Wearing out shoes in Prague

We spent our last few days on continental Europe in the historical city of Prague, Czech Republic. When traveling by train, we witnessed the change from the white marble lines of Austrian architecture to the yellowed walls and dusty red roofing tiles of Bohemia. I was relieved to find that most people spoke large amounts of English in Prague; an effort I think that one-language travelers like myself do not appreciate enough.

Tourism plays an important role in Prague's dynamics; souvenir shops line the streets and apparently the city has a reputation that rivals Amsterdam for its hopping night-life. Maps and brochures in the hostel pointed to the nearest burlesque shows, pub crawls and night clubs. Although the party atmosphere is infectious, we did not spend any time in the clubs. We did attempt to go on a beer tour, but it was cancelled after we were the only people to show. We also tried to catch some live music, but the bar did not open till 10pm and we had arrived too early. At least we tried!

Prague is a city in which we did a lot of walking... to the point where we had to buy Garnet a new pair of shoes because he had developed a hole in one. Walking was a nice way to see the contrasts of Prague, such as the differences between its Old Town and New Town. It is amusing for a Canadian to consider Prague's "New" Town, which dates to the 14th century! Not many of the original buildings remain, but even the newer architecture is still old by North American standards. One of the main features in the New Town is the long, narrow Wenceslas Square. At night it is beautiful, with its statue of St Wencelas standing sentinel in front of the National Museum.

At the center of the Old Town is the Old Town Square, which happened to be just around the corner from Hostel Homer where we were staying. To my pleasure, the square was filled with a Czech Christmas market. In comparison to German markets there seemed to be less sweets, but a greater selection of hot foods. Here's a look at the square:

Above is the astrology tower, the main attraction in the Old Town Square. The detail on the right shows the dials on the side of the tower. If you look carefully you can see a small skeleton to the right of the upper dial. At certain times the skeleton will pull a rope to start the bell ringing which is then answered by a trumpeter at the top of the tower.

 

Here are pictures of the square depicting the Gothic style Tyn Church which was originally built by the Hussites, but taken over by the Roman Catholics. Interestingly, if you examine the church spires you will see that they are not symmetrical. This intentional difference represents masculine and feminine dimensions. Also, legend has it that this church inspired Walt Disney's palace. Understandable considering how gorgeous it is lit up at night.

Below are some of the goodies we discovered at the Christmas market. The cylindrical pastry is the traditional Trdelnik, a delicious roasted dough rolled in sugar. Mmmm...

An important landmark in Prague is Charles Bridge, a walking bridge which stretches across the Vltava River. The bridge was lined with street vendors and a few die-hard jazz musicians despite a bit of rain. When it was built in the 14th century is was the main access to Prague Castle from the Old Town. We learned more about how it was constructed at the Charles Bridge Museum. In the below picture, the Bridge is in the foreground, and the tall spires on the hill behind belong to the cathedral in Prague Castle.

Prague Castle was one of the highlights of our time in the city. Visitors can opt for a short or long tour, and since we were hard-core tourists we committed to the long tour which basically gives you access to everything on the grounds. At the center of the complex is St Vitus Cathedral, an example of Gothic architecture which soars above the city skyline. Many other attractions surround the Cathedral including the Old Royal Palace where you can visit throne rooms and great halls, the street entitled Golden Lane which originally housed soldiers but was used by civilians into the 1900s, St George's Basilica/Convent, the Rosenberg Palace which became an unmarried noble woman's school, the Powder Tower showcasing the Castle Guard, and the Picture Gallery exhibiting the Castle's works of art.

Here are pictures to help me explain:

The main entrance to the palace.

It was quite a challenge to take a picture of the Castle Guard because many goofy male tourists wished to pose with them (luckily Garnet was not one!). I imagine it would not be easy to keep a serious face.

 St Vitus inside and out.

 Restored ceiling in the Rosenberg palace.

