And so the trip begins….

My First Day Traveling

My trip was uneventful, except for the fact that I hardly slept, which was mainly due to the excitement of going aboard for FOUR whole weeks. Every time I get off an overseas flight and leave the bosom of my American compatriots I suddenly realize that it is not true that the world revolves around everything American (okay it partially does but that isn’t my point today, so I’ll skip it.)

When I got to Prague, I started to hear a variety of languages, of course Czech,as well as other Slavic languages, French, Italian, German, and British and Australian English. I have tell you that despite a few Czech words that have seeped into the English language, I know and understand little to nothing about this language. That is okay, but I suddenly realize that I am about to spend an extended time not in an English centered world. It’s okay, really it’s okay, I will get by. At least I better adjust, because this whole thing can be a bit disorienting at times. <---initial adjustment jitters.

Hostel

Hostel U Melounu, the placet I found on the internet is working out just fine. It is in a centrally located neighborhood, near several hospitals and a medical university, so it is a bit outside the noise of the main tourist area. It is clean and the people are friendly. I have a lovely courtyard outside my room.

Prague

Prague is an unexpected surprise. I have fallen in love with this city. 

First of all the

– a mixture of a thousand or so years of history, one finds buildings that are from the Medieval, styles to Art Deco and Noveau. I understand that Prague was not bombed like many of the Western European cities, which adds to the abundance of so many buildings.  Since I am very good at wandering and getting lost, I have spent hours wandering the streets looking at the many well preserved facades and styles of buildings.

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The city is full of green areas, lots of parks and walking areas. The public transportation is excellent and the streets all well marked. It is also quite clean.

My first stop was Hradcany Castle (Prague Castle) which has been updated many times over the years.  After touring parts of the castle, I took a leisurely walk through the beautiful grounds and got the first of many views of the city from higher ground.

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Afterwards I had my first lunch in Prague, beef and potatoes with beer.

 

 

 

  My New Friend

Before I left Houston I let everyone I could think of know I was headed  here. I hoping to be given some names of people to look up. My fiend Igor skypes me the day before I am leaving, he has a friend in Prague would I like to meet her. Of course I did.

Eugenie is a darling woman. My second night here, she and her husband George picked me at the hostel and off we went to tour Prague. We walked for hours! The only problem was I didn’t take my camera. I have gone back to many of the places they took me. Besides walking through a pretty park, we walked along the Charles Bridge, including the Old Town Bridge Tower and many statues along the way,  saw the canals along side the bridge(think mini Venice), the high water marks from when the city last flooded in 2002, the John Lennon Wall, Old Town Square, the infamous Clock, a Jesuit Monastery, the Dancing building ( I had already stumbled on this one earlier), Memorial for the Victims of Communism and more. Her English is much better than my Czech, but we still struggle a little to communicate – no problem with that, her warmth is infectious.

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I better stop as it is getting late.  I know I have two more days to cover.