Prague – The Complete Package

Day 55 – 58

I had heard quite a lot about the Czech Republic from other travellers (though I was still calling it Czechoslovakia up until I arrived – just a casual decade or two behind political developments of Europe. My bad) but still wasn’t sure what I was in for.

It wasn’t until my fellow traveling companion and I took our customary free walking tour around the city on the first day that we fell in love with Prague. It was almost instantaneous. I looked to my friend and knew she shared these sentiments. The architecture was stunning with great representations of all eras in art and culture on every street. And there was an abundance of street art scattered throughout the city, surprising you at every turn – example on the left). Ahh it was all too much. Thank goodness we were shown our way through the city by a local. I wouldn’t have known where to start.

We opted to go with Sandeman’s New Europe Walking Tours as all of our previous experience using them had been ace. This was no exception. We were led around for 3 hours but time just flew on by. Amongst all of the quirky tales we heard, our brief 20 minute history lesson had to be my favourite part. We learnt of the long wars and occupations as well as the numerous fenestrations that took place in the very streets we walked through.

But the one part of the Czech Republic’s history which had the greatest effect on me was the 1989 Velvet Revolution. We stood in an enormous square in the heart of the city (on the right) and heard of the people’s peaceful resistance to Communism.

It was only 25 years ago when the Czech people came out of their homes and congregated in that space to stand up to an oppressive regime. Tens of thousands of people (some even say around one hundred thousand people) stood in the streets and shook their house keys, symbolising the unlocking of doors. They were telling the communists they were taking back their home and it was time for them to leave. This may have just been one event out of many which took place in Prague during this time but it contributed towards them gaining their independence and freedom.

Our guide shook her keys and told us to imagine this sound multiplied by up to 100,000 times. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine this but it is something you’d have to experience firsthand to fully comprehend. Nonetheless, this moment gave me shivers and I just wanted to go up to all the Czech citizens and give them a big old hug (fortunately, I resisted this urge).

Sorry for the mini history lesson but, for me, this was moving. Simply being in that space and seeing the faces of those who lived through this made the history real, not just words on a page.

Now moving on to more cheerful things, our hostel here was superb. Just a 5 minute walk from the Old Town Square, ‘Art Hole Hostel’ had everything we could have wanted. We were in a cheap 4-bed dorm with super friendly and respectful people (yes they didn’t stay up late talking in the room with the lights on while everyone else tried to sleep). Even better, the whole hostel was just the right size so it was easy to meet people. I can’t count how many conversations I had which started in one of the kitchens while brewing a cup of tea. Everyone was so cheerful, approachable and easy going.

It was refreshing to be around such positive energy. It was good to finally be around some other people for a change (you always need a break from your fellow travelers when you’re on such a long trip). I got to make so many new friends who I hated saying goodbye to.

I remember spending an entire night sitting around the kitchen table upstairs chatting to a Norwegian, British and Aussie traveller. I could easily have gone around Europe with these girls and guy for months. The four of us ended up getting a cheeky cider in the pub across road and stayed there till closing. What makes this even better is we’re all going to be in London at the same time and a future catch-up has already been planned. Bogan Bingo at ‘The Slug’ in London will happen and I cannot wait to see them all again so we can drink, dance and generally get up to no good.

But during the stay, I got up to a lot more mischief. Unlike much of my trip, I was around people who loved to drink and go out so I took full advantage of this. The hostel organised a super cheap pub crawl around the city where I got to meet so many more awesome people from all over the globe. I had way too much fun wandering around the streets with a bunch of random people who quickly became my good friends.

I seriously had the best time in Prague. The place, the people and I can’t forget the crazy cheap beer (cheaper than water). If I hadn’t converted to a beer drinker before this part of the trip, Prague made sure it was now an undeniable reality (sorry to those who know me back home as a cider man. I’ve changed…)

Above all other cities, this had to be the one I both didn’t want to leave the most yet felt as if I had truly done it properly. I saw and did everything I wanted to. We watched the famous Astronomical Clock in action and walked to the top of the tower to look over the whole town (I’m a sucker for viewpoints). We went into the obligatory churches (found my fave so far as it looked like the mansion of an evil Disney villain. Yes I’m a big kid). We went to the famous Prague castle and toured around it with another Sandeman’s tour.

We strolled over the Charles Bridge (0n the right) four or five times. And we just admired the architecture of Prague which had survived both world wars (making this place unique to the rest of Europe). We ate heaps of oily Schnitzel and buttery potatoes and even had time to wander and relax. Bah there is too much to name. Prague had everything on offer and I couldn’t help but eat it all up.

I will be returning to Prague. Of that I am sure.

