It's Czech, mate: Day 4 Jewish History, Lunch Drama and Travel Home

[CrispyA]

It's Czech, mate: Day 4 Jewish History, Lunch Drama and Travel Home

We slept well and Paul felt a bit better this morning which was good. We arrived at breakfast just at the wrong time though and the dining room was nearly full with plenty of examples of my personal bugbear - parties of two sat at tables for four when there were tables for two available. Fortunately a load of people left shortly afterwards so we could get a table and fill our boots with breakfast. Today's spread featured profiteroles as one of the cake options - again, not something I would have picked as a breakfast food but nevertheless, they were a popular option.

We took our time packing as our flight wasn't until the evening, so no rush. The hotel stored our bags for us after checking out and then we set off to explore more of Prague.

First stop was the Jewish History Museum which is actually a collection of buildings and exhibitions. The main ticket office is in the Spanish Synagogue so we started there. It is a beautiful building which also hosts concerts.

As you walk around, there is information on this history of Jewish people in Prague. There has been a Jewish population in Prague since the 10th century and a thriving Jewish Quarter. The exhibition moves from the history of a strong settlement to the mass deportations and murders of the Holocaust. There are interviews with survivors who were children at the time and it is all very interesting. It also talks about how the Communist regime which came later also persecuted Jews.

As we came out, we passed this statue tribute to Franz Kafka.

After the Spanish Synagogue, we went to the Pinkas Synagogue. Here Paul and Evan were given a paper Kippah to wear in and around this site. This is the second oldest synagogue in Prague and hosts two exhibitions. There is a collection of drawings made by children living in the ghetto at Theresienstadt and also, the names of all the Czech victims of the Holocaust are inscribed on the walls.

It is quite sobering as there are so many names and with birth and death dates you are acutely aware of how many of them were children.

This then leads to the Old Jewish Cemetery which you can walk around.

There are a couple of other Synagogues, the Maisel and the Klausen, and these host other exhibitions, including a really interesting one on Jewish traditions and customs.

It is a really interesting selection of buildings and history and I'm glad that we took the time to look around it.

Afterwards, we took a picture of the Kafka Hummus restaurant because chick pea dip is not something I have ever associated with him. (Although Franz may have been a big fan, who knows?)

We went for a last visit to our old friend Charles Bridge. The temperature had dropped quite a bit today so we had wrapped up a bit warmer.

Wok man wasn't there - alas - but there was a Jazz Band which pleased Paul as he does like a bit of jazz. And we wished a final goodbye to our mates John of Nepomuk and St Vitus.

The plan was then to explore a bit more of Mala Strana and to find somewhere for a late lunch. We had a nice wander and eventually came across somewhere that looked quite promising. There wasn't a menu outside and when we tried to look for one, we found ourselves ushered in and sat down without really realising it!

Once we looked at the menu, we realised that our potato hating vegetarian was going to struggle as there was pretty much nothing for her on there. In a hushed voice I informed the family that we were going to grab our things and sneak on out of there before anyone noticed.

This was all going swimmingly until I failed to spot a step and quite spectacularly decked it in the main doorway. My dive was so dramatic that even Christiano Ronaldo would have looked a bit embarrassed by it.

Of course, everyone now turned to look at us and enquire if I was okay. I jumped up, muttered that I was fine and scurried out of there while my shellshocked family followed after. Just to add insult to injury, we then had to wait ages to cross the road so couldn't even make a hasty exit. And one of my gel nails popped off with the impact! And then, of course, the rest of the family had to laugh at me forever more.

So much for a subtle getaway. Still, it's not like we are ever going to go there again . . . and it's better than getting stuck in a turnstile or forgetting to pack your sunglasses, surely?

We kept on pondering where to eat and eventually decided to go back to Stara Praha as it was near the hotel and we had enjoyed it the night before.

I managed to stay on my feet as we got in there (yay, go me!) and as it was now mid afternoon, the place was fairly quiet. We all had a drink to celebrate our last day.

We had persuaded Hannah to try the fried cheese, which is the THE vegetarian offering and it was actually pretty tasty.

