Velvet Revolution Walk & Slav Epic

Based on several strong recommendations, we got up early this morning to see the city in the first light, before the crowds started to form. It was worth the effort! Our group assembled back at the hotel, and Martin led us through Old Town Square, then on to the Velvet Revolution Memorial, telling us about the history as we walked. We were able to hear his memories of communist control, as well as stories he shared from his extended family and friends’ experiences, and Jana shared her memories of the 1989 revolution as well. A short break for refreshment in the Franciscan Gardens, and then we all walked to Wenceslas Square and parted ways for the afternoon.

The two of us went to explore Havelská Market and get some lunch at a nearby cafeteria, Havelská Koruna, where nearly everything

we tried (much of it unfamiliar to us) was delicious. Next we wanted to see the Slav Epic, a collection of 19 enormous canvases painted by Mucha, which tells the story (according to Mucha!) of the Slavic people and their journey to nationhood with the establishmentof Czechoslovakia. This exhibit was overwhelming both in physical size and in the detail and richness of the work, and we were glad to purchase an English guidebook to help us appreciate the many events referenced. Dinner that night was with our group, and we were all treated to a private concert afterward at the Antonín Dvořák museum, featuring a local professional pianist with mezzosoprano and baritone vocalists. Everyone in our group raved about the concert, even the ones who didn’t usually appreciate opera!

For Day 7,

Click Here!

Travel Tip from Today

Take a picture of anything you’d like to investigate later - it’s too hard to hold all those notes in your head, and writing things down takes longer.

Exploring on Your Own

For the times when we were navigating without our group, we usually planned our route using Google Maps on our phones with the hotel’s free WiFi. Then we took a screenshot of the instructions so we could reference that picture as we traveled.