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After another long bus ride over again roads filled with potholes, and a very long stop at the border control (apparently they had some issues over the dominican republic passport of someone on our bus), we arrived in Prague. It was rather wet, but thankfully it had stopped raining just before we got there. Went on a city tour, which included the Prague castle, Charles Bridge (the oldest and only pedestrian bridge in Prague), and town square. After this, we headed to dinner for some tradional Czech food. Goulash and bread dumplings. Goulash in the Czech Republic is a bit different than goulash in Hungary. Less spicy. But still delicious.
The hotel we stayed at here was shaped like a Pyramid, and was apparently once the main hotel where important members of the Communist party stayed when they were in town.
Anywho, next morning we go to an economic institute, where a guy who hated the EU gave a talk about Czech Republic in the EU. Comfy chairs+ not so good english skills + traffic noise = me not paying much attention. After this, we walk over to where we are to meet for our next meeting and send us off for lunch. We didn't have that much time, maybe an hour, but like I said before, meals in Europe take forever so an hour is really only enough time to go to a deli or someplace like that. On our way to meeting one, we just happened to pass a Little Ceasars- who knew they had them in Europe. I have an immense love for crazy bread, so I was not about to pass it up. I had a bit of time left after that, which I used to walk over to the National theater, just to get a closer look.
Meeting 2: some college student again discussing the same topic. This one got more interesting when we started asking him about the split with Slovakia (where he was actually from) and other personal reaction questions.
After this, a group of guys and I decide to head up to the Prague castle (since we didn't really go inside on the tour) before it closed at 4 (at this point it was about 2pm). We get up there and wander around inside the church, and I ended up losing the guys when I went further behind the church inside the castle. All the better I suppose, since they didn't go back to the hotel until much later, and there was no way I was going to walk around in dress shoes and nylons all day. The hotel wasn't far from the castle, so I walked back and changed clothes. After this I went back downtown to walk around and see some more stuff. Went into a coupld stores, one place I almost bought a shirt, but one of the guys who worked there started following me around like a puppy, saying 'oh it's perfect for you'. It annoyed me so much that I just left.
The same area there were some synagouges around, and I wanted to go in one (since I'd never seen the inside of one before), but dammit if they charged entry fees for every single one.
So, defeated, I walk down to Wenceslas square for dinner, since I'd heard there were some good places around there. I turn down a couple random streets and wind up at some place where I can get wild boar for 8 bucks. When else am I going to get wild boar at a price like that? It doesn't taste much like pork, but more like steak, except lighter and more tender. Quite good.
After this, I went back to the hotel (from there it was at least a half hour walk, but I was in no hurry), and thought I'd hit the pool. I walk down to the pool in my suit, and when I get there, they tell me I have to pay 50 Krones (that's Czech currency) to use it. What kind of hotel charges to use the pool!?! So basically I went upstairs again to write postcards and whatever else, that I can't remember.
You could not get me out of Prague fast enough. Too many dang tourists. And the streets are just tourist shops. It was colorful, sure, but everything else just killed it for me. So while most people were complaining that we'd only had a day and a half there, I was more than happy to be on the plane to Latvia.
The hotel we stayed at here was shaped like a Pyramid, and was apparently once the main hotel where important members of the Communist party stayed when they were in town.
Anywho, next morning we go to an economic institute, where a guy who hated the EU gave a talk about Czech Republic in the EU. Comfy chairs+ not so good english skills + traffic noise = me not paying much attention. After this, we walk over to where we are to meet for our next meeting and send us off for lunch. We didn't have that much time, maybe an hour, but like I said before, meals in Europe take forever so an hour is really only enough time to go to a deli or someplace like that. On our way to meeting one, we just happened to pass a Little Ceasars- who knew they had them in Europe. I have an immense love for crazy bread, so I was not about to pass it up. I had a bit of time left after that, which I used to walk over to the National theater, just to get a closer look.
Meeting 2: some college student again discussing the same topic. This one got more interesting when we started asking him about the split with Slovakia (where he was actually from) and other personal reaction questions.
After this, a group of guys and I decide to head up to the Prague castle (since we didn't really go inside on the tour) before it closed at 4 (at this point it was about 2pm). We get up there and wander around inside the church, and I ended up losing the guys when I went further behind the church inside the castle. All the better I suppose, since they didn't go back to the hotel until much later, and there was no way I was going to walk around in dress shoes and nylons all day. The hotel wasn't far from the castle, so I walked back and changed clothes. After this I went back downtown to walk around and see some more stuff. Went into a coupld stores, one place I almost bought a shirt, but one of the guys who worked there started following me around like a puppy, saying 'oh it's perfect for you'. It annoyed me so much that I just left.
The same area there were some synagouges around, and I wanted to go in one (since I'd never seen the inside of one before), but dammit if they charged entry fees for every single one.
So, defeated, I walk down to Wenceslas square for dinner, since I'd heard there were some good places around there. I turn down a couple random streets and wind up at some place where I can get wild boar for 8 bucks. When else am I going to get wild boar at a price like that? It doesn't taste much like pork, but more like steak, except lighter and more tender. Quite good.
After this, I went back to the hotel (from there it was at least a half hour walk, but I was in no hurry), and thought I'd hit the pool. I walk down to the pool in my suit, and when I get there, they tell me I have to pay 50 Krones (that's Czech currency) to use it. What kind of hotel charges to use the pool!?! So basically I went upstairs again to write postcards and whatever else, that I can't remember.
You could not get me out of Prague fast enough. Too many dang tourists. And the streets are just tourist shops. It was colorful, sure, but everything else just killed it for me. So while most people were complaining that we'd only had a day and a half there, I was more than happy to be on the plane to Latvia.
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