Prague trip: The one with the final comments!

So! Another successful trip is over and I thought one more blog post about Prague would be in order. I enjoy traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday and it is always exciting to see new places and chat with folks in another country.

My overall thought on Prague is that it is a lovely old city with some fabulous landmarks and buildings. Although it was different than my expectations (damn those pre conceived notions!!). If you look on a map you can see that the Czech Republic is very close to Austria. So although I acknowledge that they are two different countries I thought there would be some similarities. Not really.

My impression of Austria (Vienna and Salzburg) is that it is an elegant, refined city with culture and music. Perhaps using the word “highbrow” wouldn’t be out of order. I found Prague to be lovely but perhaps a bit more “grittier” and more “working class”. This is in no way a negative thing. Just a comparison. To be honest I found Prague more like Moscow than Vienna. To my (very) untrained ear the language was similar to Russian than to German.

With all this being said I actually found the people in Prague to be friendlier. Although there was a slight language barrier (most people understood some English but not everyone spoke English) it appeared that the Czech people were more “down to earth”.  As far as the city itself being “grittier” I only attribute that to both having had most of its buildings survive WWII and also the communist influence.

If I were to visit Prague again I think a day trip outside the city would be a great addition to the trip. I didn’t have enough time this vacation to do that but there is some great little towns 2-4 hour train ride away that might provide a more rounded experience.

Last thoughts? I would definitely visit Prague/ Czech Republic again. I perhaps might not visit in November, as it was very chilly. Although based on the crowds that I experienced the summer months would be too crowded. I might suggest either October or perhaps April (to avoid crowds and also the cold weather). All in all a wonderful trip (minus the blisters)! Remember that these are just my opinions and your mileage may vary!!!

Next up? A trip to Italy in March with some friends! Rome and Venice here I come (and there may be a stop in Istanbul as well!!).

Happy Travels!!

Prague Day 4: The one where it's the last day in Prague and I want to do way too much!

Prague Day 4 of the trip:

So today is the last day of my Prague trip and I really want to get a ton of stuff done and make use of the last day. Unfortunately my feet are not cooperating with me. My blisters have blisters and my feet are killing me. I figure that maybe it's time to retire these Europe walking shoes and shop for some new ones. Especially since I have an Italy trip in March and I'm told there are cobblestones there. Unless I get my friends to take turns carrying me around in a chariot, I guess I'll be shopping for some new shoes!

The first thing this morning (after my complimentary Marriott breakfast) is to head out toward the Jewish center of the city. I have said it before but I'll say it again: I really love a city in the morning. Before all the tourists get up after their drunk nights and when the city is just waking up: it really is a lovely sight. You get to see people just walking to work, there are no crowds and it seems like the city is all to yourself. Granted it's colder but I just love the quiet. 

So off to the Jewish Quarter. This is the site of the former Jewish Ghetto. There is a tour you can take with one ticket and you see the Pinkas Synagogue, the old Jewish cemetary, the Ceremonial Hall and a couple other synagogues. Pictures are only allowed in the cemetary and the cost of the ticket is 300 KC. 

The Pinkas Synagogue dates from the 1500's and after WWII, the names of 77,297 Czech Jews who perished in the Nazi concentration camps are painted ont he walls. This includes the names of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's paternal grandparents. It is a small but lovely quiet building and you can feel the revernence in this holy place. 

After that you proceed outside to the old Jewish Cemetary. It is the Prague's oldest surviving Jewish burial ground and dates to the middle of the 15th century. At the time local laws prohibited Jews from burying their dead outside the ghetto so there are some 12,000 visible tombstones and thousands of more bodies stacke dup in 12 to 15 layers below. It really is incredible. 

After visiting the other parts of the Jewish area, I headed just a street over to the Prague Museum of Decorative Arts. This is a cute little museum that has so many things to look at,  you kind of get overwhelmed. 120 KC for the ticket. They have applied arts from the 16th to the 20 century, including textiiles, clocks, glassware and posters. It's a great little museum that I found on TA as well as my guidebook but folks I talked to on the trip were not aware of it at all. I think it's one of those "hidden gems". 