A replica of Saint Wenceslas's impressive crown in the Old Royal Palace. Wenceslas was the Duke of Bohemia from 921 to 935. He was apparently a just leader, but was nevertheless assassinated by his brother. His death only fueled his popularity until he became considered the patron saint of the Czech Republic.

The great hall in the Old Royal Palace.

Despite the mediocre weather, the Palace still provided remarkable views of the city.

 

Beyond Palace grounds, another very worthwhile area to visit is the Old Jewish district. Located here is an Old Jewish cemetery which was used for over 300 years beginning in the 15th century. The cemetery is relatively small, but holds countless burials because there are multiple layers of tombs. Sadly it was closed when we visited, but I stole this picture through a small gate. It's an incredible sight. 

Prague was a memorable city and a nice way to end our travels around the continent. As of December 23rd, we boarded a plane to the United Kingdom to spend Christmas with relatives. I still have many stories to share about the trip so stay tuned for more. 

In other news, it has been brought to my attention that readers have had some difficulty commenting on my blogs. If you click the "no comments" button a dialogue box will appear where you can type a message. If this method does not work please let me know through other means and I'll see if I can figure out what will work.

Cheers!

Shannon

The Musical Center of Vienna

I had been looking forward to arriving in Vienna because of its prominence in the classical music world. Five years in an undergraduate degree had led to this point; the opportunity to walk the same streets as many musical masters! Well alright that's a bit of an exaggeration, but the bit about Vienna is true. It is one of the world's most important musical centers and offers many tasty tidbits for us nerdy musicians.

You may be surprised then to hear that I did not attend any concerts while in Vienna, despite the best efforts of roaming ticket-sellers. The concert schedule around Christmas was geared towards tourists; the concerts were held in the palaces with musicians dressed in ballgowns and tuxedos. The repertoire included popular Viennese waltzes and standard opera classics. In the end I decided to forgo the experience because it was all a bit too dramatic for me. Now, if it had been the Vienna Philharmonic I would have been there regardless of price!

Even without concerts, there were plenty of sights to fill our two days in Vienna. I definitely felt we ran short on time. When traveling, I highly recommend obtaining a good tourist map from whatever hotel/hostel you stay in, as they often highlight places to eat and sights to see. Our pocket map from Vienna's Wombat Hostel led Garnet and I to see the Zentralfriedhof, a massive cemetery where the likes of Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and Strauss are buried. After some confusing directions in German, we managed to find all these composers in the designated musician section, plus Carl Czerny, Hugo Wolf and Christoph Gluck. Sadly, our search did not turn up Arnold Schoenberg who apparently also rests in the cemetery.

Vienna's city center is jam-packed full of exciting attractions. At its center is Stephenplatz, the square which holds the large Stephansdom. We poked our heads in the cathedral to discover the interior swathed in tie-dyed lights. It was an interesting effect, and although beautiful it obscured the natural beauty of the Church. From the outside, the cathedral is a Gothic masterpiece. Check out the detail on the roof! The eagles are a symbol of the Habsburg dynasty which ruled over Austria.

A visit to Vienna is not complete without touring the Hofburg Palace, where the Habsburg royalty resided dating back to the 1400s. Over the centuries, the Palace has diversified to include museums, staterooms, the national library, the treasury and a Spanish Riding school. The entire complex is massive and understandably we only managed to see a fraction of what it offers. Plentiful white marble adds grandeur to the architecture, and speaks to the wealth of its former inhabitants. Even some walls in the state apartments were once elegantly lined with silk fabric (thinking of stealing this idea for my residence room, Ha! Just kidding).

One wing of the Palace houses the large, respectable Albertina Art Gallery. Its permanent exhibit of modernist art showcases originals by Monet, Renoir, Munch, Kandinsky (my favourite!), Picasso, and many more.

Museums within the Palace include displays of armour and ancient musical instruments. Granted it was a strange combination, but it worked well because I beat Garnet through the armour and he beat me through the music. The armour traced the technological advancement of warfare over the course of the Austrian empire. There were many treasured items such as suits of armour belonging to Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, carved saddles, revolvers carved from ivory, and foreign gifts of goodwill like Samurai swords.  In the instrument exhibit I was excited to discover a violin which belonged to Leopold Mozart and a piano played by Clara Schumann. My "special finds" were tiny dancemaster violins designed to be placed in the pocket, and a round table inscribed with German drinking songs.

