Top 3 reasons I loved Prague.1. Chuck Norris.
2. Harry Potter.
3. EVERYTHING else.
I knew before coming to Germany that I wanted to go to Prague. I had heard it was cheap, a big plus for a struggling student, and also beautiful. But I didn't really have any other ideas about Prague or reasons for wanting to visit, and I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
Even after a 5 AM train ride from Berlin, where I lost my Parisian sunglasses (boo!), and a hectic morning trying to find the hotel, Prague could not have been a more pleasant weekend. We went on a walking tour around Old Town and the Jewish Quarter, and the streets were cute, cobblestoned, and not chock full of tourists--always a plus. I'm usually not all about older, smaller cities--I prefer New York to Boston and Berlin to Munich, but Prague had a completely different feel to it. It felt more real, in a way that I think I did not feel in either Munich or Boston. This might be due to the fact that the buildings there are actually as old as they look. There is a castle and medieval churches and bridges scattered throughout the city, saved from the destruction of both World Wars.
Charles Bridge I was particularly impressed with not only for the intense religious sculptures and towers on either end, but also the quality of street vendors. Instead of cheesy models of the bridge or postcard stands as far as the eye could see, like one would find in any other city, there were street musicians, local jewelry makers, painters . . . after buying a pair of blue handmade earrings, I had to refrain from buying a glass pair of earrings made from recycled bottles and a number of other pendants on the bridge. I was amazed by the fact that this tourist landmark--the only one I knew by name before I perused my Europe guidebook last week--is not overrun by sketchy, aggressive vendors and instead by quiet and talented artists. Never once was I hassled. Instead, a man told me about his jewelry when I had hovered for a few minutes around a pair of earrings. What a pleasant change of tourist pace.
I also felt a lack of annoyance from the locals about having to change to English to speak with me. I don't know a single word in Czech, nor can I read it with all the crazy accents on it, and I never had a problem. True, I stuck to touristy areas. But restaurants and stores and guides and even vendors selling kielbasa and Glühwein on the street spoke enough English to make me feel totally comfortable and welcome. This is a huge change from both France and Germany. While there are many places where English is common in Berlin, there are many where it is not, which becomes a struggle when I can only make simple sentences about food, furniture, and planning a trip. Many Parisians seemed downright annoyed that I had the audacity to point at a sandwich instead of learning the French word for whatever it was I wanted--but then again, that might just be a Parisian quality. While I have no issue with the German standoffishness--in fact, often I find myself rejoicing in the lack of small talk--it was nice to be among a group of generally warmer people, especially in a city I knew nothing about.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in Prague and would go there again in a heartbeat. Now while I can't convey the beauty of the city with my photos--it never works the way you want it too--here are a number of shots anyway, just for good measure.
The Astronomical Clock. Voted the most disappointing tourist landmark. Well chosen, voters, well chosen.
View from the top of said Clock Tower. Best 50 krona I ever spent.
Standing on Charles Bridge.
Dean's Church (I think that's what he said) lit up in Blue and the giant statue in Old Town Square.
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