Prague

Has been given the nickname the Golden City which is frankly an overused metaphor the “Golden Gate Bridge” is orange not gold, the “streets are paved in gold,” it just makes me wonder why anything good is as good as gold. But I am getting off topic. Prague is a city that is quiet lovely and crowded. It is a quintessential tourist destination and thousands pack themselves into the sites and purchases things with the crowns that they received at a ridiculously bad rate from the money changers next door, when an ATM would give you a better rate and lower fee.
The city is a quiet town and it is old, so old that everywhere you go something is beautiful and old. Though I went on no tours today and in truth don’t know the significance of really anything I photographed, honestly I don’t think any one else does either. But I took pictures, saw a castles and then got lost wondering the streets to stumble upon a bridge of love where lovers left locks with there names on them. It made my heart ache that I had no lover to lock with. My heart also splintered when I watched the beggars sit with their forehead to the ground and a cup or hat in their hands. Someone drops in a coin and the beggar bobs his head in a bow of gratitude. How sad. How tragic.
I saw a castle that is from around 13th Century it is too tall to fit the tops of the steeple in the same frame as the door on my camera. I meander through winding gardens. Streets no wider then one lane, and then I stumble down to Charles Bridge, probably the second most famous destination Prague I timed it so when the sun was setting I was walking along the bridge. It is stunning. And again I sad that my dear readers can only see the photos for the camera never picks up on the right light. The sunset was the perfect shade of pink not orange, the lights reflected gently of the surface not the harsh contrast of cameras.
But ultimately Prague feels expensive. Annoyingly so. They are so careful. The “service charge” at the end of a meal. The refusal to serve tap water. The money changer offer 15 crowns to the dollar even though the rate is 18 to 1. It annoys me. In Germany people make every effort to save you money. They tell you about sales and discounts, they try and keep what you receive within the limits you set. In Prague they want to charge 13999 crowns for the doll which if your interested is around $450.