We have not had any new snow in Prague for a few days, but a lot of it still remains on the ground. More snow is expected next week. The pictures below were taken earlier this week around náměstí Míru in Prague.

The Czech Republic is digging out after heavy snowfall around the country. Trains and flights were delayed and there were serious problems traveling by road. Border crossings with Germany and Slovakia had to be closed for a few hours for snow clearing.

Heavy snow creates problems around the country

Main Prague roads covered with slush, others with packed snow

Prague to start removing snow from centre to Vltava River

Snow in Šumperk

Snow clearing in Šumperk

It’s that time of the year again. The end of November, a month before Christmas, and that means that the first Prague Christmas market opens at Náměstí Míru. It started on Friday morning and we went to take a look. It was the same market as last year, with the same stalls selling the same merchandise and foods, with the same tree and nativity scene. But one thing was different. The weather. It was a beautiful, sunny day and it was about 13 degrees Celsius (55 Fahrenheit). The flowers on the square were still in full bloom, the lawns were bright green, people were dressed lightly and the market decorations felt out of place. It made me remember all the falls and winters I spent in California, and how hard it was for me to get into the Christmas mood there.

The unseasonably warm weather we’re having is supposed to last through November and possibly into the first week of December.

We took a walk around the Vyšehrad Castle area yesterday. I always enjoy it there but this particular visit felt even more special. It was a beautiful, warm evening, late enough for the day visitors to be gone, yet lively enough with dog walkers, joggers and parents with kids. The beautiful views from up there took me by surprise again.

A View of the Prague Castle, Lesser Town and the Nusle District from the Vyšehrad Castle Area

A View of the Vyšehrad Castle at Sunset

The Prague main train station (hlavní nádraží) is finally starting to look like a train station. A nice one I mean. One that a city like Prague deserves. A clean one. Bright and airy. Organized. With ways for passengers with strollers, bikes and heavy luggage to get to their platforms without having to drag their strollers, bikes and luggage up stairs and non-working escalators. With wide hallways and civilized looking public toilets (still paid, but oh well…). The repulsive, dreary, smelly basement luggage locker area is gone! It magically disappeared into thin air and was replaced by an open, modern ticket window and information center that doesn’t smell of urine. Boutiques, bakeries, fast food restaurants, regular restaurants, flower shops, and a really nice bookstore are now in place of the handful of tired looking newsstands and plastic wrapped sandwich stands that were once your only “entertainment” and “refreshment” options at the station.

The restoration of the Prague central station is far from finished, but the city no longer has to be ashamed of the pathetic welcome it offered its train traveling visitors until recent months. The work is currently estimated to be finished by 2012. Let’s see what other surprises the Italian investor has in store for us for the coming years.

Here’s just a little personal request: Would it be at all possible to put benches on the platforms? Please?