From there (after a quick cappuchino break at the museum cafe), I headed back towards the Charles Bridge. I felt that I didn't get to see as much of the other side of the river (The Lesser Town: Mala Strana). It was crazy cold out (even more so at the river) but that didn't stop the crowds from being there. After crossing the bridge, I was able to check out the St. Nicholas Church as well as a lovely walk down some tiny, historic streets. 

One of the streets (Nerudova) is lined with stunning houses and palaces, and many of them are either embassies or restaurants. They still bear the signs of the "house name/number" that was used before the more modern "house numbers" we use today. For example there is the House of the Three Fiddles, which is at house # 12. So cool. I want my new house to have three fiddles on it. Even if I don't play the fiddle. 

The house shown below is the the Schoenorn Palace, which is the home of the U.S. Embassy. Guidebook says that the U.S. bought the property in 1925 for $117,000. Wonder what it is worth today???

The remainde of the day was pretty much spent just walking around (or hobbling around) looking at people and places. I did have a great lunch of street food of hot wine and sausage near the Old Town area. It was amazing and perfect for the cold weather. 

Additionally, I found a Mexican/Spanish restaurant during my walk and I was so amused at the thought of the Czechs having a Mexican restaurant that I had to take a pic. I mean it is pretty clear that everyone the world over loves burritos. Who doesn't??

All in all this was a great trip. Will probably post one more post to describe some "loose ends" that I haven't mentioned. It was an amazing trip, even with the blisters and cold weather!

Prague day 3.5: The one with the tips and tricks!

So I thought that it would be helpful to blog a post about the tips and tricks that I have learned while in Prague. 

Metro/Tram: Well we all know about the need to validate public transport tickets before boarding. It is not difficult, you purchase the tickets either in the machine (note they only take coins- not bills/notes) or at one of the stands near/in the metro. There is a little yellow machine before you head down the escalators where you have to "punch" the ticket to have it marked as to the time you validate it. Then it is good for the time period from that time (for example I bought a 24 hour ticket). Easy. The cost of the tickets vary but the 24 hour ticket that I purchased was 110 CZ, which is about $4.97 USD. 

Street signs:  So there are tons of signs along the street pointing to areas of interest/ historical significance. They give you a great idea of where you need to go to get to your destination. However, they are only in Czech. Not English. Now your guidebook or map will have the name of the landmark in both English and Czech so you need to match up what you are looking for so that you can recognize the Czech word. I find the language difficult and not easy to translate (in my head it was similar to Russian). So whatever "trick" you need to remember the word use that. 

Locations: Pretty much everything is close together and easy to get to by walking. I used the tram/metro to get to the Prague Castle but for pretty much everything else I walked. There were a lot of tourists around, but if you are wanting to be in a more quiet space then go out early in the morning. Several mornings I was out by 8 or 8:30 and it was pretty empty. I enjoyed that. 

Cobblestones:  Ok, I have been harping on the cobblestones in my blog posts and I apologize. I have been to cities with streets that are paved with stones or cobblestones many times. But I have never seen the street lined with so many different types of stones as I have seen in Prague. Not only are there different types of stones, there are many missing stones which can make walking complicated. Additionally, the stones in and around the castle area are kind of pointy and can be painful when you walk on them for very long. I have very sturdy shoes and my feet were killing me. I don't understand how the medieval horses were able to trot along on those!!

So there you have it! Just a few tips and tricks I have learned here in Prague. I am sure that there are many others but these are the ones that stick in my head now. So put your tray tables up, raise your seat back, sit back and relax and enjoy your flight! As usual, these are my tips and your mileage may vary!!

