Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Prague, Day Two



On our second day in Prague, we woke up to sunshine!  We headed out to find some lookout tower, and the walk took us through some of the prettiest parts of Praha.  First up was the Charles Bridge, which was built in the 14th century.  It was so lively, with a bunch of painters and little vendors, and a ton of tourists.  The views from the bridge were gorgeous.


The gang!




 This is Prague's Love Locks wall, where couples attach their lock (symbolizing their everlasting love or something) with an inscription on it and toss the key into the nearby canal.


Just around the corner was the Lennon Wall.  Apparently during communist rule, students would graffiti Beatles lyrics and messages of love and peace.  Authorities didn't like it, but it continues to be a space to write inspirational messages, song lyrics, and "jEsSiCa WaS hErE" messages.  But really, it was neat.


Representing the 505? 

 We also saw the creepiest statues in existence.. They make an appearance in this Cracked article.




Look closely, this memorial was awesome.

We finally made it to the base of the mountain the lookout tower was on, and it just so happened to be a beautiful park.  Sydney and I decided to relax in the sun, and by relax I mean pass out and take a nap.


Next Helen and I climbed up to Prague Castle.  The views alone were worth the loooong hike up windy streets.


Proof of the castle

We ended up having a pretty terrible early evening full of fiascos with train/bus tickets, long walks in the cold, a realization that we were going to have to cut our time in Budapest short, and getting yelled at by a terrifying Czech metro worker and having to pay a 40 euro fine.  But we made the rest of the night wonderful to make up for it.  We went back to the hostel, played Uno, drank Czech beer, and made another visit to Burrito Loco!


Next up: Prague to Budapest

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

I'm Off!

Sorry I haven't posted all week, I've been preparing for my Easter break trip!  We have two weeks off, and during that time I'm meeting up with Helen and her friends who are all studying in Madrid.  We are travelling to:

- Vienna
- Prague
- Budapest

And then I'll spend a week in Madrid with Helen!


This is my first big trip by myself, so it's going to be an adventure. I've printed out little pocket-sized packets of useful phrases in German, Czechian, Hungarian, and Spanish, although hopefully I won't need the Spanish one (hah!).  We'll be staying in hostels, and living on a strict, strict budget.  Luckily Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Austria are all a cheaper than Western standards, so it should be manageable.  They'll definitely be way cheaper than the UK!  Though that's not too hard.

Needless to say, I am SO excited for this. It's going to be a great two weeks filled with beautiful cities, interesting history (taking a class on communism this semester was a good idea), fun nightlife, good times with Helen and her friends, seeing some Eastern European culture, and more!