I flew from Brussels to Prague because it was fairly cheap. I had no checked baggage and also because the train ride was going to be 12+ hours and an easily accessible night train was not available. I'm glad I flew.
...I'm also glad I didn't cross Prague off my list!
It was quite a sight flying into Prague at 10:30pm. As the airplane came down you could see outlines of all the main streets. It was lit up beautifully. It put London Heathrow and Chicago OHare to shame.
On the way in, my taxi driver asked if I was a tourist and I hesitantly said yes. I mean, it's pretty obvious when I have a backpack on. It's something that you can't hide and I sure can't speak any Czech to cover it up. He was very nice and told me that he would point out spots in town as we headed to my destination. It was dark out so I got to see the city in lights. We drove past the mini Eiffel Tower and after seeing the real one I can tell you that it is definitely a joke. I saw the Charles Bridge all lit up at night and I can say this is one thing that I wish I had a picture of. It was beautiful. We drove past a long line to get into a bar and he said that the area was popular with younger people who go to Charles University and "you go, you nice, you fit in, pretty girls in Prague." Haha. He was not lying though, there certainly were lots and lots of pretty girls in Prague!
I noticed that the Czech language sounded very harsh. Almost like they were mad at you! Before I go any further, you have to be careful in Prague if you decide to take a taxi. I did all my research beforehand and found reputable taxi companies (AAA Radiotaxi) because I knew I was going to come in late and I did not feel like learning yet another public transit system when it was dark out and partially shut down. I
never had a problem. From the research I did, any taxi you order inside the airport will be a reputable company and you won't be scammed. Being ripped off by taxi drivers in Prague is well documented on the internet. I'd recommend taking the public transportation as it is cheaper and actually very easy to use. (except late at night...read on) There is a subway and also a tram system that you can use. You can buy many different types of passes and use both with the same pass.
It took about 25 minutes to get to my hostel. The cab ride was pretty cheap at about 20USD. Also, make sure you are carrying some Czech Korunas as well as Euros. Even though Prague is part of the EU, Euros are not excepted everywhere. Be glad of it too, it makes for a better exchange rate! In Prague I got the best bang for my USD. Everything was cheaper compared to other parts of Europe.
I checked into my hostel.
The Czech Inn. I'd highly recommend this place. It is a bit off the main area, but it was hands down the nicest place I stayed on my entire trip. It actually felt like a hotel and people were so nice there. The wifi was great so I decided to grab a Czech Pilsner at the bar and fire up the Skype app on my iPhone to make a few phone calls back home. It was the first time I tried to use it internationally and it worked pretty well. Definitely worth the 12 dollars.
I woke up the next morning and my friend Megan and I hunted down the Prague Castle. It was guarded by soldiers and it was huge! We got poured on before we could make it there and I thought the weather looked nice in the morning so I didn't take my umbrella. Luckily it only rained for about an hour. After the weather cleared up, we walked into Old Town Square later that afternoon. This was the most architecturally beautiful thing I saw on my trip. The streets in Prague never really feel like they intersect. The roads seem to always just have a rounded edge and they always seem like they fork and it is easy to get lost. It is a good lost though, there is plenty to see. I remember turning on the road the led into the square. It felt awesome! It is nothing like you have seen anywhere else. Words and pictures don't do it justice. Just go see it!!
View Larger MapWe got lunch at a restaurant on the square and then we had to find a store. She needed a jacket and I needed a belt. We wandered around for a bit and then found a
Tesco. I forgot my belt at home and with all of the walking I had been doing I ended up needing one by the time I got to Prague. I'm telling you, finding a belt in Prague was a pain in the ass! I went into all kinds of stores and even the one I bought was not your typical American plain belt. I had a choice of looking like I was blinged out or one with a bigger than usual belt buckle. I went with the bigger than usual belt buckle. Lesson learned. Don't forget your belt.