 Dancemaster violins

 Ornately carved saddle

The last thing we did at the Hofburg Palace was attend the morning training session to the Lipizzaner Stallions in the Spanish Riding School. Maximilian began breeding these white Spanish horses at the Palace in the late 1500s. Nowadays the permanent riders and horses in the School perform dressage to classical music.

Apart from the Palace there is an interesting Museum Quarter in the city center. We took time to visit the Haus der Musik, or House of Music, which celebrates Vienna's musical heritage. It is a very interactive exhibit which provides an educational experience in music and sound. It showcases German/Austrian composers and the Vienna Philharmonic, as well as informs on acoustics and the human ear. Interactive highlights included a composition dice game, name composition in the style of Mozart, create your own sound effect CD, and best of all, virtually conduct the Vienna Philharmonic!

 My conducting debut! It was surprisingly difficult. I don't think they understood my nuance.

 Schubert's glasses

This parrot belonged to Joseph Haydn... literally. After its death he had it stuffed.

When in Vienna, I also highly recommend the local cuisine. No stop is complete without a meal of snitzel and a visit to a traditional Kaffeehaus (Coffee House) where many delectable cakes await you. Garnet and I managed to fit in both before catching out next train to Prague.

Our usual flavours: apple for Garnet and chocolate for me.

Until Next Time,

Shannon

Sightseeing in Salzburg

After spending three months surrounded by a green Ireland, I was thrilled to see white vistas of snow on our train ride to Salzburg. As we entered Austria we dipped into the edges of the Alps and began to weave around mountains. The landscape around Salzburg is breathtaking, and if I return someday I will be sure to explore some of the outdoor activities in the area, which include skiing, hiking, caves and cable cars. There are also salt mines open for visitor tours. The mineral has played an important role in the city's industrial history, hence why the "Salz" in Salzburg translates to salt.

All that said, Garnet and I did not have the chance to venture outside Salzburg because we opted instead to visit attractions within walking distance of the city center. The focal point of the city is the massive Hohensalzburg Fortress which sits atop a mountain, high above the rest of Salzburg. I would not say it is an aesthetic masterpiece of architecture, but is has definitely been effective in its purpose of protecting the Archbishops of Salzburg since 1077.

This picture that shows the elevated Fortress. In the foreground is the fountain in the Schloss Mirabel Gardens, where the "Do-Re-Mi" scene of The Sound of Music was filmed.

It takes about 10 minutes to trek up the hill to the Fortress and is a great workout for the legs and glutes! There is a tram included in the ticket price if you prefer. In the Fortress you can tour the battlements, and there is an informative museum housed in the state rooms, with old furniture, housewares and weaponry on display. Interestingly, I learned that Austrian homes were traditionally heated with ceramic ovens, which were often ornately decorated in wealthier households. See the below example.

By far the most extravagant part of the Fortress was the view from the very top. It is a hard one to beat.

Our other stops around the city included the Salzburg Dom (Cathedral) and two Mozart museums, one where the great composer was born and one where he lived as a child. The Dom is a stunning piece of Baroque architecture seated in the shadow of the Fortress. In 1944 the dome of the church was destroyed in a bomb attack, and was reconstructed in 1959. It seems that nothing escaped the damaging effects of WWII. This is how the ceiling of the dome looks now.

Garnet and I agree that Mozart's Birthplace was the better of the two Mozart museums. It was exciting to stand in the room where a legend was born, even though the space itself is rather ordinary. There were also impressive Mozart relics such as his childhood violin, locks of hair, wallet, letters, manuscripts and premiere programs for operas such as Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute).

