Taken on a cold winter morning in late December 2009, this photo shows the statues of Saints Cyril and Methodius, two Byzantine Greek brothers who introduced Christianity to the Slavs and invented the Cyrillic alphabet. Prague Castle can be seen in the background.

Snapped this photo when I was in Prague in December 2009. The text reads “Putin Medvedev – Criminals!” Obviously the artist wasn’t a fan of the Russian President and Prime Minister.

Photo of the stairs leading up to the area where Prague Castle is situated. This photo was taken during a return trip to Prague in December 2009. It was much colder than my previous trip in July 2005, but less crowded (which I enjoyed). Flights to Munich from Prague are usually cheap and quite easy to arrange, but most tourists in Europe travel via train.

I’ve never been good at night time photography, but this will have to do. This is Prague’s Old Town Square, shortly after Christmas. Last year we spent Christmas week in Berlin, Prague, and Vienna. This year I’m back home in sunny Palm Desert, California. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Behold the trdelník, the greatest pastry ever produced:

When we visited Prague in December 2009, I ate trdelník several times a day. Basically, you take dough, wrap it around a metal spit, and place it in a wood-fired oven. When it is finished baking you then roll it in sugar and walnuts and devour it while it is still warm. Perfect treat for a cold winter day, no?

I originally thought trdelník was a Czech creation, but it actually hails from Skalica, Slovakia. Nevertheless, if you are visiting Prague during the winter you can find trdelník stands throughout the city, including the Old Town Square Christmas Market and the Prague Castle.

This is the Old Town Bridge Tower that sits at one end of the Charles Bridge in Prague. This Late Gothic Tower was built between 1370 and 1391 and served as a gateway to Prague’s city center as well as a watchtower. This photo was taken in July 2005, when my friend and I took advantage of the numerous bargain holidays that were on sale at the student travel agency. Cheap beer and dumplings – what could be better?

Cell Block A, located in the Small Fortress in Terezín, Czech Republic. Beginning in 1940, the Small Fortress was used by the Gestapo to house prisoners, including Allied POWs. It is near the Theresienstadt concentration camp.

One of the most beautiful buildings in Central Europe (and that’s saying a lot), construction on this Gothic cathedral first began in 1344. The cathedral is located within Prague Castle, where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices.

One of the main reasons my family traveled to Central Europe in December 2009 was to visit the many Christmas markets that can be found throughout the continent. This is the Christmas market in Prague’s Old Town Square, which sells some of the best pastries I have ever tasted. I first visited Prague in the summer of 2005, and I must say that I definitely prefer it in the winter. It’s less crowded, the comfort food is much tastier in the cold temperatures, and the light dusting of snow adds to Prague’s reputation as a “fairytale city”.

Photos from my family trip to Berlin, Prague, and Vienna on December 24, 2009 – January 3, 2010.