Prague - Krakow 19 June 2012

According to schedule, we will travel to Krakow this morning and then visit Auschwitz concentration camp in the afternoon after lunch. After breakfast, we load our bags into the bus and start our journey on a pleasant sunny morning. However, due to some problems with the road heading to Krakow, we didn't make it to Auschwitz since we only arrived in Krakow late afternoon and the camp close quite early during weekends. Therefore, we spent most of our time in the bus. Betty let us watch Schindler's List movie to better understand the history behind this concentration camp before our visit there tomorrow morning.

 views from our room in Panorama Hotel

 the hotel's surroundings

 Panorama from the outside

 the lobby

 lavender by the side of Panorama

 views from the bus. Mattoni is the number one mineral water producer in Czech

there's plenty of small farms and towns along the way to Krakow. Took many photos to show to mom because she loves all these scenery especially the farms. She told me it reminds her of Little House on the Prairie series and during her younger days growing up with her grandparent in Sungai Lembing

 a vast lavender farm beside the highway

 Novotel @ Prague. Very 70s look from the outside but boast modern and spacious rooms inside. This hotel is the best and most comfortable we have stayed in during our entire trip

since we have nothing much to do while waiting for dinner, I took some photos of hotel surroundings and also sunset since our room was facing west 

Prague 18 June 2012

After breakfast, we begin our visit to the Castle District of Prague. This District got his name due to the famous Hradcany Castle and a few others castle around the same area. We started out with Hradcany Castle, a royal complex spanning 570 meters with many historical buildings. There's a change of guards routine every morning and by the time we reached to the main entrance there were many tourists waiting to take photos and videos. It's nice to see the change of guard ceremony, due to the fact it was my first. However, I was quite annoyed by two China tourists who criticised the routine loudly, saying it's nothing special and so on. If you're not interested, just walk off and don't crowd the place for those who are really interested.

the outside of the Hradcany Castle compound

the main entrance into Hradcany Castle

Airin with our entrance tickets. We need to purchase tickets in order to visit the buildings inside this royal complex. however, do note that the Castle Grounds are free to visit.

Interior photos of the St Vitus Cathedral

St Vitus Cathedral from the outside

Next, we visit the Prague Castle situated beside St Vitus Cathedral. It was huge and beautiful, very classical indeed, something very gothic look. 

Vladislav Hall. a huge hall reserve for banquets, receptions, coronations and assemblies during medieval time. yea, they did warn not to take any photos inside this hall. but well, I'm not the only one who take photos inside here though...

I guess this is the royal room with the drawings of the kings and queens and the crown


Some buildings inside the Hradcany Castle

I like this water tap very much...

This baker is making something similar to doughnut and we did tried it out. tasty, but costly too...

Charles Bridge from the top of Hradcany Castle

a viewing area at the top of the Hradcany castle

views while walking down and out of the Hradcany Castle complex

walking towards Charles Bridge

buildings along the way to Charles Bridge

on top of Charles Bridge (Karluv Most). Charles Bridge connects the Castle Districts with the Old Town Square..

moving around Old Town Square. we bought most of our souvenirs here due to the pricing and the quality 

Astronomical Clock in the Old Town. a large crowd can be seen standing in front of this tower every hour to see the the procession of the clock

Old Town Square, started as the central market place in Prague. nowadays, it flock with tourists coming here to enjoy the beauty of this square, surrounded by historical buildings such as Old Town Hall the host the Astronomical Clocks, a few churches and palace. during our visit here, there were kind of a festival at the square  and lots of stalls selling local foods and beers.

we had local roasted ham with bread, local wurst and beer for our tea break. my first experience having beer for tea break. not bad considering the food we have compliments the taste of the beer.

Around 5pm, we bid goodbye to Old Town Square and the Castle District. People always said they love Prague the most when visiting Eastern Europe and I believe I did too.. Perhaps it's the architectural, or the history, or the scenery that make me miss Prague a lot. hmm.. but I did touch St John of Nepomuk on top of Charles Bridge which Betty says will ensure ones return to Prague in the future. 

Hradcany Castle complex from Vltava river bank 

notice how calm and beautiful Vltava river and the Hradcany Castle in this two photos

and windy too!!

After I came back to Malaysia, I did applied for the post of Education Advisory with JPA and my first choice is Prague. However, I didn't make the cut. Too bad huh?!! Well, better luck next time. But I know one day I will be back in Prague...After all, I did touched St John of Nepomuk, right?

Berlin - Dresden - Prague 17 June 2011

Woke up  to the morning breeze and the early sunshine coming in from the open window in our room. We took our shower and packed our bags before going down for breakfast. The breakfast lounge overlook a small garden and it reminded me of the gated community garden from the movie Notting Hill, especially the wooden bench at the side of the garden. I planned to have my breakfast outside the garden but Airin refused due to the cold weather. End up having breakfast inside the lounge. What a waste! After breakfast and reload our bags into the bus, we start our journey to Dresden, an ancient city in Germany.

Airin at the hotel's garden compound

the bench that reminds me of the movie Notting Hill

love this picture very much

lavender at the hotel porch

view along the way to Dresden

King On The Road Mercedes

we arrived in Dresden just in time for lunch. We had the famous Schweinshaxe aka German pork knuckle for lunch. The pork knuckle taste good, but we would have prefer the deep fried version that we had in Malaysia and smaller portion compare to the Dresden version.

A commercial square in Dresden town

Airin's reflection on the window screen

Decoration inside the cafe

Airin and her beer

The huge pork knuckle

Airin with her lunch

Dessert

 Water jet at the commercial square

Water fountain in the middle of a round about

Airin posing beside a moving city train

Me and a bus stop signage

 Plant growing up the wall

some views around Dresden

After lunch, we were given two hours to visit the famous Dresden Old City, located on the left bank of Elbe River. This city was badly damaged after World War II but has since been restored and regained its beauty. The architectural of these buildings were brilliant! Really admire the people behind the recreation of this new Old City. Not only they construct the entire Old City again, they go the extra mile to find materials that once exposed to sunshine and rain will changed their colour and texture similar to how an old building will look like after a short while.

some statues in Dresden old city

Dresden old city surroundings

this young lady was walking over to pose with the horses when I took this picture

I think this is the remain from the original building

Dresden old city surroundings

Dresden Frauenkirche

views from Elbe riverbanks

Dresden old city buildings and parks

an ancient time machine

After Dresden Old City tour, we head towards Prague just across German - Czech Republic border. It's green and blue all along the way to Prague with occasionally houses and farms on the left and right of the highway.

mom will love to stay in one of this house

Prague

it will be nice to have such structure in front of my window

Prague in the evening

my dream car

We reached Panorama Prague around 7pm. had our dinner in the hotel restaurant and then venture around the hotel area since I know there's a shopping mall just beside this hotel based on my online research. True enough, Arkady Pankrac located behind our hotel but most of the shop already close by then. we went back to our room to have our shower and prepare for more adventure tomorrow.