Prague Day 3: The one with the cold, cold weather

Day 3 of the Prague trip: It was cold today. Really cold. I mean like Moscow 2009 cold (Remember that, Carrie?).  But we move onward

I utilized the metro/tram for the first time to get to the Prague Castle. I have not needed to use public transport so far as Prague is such a small city and very walkable. However, I heard (and read) that the steps up to the castle can be very steep and hard to climb and that the tram takes you right there. So I opted for the tram. Good move. Really good move!

Prague's subway (Metro) is similar to others so I won't get into it too much. Just a reminder, similar to Vienna and other cities, they are on the honor system. You need to validate your ticket once before you use it. You can be stopped by the transit police and be fined if you ticket is not validated. I have not been stopped but I did witness it. Just validate people. 

So after a couple subway stops I took tram #22 which takes you up to the castle. The tram system is really cool here and I think that they are used very frequently by locals because trams are everywhere and they always seem full. 

Now Prague Castle is actually not a "castle" persay. It is comprised of several buildings an a type of "royal complex". It is the largest castle complex in the world (thanks guidebook)! The main entrance and courtyards are pretty typical. Get your ticket (CZ 250= $11) and proceed into the enterance towards the massive St. Vitus Cathedral. It is easily the highlight of the visit (IMO). Construction began in 1344 and really is amazing inside. Pictures below. 

After a tour of St. Vitus Cathedral you proced to the Royal Palace. No pictures allowed in here. I was "underwhelmed" by this palace. I normally expect a palace to have the option to go through many rooms and tour the grounds. This doesn't provide that option. There is  a huge riding hall and a few other rooms but they are roped off and not really that exciting. You do, however, see the massive size of the rooms. 

From there you move onto St. George''s Basilica which is the oldest surviving Romanesque bulding daitng from the 10th century. It is very stark and quaint and very different from St. Vitus. 

Then you proceed down the steep area towards what is called Golden Lane. This is a small lane of tiny tiny houses which are now shops. Back in the day they were small houses building into the castle walls and housed the castle guards in the 16th century. The name of the lane comes from the jewelry makers who were once housed there. Very cute and tiny homes. Some of them were so small I had to duck to avoid hitting my head (and I'm not tall). 

You then proceed down the edge of the castle grounds and make your way to the steps down to the street level. There is a lovely area where you can take pictures (below) and then you make your way down the steep, rough, tough steps to the street. It was cold and windy which didn't make things any easier!  Taking the tram was a good option!

After the trip to the castle I took the tram back to town and basically spent the rest of the day alternating between shopping and helping out the Czech economy and then going back to the hotel to drop off my purchases and resting. My back was really bothering me and the cobblestones really  were affecting my feet this trip. 

Last thing waas a lovely (very filling ) Thanksgiving dinner at Cafe Imperial, which is close to my hotel. It was recommended to me by the Food Tour Guide and it was lovely. I had the typical Czech dish of beef with gravy and dumplings and cranberries and pretty much ate mysefl into a food coma!

Stay tuned for another blog post with tips and tricks of things I have learned here in Prague. Then tomorrow's plan will be a Decorative Arts museum as well as the old Jewish Cementary.

Prague Day 2.5: The one with the most fabulous Food Tour!

So the food tour. Was. Amazing. Have to give a should out to my travel buddy Carrie who took this tour in London (the same company) and recommended it to me when she heard I was going to Prague. Now, I took a food tour in Madrid and really enjoyed it. This one, however, went over and above that one!

We started out meeting at a place called Choco Cafe. It is as you might suspect, a chocolate/pastry shop. There were 9 of us total in the tour (10 if you count the tour guide). There was one couple from Chicago, one from Bakersfield, CA, one from NYC and another from Atlanta. Most of the couples were around my age. The one couple from NYC and the ones from Bakersfield were younger (mid 20's). All seemed really nice and we did get along great. Although as the only one not "paired up" I did feel a little odd. Such is the story of my life!

