There isn’t a street in Prague that doesn’t seem to have stunning architecture. This is the Municipal House with its striking Art Nouveau decor and to the left of it, the 500-year-old Powder Tower. May 1, 2016

Here’s a close-up of the Black Madonna statue on its namesake cubist-style house on Celetna Street in Prague. May 1, 2016

Along the pedestrian-only street of Celetna, on our way through the Old Town of Prague, we passed this Cubist-style house called the Black Madonna. May 1, 2016

I honestly can’t get over how beautiful and ornate the buildings are in Prague. May 1, 2016

The Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV is the revered monarch of the Czechs. This bronze statue was unveiled in 1848 and can be seen prior to entering his namesake, the Charles Bridge. The emperor died in Prague in November 1378. May 1, 2016

There are two bridge towers for Prague’s landmark icon, the Charles Bridge. This tower is on the Old Town side of the bridge and the Vltava River. May 1, 2016

A view from the Charles Bridge of the the Vltava River in Prague. In the distance, you can see the Petrin Tower, built in 1891, two years before the Paris Eiffel Tower, but at one-fifth the height. May 1, 2016

The square of the clock in Prague. May 1, 2016

The iconic Charles Bridge, packed with tourists, artists, vendors and bridge performers, as it straddles the Vltava River. Lined with statues of saints, the bridge connects the Old Town to the Prague Castle. The Castle can be seen in the distance on top of the hill. May 1, 2016

This is the second bridge tower on the Castle side of the Charles Bridge. May 1, 2016

This little bridge and canal on what’s called Kampa Island is at the end of the Charles Bridge from the castle side. If you look real close, you’ll see that people are starting to place padlocks along the bridge, supposedly as a sign of love. May 1, 2016

Again, just love the architecture. This section of Prague is on the Castle side of the Charles Bridge. May 1, 2016

The knowledgeable and delightful young woman standing in front of the red car was my guide today. Her name is Diana Lohrova and she’s standing in front the building where both her and her father were born in Prague. Thanks Diana for sharing Prague’s history with me. May 1, 2016

Me on the Charles Bridge in Prague. May 1, 2016

Alice and I arrived in Padua by train from Venice to a village in celebration and also hosting an international festival. This is the exterior of the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua, Italy, which we tried to enter but there were just too many people so instead we made our way to the festival. May 1, 2017

A morning walk in Budapest, Hungary, takes us to Heroes Square, a tribute to Hungary’s historic figures. Built in 1896, this vast square culminates with the Millennium Monument behind me. May 10, 2016

The statues of the May 10, 2016