This was our arrival in Prague. It was snowing a little, and as soon as we got off of the train Vivian said, "Oh look, they have an exhibition of photographs by a famous Brazilian photographer. So I took her picture standing next to the sign. This is significant in that is shows how bleak and cold our introduction to Prague was, and as I was sick with yet another "mother of all head colds", the guy in the photo looks kind of like I felt. (Ain't travel exitin'?)

The city center is really not such a large place. But is full of charming architecture.... and full of just about every scam designed to separate a tourist from the contents of his wallet.

We were met at the train station by a guy who shills apartments. Every Czech citizen who has an apartment in the city center has moved to the suburbs, and now rents his or her apartment at exorbitant rates to tourists.

Exorbitant? Well perhaps I exaggerate. But be forwarned, apartments that are rented out to tourists have to adhere to no particular standards of cleanliness, or central heating.

Well, we negotiated a little and secured a tiny, scruffy apartment in the city center, for two days, (after which we switched to the apartment above , for all of 60 minutes.)

This is the apartment we didn't stay in. The only heat was a portable radiant electric heater. And I am violently alergic to dust mites, so after I lay down on the bed, I quickly stood up and announced that we were going to check into a nice hotel. We did, but the mattress there was only marginally better. Well it did have a glorious bathroom, and it was comfortably heated.

After we secured a place to stay, we dropped our bags and walked out into the cold and damp to discover Prague! .

Almost immediately we chanced upon these two guys who, for fee, will drive you about the city behind two hay-burning (and defecating) examples of the equine species.

They are stationed off of Tın square It is quite charming that is, except for the tourists and the homeless. Of course at this time of year some tourists rather do look like the homeless, witness the old duffer on the right.

(It was really quite amazing. I would collapse on a park bench from time to time, and some on codger would come over and offer to share his bottle of Ripple with me)

The weather was cold, damp, and cloudy. But the squares were full of tourists...in late November!

This is Wenceslas Square.

I thought it might be a square square, the kind with a church on one end.

But no, it is the main shopping drag! I asked some locals where they shop, because the prices in the stores on this square seemdd pretty high, even by American standards. I mean there is shoe store with 5 stories, with boots for $500 to $1000! I was told that even locals shop there, or they can get the same stuff at the second hand stores a few months later.

This the National Museum. Why did I photograph it at night? Well with the weather so dark and overcast, even the ornate buildings of Prague can look pretty drab. Ah, but at night....

There is nothing to match the religious ferver of the newly converted. This seems to be especially true when the new religion is capitalism. I give the city another year before all of the glorious building facades are covered with advertisements glorifying every designer product on earth.

Prague does a good job of lighting its more intersting buildings.

Street scene, city center.

Street scene, city center... One that the chamber of commerce would rather you did not see. The blessings of capitalism have not fallen equally on the citizens of Prague.

Along with poverty, the city is now afflicted with crime, (pickpockets are numerous, skilled, and highly successful), and prostitution. (While bordellos are currently illegal, prostitution is not.)

The next day we got up and went hiking with all of the other tourists in the snow and rain.

The Vltava river (otherwise known as the Danube) that runs through Prague, bordered by parks and stately old houses.

This is the entrance to the Charles Bridge, one of the big tourist attractions here.

Off to the side of the arch is the statue of Charles IV

November foliage along the river.

The bridge is famous for the numerous statues that line the sides. (And for the small children in pinks snow suits, riding in strollers.)

At the base of the statue of John of Nepomuk, the bronze has been polished by all of the tourists who touch the engraved figures for luck.

Some of the building that line the river.

Another homeless man in Prague.. no wait, that guy is familiar.

The river.

As you cross the river on the bridge you can see this canal off to the side.

The arch at the other end of the bridge.

Buildings beyond the arch.

Believe it or not, sometimes a McChicken sandwich is about as good as you are going to do in the healthy food department. Yes, other healthy food is available, but in this tourist town, you have to mortgage your first born son in order to afford it.

To the southwest of the brige is wooded park-like area, with the Petrínská rozhledna, an observation tower on the hill. The tower, built in 1891 is only 60 meters high, but the height of the tower, plus the hill, gives you an altitude like that of the Eiffle tower in Paris. On a clear day it provides a splendid view of the city. On the day we were there, about the only thing observable was snow, and later, rain.

At this point, we are standing near the top of a hill overlooking the city. I suspect when the weather is good, the views are fantastic. It is one of the charms of river city at the foot of a hill. From the city, you get great vistas of the castle on top, and from the hill you get great vistas of the city. Paris would not be half so attractive is there were no Eiffle tower from wich to view the city.

Once we got up the hill we wandered around trying to figure out what all the tourists were comming up here for.

After walking in a big loop, we found this shortcut.

This is part of the Prague Castle. I think these buildings frame the entrance to St. Vitus Cathedral, and the Picture Gallery. The gallery was, in our humble opinions not worth the price of admission. And they threw me out of the Cathedral.

But not before I snapped these pictures.

In the midst of all of the tourists, someone snuck a wedding party in. If only I had snuck in with them. I mean, they didn't throw the wedding photographers out of the church.

This corridor was like Grand Central Station. You have no idea how long I waited for traffic to thin to snap these pictures. And that darn photographer with the tripod was never going to leave.

A broad pedistrian walkway that we followed down the hill.

Here is a place where we bought the most expensive cup of coffee.

Ever! I mean I have never paid so much for a cup. On the other hand, the ambience was nice and Vivian and I got to listen to a Japanese business man conduct negotiations with two prostitues. The Czech Republic is on the verge of legalizing bordellos, and the enterprising chap was interested in organizing tour groups from Japan to take advantage of the new opportunities.

More statuary, but this time, it is located in a park on the edge of the river.

Prague castle up the hill from the river, with the Charles bridge below.

Vivian on the bank of the river.

In the US, we line our rivers with industries (so they can dispose of their wastes more cheaply, or we pave the banks with superhighways. The Czechs built luxury apartments and reaped the benefits of an enhanced tax base.

Damn! There's that homeless chap again!

One of the many bridges that span the river.

The "Dancing House", a famous architectual landmark.

This is how Samsung subsidises mass transit in Prague!

Vivian was very impressed with the color scheme of this tram.

The Church of Our Lady in front of Tın square