See below for the European hot chocolate and the pastry (with whipped cream) to dip into said hot chocolate. Amazing!

The next stop was a 2fer. We went to a bistro called Sisters, which served open-faced sandwiches and across from that was a meat shop/butcher shop called Nase Maso. Both were really good. The open faced sandwiches reminded me of Spanish Tapas and the meats included sausage, cured ham and something called meatloaf which is not like our meatloaf. I hate meatloaf (at least the American style). This was basically the "leftovers" of the meat process and kind of put together in a meatloaf type pan. I didn't ask what was in it. But it was AMAZING!!! Can't even describe it!

We then went to a place (sorry forgot the name) which was across town and where we were served mulled wine and Christmas cookies. The cookies were good but I don't really like mulled wine, so no pictures. However, for the folks who like mulled wine, they said it was really good!!

After that, we walked to another tower (similar to the Powder Tower) and there was a restaurant there called Zvonice Na Casy. This roughly is translated into Belfrey in the the Time Beeing. It's pretty much a restaurant in a bell tower. We had a sauerkraut soup there. It is one of their specialties and although I am not a fan of sauerkraut, this was so much different. It doesn't taste at all like the crap we get in the States. Makes me wonder what else I am accustomed to that really is just crap. 

Then for our last stop (!) we went for the "main course". Because apparently up until this point it has been all fun and games! I'll tell my expanding waistband that there is no reason it should be expanding: we haven't had the "real thing" yet. Damn...

The last stop was called Cafe Louvre. It is a historic Czech cafe which also has a billiard room near the dining room. Just because. 

We had a typical Czech dish with beef served with dumplings in a carrot sauce with whipped cream on top. I also had a beer. Well, 1/2 a beer, but still a beer!! And for desert: Apple Strudel!!! My favorite. And it was all so good!

All in all a full day! The food tour took approximately 4.5 hours. And it was well worth it. I think that the cost was E65. I pre paid online when I booked the tour and it was charged as Euros, not Czech Crowns. Total USD is about $80. So worth it. I can't believe how much food we had, as well as a great guide in Mirka. She was able to provide both food and historical information. Thanks again to Carrie for the recommendation!

Tomorrow: Prague Castle!!!

Prague Day 2: The one where it was a much better day and I ate tons of food!

Day 2 of the Prague trip: 

Well, it is wonderful what a full night's sleep and a great complimentary breakfast will do for you! I started out early this morning with the idea of seeing a few sights before the noon-ish food tour I had scheduled. Since I had been out and about yesterday I had a rough idea of where I was going. I headed for old town. 

The one thing that I have learned by traveling is if you are going to a well-known "tourist" area (Prague, Madrid, Vienna, etc) then the great time to see some sights before the crowds show up is to go early in the morning. Especially if what you are wanting to visit is a building or landmark where opening hours are not relative. It is so lovely to walk through a town square without mobs of tourists taking pictures, etc. It is quiet and calm and you often see things that with a mob of people you might not get to see. 

Old town at about 8:30 in the morning was like that. I visited the astronomical clock and the old town hall tower. 

After that, I strolled down the main drag to head towards the Charles Bridge. This is the famous bridge that was first built in the 14th and 15th centuries. There are Baroque statues along the bridge (which date to the 17th century). I had heard that this was the one place that was mobbed with tourists and venders as the day went on so I was determined to see this before that happened. So glad I did!! Not only were there very few people on the bridge, it really does have fabulous views!

After the walk across the bridge, I stopped for a quick coffee at a place called Bohemia Bagel (which by the way has Fabulous Free Fast wifi. Just so you know!

I then headed back towards old town and stopped at the Old Town Hall. It was now open and I wanted to take the elevator to the top for "some of the best views of the city" (thanks, TripAdvisor!).  The cost waas 110 KC (about $4.95 USD) and well worth it. Not only did I get some of the best views of the city  (see below) but I met and shared the elevator up and down with some lovely folks from Austria. See "best views of Prague pictures  below!"

