We have finally arrived in Prague! After three flights and a long day of traveling, arriving at our hotel in the city center felt so good. My first impression of the hotel was the amazing architecture. Although it is modernized today, the communistic architectural past is clear to see in the facade and in the lobby. The path to my room is a maze inside this building, but the room itself has high ceilings and a beautiful view of the streets below.
After settling in and changing out of our airport clothes (which I spilled Chardonnay on during the second flight), we met up with our tour guide for a small walking tour. We left our hotel and headed down the street towards the main square. There, we found tourists, restaurants, and shops. The sun was out and the city looked beautiful! We were able to see the famous astronomy tower and even hear some live music from street performers. We eventually made our way to the famous Charles Bridge. This is the oldest bridge in the city and one of the oldest in Europe! The museum of the bridge was our lesson of the day where we learned when and how this bridge was created. In the 14th century the techniques of building were still in development and learning how a bridge of this size and strength was created was amazing.
After the museum and taking pictures of the sunset on the Charles Bridge, we headed back to the hotel. We unpacked a bit and took a short nap until dinner. Dinner was at a restaurant called Kolkovna. Here I tried my first Czech cuisine; Svickova and a Pilsner. The meal consisted of pot roast and bread dumplings in a gravy sauce. It was delicious (though my last meal had been airplane chicken, so anything would’ve been good)! Dessert was offered but I was too full and tired to eat anything more.
We finally settled back in our hotel. Going out for one more beer was tempting, but most of us were too tired and wanted to get our sleep schedule back on track for the rest of our packed itinerary!
I’m so excited to continue exploring this city! Today we learned of many shops and malls where I hope to visit. Though, figuring out how to get a new wardrobe home will be a problem for later. I also am excited to continue trying new foods. I have been craving pasta and can’t wait to see what they have to offer in this realm. And of course, I’m excited to continue making memories with my new friends!