Street Vendors after tourist money... and other Prague, Czech Republic Tourist Trap Tips

Charles Bridge would be a lot more picturesque without the street (or should I say bridge?) vendor stalls that seem to be cunningly placed by each of the statues on the bridge...

Still, in general most of the things they have on offer are fairly tasteful, although some of the photographs seem to have been impossibly spliced as on particular picture of Christ's Crucifixion with Prague Castle in the background has the castle looming up in a far larger manner than it actually does in real life... ;-)

Hmmm, so not only are you being ripped off (everything on the bridge is hideously inflated in price!), but you could also be buying fakes...

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At Least Do This: One guy in particular had a clever little sideline next to his stall of a little snow sculpture which had the tourists queuing up to have their picture taken next to for the donation of a few crowns, then as I watched many of these tourists would also buy something from his stall - notice the little Euro symbol on the sculpture's tie...?

One wonders who out of the sculpture or it's master made the most money...? ;-)
Alternative: Play them at their game...!

The photographs on sale are easily 'copied' if you can figure out the aspect from which they are taken - take a close look, thank them for their time and then take your own identical pictures! LOL! :-D

Sadly this beautiful little row of different coloured houses built right into the undercrofts of the outer castle walls has been turned into a highly priced tourist trap - so much so that you even have to pay to visit it seperately from the castle it is contained in!

Though it is included in the Prague Card...

It is called Golden Lane after the Goldsmiths that used to work here and now the houses have been converted into highly priced shops selling tourist trinkets - granted many are very attractive baubles like the arms and armour you can buy, but the prices are hugely inflated!

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At Least Do This: Come here by all means for the beauty of the street and for a browse. Also it is worth noting that various Prague luminaries like Franz Kafka and Jaroslav Seifert have lived here.
Alternative: Well, one of the diversions here is spending a few pennies on the crossbow shooting range in the wall upstairs.