Prague Without The Trains or the Cameraphone

This is the Palackeho Most, the next bridge south on the Vltava from the Jiraskuv Most, which connects Palackeho Namesti in the Nove Mesto with Smichov. Although you can't see it in this photo, it hosts trams as well as rubber-tire and foot traffic.

This is one of the most famous, if not the most famous, post-1989 building in Prague. This is what Wikipedia has to say about it: "The Dancing House (Czech: Tančící dům) is the nickname given to the Nationale-Nederlanden building in downtown Prague, Czech Republic at Rašínovo nábřeží 80, 120 00 Praha 2. It was designed by Yugoslavian-born Czech architect Vlado Milunić in co-operation with Canadian architect Frank Gehry on a vacant riverfront plot (where the previous building had been destroyed during the Bombing of Prague in 1945). The building was designed in 1992 and completed in 1996.[1] side view The very non-traditional design was controversial at the time. Czech president Václav Havel, who lived for decades next to the site, had supported it, hoping that the building would become a center of cultural activity. Originally named Fred and Ginger (after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - the house vaguely resembles a pair of dancers) the house stands out among the Neo-Baroque, Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings for which Prague is famous. Others have nicknamed it "Drunk House". On the roof is a French restaurant with magnificent views of the city. The building's other tenants include several multinational firms. (The plans for a cultural center were not realized.)"

The sign on the bus stop appears to be a practical joke. "Praskovo Namesti" means something like "Pig's Square" in Czech, and this is actually Jiraskovo Namesti. In the distance you can see Smichov (or at least Prague 5), and the Malostranske Vodaren. Vez.

I'm still researching this tower, but it appears to be connected to the lock system on the Vltava. I snapped this shot just because I liked how it looked.

One of several St. Vaclav's churches in Prague, this one is considered to be Neo-Rennaissance in style. This is my second attempt at photographing it, and this time I think I got the exposure more spot on since the light was better distributed on this day, with winter weather playing a role, I think. It's also my first attempt at photographing it in black and white.

The City Tower also underwent a massive transformation in 2008 from a dormant abandoned Communist-era construction site, to a fully functioning office building with a shopping mall below it. When I took this, they were finally starting to enclose it in glass.

Restaurance Trilobit is on Palackeho Ulice, off of Vodickova, and always struck me as an odd, very Prague-like place. The menu is as odd as the theme, and I found it summarized as follows on crest.cz: fishes, kus-kus dishes, pancakes, pastes, salads, steaks, vegetarian, venison dishes Hmmm....weird, or at least a weird combination.

I wish I could learn more about this building, as it seems like a very interesting early-20th-century building, but with no history that I could find on the internet. Unfortunately, I don't have a huge library of books on Prague architecture.

This is another interesting old building, with that Skoda ad that's been on top for decades and decades. The Ligna company was founded in 1949, but I'm fairly sure the building is older. Does anybody know???

This was an alternate shot that I took of the Ligna building that I thought looked much better in black and white, so I converted it.

Again, I don't know the history of this building, but I noted when I took that that much of it seemed unoccupied, and indeed the endless construction in Vaclavske Namesti appeared to have killed many of the businesses cut off by it, although Vaclavske Namesti didn't die, and remains vibrant today.

I just couldn't resist this shot, with the combination of the architecture, the sunlight, the shadows, and the sky. I may work on this one in Gimp a little bit more, but this is the most basic version for now...

I liked the light, I liked the buds on the trees, and so on, so I figured this shot was one that I wanted. I've forgotten whether I took this from the ground or a tram window, though.

If this is really Palac Adria or some other such building please let me know! :-) I just liked the look of the architecture, of course, and took the shot.

Is the Phillips building really at the north end of Vaclavske Namesti, a.k.a. Mustek??? I can't remember.

Hidden behind the Gambrinus sign it says "hard rock cafe," although I don't know if this is a legitimate "Hard Rock Cafe," or if it's just a name and/or ripoff. I've never been in this place, even though I've been by it countless times.

The Trziste, or open-air market, which used to be in Hradcanska always had a number of customers going in and out, and back behind the Ceske Drahy tracks there was a row of kiosks on Dejvicka Ulice where I sometimes had lunch. Today, this is an ugly disorderly mudpit of a construction site for the infamous Tunnel Blanka.

I liked this shot also in black and white, so I did both versions.