Recently, your humble neighborhood newspaper staff writer had what he can only describe as the experience of a lifetime as he dropped it all and undertook an 11-day solo expedition across Central Europe. Consistent with the law of multiplication — that the knowledge and lessons obtained are multiplied when shared — he sets forth to encapsulate his experience for the enjoyment and betterment of his beloved community. This article is part three of four, summarizing his experiences getting to and within Prague.
Waking up at the MOOONS hotel in Vienna, I had one last errand to run before catching my train to Czechia, buying a rosary at St. Stephen’s. I had gone the night prior but realized as the shop was closing that they accepted only physical euros. With God smiling upon the efficiency of Austrian public transit, I completed my errand and made it to my train with about 20 minutes to spare. The ride was uneventful, though notably inexpensive, with the three-and-a-half-hour international trip costing about $40, and a large breakfast on the train adding on another $6 or so.
Now Prague — a city to behold. It has inescapable beauty that welcomes one with open arms. While visiting my other destinations, I had to walk to find the notable sights. In Prague, however, each step brought a new vista better than anything seen anywhere else.
My neck ached by the end of the day because I’d been looking up at the architecture since morning. The cobblestone streets are near spotless, and every street and alley is welcoming with the scent of mulled wine, baked goods and terraces where one can enjoy a beer for cheaper than a bottle of water. Prague is my definition of paradise.
Prague’s Astronomical ClockPerry County Times
I was welcomed to the city by an angel, my host at my Airbnb. When I had booked the place, I sent her a message explaining the reason behind the trip (that I had recently left a relationship, and to reclaim my independence, I wanted to fulfill a childhood dream by visiting Prague). When I arrived at her apartment, sweaty from hauling my too-heavy baggage over cobblestone, she graciously welcomed me. I got a tour and she invited me to have a beer at her preferred bar in the neighborhood. I took her up on the offer and realized that fate truly is something wild.
There’s an old Dostoevsky quote that swirled through my skull, “We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken.”
Over beers I realized that this woman, thousands of miles away, was suffering from a nearly identical situation as was I. The realization was transformative. I’d gone to the other side of the world because in my prior relationship I had felt like my “wings had been clipped” — a fitting phrase I appropriated from my dear host. Finding such acute common ground with a stranger in a strange land is something I never expected, but for which I am incredibly grateful.
Of the cities I visited during this trip, Prague is the most walkable by a large margin. In both Budapest and Vienna, I made extensive use of public transportation. In Prague, while there is plenty of public transportation available, I didn’t feel the need to utilize it. I did book two cabs, one to the pick-up point for an early morning tour, and the other to the far side of the city to see Prague Castle. Both times were due to my aching feet, not the distance to my destination as most of the sites to see in the city is within a 25-minute walk from city center where I was staying.
Dancing HousePerry County Times
Due to this, and maybe also to my recovery from jet lag and dehydration that had held me back the first half of the trip, I was able to see quite a lot in Czechia. I toured the Speculum Alchemiae, an underground alchemist’s laboratory from the 16th century; visited the famous astronomical clock; and toured the Klementinium, a medieval library, university and observatory. I enjoyed a beer on top of the Fred and Ginger Dancing House, which was built by Frank Gehry to replicate a famous photo of the duo dancing. There, I watched a gentleman propose. Instead of feeling personal loss, I experinced a sense of excitement that I someday will do the same.
After visiting Emmaus Monastery, which had its roof destroyed during an accidental bombing by the Americans during World War II and was subsequently rebuilt with a distinctly Soviet roof following the war, I entered a tobacco shop. A Nigerian fellow was in front of me in line, asking for a particular brand of nasal snuff that they didn’t have in stock. I got my cigarettes, and he caught me at the door to tell me all about how backward Czechs are — how they are stuck in their communist mindset and how they prefer to try to sell items that don’t sell rather than stocking better items.
I couldn’t get a word in; just nodded and agreed. He said something about Diddy ratting, and R. Kelly not ratting. It was a very weird conversation. He ended up giving me a few drink tokens for an Irish pub. He told me to go on in and tell them Johnny sent me.
KlementiniumPerry County Times
I did go to the street across from the pub in question, but it was a weird vibe. There was no one inside; waiters were outside smoking; a drunk guy wandered around looking at me. I decided to skip it and headed back to the bar I had gone to with my host the day before.
