Special Sub-Topic: Prague: A City Tour Click Here To Play: Prague: A City Tour

We arrive in Prague by air, and are driven to the inner city in a Cadillac limo converted to a taxi with a colorful local behind the wheel. The taxi veers through old communist era apartment blocks, and finally we arrive in the old town. I sit down for my first Bohemian people-watching experience, and when I ask for a beer, the server brings me a brand called "Velvet". That rings a bell. For what was this beer named?

The revolution which ousted the communist regime. The Velvet Revolution, sometimes called the Bloodless Revolution, was accomplished without significant fighting or strife, and the name signifies the "soft and gentle" transfer of power.

I am sitting in the old town square, looking at the famous astrological clock and the statue of the famous Czech religious reformer who was burned at the stake in 1415. What is his name?

Jan Hus. The Czech people venerate him as their saint for standing up for his principles and his bravery in attempts to reform the Christian religion.

We leave the town square to wander about and quickly see that Prague is a city of music. We approach the Estates Theater, one of my all-time favorite architectural masterpieces. The building, erected in 1783, sits in the middle of a handsome square ringed by old buildings, and the lime green curved facade is interrupted by neoclassical columns. What famous movie had its musical scenes filmed here?

Amadeus. Mozart premiered his Don Giovanni here in 1787, as he played the piano accompanied by orchestra. Tom Hulce played Mozart in the Academy Award winning best picture, which was released in 1984.

As we stroll onto the famous Charles bridge, a pedestrian bridge lined by statues and filled with street musicians, artists, and other types of buskers, we admire the views of the Prague castle on the hill and view the fast running river. What is the name of the river that runs through Prague?

Vltava. The Vltava, also known as the Moldau, is a tributary of the Elbe, which further downstream, used to form a border between East and West Germany.

Shopping in Prague is an experience. What type of items are you most likely to see as you browse among the shops?

Garnet jewelry, art glass, and porcelain. The garnet trade is everywhere due to the nearby mines, and the Czech republic has a long tradition of glassmaking of both traditional and modern designs. A number of companies making fine ceramics are also located there.

We head towards Prague's most famous square, formerly the horse market, where people massed as the communist government gave way to democracy. The square is actually a long narrow rectangle 825 yards long but only 65 yards wide, and is dominated by a statue of its namesake. What is the name of this square?

Wenceslas Square. Named after good King Wenceslas of Christmas carol fame, it now is the venue for art exhibits, fancy shops, and the ubiquitous McDonalds.

On castle hill are the cathedral and government office buildings. Who is the dissident/playwright loved by his people who became the first democratically elected president in the post-communist era, whose offices are located on castle hill?

Havel. In his writings Vaclav Havel emphasized the moral revival of the individual in a changing social order, but denounced the emphasis on consumerism in Western society.

Prague is a city permeated with culture. On any given day you may attend a string quartet in the Hall of Mirrors of the Clementinum, a solo voice accompanied by organ in a Gothic church, or a full orchestral performance. The street musicians are frequently accomplished classical musicians. The academic traditions are also very strong. Which of the following is one of Europe's oldest universities in Prague?

Charles University. Founded in 1348, modeled after the Sorbonne in Paris, and formerly known as the Carolinum, this university was founded by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. It is the academic center for the nation, and has had many distinguished alumni,including Tycho Brahe, Franz Kafka, Vaclav Havel, and Josef Prchal.

Within Prague castle, and behind St. Vitus cathedral, are a charming and well known row of cottages which used to house the castle residents. What is the name of these picturesque artisan's cottages?

Golden Lane. These houses were built in the 16th century. Watch your head as you enter the houses, as people were a lot shorter then.

A short distance from Prague are many wonderful day trips, such as Karlstein Castle, Karlsbad, and Marienbad, but my favorite is the massive St. Barbara church in the charming town of Kutna Hora. What natural resource from this town enabled the town to build such an imposing structure, and kept it wealthy and influential for hundreds of years?

Silver. Twelve thousand pounds of pure silver were extracted from the mines each year in the fourteenth century, with the cathedral begun in 1380. The silver ran out in the 16th century and the importance of the city began to fade, but the cathedral remains as a monument to the glory days of the town.