‘Only two hundred and ninety-nine steps,’ he commented as they began the ascent.
With a half-hearted groan, she shut up and focused on putting one foot in front of the other and breathing. The staircase wound round the outside of the tower and, despite the strenuous workout, she was distracted from her aching thighs by the view. Through the metal latticework, she caught tantalising glimpses of the city, and with each flight of stairs the view altered slightly.
Hauling in a big lungful of air when she reached the top, she had to admit, as they stepped out onto the octagonal platform surrounding the steel structure, that the climb had been worth it. The panoramic view was one that you could look at a dozen times and each time find something new to see. With a happy sigh she scanned the skyline. She could see exactly why Prague was so often referred to as the City of a Hundred Spires.
Along the valley, the castle dominated the view, standing guard over the city, keeping a watchful eye on the buildings below with their distinctive cream walls, topped with bright terracotta tiles. The jumble of roofs was interrupted by the soaring, verdigris-topped spires punctuating the skyline, all kept in check by the boundaries of the Vltava, where riverboats, long and sleek, puttered between the bridges. Spread below them, the trees on the slope were burnished in flaming autumn finery.
‘I feel like I’m starting to know my way around,’ Anna said as they stood studying the different landmarks. ‘That’s St Nicholas Church, the Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square.’
‘You can’t miss the Church of our Lady before Týn,’ Leo responded, his arm brushing hers as he pointed. ‘When you see the city like this, you realise there’s so much more to explore. So many wonderful buildings … and breweries.’
‘And also, how lucky we are that we have all this time,’ said Anna. Exploring on her own wouldn’t be nearly as much fun as with someone else, and with Leo … well, you never quite knew what fun you’d have.
‘We ought to make the most of it, you know. We should choose a new place to visit every weekend. We could make a list and then pick one at random each week.’
And there he went again, full of bright ideas.
‘For a moment there I thought that sounded very organised for you, but then you had to throw the random element in,’ teased Anna.
‘What can I say, I have a talent for spontaneity.’ He grinned at her. ‘And most of the time it pays off. When did I ever make you do anything you didn’t want to?’
‘There was that time at the Bar Flamencowhen you had me dancing on the table and I almost broke my leg.’
‘Nuh-huh,’ said Leo, shaking his head. ‘Youdecided it would be a good idea to do a little stamping with attitude on the table. Not me.’
‘It was flamenco,’ she protested, laughing, and wrinkled her nose at him. He had a point, although he was the one that had helped her up onto the table top and whooped and cheered when she did so. ‘And you didn’t stop me.’
‘Why would I? You were having a good time.’
It was easy to have a good time with Leo.
‘We’re definitely going to have to come here again,’ said Leo as they descended the last of the steps. ‘There’s still much more to see, but I’m ready for some lunch and a beer.’
‘You’re always ready for a beer,’ teased Anna.
‘When in Prague,’ he replied with an insouciant smile. ‘Lead me to the monastery.’
They left the park and walked along a pretty tree-lined lane with the creamy stone walls of the park on one side.
‘You could almost believe we’re in the middle of the country rather than in a city,’ commented Anna. This really was such a fascinating and beautiful city, and she loved that there was so much greenery about.
Their walk to the Strahov Monastery took little more than ten minutes and they found the brewery easily. Inside, the cool white interior with its sinuous, curved bar and polished copper trim immediately appealed to Anna.
‘This is lovely,’ she said, glancing round at the clean, light, bright space with its whitewashed walls, which set off the rather austere dark wooden benches and tables. It was easy to imagine generation upon generation of monks sitting here over the ages.
‘Beer,’ said Leo, immediately heading towards the row of taps mounted on a big copper stand. She followed in his enthusiastic wake as he grabbed a menu from by the door and immediately shared it with her. ‘What do you fancy?’
They scanned the selection, Anna noting the hops and the ABVs as well as the names and descriptions.
‘It’s got to be St Norbert’s,’ she said with a smile, remembering the couple on the bridge.
‘Oh, good. I couldn’t decide between that and the Amber Lager. I can try yours.’
They exchanged another in-tune smile, making Anna reflect upon how good it was to be with someone who spoke the same language.
Within minutes they each had two glasses, each with an inch of a different beer. The friendly barman, Ivan, happily talked them through the different flavours. ‘This is our autumn special,’ he said as Anna took a sip of the seasonal pale ale.
‘Oooh, I like. Here, Leo.’ She handed her glass to him without a second thought.
