The Charles Bridge in Prague

On March 31, 2017April 3, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Czech Republic4 Comments

There are several reasons to visit Prague in the Czech Republic and one of those is the Charles Bridge, which leads from the old town area over the Vltava River to the Prague Castle. Prague is extremely popular with tourists and the bridge is no exception, so be prepared for heavy crowds and lots of tour groups when you visit, even during the off-season. Equally impressive as the bridge itself are the guard towers that protect the bridge and serves as a stunning entrance. The views of the castle from the bridge are quite amazing, but the main attractions of the bridge are the statues that line both sides.

Construction of the bridge began in the 1300’s and it has been damaged and restored many times throughout its history. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the 30 statues and statuaries were added on top of the bridge pillars along both sides of the bridge, greatly enhancing its beauty. Today, as visitors take photographs of the amazing artwork, they are appreciating reproductions as the originals started to be removed in the 1960’s in fear for damage and vandalism. Despite the fact that they are replicas, they still remain quite an impressive sight.

Looking across the Bridge towards the Castle

There is one statue on the bridge, the statue of St. John Nepomuk, that is of particular interest to tourists. It is on your right as you head from the old town towards the castle and can be identified by his gold halo and the crucifix in his arms. Below the statue are two plaques, one to the right and one to the left of the statue. Legend has it that if you rub the plaque to the right you will one day return to Prague, while another legend has it that if you rub the plague to the left, with the dog, you will have good luck. Needless to say, they are just legends, but there are throngs of people lining up to rub the plaques, making them shiny from their efforts.

View of Charles Bridge from another Bridge in Prague

Today it is a pedestrian only bridge and you will find many street artists and vendors playing music as well as selling arts and crafts. We couldn’t help but purchase a watercolor from an artist along the bridge that we felt truly replicated the feel of being on that historic site. Despite the immense crowds, it was definitely one of those places that when you visit, it stays with you forever. We will always cherish the views of Prague and the castle from the Charles Bridge.

Schloss Stolzenfels

On March 27, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany5 Comments

Located just outside of Koblenz, Germany, is the Stolzenfels Castle. We had taken the train from Frankfurt to Koblenz, so we had to take a taxi to get to the grounds of the castle, but it was one of the sights that we wanted to see while we were in Koblenz. The area around the castle is a park with plenty of walking trails and it is a very steep hike to make your way up to the castle itself. Needless to say, there are a lot of castles in Germany, especially along the Rhine River, but we found this one to be different than most of the others that we had seen. First of all, the walls of the castle, which was later turned into a palace, are white instead of the typical gray stones. The other thing that stands out are the spires of the cathedral that is part of the castle complex.

It is clear from the dramatic views of the river valley as to why they would have chosen this location for the castle. The castle was originally built to protect the toll station on the river collecting money from ships transporting goods through the region. Over time it was extended several times and occupied by both the French and the Swiss. It was destroyed during the Nine Years’ War and then eventually rebuilt as a palace in the 1800’s by Crownprince Frederick William IV. The gothic chapel was completed in 1845 and was visited by Queen Victoria.

The castle is open to the public and can be toured, but unfortunately for us, there were no English tours available as it was off-season and a Sunday, so tour times were limited. Even without getting to see the inside of the castle, it was well worth the strenuous hike to see the castle and the views of the Rhine Valley. The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, where Schloss Stolzenfels resides, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.

Just strolling the grounds of the park is well worth the visit and seemed to be a favorite pastime of locals. One could imagine the impression of guests as the passed through the impressive guardhouse on their way up summit and the grand palace entranceway. Unfortunately we didn’t have our own horse-drawn carriage and locating a taxi to return to Koblenz turned out to be almost impossible. Fortunately, the taxi driver who had dropped us off had given us his business card and we were able to call him and have him come and get us. It took about an hour for him to arrive, but that didn’t diminish how impressed we were with Schloss Stolzenfels.

Amsterdam from Above

On March 21, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Netherlands, Photo Challenge3 Comments

We were fortunate that our hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands, had incredible views of the city from its rooftop lounge. Seeing the labyrinth of buildings from above is always a wonderful way to get a true sense of a city. We have mentioned previously that we almost always try to see the places that we visit from both the street level as well as from a tall building, tower, hill, or even cable car. This was definitely true of the places that we visited while we were in Europe, so when this week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge came out with Atop, we had plenty of cities to choose from. Hopefully you’ll enjoy these views as much as we did.