Days Six and Seven
Well it had to happen. When we got up it was raining! The first rain of the trip. Today was always going to be a traveling day with a lunch stop in Prague, like you do. I had never been to Prague before so I was pleased Andy had planned it in.
Typical Czech Petrol Station
After struggling to find parking for half an hour we eventually parked up by the river. The rain had stopped and it was pretty warm (20 °C) so we had lunch outside overlooking ‘Charles Bridge’ and followed this by taking in a few touristy sites.
The Astronomical Clock
A highlight of Old Town Square is Prague’s astronomical clock, a complicated, ancient “orloj” that reveals Babylonian time, Old Bohemian time, German time and sidereal time, as well as sunrise and sunset, phases of the moon and the sun’s position in the zodiac. Crafted in 1410 by a clockmaker and a professor of mathematics, the clock has been repaired and maintained for over 600 years, making it the third oldest clock in the world. The figures of the Apostles, which are shown in the two upper windows every hour, were added in 1865.
When the clock strikes the hour, bells ring, the Walk of the Apostles begins, the Gothic sculptures move, a cock crows and a trumpeter blast sets off a tourist-pleasing show, a sight everyone should see at least once. For the most fanfare, catch the display at noon or at midnight.
Charles Bridge
Connecting Old Town and Lesser Town over the River Vltava is the 600 year-old Charles Bridge, Prague’s most iconic landmark. King Charles IV commissioned the bridge in 1357, replacing the Judith Bridge which was destroyed by a flood in 1342. Thirty Baroque statues line the sides of the pedestrian bridge along with myriad vendor’s stalls, musicians, performance artists and beggars. A bustling, busy area, the bridge is almost never empty of people, although seeing it at dawn or in the evening will mean fewer crowds. Prague Castle, looming above, is lit at night, and provides a dramatic vista that enchants all visitors. On each end of the Charles Bridge rests a tower that offers a great view of the bridge to those who climb the steps.
Old Town Square
Located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge, Prague’s Old Town Square is often bursting with tourists and locals in the summer. Czech’s long history is exemplified in the medley of architectural styles: Romanesque, Baroque, Rococo, Gothic and Renaissance are all represented in the superb buildings around the square. Soaring Gothic towers that rise from Tyn Cathedral contrasts with the Baroque style of St. Nicholas while Old Town Hall consists of a collection of Gothic and Renaissance buildings. Entranced visitors wander through the square, stopping for a spot of people-watching at one of the outdoor cafes or studying the square’s central statue of Jan Hus, church reformer and martyr.
With the ‘tour’ done we hit the road again, in the sunshine, to our hotel stop back across the boarder in Germany. We stayed at the Ferian Hotel in the small town of Augustusburg.
Augustusburg is a town in the district of Mittelsachsen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated 12 km east of Chemnitz. Augustusburg is known for its Jagdschloss, the hunting lodge of the same name.
We walked up into the old town and had another fab meal at the traditional inn/restaurant Landsknecht. Now to be fair it did look a little like the ‘Slaughted Lamb’ from the outside but once in, with Pinokio sat on the bar we had a warm welcome and good service.
Day Seven
Colditz
This was the big one for me. Ever since I had watched the film and TV series when I was a kid I had been fascinated by all the stories of the daring escapes.
We left Augustusburg by 9.30am in the sunshine and arrived at Colditz Castle by 11.00. Just in time for a two hour guided walking tour of the entire castle. The tour included all the famous areas and loads of escape stories with tremendous detail. This really exceeded both of ours expectations and was a real high point of the trip. The castle is undergoing the slow process of renovation, as funding allows, so now is a great time to visit before it (inevitable) becomes too commercial and touristy.
We left the castle after lunch and had an enjoyable ride all the way to Berlin. We got a few sites in before checking into the hotel.
As luck would have it, it was a bank holiday on Friday so tonight the entire city were out for a party. We duly excepted our invitation and had a bloody good night out!
Camping in the Black Forest at a beautiful campsite where the German lady owner hooked her string line to her markers and made us line our tent fronts and side right on the line. 