Evan decided to go for it and ordered the most manly of meals, the Pork Knuckle which is basically a huge chunk of meat with a couple of garnishes.

Did he finish it? Of course he did.

Pork Knuckle - completed it mate.

We had a nice meal together, taking our time and relaxing. For dessert we called to the nearby Arctic Bakery for coffee and enormous pastries which we ate outside.

The nice thing about a late flight is that it gives you another day. The annoying thing is that you usually have to check out earlier in the day so you don't really have a "base" and have to be out and about all the time.

We were ready to leave and weren't sure how long the journey to the airport would take so we went to get our bags and head off.

The tram and bus were very straightforward and we got to the airport in plenty of time. In fact, we were too early to check in so had to hang about for a while, mooching around the supermarket (?) that was there and getting some treats to take back for work.

Once the check in desk was open it was all fairly straightforward to drop the bags off and then go to Duty Free. Thanks to Brexit, we can now buy items at Duty Free prices from the EU so we at least made the most of that. While in Prague we had wanted to visit a bar we had heard of called The Absintherie which is a celebration of all things Absinthe. We never managed to be near it at the right time of day so didn't manage it. However, the kids got themselves each a £10 bottle of Absinthe to take back to University. We got a bottle of whisky instead.

I also had to take a picture with this guy, whose cartoons I remember watching as a child.

Annoyingly our flight was then delayed for over an hour. Just what you want when you are landing late at night anyway. When we eventually boarded we were told that it was because the plane had come back from Tenerife earlier that day and the company that provides special assistance to passengers had been an hour late in getting to them. EasyJet were at pains to point out that it was not their fault!

Even though the Czech Republic had now dropped their mask mandate for transport, we still had to wear them on the flight. This was probably a good thing as my body decided that a crowded flight was the very best place to have a huge and long lasting coughing fit so I think my fellow passengers will at least have been slightly reassured by the fact that I had a mask on. Of course, as soon as I stepped off the plane there was not a single cough. Not one. It was as though my body had forgotten how to cough. Typical.

We went through passport control where ironically Evan's new Blue passport was the only one that didn't work in the automatic gates (thanks again, Brexit). It seemed to be a thing with the blue passports as it was happening to quite a few people.

As it was after midnight when we got the bus back to the wilderness of JetParks, we wished Paul a happy birthday, as it was now his special day, and he celebrated by driving us home in the dark. He was thrilled about that and counts himself a very lucky man.

So that was our trip to Prague. It's a beautiful city with lots to do and we had a great time. Hope you enjoyed reading along!

[ClaireNJ]

Originally Posted by CrispyA

It's Czech, mate: Day 4 Jewish History, Lunch Drama and Travel Home

We slept well and Paul felt a bit better this morning which was good. We arrived at breakfast just at the wrong time though and the dining room was nearly full with plenty of examples of my personal bugbear - parties of two sat at tables for four when there were tables for two available. Fortunately a load of people left shortly afterwards so we could get a table and fill our boots with breakfast. Today's spread featured profiteroles as one of the cake options - again, not something I would have picked as a breakfast food but nevertheless, they were a popular option.

We took our time packing as our flight wasn't until the evening, so no rush. The hotel stored our bags for us after checking out and then we set off to explore more of Prague.

First stop was the Jewish History Museum which is actually a collection of buildings and exhibitions. The main ticket office is in the Spanish Synagogue so we started there. It is a beautiful building which also hosts concerts.

As you walk around, there is information on this history of Jewish people in Prague. There has been a Jewish population in Prague since the 10th century and a thriving Jewish Quarter. The exhibition moves from the history of a strong settlement to the mass deportations and murders of the Holocaust. There are interviews with survivors who were children at the time and it is all very interesting. It also talks about how the Communist regime which came later also persecuted Jews.

As we came out, we passed this statue tribute to Franz Kafka.

