Prague at night takes on an entirely different feel. It is one of the many reasons that I feel like this city may be better or greater to explore and experience than Vienna. The city didn't feel scary or unsafe (although only a fool would think that such areas didn't exist in any major city), but instead felt like a different side of the same coin. Landmarks and sights took on a different feel. The streets had a different energy. Performers and exhibitions catered to a different crowd. What a fun place to explore and wander around!
Speaking of wander, I managed to do quite a bit of that, thanks in part to one (or more) (consecutive) (compounding) (and/or confusing) wrong turn(s). I never felt unsafe but I definitely got to experience parts of the city that are most likely for locals only, and that's where my perspective above comes from.
I tried to take lots of pictures of places at night, including the Powder Gate, the Opera house, Prague Castle, and the gates to the Charles Bridge. Tried is the operative word, here, as steady rain of fluctuating strength hampered my efforts whenever possible. Still, I think I managed to secure a couple of good pictures before my lens became difficult to clean and I feared for damaging the camera body itself.
Another selfie, at night; not to be mistaken for one of the "good shots"
I alluded to above.
One last order of business for the evening: a Czech beer in a local pub. I don't know the name of the place (I'm not sure it had one!) and I don't remember the name of the beer they brought me (if they even told me), but again: a damn good pilsner. Maybe I'm missing something with pilsners, since I'm not a beer snob unlike some friends ... But to me, they always just taste "like beer" until they reach a point where they're too warm or too bitter for me to enjoy. The beers here were good, I enjoyed them, and they suffered from the above criticisms far less than comparable beers back in the states. But still, if someone who knows what I should be experiencing and/or expecting more with a pils wants to enlighten me, please feel free.
After a long day of dodging rain and exploring the city, I collapsed back at my hotel. 48 hours may be far too little or this city after all ...
