Hard Luck Day On Hard Candy Mountain, 2: The Rest of Hradcany

After the Strahov libraries visit, we proceeded downhill in the general direction of the castle. Unfortunately, everything else went down hill too. One church did not permit entrance beyond the narthex, we decided the Loreto shrine complex did not merit our attention or the cost of admission, another church was closed, the art museum that interested us was also closed. And then it got worse when we finally discovered why everything was closed or closing...

As far as we could get inside of St. Mary's of Strahov

City of Spires

You are being watched

We're just a couple blocks from our ultimate destination of the
day, St. Vitus

View from another belvedere; yes, a small vineyard

Spires of another church we bypassed

Demonstration in front of the Czech Republic parliament building;
did I mention that much of the government is up here on Hradcany?
We wondered whether the demonstration was the reason for the
considerable police presence...

Another beauty

World's longest line of cherubs in front of the Loreta pilgrimage

complex

Facade of the Loreta; its main claim to fame is that it is the site
of Mary's Hut, where Jesus was born, brought to Hradcany by
angels (infidels were threatening it) in the 13th century or so;
having already seen all 10,000 cubic feet of the Splinters of the True
Cross, we opted out on this one; didn't want to get fleeced again

Just around the corner, a famous beer spa; $107.50 per hour for
two with unlimited beer consumption...

And Tycho's house; Tycho was actually Danish, in Prague for
astronomical observations and because of rumors of an affair
with the king's mom; he died mysteriously...

Now on the main square facing the presidential
palace; another church locked up tight

Another pretty building

At this point, the police presence was overwhelming...I counted
thirty patrol cars in this line

And more further down

Changing of the guard is a simple affair...it was at this point that,
all paths to the castle and St. Vitus being barricaded off, Vicki
made so bold as to ask one of the more approachable-looking
cops what was going on...a special economic summit called by
French President Emmanuel Macron, beginning this morning;
everything in the vicinity, including the castle and St. Vitus,
closed through Saturday at least (this was Thursday); must
be important, because they even invited the UK and Israel; oh
well, we leave Prague Sunday; but our previous visit to Hradcany
Castle is here, and our previous visit to St. Vitus is here 

So began our retreat to Mala Strana and back home

Past the US embassy

And more pretty buildings