After a tour above the city, I walked back to the hotel to rest for my food tour. Now normally I would blog about this all in one but this food tour was so fabulous and so long, it deserves it's own post! Stay tuned for the food tour blog: Possibly the best food tour I have taken (thanks to Carrie!).

Prague November 2014: The one where I get zero sleep but get tons of blisters!!

Day 1!!  I'm off to Prague! Very excited about this! The airport/normal part of the trip went fine. No big problems other than getting to the airport way too early and having a 4 hour layover in Amsterdam. It just makes for a tiring day. 

And add to that the fact that for some reason I was totally unable to sleep on the plane from Boston to Amsterdam. Now, I always sleep on planes. Not sure why I couldn't this time. I just couldn't get comfortable at all. I maybe slept 1.5 hours total. Ouch!

Landed in Prague with no issues. It doesn't seem to be a really large airport. Progressed to baggage claim, stopped and got some Czech money out of the ATM (thanks to USAA for always making this work!). The off through customs (nothing to declare) and to meet my driver. 

I had arranged for a private pre paid car to get to/from the airport and the hotel. I had read how there could be some issues with shady taxi drivers. I used Prague Airport Transfers, booked online and pre paid for both trips. Total about 1100 CK (about $50 USD). Easy Peasy. My driver was very nice and spoke perfect English, the car was clean and up to date and he was pleasant for the drive to the Prague Marriott Hotel. 

Now here is where things get a little wonky. My normal routine is to take about 1/2 hour at the hotel "regrouping". I change shoes, freshen up and get my stuff in my bag to take out to sight-see. Well, this particular trip brought me into the hotel close to 2:30 pm. I felt like I was not going to have that much time before dark so I didn't "regroup" as much as I should have. I paid for that. 

I somehow managed to have the wrong socks with the wrong shoes and ended up with HUGE blisters. I mean my heels were both bloody, but the one was certainly impressive. I mean, this was dripping blood into my shoe bloody. Yeah, rookie move there Michelle. 

So I managed to find a pharmacy and get some band aids and hobble back to the hotel to bandage myself up and head back out. I was determined to find a few things before I turned in for the night. The main one was a large mall near the hotel (a western sized hotel) where I could pick up postcards, Starbucks mugs and a book for my brother at the bookstore. Bonus? The bookstore sold stamps. So I did manage to do that, find the old town area and make a plan for the next day. Then I just hobbled back to the hotel with my purchases and ordered room service. It gets dark here early this time of the year and I was beat. Just exhausted. I always know that the first day in a city is kind of a slow day, so I won't beat myself up about it. There are a few pics that I managed to capture before the day ended. 

Tomorrow? The food tour!!!

The Powder Tower (near my hotel)

This is a view of the city from my hotel room

One week to Prague!

One wee to go until my trip to Prague! Spending the weekend day today packing and looking into some potential restaurants for my trip. I wanted to post a quick update not only to update but also to try out my new iPad keyboard purchasesd especially for blogging purposes. 

In the past I would blog about my trip when I returned home, mostly because it is easier to type a bunch of text on a keyboard. Now I have this snazzy new keyboard so that the theory is that I can blog in the evenings during my trip. We will see how this works out. I'm looking forward to trying it out!

So one week until I spend my second Thaknsgiving holiday abroad. I am really enjoying this concept of getting away for the holiday. I have to thank my travel buddy Carrie for introducing me to the conecpt. Last year was my first Turkey Day Trip (to Madrid) and I must say I loved it. Prague of course is probably going to be considerably colder than Madrid this time of year but it should put me into the Christmas spirit as well as maybe give me the opportunity to check out some great Christmas markets.  Maybe even a little bit of snow? 

So off in a week, everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving and stay tuned for more blog updates! Happy Travels!

San Francisco Labor Day trip!

