Prague.

Getting to Prague was our first adventure using our Eurorail pass and travelling by train. Figuring out opening the train doors open and finding a seat was an adventure, but we eventually figured it all out and got ourselves to Prague. However, we didn’t realize there were TWO train stations, and we got off at the wrong one. It took us a while to determine that, and then took some conniving to get ourselves to the hostel.

We stayed in a hostel called Czech Inn. While it was a little ways out of city center, it was a great hostel. It was more like a chic hotel than a hostel—there were towel warmers! We spent our first night in a Czech bar and we were literally the only foreigners. Beers were cheap and it was a good environment. We went back another night and there were puppies! Why aren’t American bars dog-friendly?

The National Museum

We spent our next couple of days meandering and sight seeing. We tried to go to the National Museum but it is closed for a year or so for renovations. The building is huge and beautiful. It overlooks Wencesias Square, which is full of shopping and tourists. We spent some time meandering Old Town Square and a near by tourist market.

Old Town Square

One of our big activities was the Jewish Museum, which is spread out across the old Jewish Ghetto in several synagogues. The Pinkas Synagogue is dedicated to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust from Bohemia and Moravia; about 80,000 names are inscribed on it's walls. I had read about it and it sounded interesting, but walking into it and seeing the endless names that covered every wall from floor to ceiling was very moving. 

We also went to the Prague Castle, which is where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. According to all the signs hanging around Prague, the Prague Castle is one of the largest ancient castle in the world. We accidentally got their right at noon and got to see the drawn out changing of the guard!

St. Vitus Cathedral within the Castle

View from the Castle over the city

One of my favorite stops of the whole trip was the Lennon Wall, which filled with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and Beatles songs lyrics, used as a sort of protest by students in the 80's. Of course we had to add our mark!

From the wall, we made our way to the Charles Bridge, which was built beginning in the 1300's! The bridge which used to be the only way to get to the other city, is now close to traffic and filled with vendors and tourists. 

My other favorite stop was Vysehrad, a historical fort built in the 10th century, on a hill over the Vltava River. The fort was a nice quiet place to escape, and offered wonderful views of the city, it's many bridges, and many surrounding areas.