Prague

Berlin--Dresden--Prague and into our Hostel-Plus Prague. The plus is code for Swimming pool and sauna!! That's how we roll. Prague was a bit cheaper than Amsterdam and Berlin so we enjoyed cheap beer and Pizza. I am loving the cheap beer!!

We had screwed up our Busbabout bookings and so we had 7 nights to be in Prague until the next bus.  Our highlights were the Castle, the Zoo and the views of the terra-cotta roofed city with it's many twisty-turny streets.

Prague Castle was build over hundreds of years to house the various kings of the huge Bohemian Empire. It had new wings added onto and changed as successive kings came into power. It stands proud above the city with dark churches spires able to be seen from afar. It has the world record for the largest Castle in the world!

On the day we visited the sky was overcast and rain clouds were progressing over the city. This only helped the panoramic views of the city from the top of the hundreds of stairs up into the Castle. As it was now raining steadily we indulged the budget and bought a ticket to get inside some of the buildings.

We were rewarded with the breathtakingly huge and stunning St Vitus’ Cathedral. We also visited the Old Royal Palace which had a long ornate Ball Room, the famous window used for the Defenestration of Prague(google it) , the royal records room, Coat of Arms murals and my favourite a little modification that meant that they could ride their horses right up to the main doors.  
Next was the Basilica of St George, a understated type Cathedral which held the Body of Saint George in stone that will be remember because it had a little underground cellar room with a very weird Zombie looking copper statue of someone, looked like something from an Iron Maiden T-shirt. 

After a nice warm Caffe Latte(1/3 shot weak strength tall milky coffee drink not to be confused with the 2shot NZ Latte) we moved onto the Golden Lane where now small quaint shops stand to sell all sorts of high priced goods.   At one end stood the Armoury with a long corridor of very shiny stainless steel looking suits of armour, helmets of all shapes and sizes, swords, spears and muskets.
Last was the dungeon.  In true style it was low in the Castle equipped with murder holes, dungeon type cells and multiple torture apparatus of all shapes and sizes.  From the full Spanish rack and stretching stands to small finger traps all with rusty spikes.  Sadly it looked as though most of these things were real, as gruesome as they were.

Next on our adventures was the Prague Zoo. Rated in the top 7 in the world I was so excited.   At 5 Euros each it was a bargain.  The design of the Zoo is nothing like I have seen.   Build on a hill above the city you enter on the ground level and above you is a cliff which has on top of that another plane of rolling hills.

We were greeted with colourful parakeets scarwarking and making a racket on the trees right by the path without a fence or rope keeping them in.   Then after passing the birds we saw a large African vultures, cranes, crows and falcons all in the one large netted Cage.. you simply walked through two doors and into their cage, with only a small rail between you and these amazing but scary scavengers.

The design allows you too see the creatures in a habitat close to what you would assume them live in the wild.   Like mountain Ibex and Goats jumping and climbing a steep cliff like something from National geographic. All with a clear view, and no fence or glass to look through.

We jumped on the gondola and up to the top level where the African safari animals were. Girraffes and Springboks, Pumba’s and prarie dogs, Snakes and Lizards and Zebras. No hippos or Elephants though as they have a new house being built, but we did see a baby hippo from a distance.   But not only African animals though, otters and peacocks, Kangaroos and Kasuari, Shoebill Stalks and Fishing Cats, Bush Dogs and Squriell Monkeys, plus hundreds more.

My favourites had to be the three polar bears. The had no ice but a huge pool with waterfall to play in, and play they did. The pool was supported by a huge glass front and to see these huge big teddy bears jumping and diving and playing was just awesome.   Groups of small children(and me) would run from side to side of the pool and follow the ginourmous beasts with screams of joyous laughter.

Jasmines least favourite animals were the Bats in the Indonesian Jungle area.    It was in a huge dome and upon entering we were hit with the all too familiar smell and suffocating heat of Asia.  With heaters to maintain the temperature and the animals making sure it smelt authentic we walked into a huge opening where orange-tang filled trees and vines crept to the roof and fish filled ponds covered with fluorescent green duck weed.  We could hear tiny squeaks and thumps and then we were greeted by agitated small bats, hanging from the tree tops.. and flying where they liked.  We passed through a door and thought we were safe, but no.. this was indeed the BAT CAVE!! Jasmine wasn’t keen and truth be told I also had my hood over my head and hands in my pockets but it was awesome having to duck and get out of the way of bats, flying around as they wish in the dark.

Jasmines favourites part however was the Ring Tailed Lemurs.. We saw their cage and went thru the two doors and then into the open where about 10 of these little guys were having a small feast on the reeds in the water.   The best part is their was NO fence and only a friendly Zoo staff member between me and the monkeys.. He was not so keen for us to touch them so we had a seat on a bench about a metre away from them and sat for nearly an hour. At times they would come and sniff at your hand or foot and were perfectly happy for us to be there.

The Zoo was really well designed and was a fantastic day! We loved Prague and we saw so much. We are now keen to return in the winter to see the beauty of its bridges and scenery in the snow!!

Rick