Plans are changing

Prague

 We will not be leaving Talaria in Sicily for the winter after all.  After nearly two months we still do not have all the estimates for the work that needs to be done to repair her.  Therefore, it is entirely unreasonable to think that it will all be completed in a few weeks.  Just won't happen.  

Prague

We have had to cancel our winter contract at Marina di Ragusa in Sicily and will now leave Talaria in Montenegro.  The engine finally was repaired.  They replaced the ECU (electronic control unit), the alternator and a couple of sensors.  So we moved Talaria to Navar Boatyard and put her on the hard.  We are not allowed to stay on the boat while she is in the yard so we are heading home for awhile.  

Beautiful Church in Prague

In an attempt to salvage some of our time in Europe we have decided to do a train trip through the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany before flying home.  There are not many flights out of Tivat but there is a flight that goes directly to Prague.  Seemed like a fine place to start so we booked a flight!  

Municipal House - Prague

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities we have ever visited.  There is just not an ugly building anywhere.  Every building is adorned in some way; sculptures, roman columns, ornate borders and on and on.  It was just surprising that all that beauty was not reserved for a few old historic sites but was true for all the buildings we saw.  Even just ordinary apartment buildings.  No building was left without a touch of beauty.  

St. Nicholas Church

And the churches got an extra touch of beauty.  So incredibly beautiful!  Every time I see an amazingly beautiful church, I think this is it - the most beautiful church in the world ... and then there is another.  I have come to conclude they are all beautiful...differently.

St. Nicholas Church

Prague is 1500 km from the UK and that distance is what saved them from the intense bombing that other European cities suffered.  World War II bombers just did not have the range to reach Prague.  That is not to say they weren't bombed - they were.  But it was not until the end of the war when there were bases closer (Italy) from which to stage bombing raids that Prague was hit.  And once accidentally when the Allied bombers mistook Prague for Dresden - they were off by about 60 miles.

 

Old Town Square

For this reason most of Prague is still historically intact making it such a joy to visit.  And people do visit - in droves!!  It was not our intent to visit Prague (or anywhere) during the "tourist season" but things don't always turn out as planned.  So we just did our best to cope with the masses while taking in the city.  From Montenegro to Prague was our only flight on this adventure, from here on we are traveling by train.  We are hoping the trains in Europe are a step up from Amtrak!