Old Town Excursions

I decided to spend my first full day in Prague getting my bearings. I got dressed, acquired my dorm pass (with a student thankfully translating for me), and headed into the city. I’m staying in Praha 6, which is also where work is, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a hike. First and foremost, I found the library and the entrance I must use (after receiving my credentials from my contact yesterday). Then, really unsure of what to do and stumbling through interactions, I decided to head to Old Town. I could have taken public transport, but I really want to experience as much of the city as I can, so I walked the approximate 3k to Praha 1. These sites are the exact reason that I love European cities so much. The churches, the statues, the breathtaking architecture. I even found the hub of tourism, which led me to picking up some pamphlets for later planning. Outdoor cafes and people watching are clearly in my future weekends, as is enjoying as much time in the beautiful greenery as I can. I mean, I’m even writing in a beautiful little square, and I plan to read in one of the numerous parks as well. With only a quick trip to market left (which I plan to do on the trek back up the hill), I really have a full day of just taking in the sun, the beauty, and the fresh air.

Here are some things I pondered, experienced, or witnessed in Prague today:

In my excursion of Old Town Square, I came across Prague’s Hard Rock Cafe. If you don’t know me, this may be insignificant, but I have been collecting shot glasses since I was a young child. I actually have a Hard Rock shot glass from every foreign country I have gone to that has one and several from around the United States, so, this was a must stop, and I just happenstances across it. This interaction would be the coolest one of the day though. Coming across the first person who wasn’t stumbling over their English since I met my roommate, the cashier revealed that she knew exactly where my home state is! When she asked where I was from, she wanted me to be more specific than the United States. Since many people in the U.S. don’t know where West Virginia is, I told her my home state in relation to our nation’s capital. Then, she revealed to me that she had, in fact, just spent last summer there, working in White Sulfur Springs at the Greenbrier. It truly is a small world.
I had to get out of the main square to find a little place to myself. After my walk and subsequent side quests, I wanted some time before I sat down for lunch, but I didn’t want to leave that part of the city yet. Finding a place to sit, read and write, and enjoy without going to a cafe is difficult, but not impossible. About a block out of Old Town Square, I found a shaded bench, where I sat for quite some time. As I took in the sites and the fresh air, I even caught pieces of the tours that passed me that were in English. Here are a few fun facts I heard (though, I haven’t done my due diligence to discover if they are all true): Czechia has the lowest unemployment rate in the EU; Venice is just 4 hours south of Praha; and, Czechia has the 4th largest economy of the EU (the 7th largest in the world).
It would have been nice for someone to tell me I should have just gotten Czech Koruna instead of dealing with the hassle of getting Euros. If you are traveling to the country as strictly a tourist, this probably won’t be an issue, but if you are here for any given amount of time, it’s just going to be a hassle. Many smaller businesses only accept cash in korunas, or have a minimum you have to spend on a card. This makes market purchases difficult. Seriously, I ended up putting less than 100 czk on my card this morning, which translates to less than 5 Euros (which is no where near $5). That’s only because I added to my purchase as well. If I had only gotten the 1.5L bottle of water I had intended, it would have only been 13 czk. Just get korunas, your life will be easier.
It was probably a bad idea to think that I’d come to a country so well known for their beer and that I would not partake. Have you ever sat outside at a cafe with a pint and looked out onto buildings that have stood there for centuries as people just seem to float among them? It truly is a beautiful thing. Now, I didn’t have a pint, but I definitely enjoyed some of the original Pilsner while sitting in Old Town Square just taking in the indescribable beauty.
Of course, absolutely no trip is perfect. One of the downfalls of not purchasing an international plan is that you often go in blind. I have several maps, but that doesn’t help much when they are in a language you don’t know and you haven’t figured out the major things yet. No international plan means no maps, which translates into no directions. Therefore, walking to Old Town Square could have been catastrophic. There were some great points of reference though: a major metro hub (for Metro A), the Spanish and Israeli consulates, the river, and, of course, Old Town itself (along with Jewish Quarter). It was the trek back to my dorm that proved to be my flaw. I got lost in the place I had been the most, because I took the wrong spoke off the traffic circle. Seriously, my point of reference, and I got turned around. Thankfully the bus signs told me this right away and I only walked about ten minutes out of my way, but it was frustrating, mostly due to that whole lack of data thing. In a few days, that constant want to connect will dissipate though, and I’ll stand much stronger on my own two feet.

I realize that until I get into a routine and I am just spending my days exploring, these types of quips may be more frequent. Fun stories, tips, and pictures will be in abundance. If there is somewhere in Prague you guys think I should hit up, let me know! I will take all suggestions under consideration and will do a lot of them (almost guaranteed if it’s something free).