Trip to Prague Castle that is Surprisingly Splendid

The sight across the cliff of the Prague Castle rightly summed up our visit to Czech. Surprisingly Splendid !

Been to quite some number of castles/forts in Rajasthan, India, what I thought would lay ahead at Prague's Castle area would be predictable. By all means, it was not.

Prague Castle area - Splendid !

While we had a remarkable Road Trip to Prague and an equally incredible day spent at the Old Town of Prague, yet  we weren't sure that what would lay ahead us, would be as special as it was. Prague's Castle area is refreshingly different !

 ** Prague is Refreshing, Prague is different ! **

First things first. Prague Castle area is not just about a single monument (the Castle). It's about several grandiose buildings, lush green gardens, well kept monastery, bustling square and last but not the least, the Castle.

Take Tram 22 for the Castle area. While Trams are indeed the best way to commute, it is important to be aware that, it is better to start uphill for the Castle area and Lesser Town. Because, if you do so, you'd save some precious time and energy that you'd love to have by your side to soak in the mesmerizing beauty of Prague! So start early for the Day, and head straight to the point up north to the stop Prohorlec. Then across the splendid panorama of Strathov Monastery you can spend an hour or two gazing its architecture and around. Be sure though, about the timings of the Monastery, else you could miss the splendor inside! There are some options around to spend your time in its convent and library. There's a decent restaurant also, good for some snacks on the go. You'd definitely realize that Prague is refreshing and is quite different. In some sense, your perception about Prague would change.

Prague - Strathov Monastery

**  Walking Tours for Breathtaking Views **

While on the descent, there are some mesmerizing points for the views of the city, which are definitely not to be given a miss. These points are generally not visited around that often.  If the day is clearer, the views get even better. There is a restaurant around, but as the case is with these prime places, the food is not worth the price.

Clean Skies - Excellent Views

The lush green mountains lead you to some scintillating views of the city. The caveat though is to, just follow(read piggyback), the many walking tours that lead you to these views. As you soak in the beauty, next in line are Castle Square and the Castle itself.

Prague - Breathtaking !

Prague - Breathtaking !

** Gardens **

But before that, do make use of the splendid gardens on your way to the Castle. They are clinically maintained , and with beautiful building on their bay, they make a strong contention for spending some time. As you walk downhill for the Castle , you'd pass by the Castle Square.

Prague Castle area - Beautiful Gardens

Prague Castle area - Beautiful Gardens

Prague Castle Area - Architecture Marvel

Prague Castle Area - Across many gardens

Beauty all around

Glorious buildings - Prague Castle Area

** The Castle Square **

The Castle Square is the feather of the cap of this journey. It's a bustling place which is full of energy of the visitors. The cobbled street, excellent view of the city on one side and the Castle on the other, is a great combination altogether. In short, it is an eclectic mix of architectural grandeur and flowing human energy. There are a lot of spots fit for photography.

Prague Castle Square

** Guards' Changing ceremony **

The Guard changing ceremony is a treat at the Castle square. There are specific timings and it is highly recommended that they be checked out at the reception itself. Generally the 'ceremony' takes place around noon. Smartly dressed guards change their positions in a high intensity rhetoric. Their immaculate sartorial traditions with their smart military moves against the august Castle is a treat. It's a must if you are in Prague. Lot of euphoria gathers around the time the ceremony and people strive for their special photography moments. At times, you may feel that it's a bit stretched though.

Prague - Beautiful

** The Castle **

The castle is a grand architectural marvel. There are a some places open for visitors, for this place that is currently the seat of the president of Czech. Few of them qualify as paid entries too. It is important to decide the interests and then head in according to available time. Once you are through visiting the Castle, the journey for the downhill begins, There aren't many places of tourist interest hereon, with typically old houses lining the street. There is a famous 'Vaishnavite' restaurant too serving good Indian vegetarian food.