After the Spanish Synagogue, we went to the Pinkas Synagogue. Here Paul and Evan were given a paper Kippah to wear in and around this site. This is the second oldest synagogue in Prague and hosts two exhibitions. There is a collection of drawings made by children living in the ghetto at Theresienstadt and also, the names of all the Czech victims of the Holocaust are inscribed on the walls.

It is quite sobering as there are so many names and with birth and death dates you are acutely aware of how many of them were children.

This then leads to the Old Jewish Cemetery which you can walk around.

There are a couple of other Synagogues, the Maisel and the Klausen, and these host other exhibitions, including a really interesting one on Jewish traditions and customs.

It is a really interesting selection of buildings and history and I'm glad that we took the time to look around it.

Afterwards, we took a picture of the Kafka Hummus restaurant because chick pea dip is not something I have ever associated with him. (Although Franz may have been a big fan, who knows?)

We went for a last visit to our old friend Charles Bridge. The temperature had dropped quite a bit today so we had wrapped up a bit warmer.

Wok man wasn't there - alas - but there was a Jazz Band which pleased Paul as he does like a bit of jazz. And we wished a final goodbye to our mates John of Nepomuk and St Vitus.

The plan was then to explore a bit more of Mala Strana and to find somewhere for a late lunch. We had a nice wander and eventually came across somewhere that looked quite promising. There wasn't a menu outside and when we tried to look for one, we found ourselves ushered in and sat down without really realising it!

Once we looked at the menu, we realised that our potato hating vegetarian was going to struggle as there was pretty much nothing for her on there. In a hushed voice I informed the family that we were going to grab our things and sneak on out of there before anyone noticed.

This was all going swimmingly until I failed to spot a step and quite spectacularly decked it in the main doorway. My dive was so dramatic that even Christiano Ronaldo would have looked a bit embarrassed by it.

Of course, everyone now turned to look at us and enquire if I was okay. I jumped up, muttered that I was fine and scurried out of there while my shellshocked family followed after. Just to add insult to injury, we then had to wait ages to cross the road so couldn't even make a hasty exit. And one of my gel nails popped off with the impact! And then, of course, the rest of the family had to laugh at me forever more.

So much for a subtle getaway. Still, it's not like we are ever going to go there again . . . and it's better than getting stuck in a turnstile or forgetting to pack your sunglasses, surely?

We kept on pondering where to eat and eventually decided to go back to Stara Praha as it was near the hotel and we had enjoyed it the night before.

I managed to stay on my feet as we got in there (yay, go me!) and as it was now mid afternoon, the place was fairly quiet. We all had a drink to celebrate our last day.

We had persuaded Hannah to try the fried cheese, which is the THE vegetarian offering and it was actually pretty tasty.

Evan decided to go for it and ordered the most manly of meals, the Pork Knuckle which is basically a huge chunk of meat with a couple of garnishes.

Did he finish it? Of course he did.

Pork Knuckle - completed it mate.

We had a nice meal together, taking our time and relaxing. For dessert we called to the nearby Arctic Bakery for coffee and enormous pastries which we ate outside.

The nice thing about a late flight is that it gives you another day. The annoying thing is that you usually have to check out earlier in the day so you don't really have a "base" and have to be out and about all the time.

We were ready to leave and weren't sure how long the journey to the airport would take so we went to get our bags and head off.

The tram and bus were very straightforward and we got to the airport in plenty of time. In fact, we were too early to check in so had to hang about for a while, mooching around the supermarket (?) that was there and getting some treats to take back for work.

Once the check in desk was open it was all fairly straightforward to drop the bags off and then go to Duty Free. Thanks to Brexit, we can now buy items at Duty Free prices from the EU so we at least made the most of that. While in Prague we had wanted to visit a bar we had heard of called The Absintherie which is a celebration of all things Absinthe. We never managed to be near it at the right time of day so didn't manage it. However, the kids got themselves each a £10 bottle of Absinthe to take back to University. We got a bottle of whisky instead.

I also had to take a picture with this guy, whose cartoons I remember watching as a child.

