Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Czeching out Prague and the Czech Republic!

Prague was AMAZING!! Sorry I have failed to post in months!! BUT I sure have been having fun! =] I felt kinda rich in the Czech Republic, the exchange rate is 32 Krona to 1 pound! So, when I exchanged 100 pounds I got 3200 back!! When Jayme and I arrived at the airport in Prague we were faced with the struggle to get into the city to our hostel after public transportation had ended for the night. So there we were contemplating our best route into the city...a CAB. We were approached by a guy holding a sign, and he tried to tell us that the person he was there to pick up didn't arrive and that he would be able to give us a huge discount, but we chose to go outside to the TAXI stand and take a licensed cab. I just wasn't too sure about that guy. I had a feeling he was going to kidnap us and we would never be seen again.  Once we finally got safely to the hostel, we were greeted by the world's WORST hostess, just plain RUDE!  But none of that really mattered once my head hit the pillow! It was already 2 am, and I was exhausted. Or so I thought, our roommate in the hostel snores worse than my mom, I guess sleep is overrated.

The second day, Jayme and I got a late start, mostly due to lack of sleep and sheer exhaustion. We headed off to get brunch and to catch our walking tour with a lovely Aussie guy named Ashley. On the tour we learned all about the Astronomical Clock, how it works, and the meaning behind the four statues one the clock (Fear of vanity, fear of greed, fear of death, and fear of new people). We also learned much of the history in the Jewish Quarter, and much much more!  After the tour was over, we made our way through the city over to the Old Town Square to get a snack at the Easter Market. The crepes were spectacular. A nap was 100% necessary, s we headed back for a snooze. After a short nap, we headed out for dinner and to partake in some souvenir shopping to see what kind of deals we could find.  Watch out for the jewelry shops there, you sucked in WAY to easily. We found ourselves doing some late night jewelry shopping.  I found a ring that I really liked. It had my grandmothers and my mother's birthstones in it, however, I didn't have the cash to buy it at the time, and I wanted to shop around and see if there was anything else I liked even more. Plus I didn't feel all that safe going to an ATM in Prague at 11pm and carrying around all of that cash. We decided to go back to the hostel and call it a night, and if the ring is still there the tomorrow, I'll buy it!

Day three was filled with fun and even more history. We got up early and attempted to make it to the morning tour of the Prague castle, but it just so happened that they weren't doing a morning tour that day. Instead we decided that we would cross over the famous Charles Bridge and see the other side of the city. We grabbed some brunch at the Bakeshop and walked along the river leading us back to the main square. We grabbed a snack and waited for the afternoon tour to begin. We learned a ton about communist Czechoslovakia and the Nazi invasion of the area. We even got to see the changing of the guards at the castle TWICE. I am not going to deny the guards were not bad looking! Jayme and I headed back to the Brewery and St Norbert Monastery to have come goulash and brews. After dinner and a refreshing beer, we headed back to the city centre to get our shop on! After stopping at nearly ever jewelry store on the way back, and coming up empty, I decided to go back and pick up the ring I had found the day before. It  was a traditional Czech style and was made of Pearls and Garnets that were mined in the Czech Republic. After a day of touring a shopping we were completely worn out so we grabbed some dessert from the market and went back to the hostel for the night.


On the last day, we got up early and intended on hiking Petrin Hill to see the city from the Mini Eiffel Tower. Instead we made our way to the communism museum then to Wenceslas Square to see where many of the protests and raid occurred during the years of communism in the Czech Republic. At this point it was time to grab our stuff from the hostel and make our way to the airport. I was only a Metro, Bus, Flight, Bus, and Tube ride away from being at home and in my own bed! It had been really sunny and warm on the trip making if slightly difficult to go back to London and the rain.

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