more of the Jewish section tomorrow, but this was just an added treat.
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