Blog 5: Prague was Live

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

4:46 PM

The method of transportation for free weekend #2 was bus. I booked the same Regiojet bus as Matt, Paisley, Hannah, and Emily. We got to our bus stop with plenty of time to spare,which was probably for the best because none of us had taken a bus for such a long distance before. I wasn’t sure what to expect but what I found was that this bus was nicer than all the planes I've ever been on and many of the trains as well. The ride to Prague was filled with alternating naps and watching the scenery outside change and evolve into different kinds of Austrian and eventually Czech country landscapes. We arrived pretty late in the day. Our first order of business was to withdraw some Czech cash and find our airbnb. Luckily most of the main stations we've encountered are pretty tourist friendly. We were able to buy two day public transport passes and get directions all in one stop in a little office right next to the currency exchange kiosk. When we finally arrived at our airbnb we couldn’t seem to locate a key. We came in separate groups so we just had to message Juliette and wait. Luckily the owner quickly sent down a friend with copies of keys for us and we were granted access. Shortly after settling in the rest of our group arrived in waves. They had all eaten but Emily, Hannah and I still needed some food so we found a gas station across the street where we were able to wrangle enough snack food to tide us over until the next morning. Most of the people in our group were pretty tired but a few of us ended up hitting the town a little earlier. We found a nice little place for brunch and walked around the plaza and a local cathedral before meeting with everyone else. Our reunion was followed by a light lunch at a local food cart and a visit to the astronomical clock. 

By this time the main plaza was PACKED. There were people from all over, many, many tourist groups and  several street performers. We managed to escape the madness by purchasing tickets to an art exhibit showing the works of Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, and a local artist whose name I cant recall. I spent most of my time On the Dali floor. 

Other activities that day included visiting the Prague castle(an experience that could have been improved if Dr. Wasser was along to explain what everything is, but Ultimately still pretty amazing. Simply put this part of Prague was prime photo op space. 

After the castle we made our way down to the river and had a fancy dinner on a boat restaurant. I paid a lot of money for very little food, but I guess the experience and the quality even it out. That night we successfully avoided going on a pub crawl with any Australians. The next day for me was slow going and I ended up going to the airport several hours early to get some rest. I really love getting to go out and explore these places we get to visit but I've realized I need to give myself a break every now and then. So that’s exactly what I did. I only have a small regret regarding the fact that I missed the chocolate museum, but in the end I need the nap more than I needed the chocolate.