Prague: No Plan? No Problem!

I spent last weekend in the Czech Republic visiting a place I now consider one of the most wonderful cities I have ever been too. (Yep, Prague is right up there with Edinburgh, Istanbul and Gary, Indiana.) The city remains intact and displays a beautiful castle, gorgeous cathedrals and of course every American's favorite -- never ending cobblestone streets.



(Ridge and I in Old Town)




We arrived early Friday evening and after checking into the Hostel, we spent the first night doing some sighting near Old Town, a few other squares and checking out a local pub before retiring around 1 a.m.. Ridge and I woke up early the next morning and started trekking at about 7:45 a.m. We didn't really have a plan, but wanted to get through as much as possible.

Our day, which included trips to the castle; taking beautiful photos along the Charles Bridge; becoming annoyed by how rude some people from Seattle and California were; and having a few beers along the way. The city espouses exactly what you imagine an old European city to be like. It has character, history, and of course being known as the 'Beer Capital of the World' doesn't hurt.



(Touring Along the Vltava River)




We also encountered a wedding at an old church in Vysehrad, known as the Castle on the Heights" and on the opposite side of the Vltava River from Prague Castle; joined our other eight friends for dinner and a bar crawl that ended at about 3 a.m.; and took in some of the local flavor by venturing outside of the downtown area.

One thing that stood out for me was how many Americans were in the city. I hadn't seen so many since I left Michigan in late June. The city was full of English speaking people and of course a few dumb tourists too.



(My Favorite Tourist: A German With a Michigan-oriented Shirt)




This upcoming week is my last in Tallos before I head to Vienna on Friday afternoon and then to Turkey on Saturday and make my way back to Budapest. (Yes, I plan on taking a bit of the old Orient Express.)

Marc