OLD SHOPS, NEXT TO CONCORDE PARIZ: A weekend in Prague, sleeping just a few steps away from a royal residence

Welcome, Lena, in Meeting Benches. Your mail comes from a Central European city, Prague, none of our friends offered us contributors. Thank you, really thank you for having told the story of the small and large city with two clocks, one where old Slovakian men with wide hats no longer turn – from house to house – to collect scrap iron, to be sold in “tandlmark,” the old market . Back again, Lena, in info@meetingbenches.com

Hi, friends Meetings Benches. I am Magdalenka (friends Lena), I live in Prague for almost a quarter of a century, but the other 14 years of my life I will have lived in a different city, but that was – curiously – the same name: Prague. How is this possible, you ask me. Simple. After decades of forced political isolation – that is, from the nineties – I live in a new dimension, existential and urban. Six Centuries of urban architecture, are the same, but everything has been restored, recolored restored, returning to us in Prague and the large number of tourists, which only human carelessness had forgotten.

As you see, the city is divided by the river Vltava in two irregular parts. For one thing, now, we go on the left bank, where the Hradcany castle, the cathedral and the old royal palace reward for yourself. I advise you to photograph – or draw on your notebook travel – the two special clocks that mark time in Prague: that of the Jewish Town Hall, and the astronomical (above the tower of the Old Town Hall). When I was a child, but even now, I was spellbound to see the parade – at any time – the allegorical figures of the theater, but they were not the Apostles or Turkish, my favorites. I waited eagerly for the arrival of the “Cock”.

Perhaps you are curious as to why I will talk about watches. Simple. Those objects, they have always been one of the highlights of my city. At 10 Mikulandskà, the workshop Matous has the ability to polarize the attention of anyone, because in a few places you can buy watches in style twenties, wrist or pocket. If you think of an object, that is a thing of Prague, which is able to enclose the way I perceive this city, come along with me in the studio Moser – 12 Na Prikope – and understand how, in a small stained glass, it is possible to enclose something great.

For your stay, I will suggest an unusual name in a particular place. “Dum U Velké boty” – The Boot – A delightful small family run guest house. Some of the rooms without bath, breakfast is optional, but you will not forget the pleasantness of the place. To eat in a place known to few, you can go in a small street of Betlémské namest, where you will find “Erra Konviktska,” a basement where you can taste delicious morsels.

A picturesque town – cross the age of its inhabitants – is the passion for music. If you want, we can go to “Gallery Happy Prague” – the 14/604 of Staromeste Namesti – specializing in classical music. What is around us, is the Stare Mesto – the old town – on the right bank of the Morava River and the bridge in front of your eyes is to Charles, “Karluv most,” the most photographed monument in Prague. Inside a small weekend, I am not able to add other things to look at, but when you decide to return, recalls some useful information. First, the Prague Information Service – www.prague.info.cz – 20 Na prikope. Very interesting, is to visit the city using urban transport – www.dp-praha.cz – that allow you to use the metro, trams and buses. See you soon. Lena.