My View from 30,000 Feet: Prague

Prague

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One of the loveliest views in Prague is from Petrin Hill. It overlooks the tile rooftops of Old Town (Stare Mesto) and I'm sure that the hill itself is as spectacular as the view when the trees and flowers are in bloom. There is a funicular that will take up you to the top of the 1500 meter hill--but it was under scheduled maintenance when we arrived. Of course!

We hoofed it up Petrin Hill--almost a mile up the steep incline and twisting path. There was an older couple hot on our heels and Shelby was determined that they were not going to pass us! We pushed onward until we arrived at the top. My knees were burning!

At the top of Petrin Hill is a reduced copy of the Eiffel Tower, built in 1891. Standing between me and the top of the Tower is a $3 charge and 299 steps. I was fine with the three bucks--but, after that climb, with its' serious incline--I was in no mood to climb 299 stairs! I waited on a sunny bench while Shelby "took it for the team" and trudged to the top.

Obviously, the most beautiful view in all of Prague!

The rail of the damn funicular that was not in service!

After the trip back down, we wandered the streets and found a great little coffee shop. One thing to note--hot mulled wine is less expensive than a cup of coffee! I'm jus' sayin'...

On Nerudova Street, there was a a film crew and a very skinny actress (not in the picture) who had on a sleeveless dress, and had to walk up the stairs to do her scene. Over and over and over. It was about 40 degrees outside. She had to be freezing!

We decided to go to dinner at Hergetova Cilhelna, recommended by our Frommer's guide(which had been spot on so far during the trip.) It was such a tasty meal! Shelby ordered the burger, and I had a pizza. The pizza was like the ones I had eaten in Rome, and Shelby's burger tasted like steak! We both agreed our dinner was delicious! The restaurant is on the Vltava River and the view of the Charles Bridge just simply wows you! I will definitely eat there again!

Walking out of the restaurant and into the neighboring courtyard at the Kafka Museum, we stumbled upon this David Czerny sculpture, which we dubbed "The Pissing Contest." (click on the link to see the...um, "action"...)It's hilarious in that the bottom half of the statues' torsos rotate side to side, and their...um..."tools" move up and down. In researching it since I've been home, I found out that you can text message the statues and they will "pee" your text. Well, alrighty then!

While we were there, we found the Metro/subway and tram system incredibly easy to use! (It also helps that Shelby is a mole and doesn't need to read any signs--she just has an internal GPS that guides us to the right train!)

We left on Sunday with a plan to drive to Stuttgart, Germany to stay the night at Kelley Barracks, another Army facility. Staying at Kelley Barracks would make our drive to FRA short the next day. On our way out, we just had to go to a Czech McDonald's. There they had this little dish of fried cheese and a sort of cranberry like dipping sauce. By the time we got there, we were hungry, so this held us over until we could get to Nurnburg, where we planned on having lunch.

For future reference, it is very difficult to find a non-fast food restaurant open in Germany on a Sunday. Very, very difficult. Etch that in your brain, please. You'll thank me later!

We did manage to find a German restaurant in Stuttgart that was open, and we both had a dinner of salad and ram schnitzel....mmmmmm!

The next day, we headed to Frankfurt, turned in our rental car, and took the train to the airport. On the way back, there were no paying passengers in First Class, just three non-revs. We implored the Flight Attendants to not make a fuss and to enjoy an easy dinner service. Faris is the Flight Attendant who took care of us the most, and she is just about the best I have ever seen! She has an easy smile, is graceful--and funny, too! She did a nice job for us!

Once arriving in Washington, Shelby had to hurry through Immigration to catch her flight home. Knowing how much she wanted to sleep in her own bed that night, I was pleased when she called to let me know she had made her flight back to Columbia. Driving home, I reflected on this awesome trip to Prague! My eyes were opened: the beauty of the city and its people and outdoor artwork was something unexpected--and, I learned the depth of a friendship.

Blondie

Driving from Grafenwoehr to Prague was a fairly quick two hour drive. Autobahn/highway all the way, it was an easy drive with the GPS.

Our GPS had a decidedly proper British voice, and it was interesting how "he" pronounced some of the names. While in Prague, we were driving to a restaurant, and the name of the street is spelled something like this: Marastranske hradke.

Mr. GPS pronounced it: Mary Ann's crappy.

Well, alrighty, then!

This is the border into the Czech Republic--it has many places for guards and inspections, but is, of course, all closed now. We flew through. We pulled off the highway when we saw a mall at an exit--we needed fuel, food and a bathroom break. I was somewhat surprised at how trendy and cosmopolitan the stores at the mall were--this mall was sleeker than most malls here in the US.

There was also a Hypernova at this mall, and we had to feed our foreign grocery store addiction...and I even took pictures. (Geek, I know...)

Hello, Lays potato chip people! Why don't we get chips like these in the US? (They even have a Roasted Chicken flavored chip in parts of Europe!) Are Barbecue and Sour Cream & Onion the extent of the flavored chips we can have here???

I'm just' sayin'....

We drove into Prague and saw this beautiful mix of old and new! Relatively new, tall office buildings mixed with church spires from long ago, punctured the skyline.

Our first day there, we took a bus tour around the city--to sort of get the lay of the land. The city is brimming with beautiful artwork! Sculptures, mosaics, buildings, engravings--it is everywhere! Modern, classic--you name it, and you can see it outdoors in Prague. One of the buildings I enjoyed was the "Dancing House" which is also known as the Fred and Ginger House.

