Day 70 Pushin' on Prague

I keep trying to get away from all the alliterative post titles, but they're just so darn catchy you'll all have to stick with me!

Can you imagine this between Can and US?

The "border" into the Czech Republic.

I woke up fairly early after my night out in Krakow, and after hitting up the free breakfast, got on my way. I lugged my super huge and heavy suitcase to the bus station and was starting to really look forward to posting those tiles and heavy items home... I wore my hiking boots in anticipation of my border-crossing walk, and settled in on the minibus for a three hour journey.  I was just in time too, as the bus was FULL and I got one of the last seats. People were even standing in the aisles! I was really impressed with the efficient city bus system when I arrived, but honestly I don't understand this one... People were waiting along the way at random spots with little to no signage, and others were disembarking essentially on the roadside! I was utterly confused about how everyone seemed to know what was going on, but I guess it's like the Kenyan matatu system -  you get used to it.

Sean, expect this package in oh, 2 to 4 months!

Sir Toby's Hostel Kitchen Area.

I befriended (big surprise...) the girl sitting next to me, who turned out to be Czech and really lovely. She was ok with my following her across the border to the train station, where she was also catching the final leg home. I would have had a tough time of it without her, so I was pretty grateful! She also helped me book my ticket, as the ticket lady's english was not so good and my Czech is non-existent... seriously I don't even know 'Thank You'... She left me at the adjoining post office where I bought a box  and proceeded to jam all my goods in. The total price to post a 10 kg box by surface mail was $50, so I was pretty pleased to send it on it's way. Hopefully it winds up home, safe and sound, and before Christmas (there's a few surprises in there for people, hehe!) If not, you'll all just have to excuse me and wait a little while, but since I'm doing it for your mountains of birthday gifts, it'll have to be alright ;).

Peafowl at the Senate Gardens.

I had 10 zlotychs left, and being unable to spend them on the Czech side of the river, I headed back across and came to a deli, where I actually bought my first polish sausage! It was awesome, but smelled pretty strongly, so now my handbag possesses that unfortunate attribute. It was awkward too because I wasn't alone in the train compartment and it was noticeable the whole trip... ah well, what can you do? Lasting reminder of Poland never hurt anyone right? I caught my train and settled in for the 5 hour journey, dozing on and off as I surveyed the countryside the rest of the time. I realized as I arrived in Prague (finally) that I had NO IDEA how to get the hostel! Luckily this is not Africa, as the cold consistently reminds me, and I caught the wifi in the station, noting the short ride on public transport.

View of Prague

Absinthe Ice Cream Shop!

I arrived shortly after 9, and though it's a little out of the main area, it is really nice. Everything is clean, and white, and the main room decor is really bohemian and cool. I'm already gathering ideas, and have plans to upholster things in velvet when I get back... look out old furniture, no one is safe. I dropped my gear and headed down to the bar area where I ran into a couple of cool Aussies and some other North Americans who had started some damage on a rum bottle. I was invited to join in, and we hung out until about 12:30, picking up other single travelers as we went. When we headed out, I was feeling pretty good, and was really looking forward to seeing this crazy club they all described. It was MAD cool - all the decor was really steampunk, and derived from old buses and metal fixtures. It's a few different floors (not the infamous big 5 story one, that's tonight!) but we chilled in the lounge areas and I took it all in. We all just laughed and had a few, throwing reddit inside jokes around, which I'm so glad is a universal thing! For all the rest of you, we talked about hilariously captioned animal pictures essentially... so maybe not for everyone!

Senate House

The pond at the gardens.

I got back to the hostel, whose wifi was unfortunately on the fritz, and got to bed around 3. It felt so good to curl up after my day of upright travel, and the pillows here are extra large and divine, so I wrapped myself around one and hit dreamland HARD.

Baroque Drip Wall in the Garden.

I felt so refreshed this morning when I woke up, and decided to splurge on the $6 all you can eat breakfast to start me off. They had an omelette station, so much fruit, and lotsa cold cuts. I had a nice surprise too on my way down, David's here! He arrived early this morning off a 23 hour bus from Sofia, Bulgaria... OH MAN. Poor guy! We 're going to head out today and take 'er easy, There's plenty of time to do touristy things on Monday and Tuesday when some people have cleared out. For now we're off to find the bazaar, and get David a winter jacket, and me some boots. I swear I'm about ready to kill these ballerina flats and all the blisters they're giving me!

Facade at Prague Castle.

Upwards View of St.Vitus Cathedral.

With a successful, albeit random, shopping trip behind us, David and I dropped the boots, his new jacket, and the groceries off and headed off to see the Castle area and some of the Old town. It's a beautiful city, as I'd already heard, but it's really neat up close.

We saw the Senate house, which is now just for show, and the beautiful gardens around it which are home to peafowl! The aviary also boasts and host of owls, and the baroque style dripwall is really eerie. The boys from last night were also in attendance, and we leisurely strolled around. There are two stoic guards at the castle, and of course I took a photo... and managed to get him to crack a smile (sort of)! We headed over to the absinthe shop to check it out, and saw that you can get ice cream even! The walk ended back at Sir Toby's and David and I made dinner. The oven smoked quite a bit, which apparently is normal, but we had amazing baked chicken with steamed broccoli and pan-seared peppers. NOM! I'm going to try and eat healthy while roughing it!

mmmmm. Hostel Dinner!

Tonight the group of us are going to rally and head out on a pub crawl. David and I check out tomorrow, and we're going to stay with a Czech friend I met in Kenya who lives in a suburb here, so I imagine we'll probably do it up just a little. She's going to come and party with us as well! Tomorrow who knows what will happen, brand new days bring brand new adventures!

Stay tuned! I'll write soon!

serious...

smirking... heehee