Salzburg

As the train nears the Austrian city of Salzburg, it passes picture-perfect alpine chalet after picture-perfect alpine chalet. Each freshly painted house is replete with window boxes of amazingly beautiful flowers.

There are throngs of smiling children singing Austrian folk songs as they wash the windows, rake the lawn and clean the pebbles in the driveway. The hausfraus are tatting slipcovers for the family’s brightly shining automobile. The freshly groomed cattle amble down the hillside, creating symphonies with their beautifully glistening cow bells.

The fields surrounding the fairy tale houses are meticulously manicured. The farm hands are busy dusting the crops. No, they aren’t spreading chemicals; they’re working the fields with feather dusters. They are truly dusting the crops.

It’s all kind of eerie; enough to make a slob jump off the train and run screaming into oblivion,

Okay, I stretch the truth slightly, but even Richard commented that while the Czech countryside had a lived-in look, the area around Salzburg was way too ‘Sound of Music’ for his comfort.

More picture of Praha

A pretty building. I would tell you more, but frankly I am old and senile and don't remember. But it sure looks like Disneyland, doesn't it?

A street scene in the Lesser Town district of Prague. Lesser than what, I'm not sure, but I didn't make up the name.

The famous astronomical (or astrological) clock at the old town square. (Okay, Richard told me it was famous... I'd never heard of it before.)

Terezín

Terezín, or Theresienstadt as many of us are more likely to know it, was a Nazi concentration camp.

"Arbeit Macht Frei"; the great lie.

Terezín was a sobering visit. Although not the worst of the Nazi camps, it was totally inhumane. I think you have to experience it to understand.

A typical Prague sidewalk (atypical only because it is empty).

Amazing beautiful, but Richard had troubles walking on them. (Jeesh, he is so old!)

Pivo, prosím!

Beer... it's not just for breakfast anymore!

I always hate it when the military meets me at a national border.

Thankfully, they meant no harm, and I got this picture of them after the crisis passed.

Prague was difficult.

I did not feel comfortable with Prague, at first.

It really should be noted that Prague would be a much better place to visit if it weren’t for all those damn tourists. I have to tell you, they really get on your nerves. Everywhere you go there are throngs of them acting like total butt-heads.

But even worse is the ever present tour group, sometimes numbering 50 strong. They will crush you with their centrifugal source. They are terrifying and they are totally omnipotent, at least in their own mind.

But in truth, the bitter fact is that Prague made me think.

There is no question that Prague is beautiful. And Prague is very old, even by European standards.

One conversation I was involved in summed up my unease, but I had to think long and hard to realize it.

Mary was our tour guide at the Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. (Yes, Richard and I went on one of the detestable tours, but it was small and we were not as abhorrent as all the others. We were the good tour group!) She was wonderful and an unapologetic atheist. If you want an amazing tour of a Catholic Cathedral, I would strongly recommend an atheistic tour guide. Even Richard loved Mary, although he felt her a bit morbid.

At one point, Mary, Vivienne (Australian) and the two of us were talking. (There were three additional tour members who were Russian. Mary spoke Czech, Russian and English: and perhaps more.)

Vivienne mentioned that she had heard that 55% of Czech citizens were atheistic. Mary replied that it was more like 80%, but she referenced the Czech Republic’s new deity. “I miss our godless society. We have a new god and it is money.”

It took time for it to sink in, and additional conversations, but I finally understood that I was watching the gracelessness of a society adjusting to capitalism and to freedom. Most, but not all of the changes were good.

And yes, I now love Prague.