The first thing I noticed about Prague, (given that we drove there) is that the roads, unlike in Germany, have potholes. (The second is that the money is ODD and it will take more that your morning coffee to understand why you got copper coins back when you paid with 100Kr note).
Prague is a little run down in places. It is gritty. Its wounds are raw and it's history is real and recent. It may have been the gloomy clouds hanging over us, it might be my sensitivity to it's history, or just that it is the end of winter and the summer bustle has not yet arrived, in it's hoards. But it was calm, and quiet, and still.
When you stand for a moment, and cut out the obvious sounds like the trams and tourists, and just look out at the Vtlava flowing past, you can feel it. I don't know what it is about that place, but there's SOMETHING in the air that just calms you right down, and opens your eyes to see all the intricate details on every lamp post and building.
Of course, when the sun goes down it's a completely different story.
The pub beyond every second doorway becomes far more visible. The students and contiki-goers transform themselves from earnest sight see-ers to hard-party-ers, and the lights go on.
The Prague winds urge you to Do Something That Makes You Uncomfortable, like drinking Ginger cocktails, climbing trees and dancing till 3am (although this would only make you uncomfortable the next morning when your legs no longer work and there are Things To See).
We stayed at The Mosaic House, which is part of the chain of St Christopher's Inn's. They cater for everyone, 'from backpackers to business men' so you can do the dorm thing or just have a regular hotel room. There is, of course, a big screen for sport, and the area transforms into a little discotheque at night, and then there's the bar that has drinks specials from 6-12pm. And the drinks... they're goooood! My recommendation: a Moscow Mule. (Ginger, ginger ale, lemonade, VODKA, limes).
After a night of hard cocktail drinking, and then dancing on as many of the floors at Karlovy Lazne. 5 floors, each with a different type of music... it was hard work.
Saturday was, therefore, a slightly later start. And we took it slow. Meandering around, over the Bridge of Legions, up on the Petrin tram to behind the castle to see the gardens, 'observation' (as one clever American called it), Petrin tower, Petrin cafe (CAKE), and then around and back down towards the river. Over St Charles bridge and into the Old Town Square where we promptly found ourselves an Irish Pub and settled down.
Well, until we made friends with the Norwegians at the table next to us, piggybacked onto their night of fine dining and spent the night telling tales of Africa. After dinner we found a little place called Hemingways, complete with books and a typewriter and a VERY impressive liquor cabinet. Needless to say, Sunday morning involved a Very Important Pitstop at McDonalds before the drive home could begin.
And that was Prague. Viva La Boheme!
