ellisfamilyabroad

Prague was high on our list for places to visit. It is only about four and a half hours away, so very easy to drive to. We had a bunch of Marriott points from our time there when we moved to Germany, so we used some points and stayed right downtown and enjoyed every minute. It is a walking city and we certainly walked a lot. Prague is magical and beautiful.

Everywhere we looked there was picturesque architecture. This was our first picture.

Old Town Square; Staromestske Namesti.

The astronomical clock.

This is the famed Charles bridge. The plaque we are rubbing is one of St. John of Nepomuk, a Czech martyr saint who was executed during the reign of Wenceslas IV by being thrown into the Vltava from the bridge. It is said that rubbing this will bring good luck and a return trip to Prague.

We were on our way to the Castle, but the way we walked had this huge staircase. There was this group of about five Italian tourists, all dressed in white, who were walking right near us. We tried a bunch of times to get pictures of the kids without the "white knight" in it but we had no luck.

The city of prague viewed from the castle quarter.

Sharing a snack.

This is inside the Strahov Monastery. They have the most impressive library we have ever seen. These people were true intellectuals. The monastery itself was built in 112o.

The library again.

This "Eifel Tower of Prague" sits atop of Petrin Hill in the castle quarter. Once you have climbed the hill, and then up the 299 steps to the top of the tower, you are actually as high as the Real Eifel tower is. We had fun climbing to the top and the view was beautiful.

Some real live bohemian gals were giving kids pony rides at Petrin Hill, Katie enjoyed the pony and the ride but she was a reluctant smiler!!!

Love

We had a great paddle boat ride on the Vltava river.

Apparently women are supposed to sit in the back.....ummm really??

In 1621, 27 Czech Noblemen were executed here because of their Protestant faith.

Again in the old town square and this family we know from Stuttgart. I ran into five people I know in Prague...how strange...thank you Navy for giving us this tour in Europe!!!!

An image from the Jewish Ghetto.

hmmmmm.

We were tired in the late morning of the third day. We decided to do the car tour. It was a blast. An old Skoda car, and a local driver take you around for about a half hour. If you get to Prague, I highly recommend the car tour.

I had to.

Statue of St. Wenceslas.

Inside the impressive St. Vitus cathedral.

Nolan thought the gate guards were cool. He wanted this picture taken.

???

Most people who come to Europe set out on trips to Paris, Rome, Prague, etc. Bill likes to go find quirky European events to go to that most Americans would not be at. Have you heard of Ypres, Belgium?? No?? Well, it's home to the Kattanstoet festival held once every three years. The Kattanstoet festival is a cat festival. Check this out:

We left Stuttgart on Thursday, May 7th. We drove to Trier, Germany. This picture was taken in front of Porta Nigra. When the last Romans left Trier in about 400 A.D., they left behind a city full of Roman architecture. The city used to be completely walled. This part of the wall is all that is left.

Peek-a-boo.

Hi!!

Nolan loved climbing on the walls of Porta Nigra.

Perched in a window on the wall.

Half timbered houses in Trier, the city was beautiful.

Nolan always likes to support the local street performers.

Katie trying to whisper in the Trier basilica.

Billy likes to be the cool American teenager, but after enough poking fun from me about his Metallica t-shirt which goes on every trip, I finally got a good laugh. What a sport!

The Trier Basilica.

Saying a prayer.

Love...love...love.

In front of Karl Marx house; Karl wasn't home, we checked.

Maybe it's time to go back to our rental apartment.

A new day...we drove to Gent, Belgium. The churches and fountains and buildings were beautiful.

Billy is always up for giving the kids a break from walking.

Gravensteen castle built by the counts of Flanders in about 1177. It was first a castle for several counts but later in medieval times it became a prison. The prison was very much into torture, so we were able to see some of the devices they used and the gruesome way in which many people died.

There are always a lot of stairs in these castles.

Nolan loves the knights attire.

The guillotine.

Lets see what other instruments of death this place has.

Saturday, we drove to Ypres to our cabin. Bill thought it was quaint and rustic. I was creeped out because of all of the spider webs. I was a blubbering mess when we found a huge spider in our bedroom. But...the kids loved it and we did have fun.

Breakfast time.

On Saturday, we spent the day looking at old battlefields and cemetaries for those lost in WWI. The kids liked climbing on the old bunkers.

It was hard to believe as we walked down paths and through beautiful fields, that so many men died on this land.

Big climb-on toys.

This was part of the on-site museum at this famous battle site, Hill 62. This room had tons of war memorabilia and pictures.

Here we are about to enter the trenches at Hill 62 left basically as they were since the first World War, it was pretty amazing.

What else would you do here if you were a 14 year old boy?

Day four, the pinnacle of our trip, Ypres, Belgium; Kattanstoet. This picture is of the cloth market where much of textile trading occured in medeival times. This is also the site where they threw the cats off the belfry tower every spring. This building was really spectacular.

The festivities start at noon. You first go to the restaurant they designated you to and have a traditional Flemish lunch (delicious). Then pre-parade activities where the local business come through and throw candy to little kids as well as Japanese adults (??). Then the parade begins.