Way back when in September 2013, days before departing to different pockets of the UK for uni, my friends and I had a mad four days in Prague. If I'm honest, the trip is a blur of stumbling across the Charles bridge every night back to our hostel, absinthe induced decisions and the best damn cinnamon trdelnik known to man.
On the steps of the State Opera House.
Despite hanging most mornings from the night before, we did manage to squeeze in a decent amount of sightseeing. Luckily between the eight of us we have a bunch of photos so we can trace what we actually did in Czechoslovakia besides piggyback rides and kegs. Prague itself is full of character and rich architecture, I could lose myself in its cobbled streets all day. There's an old world charm to the city that is so enchanting and inviting...
One of the best parts of the trip hands down was our spontaneous jaunt on the Vltava. One morning while walking off our breakfast, we noticed a sign about renting paddle boats and before we knew it, we were on the river. For 50p each we rented two boats and spent an hour having races, basking in the sun, catching cosmic glimpses of the castle and, all in all, having a magical time.
Another highlight was our absinthe-GBBO drinking game followed by nights on the toon. We got pally with a groovy American called Briggs at our hostel (pictured above with a rose... swoon!), who had been cosy in Prague for a few weeks and showed us the hotspots.
Unfortunately I can't for the life of me remember the names of the places, except one and arguably the best: Hany Bany. It's a Pulp Fiction themed joint ~ cheap and cheerful, a must do if you're ever in town. First pub I've ever been to where you can order a burger on the dancefloor at 1am and enjoy 45p pints!
I couldn't possibly write about our time in Prague without mentioned the STUNNING hostel. As our group was so large, we booked way in advance and were lucky enough to secure two rooms just for us. The two rooms were so grand and spacious, ace for pre drinks and mongin' out the morning after the night before without fear of aggravating fellow travellers.
We stayed at the Charles Bridge Economic Hostel (the yellow, blue and pink building pictured above, along with the quaint street it's found on) which, as its name suggests, was on the cusp of the infamous bridge and prime location. We each payed a total of 1485 CZK (£42) for three nights... not too shabby!
Fancy seeing you here!
A hop, skip and a jump away from our hostel...
For any fellow Beatles fans, you must find time to visit the infamous John Lennon wall, where you will almost always find a busker jamming. It's a marvellous place to soak in the peace, maybe even enjoy a song and dance, and leave your mark.
I think these photos give you an idea of the scale.
A trip to the Czech capital isn't complete without a trip to the castle. Expect spectacular views, handsome soldiers and the odd protester.
"I wonder what the missus is cooking for dinner"
When it comes to good grub, there are two key things I recommend. First things first: Staročeské trdlo. This sinfully good cinnamon pastry is what dreams are made of. I'm amazed this place is still in business since I left. There was also a hidden bakery called Au Gourmand down one of the side streets near the Astronomical clock. Their scrumptious baguettes and pastries had us coming back daily!
In the queue for our Staročeské trdlo, and below, gelato fix at Au Gourmand.
This is a glimpse of our wild run in with chicken Joe, an Irish street performer who wanders round Europe with whips and knifes - top bloke. We actually have footage on FB of Theo and Alice being pulled in from the crowd and getting topless (Theo, not Alice). You can't make this stuff up!
Unfortunately I can't take credit for the photos shown so far, they were taken by my cosmic friends Caitanya, Alice, El and Amy. The only camera I took was disposable and, well - let's just say I now have a deeper appreciation for the writers of Spy Kids and the thumb villains...
Oh shit... ake muhsrooms!
That reminds me, don't forget to rub the plaque on the statue of John of Nepomuk when you cross the Charles bridge. Doing so supposedly brings you luck and ensures your return to Prague.
It seems that the photos I took were either covered in thumbs or simply aren't suitable for the viewing public and are best left where they are... in a box under my bed! I did luckily manage to get a few candid thumb-free shots which I cherish...
It's exactly what it looks like.
This fella is the hostel's cat named wifi!
A random tip I thought I'd share is to write on your hand before you go on a night out "100 = £3" which is, more or less, the currency converter. You'd be amazed how much it comes in handy.
It has been such a walk down memory lane writing this post and it's truly fascinating to see how much we've physically changed during university... we look like babies!
Although some things - like the hysterical drunk snaps of us - remain the same three years on. Some things never change and I hope they never will.
Stumbling home at 4am over the Charles bridge - that's me in the middle, hanging on for dear life.
Drink Absinthe responsibly kids & remember the golden rule: everything in moderation...
...including moderation ;-)
