Ralph's Day in Prague

Ralph
wants
to
sleep
in
today...

but
I
want
to
explore!

while
the
flower
vendors
are setting out
their
wares...

so
beautiful!















and
strawberry
sellers,
too!

I'll
take
some!

I
watch
the
kids...

taking
off
for
school...

and
commuters...

on
cycles.

I
wander
into
a
quiet
park...

where
I
found
a
fortification.

Ominous.

Did it speak
of the
Czech
occupation
by Nazis?

or the
one
by
the
Russians?

An old man
saw
my interest.

He began
telling me
his story
in
Czech.

He showed
me
pictures.

I had
no
understanding.

We shrugged
and said good-bye.

I said Auf wiedersehen.

His eyes
lit up!

He knew
a modicum of
German...

as did I.

Now having a common
elementary language
we could talk!

He walked me
around the
block.

Showed me
where they
shot
Nazi leader
Heydrich -

"boom-boom"

The
bullet holes
still
remembered
in solid
wall.

He told me
of his own
days
in
Konzentration
camp.

Then
he
left....

left me
with a
new
understanding
of the
Czech people...

and
a
gratitude
that I
had spent
those hours
at home
learning
German.

But
now,
back to
Ralph....

and
TJ.



















Sharp
travelers
we
are...

We
take
the
tram...

to
Old
Town...

where
our
guide
prattles
on...

about
kings...

and
defenestrations...

while
TJ and I
take
photos...

and
wave
to
passers-by.

Meanwhile
Ralph
makes
a
phone
call.

I like
watching
the locals
go
by...

and
enjoy
their
flirting...

more
than
the
old
buildings..

and
contorted
statues.

We
wander
the
cobblestone
streets...

through
colorful
squares...

But
Ralph's
feet
never
get
tired.

We
check
out
the
famous
Astrological
Clock...

and
the
famous
Old
Town
Square.

Hey!

Let's
check out
this
church!

Beautiful!

but
where's
Ralph?

Grocery
shopping?

Let's
get
back
to
the
sights...

See
the
Prague
Castle
off
in the
distance?

And
the
Crucifix
on
Charles
Bridge?

I'm
enjoying
the
Dixieland
Band...

and
touching
the stars
for
good
luck.

Ralph!

Stop
clowning
around!

We
cross
over
the
canal...

Looking
down
on
tour
groups
below...

and
talking
to
locals
above....

looking
at
the
locks
of lovers
left
on the bridge.

Check
out
the
John
Lennon
Wall...











and
our
touring
subversives.

By
the time
we
get
to The
Castle....

even
Ralph
is
exhausted.

The
changing
of
the
guards...

more
centuries
of
history
explained...

and
we
are
just ready
to head back...

but

where is

Ralph?!

A long
walk
back
on the
cobblestones...

chasing
a
few
pigeons...

Ralph
gets
in
trouble
again!

We're
glad
to
get
finally
back...














to
our
lovely
hotel
room...

and
relax....












at
last!