Annoyingly our flight was then delayed for over an hour. Just what you want when you are landing late at night anyway. When we eventually boarded we were told that it was because the plane had come back from Tenerife earlier that day and the company that provides special assistance to passengers had been an hour late in getting to them. EasyJet were at pains to point out that it was not their fault!

Even though the Czech Republic had now dropped their mask mandate for transport, we still had to wear them on the flight. This was probably a good thing as my body decided that a crowded flight was the very best place to have a huge and long lasting coughing fit so I think my fellow passengers will at least have been slightly reassured by the fact that I had a mask on. Of course, as soon as I stepped off the plane there was not a single cough. Not one. It was as though my body had forgotten how to cough. Typical.

We went through passport control where ironically Evan's new Blue passport was the only one that didn't work in the automatic gates (thanks again, Brexit). It seemed to be a thing with the blue passports as it was happening to quite a few people.

As it was after midnight when we got the bus back to the wilderness of JetParks, we wished Paul a happy birthday, as it was now his special day, and he celebrated by driving us home in the dark. He was thrilled about that and counts himself a very lucky man.

So that was our trip to Prague. It's a beautiful city with lots to do and we had a great time. Hope you enjoyed reading along!

See more...

Great report loved all the pics
Prague definitely on our list now
So glad you enjoyed it
X

[CrispyA]

Originally Posted by ClaireNJ

Great report loved all the pics
Prague definitely on our list now
So glad you enjoyed it
X

See more...

We had such a good time! Glad you enjoyed and I hope you get to visit as well.

[Melbatb]

Oh dear for the trip! It seems only Hannah got off incident free!

Looks like you made the most of your late flight. Still not convinced by the fried cheese!

Thanks for taking the time to write about your trip- Prague is certainly in my list of places to visit!

[CrispyA]

Originally Posted by Melbatb

Oh dear for the trip! It seems only Hannah got off incident free!

Looks like you made the most of your late flight. Still not convinced by the fried cheese!

Thanks for taking the time to write about your trip- Prague is certainly in my list of places to visit!

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Hannah was the one who couldn’t work a turnstile! Evan managed without major incident but he was poorly on the way there so that seems fair.

The fried cheese was better than it sounded but not something I would eat on a regular basis.

I think you would really enjoy Prague.

[Melbatb]

Originally Posted by CrispyA

Hannah was the one who couldn’t work a turnstile! Evan managed without major incident but he was poorly on the way there so that seems fair.

The fried cheese was better than it sounded but not something I would eat on a regular basis.

I think you would really enjoy Prague.

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Whoops- I knew it was Evan 🤣
I think I would like it too!

[Puddle5]

Lovely trip report we went Dec 2019, brought back lovely memories!

[DisneyDaffodil]

Absolutely loved reading your report, so funny and so obvious that you all had a great time.

Oops to the coffee spill and the trip sneaking out of the restaurant, we all have days like that on holidays though (well I certainly do 😂 )

Well done to Evan on eating all the pork knuckle, not sure about the fried cheese though 🤢

The Jewish History Museum and synagogues look very interesting but incredibly sad. It’s important to visit such places and remember those who died though 💞

Some lovely photos of you all today, and it seemed a great day to end your brilliant family holiday. Thanks for sharing xx

[CrispyA]

Originally Posted by Puddle5

Lovely trip report we went Dec 2019, brought back lovely memories!

See more...

Glad you en, must have been lovely in December, if a bit chilly!

[CrispyA]

Originally Posted by DisneyDaffodil

Absolutely loved reading your report, so funny and so obvious that you all had a great time.

Oops to the coffee spill and the trip sneaking out of the restaurant, we all have days like that on holidays though (well I certainly do 😂 )

Well done to Evan on eating all the pork knuckle, not sure about the fried cheese though 🤢

The Jewish History Museum and synagogues look very interesting but incredibly sad. It’s important to visit such places and remember those who died though 💞

Some lovely photos of you all today, and it seemed a great day to end your brilliant family holiday. Thanks for sharing xx

See more...

Glad you enjoyed, it was fun to write. And I’m glad I’m not the only one who falls over in restaurants or does something else ridiculous !