Another busy day, another beautiful city.
Prague is one of the most historic capitals of Europe. We started our sightseeing in the Castle District with a visit to the truly awesome Church of St. Vitus.
The scale and grandeur of these old world cathedrals can only be appreciated in person and not really in the relatively small amount of time allotted most tourists. Yet the impression is unforgettable. It is easy to understand how these soaring, magnificent structures inspired the spiritual lives of the people.
Later we visited Josefov, the old Jewish Quarter, which dates back to the 14th century. There is an ancient cemetery where tombstones from different eras and families stand closely side by side, because according to Jewish law, stones marking graves must not be removed. There are two historic synagogues in the district, both of which now serve as museums.
In one, all 80,000 names of the Czech Jews who perished in the Holocaust are meticulously engraved on the walls. How heartbreaking it is to see where whole families were murdered by the Nazis. Yet the way in which the memory of their sacrifice is indelibly preserved can only inspire.
Tomorrow bright and early we set out for our ultimate destination, Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps of Germany, where we will see the centuries-old spectacle of the Passion Play. Wish us safe travels.
P.S. A special thanks to Jeanette Wotherspoon, who bought me a delicious ice cream cone in the Old City when I ran short of the local currency.
