A cold morning walk at Vyšehrad and a lazy afternoon

This week I have Thursday and Friday off and also Monday of next week due to the Easter holiday. I'll be going on a meditation retreat at a monastery in Mnichovo Hradiště with Dita and another friend Michaela starting tomorrow, but today I was looking forward to sleeping in. It wasn't in the cards for me, though. My ever-obliging Czech doctor was able to sneak me into his schedule - at 7:15 AM. So, at 6:30 I rolled out of bed, threw on some clothes and headed out to Doc's.

For some reason it's been super freezing here, even though it's supposed to be spring. Today is no exception. It's hazy, damp and cold. Still, as the train rolled through Vyšehrad station on its way to my stop, Pražského povstání, I thought about how it's pretty dumb that I've been living in Prague for more than a year, and although I have walked around the walls of the ancient Vyšehrad fortress, I have never spent any time inside the grounds or visited the cemetery there which I know to be gorgeous. It's one of those things I've always been meaning to do sometime. I have quite a list of things like that here in Prague, and on account of my imminent move to Istanbul in five months I realized I had better get cracking on that list.

So, at 8:00 AM I'm walking around Vyšehrad in the morning fog. Vyšehrad sits on a hill overlooking the Vltava. The site has been used for various purposes over the centuries, serving as a medieval fortress, a royal residence, and a training center for the Austrian Army. Today there are only a few remnants of the original medieval structure, with the massive ramparts and complex of buildings and gates mostly remodeled and reconstructed during various historical periods.

Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul

It is very peaceful, especially early in the morning on a cold day. I walked around the grounds along the edge of the huge fortified wall overlooking the river. There are the ruins of a medieval watchtower from which you can see Prague Castle in the distance on the other side of the Vltava. Prague looks very moody on this grey day. I followed the wall to the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, which is home to the cemetery where many famous people are buried including Antonín Dvořák and Alphonse Mucha. I didn't find Mucha's tomb (I admittedly didn't look very hard for it as I presume to return on a warmer and sunnier day), but I did find Dvořák's.

What stands out to me at the cemetery is the beautiful mosaic work of the tombs located under a gallery that runs along three sides of the grounds. The mosaics are beautiful, bright and shimmery. Also, the many gravestones in the central area are interestingly decorated with statues and display a range of different lettering and art styles. The cathedral also has beautiful bright mosaics over the colorful doors.

After my brisk morning walk, I returned to my flat with every intention of being extremely productive. I made some breakfast and sat down at my computer. I couldn't shake the chill, though, I was freezing! Plus I had stayed up until 1:00 AM watching a movie the night before. I watched Amélie, which I hadn't seen for some years. It made me want to fall in love. Even though I am considerably more practical about such matters than I used to be, I like that feeling of wanting to fall in love. At such times I am struck by the infinite possibility of the universe, and gratitude for being where I am - the fact that I can simply wander around a medieval fortress on my day off, for example. But even when presented with infinite possibility, sometimes curling up under a mound of blankets and napping all afternoon is still the most delectable option.