May 2024
The capital of Bohemia which was marginally spared by Allied bombing in WWII, has more than thousand years of history witnessing conflict, tyranny and stupidity of humankind - the Soviets, the Nazi Germany/Third Reich, the Habsburg, the Thirty Years' War, the Hussite Wars, the Ottomans etc.
This city is so unique in the centre of central Europe that: -
The Bohemians have language and culture distinctive from the Deutsch (germans), even though Kingdom of Bohemia was one of the Electors to elect the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (which is hardly holy, roman or even an empire) and this city was the de facto capital of the HRE as the seat of the early emperors from the House of Luxembourg
It has the highest percentage of atheists among Europe, due to centuries of religious tensions and wars between the Catholics and the Protestants, nailed by the execution of Jus Hus (a Czech Catholic priest who raised challenges to the Catholic teachings) in 1415 by the Catholic Church for heresy
It has people with the strongest opinions against the communists, after the invasion by the Soviets in 1968 to reverse the peaceful reformation of the Czech communist government and imposition of brutal communist tyranny for decades until the fall of the communism
It has witnessed vibrant recovery and thrilling development after the fall of the communists, despite being part of the eastern bloc for decades under the Soviets
Isaac took many tram rides (and it is free for children), enjoyed the river cruise served with apple juice and biscuits, had whole of the public transport museum (with no other visitor), had fun with the animals in the zoo and on the chairlift and mini-tram (extra fare applies!), and got crazy in the Lego museum.
Isaac visited the same ice-cream shop every day and was recognised with extra waffle on top of his ice-cream.
Praha was the first stop of the honeymoon trip in 2015, before Isaac was born.