Flying into Prague, 2:22 pm, November 22

having coffee with Tereza

Matt outside St. Vitus' Cathedral

Tereza

Though it was in progress for nearly 600 years, the cathedral was only completed in 1929...

...exactly 1,000 years after the murdered St. Wenceslas was laid to rest
on the site.

After dark, Prague looks even more like a Tim Burton movie set.

Matt steps up.

Matt and Tereza on the
Charles Bridge (Don't touch the
golden dog! It's bad luck.)

walking north on the Charles Bridge, toward Old Town Square

the Old Town Bridge Tower

The Old Town Hall
and its clock tower

It's Thanksgiving morning!

Think they'll serve me a turkey dinner
at this joint?

Oh, my bad. This isn't a restaurant. Clearly it's a pet store.

My Thanksgiving lunch,
at Arzenal: stir-fried chicken
with sweet basil, garlic, and chilis.

approaching Old Town Square
from the west

the Jan Hus monument in the foreground; Tyn Church in back

Dogwalkers chill out
at the Hus monument.

A view of the full face of the
Tyn Church is impossible because of these smaller buildings erected in front of it.

At the base of the Tyn Church are leaflets for all the classical concerts
in town tonight and tomorrow.

Up, up, and up: a wall
of the Tyn Church

With cheerful decorations and a serious chill in the air...

...it really is starting to feel a lot like Christmas in Prague.

That's $4.25 for lunch, in US dollars. And this is in the tourist zone, so that's actually expensive.

The dollar goes farther here than in any other European country I've ever been. I really DO feel like a kid on Christmas morning!

poster for Christina Aguilera's
Prague concert, coming up on Dec. 17

the facade of my hotel, the Atlantic, on Na Porici street

facing the National Museum,
at the south end of
Wenceslas Square

The museum was built from 1895 to 1890.

It appears in the film “From Hell,” playing the role
of a London setpiece.

view northward of
Wenceslas Square from the museum's main entrance

Matt at the museum entrance

“I got lost my mother!”

Matt with baby mammoth Samson

the University of Economics

Winston Churchill statue
outside the university

Tereza pauses on her way
up to the college cafeteria.

Suzana, Tereza

the Powder Gate after dark

Tereza

the Municipal House

Tereza joined me for my Thanksgiving dinner.

This little place is called
Restaurant U Matyase.

The total tab-- including
dinners, desserts, drinks, and tip--
was 502 czk. Or twenty-five bucks.

Dessert was a filled pancake
with a side of cream.

Welcome to Gothville.
Population: you.

You can still charter a horse and carriage after dark.

Matt and a snowman...

...in front of the Ungelt
Jazz & Blues Club

Inside Ungelt Club,
enjoying Lukas Martinek
& Private Earthquake

Powder Gate is known interchangeably as Powder Tower.

The Municipal House is home to the Prague Symphony Orchestra, as well as galleries
and restaurants.