October 7

October 7

I begin this evening where we ended our day. Which is also where we began our day at the Monastery.

We started our day touring the monastery and decided we had to come back to the restaurant at the monastery called Bella Vista. We sat outside on the outer grounds of the monastery the food was good but the view over the jewel lights of the city was beyond price. To our left was the cathedral at the castle straight down in front of us we could see the spires of St. Nicholas church and like a necklace of Czech amber the lights of the Charles Bridge led across the river into the lights of old town.

The monastery has a world famous library. The larger room was being renovated but we could see some of it. It is two stories high and floor to ceiling with book shelves. Usually here are the books devoted to philosophy. Just down the hall, which is filled with the books on law and medicine is a smaller but I am sure equally as gorgeous library of religious books. There are also a series of globes from different times, including one that does not yet show Australia. Half way down the room is a small locked cabinet that contains the forbidden books, only the abbot had the key.

The books were all bound in leather but the earlier ones were covered with chalk to help protect them.

Just outside the library was a cabinet of books, each one had on its spine something that looked like the leaves or branches of a tree, which it was—inside the 'book' were parts of the trees represented on the outside.

I know so much because we had the good fortune to have the attention of one of the docents, she used her limited but good English to tell us all about the library. When we thanked her for her time she said “ it is our duty”.

The grounds of the monastery are peaceful and a nice change from the noise of even this quieter part of Prague.

We took the tram down to the old town and wandered through the two Hussite churches ( actually one is back to being a Catholic church,) that had been closed on Monday. They are both Gothic in construction with lots of Baroque added. In the second church ( the church of St James) at the back is this black thing hanging from the wall, legend has it that in 1400 a thief was trying to steal jewels from the pieta on the altar and his arm froze to it. The priests had to cut off his arm because it would not come loose. So they hung it on the wall as a warning.

As we walked across Charles Bridge we came upon a group of middle aged and older oriental women sitting on low stools drawing and painting the view. Some of the work was really good. They seemed so calm, quiet and self contained. It made me feel badly that all I could aspire to was making some of my images look like paintings in photoshop! Oh well to each her talent!

We had a kielbasa in Old Town Square – wow Nothing in it is good for you so it is of course delicious.

While there were still lots of people today, they seemed a bit less frantic, either we are more used to it, or there were really fewer or the humidity and heat (yes it was 85 today) slowed them down. The teens were still as unconscious of the rest of the world and except when they are bumping you off the curb, fun to watch.

We walked to the tram and rode it back up to the castle, we walked into the castle through the woods outside the wall and then back up that damn hill. ( I think I have enjoyed that climb enough now)

We had a beer and then went to dinner at Bella Vista.