A successful tourist is bound to work up an appetite, and Garnet and I were no exception. We managed to locate the Augustiner Brewery on a small back alley (Garnet was navigating this time). Despite its nondescript entrance, which consisted of a small hanging sign and a closed door, the beer hall was massive with grandiose entrance stairs and three large dining rooms. Once again there were satisfying 1L beers, but this time the food was served canteen style, and you rinsed your own stein.

Dessert consisted of pretzels from the Christmas market, and we celebrated being in Salzurg by suitably watching The Sound of Music in the hostel.

 Boy, I could sure go for one of those pretzels about now....

Next stop, Vienna!

Shannon

The Day of Polar Opposites: Dachau Concentration Camp & BMW Museum

On our final full day in Munich, Garnet and I ventured outside the city to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp. If you visit Munich, I highly recommend that you set aside at least half a day to visit this memorable landmark. It is very easy to travel to using the metro system and the S Bahn (above ground train), and there is a free bus every ten minutes from the train station to the camp. Entrance to the grounds is free; the only fee being a minimal 2.50€ for the audio guide.

The Dachau Concentration Camp was the first concentration camp established by the Nazi party in WWII and acted as a model for other camps that followed. It began housing prisoners in 1933 for political reasons, and at the outset of the war began imprisoning "undesirables" from conquered lands. Nazi propaganda portrayed Dachau as a camp where these prisoners were receiving "re-education." Over 30,000 deaths were recorded by Dachau administration, but this does not include numbers from the death marches held shortly before liberation, prisoners who died after liberation due to their weakened state, or the huge amounts of inmates who died after being transferred to other concentration camps. The true number of deaths caused by Dachau will likely remain unknown forever.

The barracks within the camp were designed for 6,000 inmates, and at the time of liberation by Americans in 1945 there were a reported 32,000 survivors in the camp. Over the course of the war, conditions within the camp progressively decreased until German officers were actually instructed to improve living situations in 1942 to reduce the amount of deaths. However conditions did not improve substantially because in 1945 overcrowding, malnutrition and starvation caused Typhus outbreaks.
 

Structurally, the modern Dachau camp is not the same as in WWII. The entrance gate and fencing remain, as well as the jail bunker, but only two of the original inmate barracks survive. The inscription on the metal entrance gate states ominously that "work sets you free." The large maintenance building has been converted into a museum, which in addition to educational displays houses a theater for the filming of a short documentary. There are several memorials on site, including buildings dedicated to Jewish, Catholic, Protestant and Russian Orthodox faiths.

 This memorial relief depicts figures caught in the fence.

Just outside the fenced grounds are two infamous crematorium buildings; the second built because the first could not handle the increasing number of bodies. The second crematorium includes a gas chamber, but this room was never evidently used for mass murders (though it may have been used for tests). Around the crematoriums lay several grave stones honouring the locations of the deceased.

Our visit to Dachau was an incredibly moving experience, and despite spending five hours there we still could not fathom the atrocities which took place. It had been a warmer day, and the melting snow was soaking and freezing our feet, but we dared not complain given our surroundings. Cold feet do not come close to comparing to the suffering experienced at Dachau. The details I have shared in this blog only scratch the surface of the mass of knowledge we gained from our visit. It is best to experience the camp in person, to see the buildings, walk the grounds and listen to the personal accounts on the audio guide. When I reflect on my trip in years to come, I am confident that my visit to Dachau will remain unforgettable, as it should.

On a happier note, we perfectly paired our Dachau experience with the much more light-hearted BMW museum. The BMW headquarters occupies a large area of land located very near the Munich Olympic grounds. The museum is a completely impressive depiction of innovation, technology and lots and lots of money. The building is very modern with lighted walls and sloping walkways. At the center of the museum, a spirally path large enough for a car winds its way up through the floors. Some of the fascinating technological elements included a room-sized table with touch-screen capabilities outlining the history of BMW, ceiling speakers which read books as you turn the page, and direction-based floor sensors which talk about the display you face. You do not have to have a specific interest in BMW to find this museum amazing. I'll let my pictures do the rest of the explaining.

Next stop will be Salzburg, Austria. Stay Tuned!

Shannon