Troja and the Flood

Storm clouds unfurled, dropping patches of dense rain over the city. Nonetheless Gayle and I decided to brave the elements and go for a long walk at the Troja Chateau which is located next to the Prague zoo. Linda on the other hand had some serious shopping do. After securing our picnic supplies, we headed out to the chateau. Just before the tram got to our stop the rain started beating a Jamaican tune on the roof . All the exiting passengers ran for cover at the tram stop. Finally the rain stopped and I’ve included a picture of the desperation of the Czechs with the crazy weather lately.

The chateau had all the prerequisite angular gardens with a maze, fountains, sunken grottos enclosing statues at war with mysterious creatures, and carefully pruned hedges. The chateau was russet or dark peach color trim with a white background. We sniffed around and found a wine museum located in an old brick labyrinth beneath the chateau. What quickly became more interesting was the wine tasting and of course wine buying. The young wine maker serving the samples looked just like Chloe from the TV series 24. “Chloe when is Jack coming back?”

We were going to take a long walk back across several bridges over the river and an island and back to the park we explored yesterday. But with all the weather we decided to amble home on trams and the metro.

We walked over to the zoo entrance and watched throngs of families, adults and even young lovers happily enter the park. On the outside was a painting of two elephants on a building. The people of Prague have a special love of their zoo. One of the reasons is that in 2002 there was a huge flood in Prague and large portions of the city were washed away. The story according to Pam our local host, as the water rose, the zoo started evacuating the animals to higher ground. Where is an ark when you need one?

Finally in all the confusion someone noticed that the elephant enclosure now had water to the elephant’s knees. What to do? They could not be moved unless someone went under the water and removed their manacled legs. Since these were all full grown elephants, all nearly 13 feet tall, it was decided to leave them as the water was suppose to start receding soon. Besides no one knew how they might react so someone swimming under water around their legs.

Finally all the attendants were evacuated and the park was abandoned to nature. Later in the day, one of the zoo keepers was allowed to fly over the park on a police helicopter. When he flew over the elephant sanctuary all he could see was the tips of half a dozen trunks just barely sticking out of the water. As the water rose, each elephant perished, the oldest and largest last of all. What a horrible way to die.

A short time after we returned, Linda the Sole Shopper, arrived bearing gifts. Yes I see crystal on the horizon for the Lyon’s too. She told us about hiding out from a massive downpour near the Charles Bridge with an army of penguin like tourists and tour groups. “We were huddled so close for shelter under a series of T-shirt shops that I could only waddle from one position to another as more people stuffed in.