I quickly searched online my options looking for the best deals on different methods of transportation around Europe. And realized my best option to get to Prague from Wien was getting on bus. Luckily, I came across a website for this yellow coach lines bus company called Student Agency Bus; which were luxury buses that left daily, multiple times a day to nearby destinations around Europe, and not only did they offer hot/cold drinks on board, but had a movie projector, and nice hostess on board, and the most important thing of all to me was they offered free-wifi. It only was cost me about €35.00 for a one-way trip from Vienna (Wien) to Prague; with one quick stop in the city of Brno, in Czech Republic. Unlike rail tickets and other bus companies; I must warn you this Yellow Bus Coach Line ought to be reserved and paid for via Internet; and the receipt tells you a random side street to the bus will depart from, it won't be from any nearby stations, there won't have big yellow signs telling you anything, whatsoever.. Even though I highly recommend this company, make sure you are attentive and on-time at the cross-streets given to you on the receipt, and just wait for a big yellow bus to come by. Well when I arrived at Prague's main bus-station, I took a metro-rail that was close by to a main street where my hostel was located near by. It was late afternoon and I easily located my hostel and checked-in to it... dropping off my bags quickly so I could still do some exploring.
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| ROSEMARY HOSTEL- co-ed bedroom |
The hostel I am staying is called Rosemary, and it's location is awesome, the beds are great, bathroom is big and spacious, and most important: the bathrooms are clean and private, so yay for finally choosing a winning hostel.. but wait, it wasn't all that great when I found out I would be sharing a room with 4 guys, in a co-ed hallway which was pretty much all men plus me (making me the co-ed) well I can't let this upset me, because at least the room is big and the bathroom is clean, right? That's all it matters to me... Plus, one of the guys is gay so it makes me feel better! And I am way too excited to take a nice, long, hot shower, and actually have time to wash my hair. I can't complain, this is as perfect as it will get.
After a great night of sleep, and an amazingly long hot shower on this chilly day, I was up extra early, feeling refreshed and ready to go explore the wonders of this city that is best known as The Golden City, or the City of a Thousand Spires.... For many years, Prague has been sweeping visitors off their feet with its romantic streets, soaring towers and great beer! From the heart of medieval Bohemia to the capital of the Holy Roman Empire the glory days of Prague's rich culture are shadowed by oppression both under the Nazis and the Communists. Beside (and sometimes under!) the flowing Vltava River, the Czech capital is known to captivate, inspire and move you like no other city. I was so in love with this place, and tired of following a map all day, wondering if there was stories and attractions I was missing on that I searched for Europe's best tours, which happened to be right on my budget... It was called Sandeman's New Europe Tours, and they have tour guide experts throughout many big cities in Europe, taking people on walking tours. I was so excited to meet up with this Tour group, that I got to Starbucks (the place where the tour meets) extra early. And the best thing about joining a tour that brought me some relief was that I wouldn't have to waste 10 minutes of my time matching the street name on my map, to the street name of the road sign (I swear, every word here is extra long and extra complicated). The tour met all my expectations, I learned so much, and the tour-guide of my group did an excellent job bringing to life the legends and taking us in the footsteps of Kafka, Good King Wenceslas and the Golem. He was pure comedy, and even used me as a character in the legend while reenacting a scene.
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| Charles Bridge at night |
After the tour I went to Starbucks for a drink and to use their free-wifi, I actually made a new friend in there! She's Canadian from Toronto, recently moved here for acting school about three months ago. So we clicked immediately, she offered to take me out to the real Czech places! It was so much fun, we went to a bar where people kept slamming beer at my table without me even ordering them, and everyone would yell something I didn't understand and cheer. It was a "local's bar", which was the best part of all. The tables throughout this restaurant/bar were just huge, long wooden picnic-like tables, and you just found a hole and squeezed in between people, it literally looked like we all were one big family on a Thanksgiving night. The food was yummy but different, the beer was amazing; a total of 648$Kc for food and beer, which is not so bad when you convert it, I think.
Czech currency is called Koruna (Kc or CZK). Bank notes are in denominations of 20, 50,100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 CZK. Coins are of 10, 20 and 50 CZK. Koruna is then divided into 100 halers (h). Coins are of 10, 20 and 50h. The Czech crown has been fully convertible since 1991. Prague expects to use the Euro currency in 5 to 7 years.. So yay to not having to trade in for korunas, than being stuck with korunas coins.
Anyways tomorrow night I am promised to meet up with this couple of siblings from Argentina that I met in Vienna. We planned to meet at this local bar between distance of our hostels, so we could explore the city together. I met them in Vienna, they were staying at the same hostel as I was, when the girl came into the office reporting her laptop was stolen from the locker in her room (ouch), I became friends with them after approaching her offering my iphone's internet for her to use and plan her next trip,which happened to also be Prague, so I showed them the website of the bus company, which they both ended up taking it to Prague with me. I was happy to help them, they were kind people, they even compensated me by buying me beer and giving me great hostel recommendations for Berlin :)
Well Czech Republic has been fun, totally different from Austria where I just came from, so I can't really compare and pick favorites, yet! Plus, Czech still a new found country who just got their independence 14 yrs ago!! Did u know it's the ONLY country consider CENTRAL EUROPE? Everywhere else is Western or Eastern! Those were fun facts I learned on the tour!! Lmao.. Anyways tomorrow I am going to wake up really early and shower (notice how much I love showering, well that's only because my last hostel in Vienna was infested with rats, and absolutely dirty, so I didn't spend any time in bathrooms, or rooms there) and make it to the top of the castle for pictures before I head to the train station to get on a train to Deutchesland....
Prague is beautiful, I never knew a place like this existed, when you think of Europe, nobody ever thinks of Czech Republic, at least I didn't. I am so glad I came here, without a plan, a schedule or any information of this place except that it was a nice city between Wien and Berlin. The Medieval architecture here is breathtaking, no other place can compare to this. I feel like my trip is getting better and better. And it has all been so hassle-free for me. Cheap hostels, good food, educational tours, and amazing scenery pictures! Well talk to you when I make to BERLIN :)
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