Travel diary: Praha

So there we were, at the Munich airport trying to check in to our over-booked flight.  We had just 2 full days in Prague, and the thought of our visit being cut to 1 1/2 days was not making me happy.  One of the 2 missing business class passengers showed up, so our only hope of making the flight was if the last guy missed the flight.  The most humorous part of it all was that the Czech Airlines worker we were dealing with acted like it was her day being ruined, not ours.  Czech people aren't exactly known for being polite/friendly/courteous/etc.

With just minutes left before our flight was scheduled to leave, we were given the green light to board the flight.  Hooray!  As our boarding passes were scanned, the same chick that was having the worst day ever, continued to make obvious that she was having the worst day ever and the guy behind us jokingly said, "There's nothing wrong with the plane, right?"  Her response: "I hope not."  Apparently Czech Airlines needs to work on their training...

I was incredibly excited to visit Prague for the first time since my study abroad experience the summer of '03 in college.  My fear was that it wouldn't be nearly as fabulous as I remembered, and that Aaron would wonder why we ventured from delightful Bavaria into Eastern Europe for such a lousy city.

However, as soon as our cab dropped us off at our hotel situated about 50 yards from the entrance of the Charles Bridge, I realized that the city is just as amazing as I remembered it.


Just outside our hotel

 

  

Prague Castle view from the mini Eiffel Tower



We spent the next 2 days walking the city, and taking in most of the sites:  the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town, the Jewish Quarter, Wenceslas Square, and Petrin Hill.  We walked a lot.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well I remembered the layout of the city.

  

  

City street.  Yes, they're all this beautiful.

We also made stops at the places I spent most of my time the summer of '03: the kolej (dorm) where I lived, the school I went to, and the bar that my classmates and I frequented.  It was nostalgic to say the least, and made me thankful that I had chosen to study abroad in Prague.  Though tourists have over-taken the city, I still don't think that Prague gets the credit that is due as a vacation destination.  Needless to say, I was a little sad to leave at the end of our short stay.



Charles Bridge



In front of my dorm. The inside is even worse.