Fun in Prague

The first weekend was between May 21 to May 23, and I went on a side trip Prague that weekend. This city was beautiful, and the highlight of this trip was definitely the Old Town Square. This area featured expensive shops, and I really enjoyed making some comparisons to Vienna. The Czech Republic and Vienna seemed equally focused on material wealth. On May 23, I visited the Prague Castle and purchased a tour of the different sites. There were several spots to visit: Old Royal Palace, The Story of Prague Castle, Basilica of St. George, Convent of St. George – National Gallery, Prague Castle Picture Gallery, Powder Tower, and Rosenberg Palace. I made sure to visit all the places that were open.

            The tour of the Prague Castle was disappointing because there were very few rooms that the public were permitted to see. It was necessary to purchase a photo license in order to take pictures in the castle. I was happy to learn some history behind the Prague Castle because it is actually the largest ancient castle in the world. In the National Gallery, there were many paintings by Augustus Frederick. This artwork often depicted waterfalls or nature scenes. This was a great departure from the artwork created by the Viennese involved in the Secession. The artwork seemed happier in Prague and focused on lighter topics, such as the forest.

Prague was exciting

            Overall, I prefer the time spend in Austria over a week-end trip to Prague. While Prague was exciting, it did not seem to offer the same amount of cultural activities. The museums were almost hidden away and often hard to locate. I also felt that I did not have enough time to thoroughly appreciate each location. A weekend is a difficult timeframe for those who want to see the sights of Prague. Despite the time constraints, I did have a great time experiencing another location outside of Austria.