Around the World in 33 Day: Czech Republic

My first afternoon in Prague was consumed by de-bugging. I took the bus and then the metro to get to Lenka! After meeting up with her we went off to wash my belongings.

I spent almost 4 hours washing, drying, wiping, and throwing away everything that was in my pack. The purge resulted in $20 being spent on washing and drying. The repurchase of a hair brush (yes it’s a bedazzled Frozen brush). And the need to repack a perfectly packed pack. Over all nothing irreparable. And it felt damn good to get to Lenka’s flat and just relax and know that I would only have to endure the itching for another week or two till they healed. Turns out they stopped itching three days later. Bonus!!

But after Bugageddon Lenka and I took a little stroll around the city and my inner fangirl started to crawl out. Because my second most important reason for going to Prague was because Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is set there!!!!! First reason being Lenka was there!! There will be a WHOLE post on the DoSaB sites! 

So then since we missed the customs office being open my first day my second day in Prague we got up early and went to collect the package that I had sent Lenka. It was a Thanksgiving essentials! Because the grand American Holiday was a day away!!

Fetching the package was hysterical. So we had to go out to the head Prague Post Office/ customs office.. I think. It was all very official. So we had to take the letter that Lenka got saying it had arrived to a document office where we got the original in coming paperwork then had to go to another office to get it stamped and Lenka had to prove she was Lenka. Then we went back to the first office and handed over the verified papers and collected the little bundle of joy!!

Then Lenka went to work and I trotted all over Prague!

Look at what an amazing and lovely city it is!

Thanksgiving Day dawned beautifully and I did nothing but try to scrape together my Asia trip. By this point I had only booked a ticket to Bangkok and I had no fucking clue what I was going to do! So I tried to make plans. But got nothing much accomplished except burning the pie crust.

So when Lenka got home from work it was time to start Thanksgiving!!

It was epic and delicious and come one!! We made that…

IN PRAGUE!!!

After we ate Thanksgiving we polished four bottles of wine and called it a night after wandering Prague to have a drink at a bar.

The day after Thanksgiving we got up early to catch the bus to Lenka’s house!! We were picking up the car so we could visit a Castle!!!

But first we took a funicular up a mountain!

And I beheld Lenka’s city and the majesty that is the Czech Republic!!

We went to the castle and I was in love and wanted to move in right then and there! Sadly I was unable to do so.

Instead we went to a Nativity Museum in the village right underneath the castle. It was another Christmasy adage to the trip and I loved it!

Speaking of Christmas… The Prague Christmas Market Opened!!!!!!!!!!

And I obviously had to drag Lenka there! We wandered and had a wonderful time people watching and mulled wine sipping.

The highlight of my first go round of the market was what happened on our way back. We inadvertently got involved with a bachelor part from the Netherlands. Long story short it was funny and he asked us questions and tried to get our numbers.

So the COOLEST part of Prague was the Magical Cavern! Never heard of it? Google it and go see it in Prague. It’s part gallery part art itself. The artist Reon Argondian used plaster and wire to turn the house into a work of art to display his art! It was worth the time to walk up the hill and worth the $1.12 to go in! So everyone should go see it!

The pictures really don't do it justice!

On my way toward the Christmas Market i stopped by to see the infant of prague!

It was much smaller then I thought it would be. It's there in the middle of that alter. He's maybe a foot in height.

And here are a few more photos of my various Prague wanderings!

^The John Lennon Wall^

To get to Saint Vitus Cathedral you have to go into the Prague Castle compound so you get a screening by the military, aka metal detector and bag check. 

More Charles Bridge!

As in many cities I fell in love with Prague and left a bit of my heart there. It's such a cool place and I loved eating all the Czech food! I'll be back again soon. But I had Christmas Markets to see in Dresden before I went to Asia!

Cheers,

Around the World in 33 Days: Rome

I caught my 10:30 Ryanair Flight to Rome!! My one true love!! This was to be my fourth trip and I was so excited. I had booked a nice hostel, it was the same place Kelly, Missy and I had stayed at 2 years ago. So I was pumped!

Only I got there and a LOT had changed in 2 years. It now ranks as the sketchiest place I’ve ever stayed. My roommates creeped me out so I didn’t take out my laptop or tablet. It all stayed locked in my pack because guess what? There were no lockers. The room smelled funny too. And I’ll start this post off with all the bad parts of Rome before moving onto the best parts aka everything not Hostel related. 

Because guess what… I got bedbugs!! Yeah it was wonderful and itchy and I looked like I had the bubonic plague or something all down my arm and back. My first two nights I was like "no that can’t be bed bugs". Not everything was matching up to symptoms of bed bugs so I was like meh something must have bitten me while out walking. Thank goodness my youth was filled with horrible poison ivy and a mother who always told me not to scratch.  This was easy enough to ignore and not scratch. Except for one on my right hand… that scabbed. Ugh. But it’s all better now!! Yay! But it killed my first afternoon in Prague (more on this next post!).

I just skimmed the bed bugs here because I'd like to do a more in depth talk about them and how much it actually sucks and the easiest way to get rid of them.

Now onto all the good bits and the parts that were amazing!

I obviously saw all of my normal digs…

And I did a lot of hiking up hills to get good views…

Come on it’s a lovely city and it leaves you breathless and you can’t help but just be in awe of the beauty!

I made a cool journey outside of the city one afternoon to the Aqueduct park! It was worth the 3 euro cost of round trip metro tickets!

Come on! How does that not leave you breathless!?

I mean these used to be the life line of Ancient Rome and they’re still standing! Like holy hell! But the craziest part of the park was the juxtaposition with the modern world. Here are aqueducts that are thousands of years old. And right through the park passes the train/ metro. And airplanes pass over head because it's so close to the airport.

I did a surprising amount of night time wandering. I was sort of laughing at myself the one night because when I first started traveling solo I was in my hostel at sundown. I never saw cities at night. Then one trip I was like fuck it. If I’m smart and follow my gut then there’s not going to be a problem. And suddenly my comfort zone was a bit larger and the world was open!

But I think the highlight of this stop in Rome was my cooking class! I took a class on how to make pasta! I splurged $70 on the class. But boy was it worth it. Between the good food, presseco and wine I made friends and can now be uber pretentious and be like (Read in snoody voice) “Yes I learned to make this dish while in Rome.” Hahaha.

And check out this!! It’s like a guitar for cutting pasta!!! How cool!!!

((Video to come... but hostel wifi is not agreeing with me tonight!!))

When my last day in Rome came I was pretty excited to leave! Prague was waiting. Lenka and I had Thanksgiving plans! And the prospect of a bed bug free bed was enticing. Although the idea of losing hours in Prague to de-bug was not enticing.

So it was off to Prague!

Cheers,