Praha

I arrived in Prague around 1900 on Monday. Again, with only hostel recommendations from travellers I met in Vienna. I stopped into Sir Tobys hoping for a spare bed, and I got one for 2 nights. I had a beer in the garden – 25 crown for a beer, that's about $1.25. I was chatting with a few people there, and some of us headed into the center of Prague, as the hostel was a tram ride outside. I ended up wandering around Prague for hours in search of something that still cooking (decent, not kebab) food with Mark from upstate NY. He is a WWOOFer, working on organic farms in Europe for the summer. I was super excited to hear about this program, and something I'll be seriously considering for the future. We settled for goulash and a Pilsner somewhere in the old city after walking across the Charles Bridge.

Intimidating on a drizzly night

On Tuesday I got up and headed to Staromestska to take a walking tour with (red shirt people). It's free (you pay to tip your guide). They operate in many European cities and I'd do another tour with these guys. The tour guide was a spunky English girl and, despite the rain, she made it a good tour. I wouldn’t have known about all of the history of the buildings around the old town and the Jewish Quarter without having my nose in a guidebook.

Tourist, tourist everywhere, get out of the pretty street!

After the rained cleared

Astronomical clock, rightly pegged by my tour guide as one of the most disappointing attractions in Europe

After dinner with a girl from Minnesota (who got picked up by the cops for travelling around in a sketchy neighborhood trying to find the hostel on her first night of solo travel ever), I hung around the bar in the hostel that night, having some cheap beer and talking to other travellers, including a pair of German girls. I have heard nothing but good things about Berlin, so it's pretty high on my list for another trip to Europe.

Potato pancake with bits of smoked meat, topped with delicious sauerkraut. And of course, a Pilsner.

Beautiful weather on Wednesday in the city. I did some more wandering around the old city before heading up to Prasky Hrad, the castle in Prague.

Church in the old city

Vltava River and Charles Bridge, and Pražský hrad on the hill, my next destination

The castle was the best part of my Prague visit. I took the tram up, and had some lunch (onion soup and a Pilsner) in a tiny restaurant with spectacular views of the rest of the city.


Then, I wandered about the castle. I didn't do the tour, opting to just pop into the cathdral, wandering and taking photos. I spent about 30 minutes on a ledge in the sun, overlooking the red roofs of the city.

St. Vitus Cathedral

Beautiful Praha

I had a few sausages and a glass of wine in the vineyard right next to the castle, also with impressive views.

From there, I headed back into the city to take a city bus as recommended by my friend Zach who studied in Prague for a semester. Totally away from the center of town which is completely overrun by tourists. It's grittier and full of communist-era block houses. I rode the bus to the end of the line, crossed over to catch a tram, and headed back to the hostel to pick up my bag and leave town. The transport system requires having a validated ticket, but you can hop on and off without showing a ticket. I had almost successfully gotten away without it, but I got busted by transit police on this journey. The guy had to walk me to an ATM to get out more money to pay the 700 crown ($35 fine). Lesson learned, and I consider it a donation to the Prague transit authority.

I caught the night train to Budapest from the train station at 2300. I shared a 6-person sleeper bunk on the train with 2 Danish and 2 French travellers, and surprisingly slept about 7 hours of the 8 hour journey.

Prague was a beautiful city with gorgeous buildings and delicious beer, but I was a bit put off by how crowded it was in the main tourist areas. I'd also recommend staying at Sir Tobys hostel – a bit out of the center of town, but only a short tram ride away to helpful staff, nice breakfast, clean, and a good vibe.