It's been some time since we had enjoyed(?) a cold and wintry Christmas so, in much the same way you play Pin-The-Tail-On-The-Donkey, we stuck a pin in the map of Europe and came up with Prague. Given that Prague is also the home base of Good King Wenceslas, it seemed like a great place to spend the Christmas season. The King was made famous through the popular Christmas carol that tells a story of a king braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant during the Feast of Stephen. I have virtually no childhood memories but I'm pretty sure that the way DH sang the carol wasn't the way it was intended to be ("Good King Wenceslas had a cow, ee i ee i oh...). And it turns out that the 'King' was actually a Duke and was 'good' only as compared to some of his more despicable relatives- he was assassinated by his brother. 
 
Prague is also famous for it's traditional Christmas markets (Vanocni Trh) and we thought that being here in the cold of winter would give us a chance to see one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in the world without contending with the hoards of tourists and party animals that invade this former Eastern Bloc capital in the warmer months (and since Prague is consistently ranked at the top of the list for pickpockets we thought sub zero temperatures might hinder their dexterity?). We traded in our safari gear for hats, gloves, boots, and coats (after 3 years of travel our Canadian-bred resistance to cold is long gone), boarded a plane and made our way to the Czech Republic.

First impressions- it's easy to see why people rave about the beauty of Prague, particularly the Old Town. Unlike many other cities in Europe, Prague was largely undamaged during WWII, and there's an authenticity to the place that makes it easy to imagine the glory days of medieval Europe. For any architecture groupie or history buff, this city is a must-see. My very own Princess seemed very much at home surrounded by ancient palaces and castles.

Second impressions- even in the dead of winter we were far from alone in this classic Euro town. I inadvertently initiated a number of very intimate relationships as we did the mandatory pedestrian crossing of the iconic Charles Bridge jammed together with hundreds of our new friends. Apparently it's much worse in the summer but it's really hard to soak up the ambiance of this magnificent city while dodging the competitive jostling for selfie Facebook shots ("this is my big face blocking anything of importance in behind me").
I suspect that the Prague Astronomical Clock was constructed as the worlds first tourist trap- at the top of the hour, crowds jostle for position in front of the tower and take snapshots of one of the more underwhelming clock displays- a trap door opens and the disciples spin by...and that's about it, although probably a very big deal in its day.
 
Third impressions- the Praguites are as cool as the -8 Celcius temperatures outside. I'm sure that being overrun by tourists most months of the year probably leaves you a bit jaded, and 50+ years of domination by the cheerless Russians would limit the development of a sense of fun, but grouchiness appears to be the main qualification for a job in the local service industry.

Fourth impressions- Prague is much more affordable than some of our other European stops. Mind you, we were making meals out of street food offered up by many of the Christmas market vendors and washing it down with hot spicy wine and hot apple cider. We're normally overly cautious with respect to street meats but the smells were constantly swirling around us so we dove in with everyone else. Even though she had no hope of pronouncing it, DH developed a liking for trdelniks which is a Czech pastry made by wrapping dough around a stick and roasting it over an open flame. Just to keep pace with this bad dietary choice, I made too many meals out of the sausage and sauerkraut on offer.

Fifth impressions- Czechs are justifiably proud of their beers but they tend to give new meaning to the term 'power drinking'. They drink a lot (apparently more beer per capita than any other nation in the world including neighbouring Germany), and they drink everywhere and at any time of the day. In 1951, Prague resident, Dr Jaroslav Skala created the first "sobering-up station" for those who enjoyed too many Pilsner Urquells, Budvars, or Grambrinus' (a Czech beer I was starting to like)- apparently it was the intro to a treatment session that involved singing anti-alcohol songs.
And if fending off cartoon-like drunks wasn't enough, the other great addiction seems to be smoking. The restaurants/bars/cafes away from the tourist centre are smoke filled reminders of the 70's back home, and it's far from a pleasant reminder. I can't believe we ever tolerated smoking in these public areas.

Sixth Impressions- Even in the heart of Europe, I can't get into the classics. DH pulled rank and forced me to buy tickets to The Old Prague Music Ensemble Christmas Concert. Her evil plan, as it turns out, was to force me to applaud an endless series of classical music pieces by taking me to see an orchestra held in the unheated St Grieves Basilica (applauding was the only way to stay warm). The bonus songs when I thought the concert was over was a bit cruel. 

Seventh impressions- forget everything but the first impression. Prague is an overwhelmingly beautiful city and we would highly recommend it for a couple of days of aimless wandering. The Heritage Committee types back home (who struggle to save the very few buildings we have of any historical significance) would lose their minds in Prague- it just never seems to end. For the most part they've been cleaned off their communist era soot, and each bend or corner reveals a new row of magnificent buildings- even some of the derelict buildings are fronted by wonderful doorways and balconies.

The Vltava River runs through the whole thing and old stone bridges periodically span the width. The most famous of these bridges is the Charles (and its 75 statues) which connects the Old Town with the imposing Prague Castle (largest in the world) which sits high on the hill watching all of the smoking and drinking going on down below. The castle walls contain a number of impressive buildings including the St Vitus Cathedral which is the current home of the bones of our Good King Wenceslas. 

And if you get a little tired of wandering the streets of Prague, there's a number of sites that are just a short train ride away. The one we most 'enjoyed' most was the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora. This area became a desirable area to be buried when an abbot brought some dirt back from the Holy Land and sprinkled it here. The ossuary is estimated to contain the skeletons of 40,000 to 70,000 people- the bones have been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel (you have to see the photos to believe this place).

I wasn't sure that escaping the cold Christmas of Toronto for the cold Christmas of Prague was the best of plans but Prague is truly a must-see destination.