The Richness of Prague

You are sitting on a cobblestone pathway.  In the distance the bells of the church are just finishing their hourly labor.  The people bustle around you, there are so many languages being spoken that you have stopped pretending to identify them.  Near by a cello quartet rounds out a classical version of Stairway to Heaven.  You think to yourself, 'What is this place where where the whole world seems to meet?  Where classical music serenades you from every corner?'  As the music passes through you, the aromas of a dozen different types of food waft past you as the sun sets behind the Baroque cathedral.  This place where rock meets opera, east meets west, north meets south, the remnants of communism meets capitalism is Prague; a delicious cacophony of all that Europe has to offer.

Still a hidden jewel among the plethora of hip European vacation destinations, Prague emits a richness and diversity of culture that does not exist in other cities that I have traveled to.  Richness:  I cannot describe it any other way.  Richness of architecture:  The most beautifully adorned buildings covered with rich colors, golden accents and thousands of statues.  Stunning mixtures of Bohemian, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo designs that mix together like a delicious stew.  

The richness of different types of food from all over the globe that melt together to create a new Czech cuisine.  No longer just dumplings and goulash, in Prague you can find a variety of restaurants all with their own take on traditional dishes, as well as their own worldly specialties:  Italian, Turkish, Chinese, Cuban, Spanish, Mediterranean, Irish, etc.  

Richness of music:  if there is one thing you go to Prague for, it should be the music.  There are concerts in every corner of the city.  Music emanates from the streets, the churches, and the theaters.  Sitting in the Old Town Square you can feel the richness of the city all around you.

Five days was just enough to get a taste of this exquisite city and to want more.  I fear there will never be enough time to see all that she has to offer.  Every time you turn a corner you meet a new site, an undiscovered church, plaza or restaurant which seem to have appeared just for you.  It is almost as if Prague is still somehow undiscovered even though millions of tourists migrate there every year.  Your very own forgotten land ready to be discovered.