Prague to home travel day

Extremely early day to end a great trip. It’s always a bit sad, but I just remind myself I can’t go on another trip until this one ends. To many more!

Prague day 5

Last day… whoa… where did that week go!

Today Bailley and Abigail got up to hit the Christmas market, grabbing breakfast at some fancy-smancy place.

Later, Madison and I finally rolled out. They hit the market and I went for coffee.

We eventually convened for to just chill and people watch… and to do another photo recreation.

We then split up again, with everyone just going their own way and taking stuff in. I eventually worked my way back to the grocery store and bought a few things for lunch, then walked back. Everyone turned up pretty close oddly. After a short rest, we headed back out, to take in the square one last time and to finally visit the church or our lady before Tyn, which was very close to the apartment. We walk down the small street, duck into the gift shop to enter the church and… closed! It was close to decorate for Christmas… whump waaaa. We head back out and walk the 50 more feet to the square… whoa… it’s packed! I guess Saturday was the first official opening, plus there were live concerts, so everyone was trying to take it in.

We grabbed a seat a place for drinks and just took it all in. We decided to try to get the cabbage soup from the first place we tried, as it was one of the standout meals. The restaurant was packed, but they let us order for takeaway. Once done, we head back to eat and then do our final packing.

Prague day 4

Today started slowly again, with us finally getting out the door around 10. We found a great bakery that also did eggs and omelettes. The kolaches have been great, but we’ve been missing eggs.

Great breakfast, but Abigail started feeling bad again, so we headed back to the apartment. After some napping, she finally felt better and we started the day for real. First stop, the Lumia Gallery. It was so much fun. The maze of mirrors was disturbing and fun.

After that, a bit of shopping, then with everyone feeling ok, we decided to go back across the river and go to the Strahov Monastery. So we grabbed a tram and away we went. We got to see the church, their art collection, their library, and their brewery.

After museum portion, we hit the brewery for a bite and drinks.

Walking back to the tram, we stopped at a small bakery that caught our attention earlier. Then we took a tram to just before the river. We wanted to finish souvenir shopping in the area west of the square and it also allowed us to walk around on Kampa Island and walk the Charles Bridge again.

We hit all the shops we planned and had a great walk back to the apartment.

Day 4 pretty much done.

Prague day 3

Started off a bit slow again, as Abigail and I are not 100%. But, we push on. Today we go back across the river, but decided to try the public transit. We walked to the tram stop… hey, what do you know, a cute Christmas market.

We browse a bit, then grab a tram to St. Nicholas church. We get off the tram at our stop… into another cute market!

While the girls looked around, I walked to a close by pharmacy for medicine. Then on to the church. St. Nicholas is baroque style, so the architecture is totally different than St. Vitus.

Then we walked to Lennon’s Wall…

Then to Vojanovy Sady park… and then to the narrowest street in the world.

You can see that they have lights to control the flow since it’s too narrow for people to pass each other!

Then we split up, with the girls walking back, and me finding a tram stop.

We all eventually get back to the apartment. Current mood…

Madison and I got out for a short walk to Billa grocery story for a few things. Then we split again, they going to an absinthe bar and me going to the apartment.

Day 3 in the books.

Prague day 2

Ok, time change pain still hitting us hard. Regardless, we got up and out when we needed to to make some scheduled events. Up and out about 9 on a long walk to the Prague Castle. We grabbed coffee and breakfast along the way.

Then up and up…

But we made it, and early to boot.

So the castle… the largest in the world. Multiple rulers added sections over time. The crown jewel, no pun intended, was the St. Vitus Cathedral. Much too big to get a really good picture, so you’ll have to believe how incredible it was.

The inside was crazier than the outside…

The palace was so large, there was a room where they held coronations and medival jousting.

After the castle, we walked through Letna Park.

Then we had lunch at a lookout, near a Biergarten. So close…

Then a relatively short hike to the river.

Now own to a boat tour on the Vltava River and down the Devil’s Channel.

After a short rest, Abigail and Madison went back out to look at tattoos. Once Bailley got up, I left for a bit too. I meandered to the market and got a hot wine.

Then waited for Madison and Abigail. The timing was right, so got to watch the astronomical clock strike 7 and do it’s thing. Then we grabbed food and made our way back… to eat, and most importantly, watch the dancing with the stars finale.

6.68 miles today… so back to normal vacation pace.

Prague day 1

After a long night sleep, maybe 12 hours for me, I got up and went to grab breakfast. First to Espesso for coffee. I guess the peacoat and no smile threw them… I was greeted with a flurry of Czech. The blank stares were quickly followed with ‘hello’… good… then by ‘cash only’… less good. Luckily they took euros as we haven’t gotten cash yet. While she made my coffee, I asked about the greeting and then she helped me work on my ‘dobry den!’ or good morning. Then to buy kolaches in their natural habitat. I got savory (ham and pizza) as well as sweet.

Madison gets up once I’m back and eats too. Then we leave letting Abigail and Bailley sleep a bit longer… thinking they’ll catch up to us. We walk through the square toward the river… our first sight of the St. Charles bridge and the Prague Castle.

We walked across the bridge, admiring everything we could take in. Ok, no texts and it’s approaching lunch time. So we head back to the apartment… where we wake up Abigail and Bailley after 16 ish hours in bed.

Once everyone was ready, we head back out to start hitting some art we wanted to see. First, the rotating Franz Kafka head…

Then we hit a grocery store for a few things and pushed on to Man Hanging Out.

After that, we had planned on going to the beer museum, but I was not feeling standing extra long. So, we called an audible and headed to the St. Charles bridge so everyone could see it.

We even climbed one of the towers to the top.

After that, we headed back to the apartment to rest a bit. Last push for dinner. No one was super hungry, so we decided to grab food in the little Christmas market area. Prague ham and some potato dish with ham and sauerkraut… all really good.

Then dessert… a chimney cake was a must… and we made it happen.

OK, walk back… stopping to get a few things at a grocery. Then… do we have it in us for one more thing? Evidently, we do or at least think we do. Madison and I got to check a box for ‘had absinthe’. The bar was… ummm, interesting…

Well, 7.86 miles walked… so a power packed first full day!

Prague travel day

Hoobooii, long day. Either the flights are getting longer or I’m getting older. It didn’t help that it was three flights, but it did help that the we were all together for the last one.

It begins! You can tell because we have energy are not punch drunk yet.

And finally all together at Heathrow.

Finally made it! Punch drunkenness is full affect. We are riding the bus from the airport to the main train station.

… and now the hike through the old town center to find the apartment. At this point I’m physically and mentally gone… glad I’ve got three great travelers to do the heavy lifting.

Made it to the apartment!

OK… last push… dinner before collapsing.

I had low expectations for the food (no offense Czech Republic), but I found the first sampling very good. Cabbage soup and beef goulash were the winners in my book.

Lastly, a bit of exploring then the big collapse.