Splendid Views - Prague

Splendid Views - Prague

** Souvenir Shopping **

There are a lot of souvenir shops downhill the castle. They are expensive, but at the same time offers good choice. There are few vintage cars offering few hours ride of the city too.

Downhill Prague

** Off to Charles Bridge **

After the end of the tour for the Castle , heading to Charles Bridge can be a great next option. (Covered in coming posts)

** Food **

If you are looking for some good food at not so great prices, then it's better to be at the downhill the castle. The restaurants atop are overly expensive and for sure not worth the price you pay.

*** Travel Facts ***

Stay Duration :        3 days at Prague

Stay Place:              MH Apartment, Prague, Recommended

Travel Companion : Better Half

Travel Phases :        3 days, spent exploring different things

Arrived through:      Agency Bus from Vienna via Brno, Recommended

During:                    Sept, 2013

*** Did you like this Post, Did I miss something about Prague, or rather anything you'd like to share about the post or Prague. Looking forward to your comments on this Post. ***

Season's Greetings!

I wish my readers a very merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

May our next year be filled with superb light, exotic travel, colorful festivals and new (and even better) photo-taking devices!

Eugeni Gay Marin | Vietnam

Photo © Eugeni Gay Marin- All Rights Reserved

I just love this gem of a photograph. The melancholic expression of both the musician and his muse (?) are so expressive that I can construct so many stories by just looking at this photograph for a few seconds....and that's what storytelling is all about. Is it a story of unrequited love? Is she remembering an old flame? The musician's overly dyed and carefully coifed hair tells me he could be a washed-up performer, now playing his instrument in cheap joints...still clinging to his youth.

To my mind, this is a Vietnamese fado scene;  the Portuguese music genre characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics.

Eugeni Gay Marin's Vietnam gallery has a few more of his photographs in this lovely country, but unfortunately too few.

However, his photographic project of documenting Punjabi Sikhs is also very interesting, and I've enjoyed viewing it, especially as I haven't had the opportunity of visiting Amritsar or Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple) yet.

Eugeni Gay Marín is a Spanish photographer whose images were published in various media such as El País Semanal and Lonely Planet. He participated in two collective books and has been selected to show his work in several festivals. He co-founded El Observatrio project, specialized in monitoring photographic student work and in 2014 he began Fotoholica, a digital retouching company for photographers. In 2014 he won the photography FNAC New Talent in Spain for the work “From Quantum Island”. This project was exposed in the Voices Off festival in Arles and won the “Le prix Révèlation SAIF 2014”.

The Travel Photographer's 2014 Most Popular Posts

In first place on The Travel Photographer blog during 2014 was POV: The 'Unbearable' Lightness of Fuji X Series in which I explain my decision to leave my heavyweight DSLRs home, and travel to Vietnam with just a Leica M9 and the Fuji X Pro-1. It was first photo expedition-workshop that saw me DSLR-less.

In second place, another POV post with Fuji X-T1 Goes To Vietnam in which I describe my experience with the Fuji X-T1 and how it performs while I was traveling and leading a photo group for almost three weeks. Not only did it perform very well, but I didn't miss my Canon equipment.

In third place is the post titled Leica M9 vs Fuji X Pro1 | New York's Chinatown, in which I compared photographs made with these two cameras during New York's Chinatown Parade. The main thrust of the post is to compare virtually identical photographs made with a Leica was coupled with an Elmarit 28mm f2.8, while the Fuji X Pro1 was coupled with a Fujinon 18mm f2.0.

In fourth place is the post titled Verdict | The People of Tây Bắc Photo Expedition; a lengthy and detailed review of what worked and what didn't during that particular photo expedtion-workshop. I graded it (perhaps too harshly) as a B. Members of the group thought I was too harsh, and perhaps I was...but while the travel logistics were flawless to a large degree, there were a few negatives out of my control that affected the trip.

