Prague - then and now

I mentioned in my first post that I was in Prague in 1968. Here's a picture that I took at that time. It's a picture from Old Town Square. The two spooky-looking towers are part of the Tyn (pronounced "teen") Church.

The year was 1968. I believe that we were there in late July or early August. I was one of a group of 50 high schoolers, students who had taken German, from Whittier High School District in California. We were near the end of our seven-week tour of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia, as it was then known.

When the trip was being planned we didn't know that the summer of 1968 would bring a student-led revolt (known today as the "Prague Spring" not for the season, but for the hopes that it raised) that would be crushed by the Soviets. As we approached Prague, Soviet tanks were massing at the Czech border, ready to use force if necessary to quell the uprising. It was touch-and-go as to whether we would be allowed in the country or not.

I was hoping NOT. I remember being very nervous, and would cheerfully have passed up that opportunity to visit Prague. My memories of the city are that everything was dark, dirty and brown. The city square was full of people, shouting and waving banners. All 50 of us American teenagers were required to stay together at all times - we could not wander off on our own as we had done in all of the other cities we visited. I didn't like Prague, and was glad that we were there for only a couple of days. I have very few photos - I was so afraid of my camera getting taken away if I shot the wrong thing that I didn't use it much. I wish I had taken photos of the crowds but I'm sure we were told not to do that.

So I am posting this picture here today, and planning to post a current one for comparison in a couple of weeks when I return to Prague, 38 years after my first visit. I expect to enjoy the city a little bit more this time around.