I was quite surprised to see that our guidebook, Frommer's, didn't list a lot of must sees in Prague.  The city seemed totally replete with so many unforgettable attractions.  I even overheard one young American tourist with his girlfriend comment the day before while we were walking around Mala Strana, or Lesser town, how one can stay for two weeks in Prague and still not cover the sights.

Anyway, I was so glad to be in the Czeck Republic, particularly Prague.  On our first full day, Marc and I decided to check out the main train station in the city, Hlavni Nadrazi.  We were supposed to catch our onward train to Vienna, Austria from there.  I was relieved to see how much nicer and more modern it was than the Nadrazi Holesovice.

Advertising in front of the station

The platforms and train tracks

Metro station entrance within the train station

Just like any train station in Europe, there were a number of convenience stores and banks inside.  We likewise exchanged our remaining Czech currency into Hungarian Kropeks here before we left Prague.  The exchange here was quite good matched by a low commission.

This building was the site of the old train station in Prague.  It is adjacent to the new modern one now in use.  We took a look at the old building and it had some nice interior albeit a bit dilapidated.  I think it was undergoing some renovation and repair.  We likewise saw buses that transported passengers from this section of the train station to the airport.  We just had to take a picture of the sign just in case we return to Prague by air and not by train.

On the way back to the new and modern section of the train station, we saw this plaque on a wall.  It had the name of the former US President Woodrow Wilson on it with a quote about democracy he once referred to.

Some consider this train station scary and dangerous because of the number of homeless people or drug addicts who hung out in and around it.  We did see them but they didn't seem to hassle anyone.  I can only state what I saw during the daytime when we went there.  The whole area seemed just fine.  Besides, there were so many people everywhere.  Anyway, I live in San Francisco and the homeless situation there is far worse.  So bad, it makes Prague or Budapest seem like Disneyland.  From the Hlavni Nadrazi, we proceeded to Wenceslas Square which was just a few steps away.

Along the way, we passed by a majestic building and it turned out to be the State Opera House.

A side view of the State Opera House between Prague's main station and the National Museum

The frontal view of the State Opera House

I loved Wenceslas Square.  It was so majestic.  The shopping malls and boutiques lining both sides of this pedestrian street added color and glamour to the place.  It was easy to find since it the National Museum was right behind it.

Before venturing out and exploring more of Wenceslas Square, we decided to have a very early lunch.  We got some bratwursts from one of the many kiosks that littered the streets of the square.  I had tried some bratwursts earlier in the trip back in Germany, but the ones I ate in Prague were simply the best.  I particularly liked the very red and thoroughly roasted ones.  Oh, they were to die for.  And they were cheap too. They served it to us warm and toasty.

Where in the world can one see stores located in such beautiful buildings?

I was curious to see if the men's shoes sold in Prague were stylish.  Actually, we saw a number of Salamander shoe stores in the city.  I bought a nice brown pair with pointed toes from a Salamander store in Ku'Damm in Berlin for a great price.  I was hoping to repeat the feat here. Unfortunately, I wasn't that lucky.  One sales associate from a department store along Wenceslas suggested that I check out BATA close by.  He even stated that it was a store with several floors. But, nothing caught my eye.  This poster in one of the floors did though.

Upon leaving the BATA shoe store, I saw a building with these two statues right above its main entrance.  I couldn't resist taking a picture, as you can see.

There certainly were a gazillion stores along Wenceslas and along the streets around the square.  I had so much fun walking up and down this place for days.  The atmosphere was equally entertaining.  People were everywhere and they all looked happy.  There was even one group of English men, one of whom was dressed in a funny costume.  The gentleman I assume was celebrating a stag party and he walked all around Wenceslas as a half naked woman.  It was definitely a sight making people stop, stare, and smile.

Now the following picture was taken near the Gunpowder Gate and Municipal House.  We even saw an IBIS Hotel close by.

Marc and I frequented a supermarket at the basement of this mall and we had our last dinner in Prague at a hip and modern Czech restaurant on its topmost floor.

This was the supermarket where we bought some food to snack on during our stay.  I tell you, Prague is cheap, dirt cheap if and when you stay away from all the restaurants and shops geared for tourists.

From this supermarket, I bought some Czech chocolate, bread, pastries, chips, soda, and bottled water.

Right in front of this supermarket was a food stand.  The food sold looked very delicious.

The Palladium Mall looked small from the outside.  The building however comprised of various floors topped by a floor full of restaurants serving food from Chinese to Czeck.

Taken from the topmost floor where the nice, clean, and hip restaurants and cafes were located

This was the bookstore where I book many postcards and books about Prague. Since we didn't want to use up our cash we sometimes paid some purchases with our credit cards.  They seem to accept everything even American Express.

Right across the Palladium Mall were two important landmarks in Prague.  The Gunpowder Gate and the building next to it, the Municipal House.

The back side of the Gunpowder Gate

You see, both these landmarks sit right next to each other.

The Art Nouveau Municipal House

The main entrance to the Art Nouveau Municipal House.

We went inside this theater and restaurant.  For some reason, during the time we went, the place was empty.  Not because it wasn't popular, it was simply closed and hadn't opened to the public for the day .

Just walking on the streets parallel to Wenceslas Square brings visitors to so many malls, old and new.  It is interesting because for me whenever I think of malls I think of very bland buildings which look more like boxes.  Prague's malls are housed in much nicer buildings, I must say.

The facades of many buildings in Prague could be very deceiving.  What might look like a narrow building is can actually be very deep.  Such was the case of many old malls along Wenceslas Square.

I tell you, when I was in Wenceslas Square, my first instinct was to take pictures of the very beautiful buildings.  Of course, I didn't want to miss a thing and I wanted to remember every sight, well, most memorable sights.  Then again, I realized if I did that, I would have to take a picture of each and every building in the city.  So I stopped and became more selective.

Marc was so fascinated by this shop selling vintage cameras.  After all, who would use these nowadays in the fast and modern digit age?

These were supposed to be stacks and stacks of books.  I can't exactly recall why these were on the sidewalk.  It was either advetising for a book fair or there was actually a kiosk selling books nearby.  Anyway, it was a nice piece of artwork.  Very colorful.

Impressive

From Wenceslas Square we really just wandered around and explored.