Prague Journal

Saturday, December 04, 2004.

Rick took an afternoon break by walking through the Šarka. I went on the St.Nicholas tram through town with tons of kids (and parents). Tomorrow is St. Nicholas day, but tomorrow is Sunday, so some activities for kids are scheduled today instead. Every year, the transportation district sponsors an old tram (actually, there are two or three) that runs in a loop starting at the transportation museum. The trams are old, open-air wooden trams, with conductor (with a whistle signifying stops and starts) and St. Nicholas himself, accompanied by a nasty-looking devil and sweet angel. St. Nicholas here is dressed like a pope, not what an American would mistake for Santa Claus. While the devil made menacing sounds at children in one car, St. Nicholas in another car asked kids if they had been good and handed out candies.
Tomorrow, tons of St. Nicholases, accompanied by devils and angels, will parade around Old Town Square, interrogating kids. Last year Matt was horrified at this display, since some very young children are terrified by the devil shaking chains and a bag of coal, despite the angel’s pleadings to St. Nicholas to remember their good behavior.

posted by JWinn @ 10:57 PM