Later that night I decided to go on a Pub Crawl. What an adventure that was! Everyone who wanted to go was told to meet under the astronomical clock (see my pictures) in Old Town Square. I ventured up that way and met some Aussies, Canadians and a couple Irish guys. The first place we went to felt kind of touristy. I met all kinds of nationalities but it never felt like it was "true" Prague. We all stuck together for the night. The Irish guys dominated the alcohol as myself and the Aussies sat back and watched them down shot after shot after shot. For every 3 they did, we took 1 shot. If it were the alcohol Olympics, Ireland would take home gold. It's true what you see in the movies. Those cats can drink! We sat at the bar for an hour and politely poked fun at each others countries. It was a great time! They rounded us up and we went to another bar where I did my first shot of Absinthe. Why was this stuff illegal in the United States? (It's legal now) Who wrote that law back in 1912? Oh that's right, probably somebody who never tried it but decided it was bad for you. At this point we were all having a good time. We met Adalie and Marianne (hopefully those are spelled right.) from Sweden and we all learned a bit about Sweden.
We then went to this club. It was definitely more a club than it was a pub. I walked in and they were playing one of my favorite DJ Tiesto songs. They played it all. Bonobo, Sasha, Oakenfold and even some Timo Maas. I felt like I was at a bar and I finally fit in. I'm a huge fan of electronic music and Prague did not disappoint. In order to enjoy a club like this in the states you have to be in a big city. Nothing like this place would even survive in Indianapolis because people live and breathe the crappy Billboard Hot 100 here. Needless to say, I took advantage and lived it up.
A few more beers later and we all had to say goodbye. This is where it got interesting for me. I wouldn't say I was drunk, but I'd have to say the level of being impaired should be increased by default being that I'm in Prague. I speak English, they speak Czech. I never made a mistake on a transit system up until this point. I got on the Metro 22 back to Francouzská 240/76. It's the same line that I used to get there so why not take it back right? It makes logical sense even after a few beers. I was wrong. Prague changes their line numbers at night. I got on the wrong line and went to the opposite side of Prague. Awesome. I was just glad I didn't have my backpack so I could be flagged as a tourist just by looking at me. I wouldn't say I felt unsafe, I just felt awkward. One girl who you could tell was just as lost as I was stopped and asked me how to get somewhere in Czech. I just shrugged my shoulders and said "English." I felt like a jerk because the local people I met were always so helpful. She just kind of looked at me like a dog does when you say its name. A little back and forth curious head tilt. I told myself that I would give myself a set time of 15 minutes to find a metro stop. If I couldn't find anything within 15 minutes, I'd just flag a cab. I google mapped it but couldn't find anything near. Remember, the streets make no sense. I watched for a cab from a company that I knew was legit. At this point I thought I was a genius for researching it earlier. A $20 cab ride later and I was back at the Czech Inn. Honestly, I felt safe. I'd actually feel more unsafe walking the streets of the Indianapolis ghetto at night and I know the roads and the language. This was verified later, more shootings were committed in Indianapolis than Prague that night.
The next afternoon, that's right, I had a hard time getting up at my usual crack of dawn that day in Prague. It's a vacation, damn it! :) I ventured into town again and got some food at an outdoor patio. I had to catch a train to Munich, Germany later in the day so I wanted to at least stick near the train station.
When I left Prague I just kind of listened for certain words in the crowd standing under the train board. The departure board never actually displayed what dock that the train would be arriving on. The ladies in the information booth were pretty unhelpful because they only saw as much information as we did. I ended up following this older German couple. On the train I rode next to Peter who was also 25 and grew up in the Czech Republic. We talked the entire train ride because he wanted to practice his English with me. He was well aware of the two Indianapolis sports teams. I was shocked to find out that he knew who the Pacers were. He only knew Reggie Miller, but he is really the only Pacer you need to know. Shoot, I couldn't even tell you the current starting line up. He was very into the Colts. He was able to name several starters and he said he did not like the Patriots, so he and I got along just fine.
Prague pictures are
here.
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