Praha

I'm writing this almost a year after the fact, and my memories of Prague are coming back with a wispy, warm feeling that makes me wish I were there now...
Mom and I got into the airport and took the transit to Hostel Mango on the west side of the _____ river. We dropped our bags and went out to explore the city as dusk fell over it... They call Prague the City of 1000 Spires. That's code for fairytale. Around the corner from where we were staying, there was a city gate that led up the hill to Prague Castle or across the Karluv Most (Charles Bridge) to the center of town. It was love from the first windy street. Wouldn't it be magical in snow?
There was clearly more history in the city than two out-of-towners could take in on their own, so took a walking tour the next morning. We met Kafka, Charles IV, the Soviets, the jews who survived WWII, over a thousand years of architecture, Good King Wenceslas... and so many more. Lunch was an amazing plate of duck and dumplings in a creamy gravy, washed down with a Pils. How good is that?
The afternoon we spent shopping through Prague... so many places to stop :) In the evening we wound up at a wonderful little wine bar that shared a wall with our hostel. For roughly $15, we had a huge plate of bread, cheeses, and meats with oil for dipping and a glass or two of wine with a wonderful background on where everything was from. In the time we sat there, not one table changed. It was the sort of comfortable place that you go with a group of close friends and plan on spending the evening.

Karluv Most

Speaking of friends, they were first on the list in the morning. Petra, Jan, Lucie, and Ales all came in from Ostrava and Brno to spend the day with us and be our guides!! We shivered in Wenceslas Square as the drizzle turned to sleet... turned to almost snow... and then their trains came in. After warming up with pastries and coffee, we wandered through the city. It was so good to see everyone again! We also had a political scientist with us (Ales), so there was almost a continuation from the tour the day before.

Magical view from the castle

Mom and I checked out a snowy Prague Castle while our 4 friends ran errands, and then met back up for dinner at Lokal. The boys had picked it out based on good Czech food and good Czech beer. Yum!

We ended the day with a hike up to Vysehrad castle just south of town. We looked up the river as the lights came on over the city. After many see-you-soons, we hugged goodbye and wandered back to our beds for one last night in Praha.

The trip's final bonus? Air Canada bumped us from our flight. We had one night paid for in Heathrow, and compensation to the tune of more all of our car rental and more than one of our flights. Turned out to be one of the cheapest trips we could have taken! woot!