Upon boarding my flight to Prague an elderly Spanish man, intrigued by my hair, sat right in front of me and complimented my afro ponytail as I sipped on my coffee at one of the airport cafes. Although I was flattered, I was also a bit perplexed when he sat down at "my" table. Personal space being invaded intentionally or unintentionally is still something that surprises and tickles me, but at times annoys the hell out of me when I just want to be alone. However, this space invading man was surprisingly a small joy of delight, which was just what I needed to start my trip. Sometimes it's necessary to put the phone down and engage in a conversation, even if it's just a five minute chit chat.
After landing in Prague, Czech Republic I immediately hit the ground running. I had no time to waste as the day of my arrival would be the first of the two full days I had there. So, I started with Prague Castle. Majestic and stoic, this gothic style castle displays parts of its history on the outside just as much as it does on the inside. Known for many fires and invasions along with holding the Crown jewels and housing Bohemian Kings, the Prague Castle is a real treat for a lover of historical aesthetics. After walking around for about two and a half hours I bought some mulled wine to warm me up as I set out to check into my hostel, Sophie's Hostel. This hostel was also conveniently located near a nail shop and had a Spa that was right across the street and very affordable. I took full advantage of it later in the trip, but after getting settled I got the recommended Goulash soup and went to bed early since I planned on making the most of the last full day there.
Around 8 a.m. I woke up only to be greeted by the dreadful Aunt Flow. However, a long hot shower and one strong dosage of Ibuprofen later I was ready to start the day. First stop, the Charles Bridge. The views there were breathtaking and I was grateful that I was able to get a picture there. I was bit hesitant to ask people because their personalities appeared just as cold as the weather, but I managed to conjure up the courage to ask a woman in passing and was answered with a smile and a full on photoshoot! Never judge a book by its cover, eh? Delighted with the picture, I headed toward the next destination.
Old Town Square introduced me to more goulash soup, scones, more mulled wine and a variety of other entrees ended up being my dinner. It was heaven for this little piglet. However, with the menu being in Czech, I believe I unintentionally also ordered Pig's A$$, because what I ate was what I could only imagine being just that based on the texture of it. To say the least, that was not the best meal during my stay there, but it was an experienceI would not like to entertain again.
As the day was ending I wanted to get one last site in. The Museum of Communism was the last stop, giving me an insight into how Communism engulfed this country during the Second World War. I've always heard about it, but after getting up close and personal with artifacts, stories etc... things really get put into perspective. Stories about communism taking over media outlets, jobs, ones way of thinking and life in general can be unfathomable until it happens to your country. Yet, there I was looking at evidence and learning about the intimate details that led to these events, making me cringe about how power has been often if not always abused by the ones who hold it.
