Czech Republic

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

Travel Time: June 15-17, 2014

Our first stop on our tour through Europe was Prague. Having flown from the United States to Germany, we needed to take a high-speed train from Frankfurt to Prague. We arrived at the main train station, Praha Hlavni Nadrazi, later in the evening and had no place to stay. Fortunately, there was a Burger King with free wifi in the train station that was still open so we seized the opportunity. Tj was able to find a hostel within walking distance that was reasonably priced. The name was Hostel Jednota (http://www.booking.com/hotel/cz/ats-hostel-jednota.html). We were able to check in with no problem and were given a private room on the second floor. The hostel was not the most luxurious place, but it definitely served its purpose. We had two beds for sleeping, a couple outlets for plugging in electronics, and the bathroom was right across the hall from us. The showers are definitely ‘locker room’ style but at least each stall has it’s own door for some privacy. There was only wifi in the lobby, not in our room. And there were no towels for the bathroom so we had to use our own. All in all, the hostel was very basic. But for $30 a night, we couldn’t complain!

Terahl enjoying our first evening out since arriving in Europe.

Our first night, we walked around the city with pizza and beer in hand. There were still many people out and about, gathered in the Wenceslas Square. The next day, we woke up early ready to explore Prague. We had breakfast at a nice restaurant in the middle of the square. Our waitress was nice enough to provide us a map with a list of things to do in Prague. We went walking down the street and encountered several farmers markets. Then we reached the ever famous Astronomical Clock. We took an elevator and then climbed several stairs to the top. The view was absolutely breathtaking.

At the top of the Astronomical Tower.

We then kept walking and found ourselves on the Charles Bridge (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bridge). It was a great place to take a minute and absorb all the scenery around you. There are street artists, musicians and all sorts of entertainment to be found on the bridge.

Terahl sitting on the Charles Bridge.

Once passing over, we found ourselves headed in the direction of the Prague Castle. The walk was quite enjoyable. You pass several vendors on your way up the hill. The castle was beautiful as well. It was currently under construction so some parts were not accessible, but the visit was still worth it. On our way back down, we decided to stop at a Thai massage parlor. We figured we would reward ourselves after all the walking we did. Last but not least, we had to finish off with some great food. First was a sweet pastry called ‘trdelnik’. It was a piece of dough wrapped in a circle covered with sugar. Then, we stopped at a restaurant back in the Wenceslas Square where we had a traditional dinner of beef, cabbage, and potato dumplings. Of course, we had to wash it all down with a Pilsner beer. And our waiter provided us with complimentary shots to settle the stomach; a stronger one for the Mr. and a sweet honey for the Mrs.

Enjoying a fantastic dinner in the main square.

In the end, we would highly recommend Prague to anyone who is interested in visiting. The prices were incredibly reasonable, the people were friendly, and the scenery is beautiful. We hope to visit again soon. Definitely a thumbs up!

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