Prague for a Rest

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Prague (Sept 13 - 18)

Well, what a ride. Getting couchettes (beds) on the night trains is well worth it. Unfortunatley, we did not! The seats don't recline, people smoke everywhere and it was about 14 hours long. We found it
best to tie your head to the seat with a sweater to stop the nodding head/sore neck syndrome. Anyway, after 3 train changes, many passport checks and being kicked out of 1st class by the Czech train conductor (our passes were 2nd calss only in the Republic, we didn't realize this), we finally arrived in Prague and were very worn out. Our friends, Megan and Tom were so kind in offering us Tom's parents condo in Prague. The amazing generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Frohlich made the trip to Prague. We were very excited to relax and have our own kitchen.

Once we figured out how to get there, we settled in and chilled out. We spent the following few days walking around Prague. A lot more chilly here than we were used to; pretty much like Canada at this time of year.

Over the following 5 days, we sampled the foods and beverages of the area. The city is very beautiful and has a lot of beutiful old buildings and castles. Apparently it managed to pass through the times relatively unscathed by war. The streets are full of wandering tourists and shop owners trying to lull them. If you are looking for amber jewelry, marionettes and beer steins, this is the place for you. We must have been there during an art festival as the streets were scattered with very strange and quite liberal sculptures.

The condo had a TV, but with all Czech stations. We also managed to find a place that rented VCRs and english movies; it was a treat to watch some Friends episodes after home cooked meals. The nights that we did wander the streets were fun. The city is very lively and, like the rest of Europe, you can buy a beer from a newstand and drink it while wandering around the streets. Some of the bars have TV screens outside that show you what is going on inside. Street busking is quite common here as well; ranging from straight up guitar, to harp, to instruments we've never seen before. We didn't have a language guide for Czech, but managed to work our way through it.

Overall, Prague is a cool place. The best activity was just walking around, enjoying the sights and interacting with the people. It is still fairly cheap as they have not switched to Euros (Czech currency is Krowns). If you are into old architecture and good Pilsner, this is definatly a place you should visit.

Once again, a big thanks to the Frohlichs and Megan and Tom!

Prague: RECOMMENDED

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