It was in Prague that I discovered the joy of gelato. I heard somewhere that the best way to find cool neighborhoods is to find the best ice cream shop in the city. I don’t think that advice rings true for Prague, there were gelato stands everywhere, and I can’t say I could decipher much of a difference between them. I loved the little cups and the little spoons they served it in, making me feel like a giant eating my tiny treat, while the baby spoon forced me to savor it.
I took two-day trips to Bohemia while in Prague, one to Karlstejn Castle and the other to Kutna Hora. I was late getting to the meet-up point for my trip to Karlstejn due to a mix-up with the cab driver, but once I found where I was going my tour group was incredibly gracious. My tour mates were a sweet, older Swiss couple, an older couple from Pittsburgh who wouldn’t shut up about the evils of communism, and a solo traveler from Manila. I clicked with the other solo traveler, and we took pictures for each other throughout the tour. She was so pleased with my photos that she confessed, “I don’t normally ask white guys to take pictures for me, most aren’t very good at it.” I told her I was happy to break the stereotype.
Karlstejn CastlePerry County Times
The interior tour of the castle was educational and it was cool seeing a castle where royalty of the past cavorted about. Charles the Fourth seemed like an absolute rogue who had four wives (who kept dying young), gaining new territories with the first three, and 11 kids between the four. I felt pretty darn special being in the same room in which knights and kings used to party.
After the interior tour, we walked another trail to a beautiful view of the castle, then to a nice little restaurant. I was so thirsty at this point, and worried I wouldn’t be able to finish whatever I ordered, so I just got a beer. I also ordered a carafe of water, but the guy from Pittsburgh seemed to claime that he ordered it, so I just let him pay for it. (Mild guilt there).
The waiter was also a gem. He joked, “Big beer for the big man,” and “I am not big man” when I stood up next to him. I tried to tip him at the end, he refused, told me to put it in my breast pocket, “Lucky coin, keep it close to your heart.”
Returning from the tour, I found a crumpled 50 euro note while heading to the bathroom at a restaurant. That note funded the rest of my evening. I enjoyed French and Swiss absinthes (green liqueurs), prepared the traditional way, at the Absintherie Jilská, before stumbling down to the Vltava River to enjoy some live music.
Skulls within one of the bone pyramids in Sedlec Ossuary.Perry County Times
My trip to Kutna Hora was made more special by the weather. The day was chilly, with the threat of rain looming heavy in the sky. The small, former mining town is known for a few major landmarks. Sedlec Ossuary, I think, was the most impactful spot I visited that day. Sedlec is decorated with the bones of between 40,000-70,000 people arranged into pyramids, chandeliers and garlands, but it’s not nearly as creepy as it sounds. There was something comforting in that example of conquering death, such as “You have no power over me, Death! In fact, I’ll use you for a chandelier!”
I also visited St. Barbara’s, which nearly knocked Vienna’s St. Stephen’s off its pedestal as the most beautiful church I’d ever seen. It’s flying buttresses and spires look something like from a fantasy movie — gigantic and elaborate beyond description. I learned from my guide that the interiors of gothic churches actually were painted in bright colors, and the faded and dreary impression today is a result of the march of time. There was a box to place written wishes that would be blessed during a mass. I wrote something along the lines of: “To Love. To never let my wings get clipped again. To advance and cherish beauty.”
St. Barbara’sPerry County Times
My tour group stopped by a restaurant before heading back to Prague. We had been given time to wander, and I was the last one there. I came out of the restaurant with an espresso in one hand and a big beer in the other. An older gentleman on the tour (with his exotic wife half his age) gave me a big smile and pantomimed drinking them fist in fist. I told him “I’m going both directions!”, which could be my motto. I sat down at a table, lit a cigarette and had cheers with my fellow tourists, enjoying the last 20 minutes in that wonderful little mining town.
My last full day in Prague was spent souvenir shopping and seeing the last few sights. I walked through Prague Castle, saw the interior of St. Vitus’s Cathedral, and walked across Charles Bridge. At St. Vitus’s, I came to the realization that I like big buttresses, and I cannot lie. I wandered and wondered, cherishing my remaining time in the city. That night I had a rack of lamb ribs as my last meal and packed my bags for an early morning flight.
I cannot overstate the beauty of Prague, and I am frankly frustrated at how little of this wonderful experience I have been able to fit into this account. The food and people were wonderful, and the architecture made me grateful to be alive to witness it. The stout beer flows like water. I was not bored for a moment, and if I had the option, I probably would have stayed much longer.
While my entire adventure had been worthwhile, Prague was everything and more I was seeking.
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Eurotrip 2024 – Budapest, Vienna, Prague