Sunny Prague and a bit of football

For those of you who were asking if I would be sporting face paint this World Cup I just have this to say

I have spent the last few days in beautiful Prague. I have seen sights, I have been shopping and I have watched an awful lot of football. There is a big screen in the Old Town Square showing most of the games- but not the Aussie one- I watched that one in an English pub, sitting on a table with Koreans, chatting to some Polish guys and surrounded by Aussies trying to work out what the first 80 minutes of the game were for

Then it was back out into the sunshine to see the first Czech game. The face paint being used never dried so I ended up with red, white and blue all over my beer, bag and anything else that came anywhere near me.

I finished the night with some beer and the Portugal game



I did a lot of sightseeing too- up and under and over the Charles Bridge a mulititude of times and it never got dull.

I went to Prague Castle on Sunday and spent a good few hours there, sunning myself and taking photos

Apparantely the largest continuous castle complex in the world, there is a lot to see. I fell in love with the cottages down Golden Lane- not least because they were shops!

Then I wandered out on the hill

and round and about for some traditional Czech goulash and dumplings



It tasted good and probably best not to think of what it was doing to my heart.

There were some great views of the city from the hill next to the castle

I make no apology for the gorgeous chocolate box nature of these photos- it is not my fault, it is Prague's.

Near the river I came across the John Lennon wall- a protest wall which has seen its share of action over the years- even the Koreans have got there now

It may look a mess now but at one time this was an ongoing work in progress- created then painted over by the police, painted again etc. Now it is home to all kinds of graffiti

On Tuesday I realised that I had never been to a synagogue so I made up for it by visiting two- the Pinkus Synagogue which has an overcrowded graveyard and the Spanish Synagogue- a beautifully Moorish construction.



Prague was home to a large Jewish population in the past. The Nazis put an end to that but kept the area apparantely there was an intention to turn it all into a museum to the 'extinct' Jewish race. Scary stuff!

Rounded off the day with some football.

Tuesday I went on the Communist Walk with a guy who had lived through it all- being born during the Nazi occupation, having his photo taken sitting on a Soviet tank just after liberation, working through the Communist years and finally being in Wencelas Square in 1989. Interesting guy.

Then there was more football and shopping



To be honest, I didn't want to come home. And the lack of sun here today just made it worse- but at least this time I was able to go on holiday and not get sunburnt- result!

I am not back at work until next week- we are moving house tomorrow so I have no idea when the internet will be connected in the new house- we hope soon!

Just leave you with this sign I saw in Prague- and the question- so exactly what can you do there?