Czech-ing Prague Off the List

I decided to embark on yet another solo journey, this time, to the heart of Europe. First stop: Prague. Prague has always fascinated me and I am so glad I get the chance to visit this time! The weather wasn’t perfect when I came, though. It was raining and I chose to pack very lightly – I only packed shirts, three pairs of shorts and a pair of sandals, les tropeziennes to be exact. It was like going to war without the proper battle gear. Nevertheless, I had to deal with what I had. Soon enough, the sun decided to show up and that had me feeling relieved for a while.

How I got there

From Rouen, I previously booked a train to Paris where I would need to take an RER B to Terminal 1 or 2. However, my plane, Vueling, was departing from Terminal 3 – which would have meant three transfers for me. Fortunately, my friends told me about the ongoing train strike (among other strikes already going on) so I decided to book through Flixbus that would take me from Rouen straight to Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Terminal 3. Why didn’t I think about it in the first place? Simply because I forgot about it. I’m still getting the hang of organizing a travel itinerary. I do get better every time.

Where I stayed

I basically had three choices: AirBnB, a hostel or Couchsurfing. I wasn’t ready for a Couchsurfing experience just yet, and I guess I couldn’t find any inexpensive (by inexpensive, I meant < 30 EUR per night) AirBnB close to or in the center which is why I went with a hostel, Apartments Mlynárská 4 (700 CZK, 25 EUR for two nights), 15 minutes (by foot) to the city center which leads me to point 3.

How I got around

I walked. Saved me transportation costs! And the best and fun way to see the city especially because I only had two nights and three days (actually one full day) to spend in Prague. From the airport, however, I needed to take the Airport Express (AE) bus to Námesti Republiky (Republic Sqaure) which cost me 60 CZK (~2,22 EUR). Apart from that, I chose to go by foot, even if my feet would beg me to take the tram, especially on the way (up) to Prague Castle.

Where and what I ate

The (barely) English-speaking receptionist at the hostel recommended I eat at Potrefena Husa, a cheap restaurant in town that serves good food. And so I gave it a try! Apart from Czech beer (pivo), I had no idea what to try. But after a quick Google search and what the English menu had to offer, I thought maybe meat was their specialty. I probably spent way too much, 268 CZK (13, 62 EUR) when I could have dined for less. After giving Czech food a try, the rest of my days in Prague, I just had sandwiches. Okay, maybe Indian food, too (because the girl from India I met from the tour insisted, no regrets!).

What I did

Walk, walk, and walk. A lot of walking, sightseeing, picture-taking, talking and meeting strangers - not really strangers but more like fellow travellers or tourists, if you will. Like I said, I met this Indian girl from the (Sandeman) Prague free walking tour(best way to get to know and see the city especially when you’re in for just two days!) I went to the tour alone and after which, Maher and I hung out for the rest of the day! I also had nice chats with my Danish roommate, Tina, from the hostel.

Where I went

My first stop was, but of course, the Astronomical Clock I longed to see for years. I went by it many times, I lost count. I didn’t get to see it move, though. I also went through Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle among other sites. Two days were not enough to see the beauty that is Prague. It felt like scanning through a magazine but not reading it.

Would I go there again / Do I recommend going to Prague

Although my description of it may not seem to be so, hell yeah I will go there again and I do recommend it! Prague was a breath of fresh air, at least for me. For the longest time, I’ve only been to Western Europe and although it’s beautiful, at one point, they start to look the same. Being here in the heart of Europe gave me a new perspective, something different, something new, something exciting.

Where I went to next

Next in my Spring/Summer 2016 itinerary was a four-hour and a half bus ride away to the Slovakian capital, Prague’s cousin, Bratislava!