Getting a Taste of the Renaissance Life in Florence

Walking through the streets of Florence made me feel as if I had gone back in time (that is if you ignore the tourists and the souvenir stands spread throughout the whole place). Unlike the big capital cities in Europe, Florence maintains its Renaissance mystique. Within the historic centre, there are no enormously wide promenades filled with modern retail stores and McDonald’s restaurants. This city is far more humble.

At first, I was disappointed by this ‘small town’ vibe. I had previously been blown away by the grandeur of Barcelona and Madrid and thought this a little underwhelming. But, bit by bit, I came to appreciate this city for its unique qualities.

Firstly, the Duomo. Who can visit Florence without walking up to the top of the Duomo? No one, that is. You’d be a fool to miss it (yes I know that was a rhetorical question but whatever. I’m trying to make a point) We’d pre-booked our tickets for the walk up to the top and had been designated the time of 9:30 to scale the beast (I wanted sleep more than anything at this point as we had been going non-stop on this holiday but this had to be done).

We only had to line up for about 5 minutes before entering the Cathedral (we had seen others wait hours in the sun the day before. Thank god our tickets were for the early morning). We had hoped to wander around the ground floor before entering so we could psych ourselves up for the climb. But Florence had other plans. The long hike up began immediately.

It felt as if the stone steps went on forever and the walls kept coming in closer and closer (it’s fair to say I was feeling a little claustrophobic at this point). Strangely enough, hundreds and thousands of those who had come through here before me had deemed it appropriate to write their names on the walls. Tammy from New York was here in 2003 (who cares Tammy – stop defacing the Domo!!). There was some attempt to stop this graffiti (on the left) but it was clearly not working.

It took us about 20 or so minutes to reach the very top but the views were more than worth it. Europe just won’t stop surprising me. How am I going to remember all of this? (Oh yeah this blog) Let me tell you, being so shocked and overwhelmed all the time is exhausting. Why won’t some of Europe be dull and boring so I can have a bit of a break?

I could have spent the whole day up here (some artists clearly weren’t going anywhere as they had stocked up on food and drinks and had shotgunned the best seats) but alas some of my friends were scared of heights and we had other things to get to. I paused for a few minutes, took a selfie, took it all in and then began the long trip back down.

And secondly, who can forget the great Italian cuisine that Florence contributes to? We ate at some great restaurants (look out for Trattoria il Cibreino and Tato: Tasty Toscana) and drank at some quirky bars (You can’t miss out on ‘Vagalume’ with its second-hand desks on the street accompanied by rolling pins and chopping boards).

But our favourite spot had to be Mercato Central (on the left). The bottom floor is a food market full of butchers selling their meat, cheese being sold by the wheel and pasta spilling out of giant crates. Above this is the ‘food court’. All fresh produce is being served up for reasonable prices. Fresh pizza, all cuts of meat are grilled and there are even plenty of fruit and veges. Even the beer and cocktails were fairly cheap. Locals and tourists alike filled this large space. Today, I ate like a king (or a member of the famous Medici family as I was in Florence).

Lastly, all of the art held within this place is overwhelming.

Let’s start with the Statue of David. We’ve all heard of it. I’m sure we’ve all seen a picture of it as well. I knew it was worth seeing in person so pre-booked the tickets and went on in with ease. But I never could have expected what my reaction would be once I saw it for myself. For one, I was shocked by how large it was but as I got closer I couldn’t help but be amazed by all the detail. You could see the veins in his arms and his muscles were so perfectly sculpted. But his hands got me (I know that sounds weird). They were huge yet so perfect. I really couldn’t grasp just how someone could make this. I had never had this reaction to a piece of art before (I don’t want to seem like an art snob but this was damn good). I walked around it a dozen times, sat behind it for a few minutes. Seeing it in person makes all the difference.

Next on the list of art sites has to be the Uffizi Museum. The endless corridors, walls and ceilings are full of masterpieces (much less boring religious crap like I had seen in the Prado). Violent scenes from Greek mythology had been chiselled into marble. Busts from people who had lived hundreds of years ago were placed right in front of me to touch. Large paintings which took up entire rooms left me awestruck. It went on forever but I didn’t get bored (I most definitely got tired and sore but not bored). Even the loo was placed in old ruins (I’m calling it… Best public bathroom in Europe).

And right around the corner is the famous Ponte Vecchio. I had been looking forward to passing over this but, in the end, was pretty let down. It wasn’t that great. It was nice to look at from afar but it was still just a bridge with some small buildings on it. I was still in love with the architecture of the Duomo. Everything paled in comparison (we were pretty lucky to be staying right down the road from it– we could even see it when we stuck our heads out the bedroom windows).

The charming beauty of this city had won me over. I would very much like to return some day.