Rather surprisingly I thought, the fifth place most popular post is about the Zeiss Touit 12mm | Fuiji X-Pro 1, in which I explain I had decided to buy a Zeiss 12mm f2.8 Touit. My reasons were that it was a solid, all glass lens that felt well made, and while it's manufactured in Japan (as if that is a downside), it feels 'German Zeiss'. And it's hand-built.

Most of my blog's most popular posts relate to cameras and lenses...ie gear. Hardly surprisng since photographers, whether travel or otherwise, are primarily interested in opinions and points of view about gear.

John Rowe | The Donga

Photo © John Rowe-All Rights Reserved

For a complete change of pace, here's an Ethiopian feature.

The Donga  (also called Saginay) is the stick-fight practiced by the Suri, a tribe in the Omo Valley. The Suri  adopt stick fighting - which is a traditional way for young men to impress girls. The often bloody fight is a demonstration of bravery, and underscores the men's desire to become cattle warriors.

Generally, stick fighting is practiced so young men can find wives. The ideal time to stick fight is just after it rains, and involves various Suri villages. With 20 to 30 people on each side, the stick fights can be extremely dangerous despite having referees to make sure that rules are followed. It's said that the fights have recently led to fights with guns, in which people have been wounded.

Sometimes when a young man has a dispute over a woman, he challenges his rival to a stick fight. His village joins him by starting the age-old ritual by singing, and carrying their fighting sticks that are carved in the shapes of penises (of course).

The Donga is a gallery of incredibly compelling monochrome photographs of this ritualistic fight by photographer John Rowe.

John Rowe is a photographer and film maker who first trained at the US Navy School of Photography when he was 18 years old. He's also a successful businessman who has founded and managed companies which develop software and digital media for the entertainment industry.

He has also devoted a tremendous amount of time, energy and financial assistance to humanitarian work in Africa. He is also helping to save babies born in the Omo Valley from the brutal tradition of Mingi. Mingi is a tradition practiced for many generations by tribes of the Omo Valley like the Kara, labels certain children as “cursed.”

For more on John's efforts on this worthwhile cause, drop by PetaPixel's post on the subject.

Saigon - Ho Chi Minh city

While it may not be the capital of Vietnam politically, you just need to invest a brief time in Saigon to perceive how it the pace of progress in the south is forming the nation. The biggest city in the nation, with in excess of 6 million tenants (and in excess of 8 on the off chance that you tally brief occupants), Saigon is a packed, quick, uproarious, and overpowering spot at the outset. Burrow a little deeper, however, and you'll discover there is a vitality and dynamic quality to the city that can be extremely irresistible. 

Duc Ba Church

Overflowing with life, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC or Saigon as the greater part of its occupants still call it) offers an extraordinary arrangement for voyagers and exiles apparently equivalent. There's an incredible arrangement to see and do, and no lack of tasty treats to consume, whether at top restaurants or just as delectable road stalls for a few dollars. 

The pace of progress in the city is amazing - regularly structures are pulled down so more up to date, shinier ones can be raised in their spot. In around ten years the city went from a city of 3,000,000 bikes to 5,000,000 motorbikes, heading the Saigon's exceptionally one of a kind brand of movement. Presently auto use is on the ascent gridlock undermines to set in, however it is yet an alternate indication of how quick lives are changing in HCMC, and how more individuals are functioning out of destitution. 

Yet with a more critical look you can discover excellent old structures and also striking new ones, cool, smooth bistros with enclosures that are situated back from the street to provide for you a minutes rest from the frenzy outside, unwinding spas and cool pools to swim in. 

Saigon river

Related link: Vietnam travel

There's additionally various extraordinary day treks that is possible from the site, whether to Tay Ninh mountain and the Cao Dai sanctuaries in the North West, the renowned Cu Chi Tunnels where the safety propelled sneak assaults on the US drives situated in Saigon, vessel excursions to Vung Tau, the Mekong Delta or to Can Gio, the gigantic range of mangrove marshes to the south, known as 'the lungs of the city'.