Over the long holiday weekend I took a trip to San Francisco to visit my daughter and her husband. Just a quick trip for a few days to hang out and spend some time (and money) with the kids! This will be a short blog post as it is not nearly as exciting a trip as some of my international trips. Much of the time was spent hanging out, eating, playing dominos, chatting and well…eating!

Friday, August 29 was a day that I had off from work but the kids had to go to work. So I decided that instead of my normal “shopping” day that I do when in the city I would go to a day spa and have the “pamper me” treatment! It was glorious!!! I went to the Burke Williams spa in San Francisco (located in the main mall near the Powell BART stop). Purchased an “all day” inclusive package that included a sugar scrub, a 50-minute deep massage, a spa facial and a pedicure. It was lovely and I felt like Jell-O when it was over!

After my spa day and a quick lunch in the mall I headed back to the kids apartment in San Mateo and rested for a while until they came home from work. We then went out to dinner at a local San Mateo restaurant and caught up from the day. All in all a lovely day!

Saturday, August 30: I have done all the major “tourist” stuff many times before. Meghan has lived in the Bay Area since she went to school out here in 2007. So I have managed to hit all the high spots before. I wanted to do something different. I had heard about a Rosie the Riveter museum located in Richmond, CA. I was really excited to go see the museum and check out the stuff they had there that commemorates the women who worked in the factories and shipyards for the war effort in WWII. Meghan and Don were not thrilled to go there but I convinced them that it was something that they would enjoy and that it wasn’t something that would take more than a couple hours.

I really enjoyed the museum. It is part of the U.S. National parks so there are no entrance fees (free!!). Located right on the water in Richmond, there is also a ship that you can tour through as well as a restaurant (which was closed for a private party when we were there). We toured the little museum and also were able to view a quilt exhibit that was being held there (we had no knowledge of this before hand just stumbled upon it). It was great to listen to a short Q&A with the ladies who made the quilts and one of them was an actual “Rosie” who cracked us all up when she said she had to lie about her age to get a job in the shipyard!! 

Rosie statue

Entrance to the museum

After our “Rosie” tour we decided to grab some lunch and take the longer way home (a more scenic drive). We headed to an In N Out burger (Yum!) and drove down the coast to get back to San Mateo. Great day and perfect weather!

Sunday, August 31: Today’s festivities included a trip to Monterey, CA. Meghan was very excited to visit the Monterey Aquarium (she has a membership pass) and see the fish, seals, penguins and all the rest. Having the membership pass you are able to enter at 9 am instead of the normal 10 am open time. It was nice to get a head start on the crowds (children everywhere!!). The jellyfish and the penguins were my favorites, although the tentacle exhibit was cool too!!

Overlooking the bay at the aquarium 

Jellies!

More jellies!

Penguins at play!

We decided after the aquarium to take the scenic 17-mile drive, which hugs the coast and it was worth it! I don’t think that I had every been on this road before and I enjoyed it. We got out of the car a few times to walk on the beach and take pictures. Note that there was spots that it was very busy, it was Labor Day weekend and everyone seemed to have the same idea. No worries, because the traffic (for the most part) moved along well.

From the 17 mile drive!

Mommy and daughter!

We then headed back to the pier in Monterey to have a late lunch at a restaurant that Meghan had made reservations for. Old Fisherman’s Grotto was really nice! The food was excellent and we had a table overlooking the water. The portions were so huge that it felt like we couldn’t even walk back to the parking garage to get the car! But we made it and I can admit to taking a lovely nap in the backseat of the Volvo all the way back to San Mateo!!

All in all a lovely, relaxing weekend that was spent with the kids. We spent quite a bit of “down time” playing dominos and chatting amongst ourselves and just hanging out. It was nice to travel back to San Francisco and really not do the traditional “tourist” stuff. As much as I love SF and what it has to offer, sometimes getting out provides a nice break. And many thanks to Southwest Airlines for having both my connecting flights in Midway on time and leave on time. Appreciate that!

Till next time…Travel on…