Later that night, we went to the Charles Bridge--this is one of the towers at the foot of the bridge.

The bridge from another perspective...

Baby, it was coooo-old out there on that bridge!

The next day, we did a Frommer's walk through Old Town (Stare Mesto). I swear by the walks Frommer's does--and this one didn't disappoint. Charming, ancient, and historic, the walk along cobblestone streets took us next to municipal buildings, churches, and shops--tons of shops! (yaaa-ay!) We were disappointed that the Church of St. James was locked and we weren't able to view the 400 year old dried up shriveled arm in the vestibule. Here's the story:

It belonged to a thief who tried to steal some jewels from the Madonna on the high altar one night. But the Madonna grapped his hand and didn’t want to let it go. The thief had to wait there until the next morning. The next day, when the Minorites came to the Church, they tried to separate the thief from the Madonna, but in vain. They had to cut his arm. Then the Madonna let the hand go. The monks hung the arm to remember this event and as a warning for other thieves.

One of the things you can buy in many of the shops is pot vodka! I guess if the liquor doesn't give you a good enough buzz, the pot will. Or, vice-versa..

Old Town Square

The Astronomical Clock

The Hanging Man

Gorgeous, no?

Tomorrow--the view from Petrin Hill.

Blondie

For the last week or so, Shelby and I have been pouring over apartments to rent for our upcoming trip. We have scoured the Internet, high and low, looking for the one special place. I'ved been so hunched over the computer that my shoulders are tight! We're leaving tomorrow, and think we have the place that we want, but won't know until the office opens for business tomorrow morning. Like I told Shelby, "I ain't skeered!"

While we're there, we're bringing some Peeps to enter the National Geographic Peeps in Places Photo Challenge. Shelby has already "laminated" , if you will, our Peeps...so, stay tuned to see what we come up with!

We're flying to Frankfurt on an evening flight tomorrow. From there, we are renting a car and driving to Grafenwoehr and will stay the night on the US Army base in their lodge. The next day, we are going to Regensburg, a city that Shel has wanted to to go back to for a long time. She tells me "it's charming and there's shopping." That's all I need to know!

From there, we'll drive to Prague, and hopefully the apartment we want will be all taken care of. I told you earlier about our hunt for apartments--our requirements and such. It all started with our first apartment rental--our learning apartment in Paris--and while it was perfect for our first time, I don't think I'd stay there again.

While we were in Paris, we did all the touristy things as well as shopping and neighborhood walks. We had a really cool, spacious place to come home to--with coffee and breakfast in the morning and wine in the fridge in the evenings.

We both adore grocery stores in other countries--and were able to stock our little kitchen with goodies. We shopped at the neighborhood patisserie and had fresh pastries each day.

An inexpensive floral shop was right on the corner, so we had fresh flowers.

Of course, when in France....

By far, the best day we had was the day we took the Metro and saw where Moulin Rouge is. The neighborhood (Pigalle, right?) is a bit rough--but we shopped and shopped until our feet couldn't carry us anymore. Several shopping bags in hand, we found a great restaurant--a cute cafe on a corner--and settled in for a long lunch.

We ordered a .5 liter pitcher of wine. And, oh! The lunch! Scrumptious! A very thin petite steak with a fabulous sauce and fresh salad, it was one of the best meals I've ever had. The City of Lights with a precious friend, a great meal and a....wait! What's this? Our .5 liter pitcher of wine is empty...."Yes, please, we'll have another!"

We were laughing and sharing that amazing moment in our lives--two friends chatting in a Paris cafe over a great meal, people watching in such gorgeous weather! "Pardon moi, Monsieur, we'd like another pitcher of wine, please..."

Needless to say--we were in very high spirits that afternoon. And, the wine was being served in very inexpensive ceramic pitchers--ugly green, and couldn't cost the restaurant more than fifty cents a piece. And, I wanted one for the memory!

In my very best French, with my slight Southern accent, I asked our waiter: S'il vous plaît, monsieur, je voudrais....to buy this pitcher. (Trust me, that's about all the French I can manage!)

He replied immediately..."Oh, no, Madame, it is not for sale..."

"S'il vous plaît, monsieur...I am willing to pay what you want for it..."

"Oh, no Madame--it would cost at least....uh...two Euro--and we don't sell them."

"S'il vous plaît, monsieur, will you ask your owner or manager?"

You would have thought I had asked him to stick a knife in his leg with that question! He haaaarrruummpphhed us as he turned quickly on his heel, to search out the owner or manager.

Not knowing we could see him, he was just hanging out on the side of the bar, by himself. A moment later, he came back, having spoken with no one.

"Madame, I am sorry. The manager does not wish to sell it."

Whatever, dude...

So, Shelby and I continued our lunch, forgetting the whole episode...just two friends in a Paris cafe.

A bit later, wine fully kicked, we paid our check. As we were standing up to leave, Shelby finished the last bit of her wine with a big gulp, and said "Nette, you deserve this pitcher." In one fell swoop, she nabbed the pitcher, plunked 10 Euros down on the table, and stuffed the pitcher into her shopping bag, and we nonchalantly walked out.

Please, no lectures. I know we were ugly Americans that day. I went to confession over it. And, I promise it will never happen again.

But, lookie what I have!

Petrin Hill and beyond

Pretty, pretty Prague!

We didn't mean to be ugly Americans!

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