20220911 Early Shoot, Gardens, Old Town, St. Nicholas: Had a restless night awakening about every hour. Needed to be ready to leave hotel at 6AM; got up about 5:15. Tram and long walk to two viewpoints over the river to see it and all the bridges. Since it was cloudy, we did not have the light we wanted for images, but was fun. Back to the hotel for breakfast around 8:00.

Left hotel at 9:00 ad visited several gardens, all quite nice. Vojanovy Garden with its fruit trees and peacocks. Next the Wallenstein (Senate) Gardens and Palace with the palace and meeting place for Czech Senate, paths, peacocks, pond (we had been here in 2016). Then to a hidden jewel, Vtrba Gardens, tucked off a main street behind a building. It goes up several levels and you get wonderful views of the entire city.

From there we walked to the Lennon Wall and loved the new artwork there from our last visit. From there, it was across the Charles Bridge and into Old Town where we stopped for lunch at Pivince U Kata, where three of us split a pork knuckle (yep, knuckle).

Walked into the main town square and the famous Astronomical Clock. Crowds … and beware of pickpockets for sure. Clock struck 2:00, did its thing, crowds dispersed. We were tired from such a long day so far and went back to the hotel via subway (sone walked!).

At 4:30, a few of us walked up to St. Nicholas Church with its wonderful interior. Really beautiful and better than many of the churches Jeff and I visited recently. After time there, we get gelato at our new favorite place and walked back to the hotel around 6:00.

At 7:00, Alan Morris and I walked over to a nearby restaurant, U Patrona where we ate on their terrace for a delightful meal and visit. Back to the hotel. Nice visit with Jeff who had returned from evening shoot on Charles Bridge.

Tomorrow, we leave here at 9:00 and go to Terezin. Long day today and I am weary. Glad to have a day tomorrow with less walking. I think we’ve done 4-6 miles a day here including lots of cobblestone streets and hills. Time for washing clothes, shower, shave, and bed!

20220913 Kuks and Kutna Hora: Up at 6:30 after a nice night’s sleep. Breakfast, finish packing, luggage downstairs by 9:00. It all seemed to fit inside the back of the van…I was surprised.

We drove for about an hour and a half to Kuks, a very small town that has what was a hospital serving soldiers between the wars. It has extensive grounds and gardens and wonderful old pharmacy. In addition, it has a whole series of sculptures by Matthias Braun. We got to see the originals inside as well as copies that adorn the large garden. Lovely lunch at the restaurant by the hospital, Hospoda Na Sypce.

Back in the van, we then went about an hour to Kunta Hora, our stop of the night. Before going to the hotel, we spent lots of time in the Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady and St. John the Baptist, a very unadorned and beautiful structure. From there, we went to Saint Barbara’s Church. This church is quire ornate and has many beautiful parts. It is only about half the length it was supposed to be when money ran out as silver mines in the area were depleted.

Went to the Hotel Zlata Stoupa. I am in Room 6, which is on the ground floor…good since no elevator and some of our group are on the third and fourth floors! One night. Luggage hauling (with help from Tom, our guide). Got to the hotel about 6:00 and left again at 7:00 to go to Café Dacicky for a set supper. As with most meals here, it starts with a wonderful soup. That’s been pretty regular as it was today both at lunch and at dinner.

About 8:30, we walked downhill to an observation point to take night shots of Saint Barbara Church. Then back to the hotel where we are up for a photo shoot at 7:15 tomorrow. Will be at the Sedlec Ossuary.

20220912 Terezin and Jewish Quarter: Had better night’s sleep. Up a bit after 7:00, breakfast, and left here by van about 9:00. Took about an hour to get to Terezin.

It’s a moving experience, of course. However, since we were here in 2016, Jeff and I knew what to expect. This visit had long time to wander all around the complex by ourselves rather than with a guide as in last time. Even went into a 500m tunnel passageway inside the fortress walls. I just took in as much as I could and looked for all sorts of little things as well as the overall picture.

We drove into the city itself and had a set lunch at a nice restaurant and then returned to Prague.

In the next few hours, we visited part of the Jewish Quarter. Spent time in the glorious Spanish Synagogue. Then over to the Pinkus Synagogue and a very long visit in the Old Jewish Cemetery. Loved having a time to really look at things overall and in detail. Played with textures and light. Delightful and sobering.

Walked from there through Wenceslas Square to the Statue of King Wenceslas Riding an Upside-Down Dead Horse by Cerny. This was followed by gelato at Grom and back to the hotel on the subway.

Jeff and I went out to the same place Alan and I had dinner last night. Good food. Then found ATM and back to hotel to do stuff on the computer and pack since we leave Prague tomorrow AM.

20220914 Kunta Hora – Henry’s Castle – Cesky Krumlov: Got up early and we all took the van to the Sedlec Ossuary. This is a church of sorts with the bones of thousands arranged in all sorts of designs and ways. Interesting…and odd. Back to the hotel for breakfast and departure at 9:45.

It was raining, so plans had to be amended. Tom suggested we go to Jindrichuv hradec (Henry’s Castle) and shoot inside this huge castle, one of the biggest in the Czech Republic. It was beautiful. Spent about an hour there and then drove to the headquarters of the “real” Budweiser in Ceske Budejovice for a huge lunch at the brewery’s restaurant.

More driving and heavy traffic to get to Cesky Krumlov and checked in at the Hotel Gold where I am in Room 104 on the ground level. Got my gear and headed out to the river and walked through a park that starts by the hotel to its end, up a street or two, and found the local synagogue. Not an impressive building, but fun to see it here. Then back through the park, over a bridge across the river, and into the city itself. Wandered around, Climbed uphill to the church and back down again. Met Jeff and we went to the central square and retraced some of where we had been in 2016. Oh, gelato in the central square.

Back to the hotel after 7PM and met for dinner at the hotel at 8PM. Nice meal. Went back to my room about 9:30 thinking I would write this, take a shower, shave, do laundry, but Jeff texted for all of us to come outside with tripods and gear down by the river to take images of the church that is lighted at night and the reflections in the river. Did that and am now finishing this.

Need to get going and into bed since we’re up at 5:30 to try to walk up to the castle for the super view from up there (unless it’s raining).