Prague

We get off our tram at Náměstí Republiky and walk down the road towards our Hostel.  I met Carolyn, my almost next door neighbor back in Coventry, at the airport making a big scene with hugs and loud hello's but that's besides the point.  The area we were in was boarded by gothic/baroque looking buildings and streets that were covered in tracks for the trollies to navigate on.  Above the streets were black wires crisscrossing and connecting to buildings.  The sky was bright blue and not even stained with a puffy white cloud.  We made our way down to street Soukenická where we were supposed to be staying in the Art Hole Hostel (one of the best reviewed and cheapest hostels in the city).  We arrived at the building which looked quite decrepit.  The windows were dusty and there were card board cutouts of letters that spelled out "Art Ho" leaning against the window.  We looked inside to see an empty room: No doors inside, no furniture, dust, tools, and debris...Thinking they were just doing construction even though the construction looked untouched for 40 years, we tried to open the doors to only find out they were locked.  Scammed.  We walked down to the Police Station down the road but unfortunately it closed at 4pm and it was currently 6.  We walked over to a telephone to call the number on supplied to us...we were all in shock.  I inserted my euro and the phone went dead.  The lit up numbers disappeared and it became unresponsive...welcome to Central Europe.  Then from above we saw someone open up a window.  In a quick bolt of hope we went over to the building and noticed a hidden green door to the side.  We buzzed in and were let in. NOT scammed.  We walked up the decaying stairwell to the main entrance greeted by a Czech 20 year old.  He opened the door and we entered a colorful kitchen with new furniture and a clean environment.  We crossed over into the reception and noticed new computers, couches, books, green walls, modern lighting and murals.  We found the right place. We got our beds (mine was at the head of the about to puke man painted on the wall) and then headed out; happy and relieved. 


By this time it was getting dark out as we navigated the city.  We wondered into a huge plaza with a green statue covered in people and a Gothic cathedral in the background.  The buildings were adorned with statues and faces and so many details it was almost impossible to keep track of. It felt as if I stepped back into the 1500s.  Carolyn, her roomate and I walked around the plaza having a photoshoot and then sat on a bench to soak it all in.  Prague is definitely European but it has a unique feel to it.  The perfect cross between East and West. The language is pretty bizarre to be honest, but that just adds to the feel of everything.  I can feel the Soviet history and see the amazing architecture and let me tell you...Prague is definitely the most beautiful place I have visited in Europe.  Ok, I have to go.  We are catching the train to go to Terezin to visit a Nazi Death Camp.  It's a little distance from the city and kind of hard to get to, but I hear it's not a tourist hub like Auschwitz but still has the same effect.  Wish us luck!