"Hashley" here, and I suppose if the "H" on this Starbucks cup was silent, my the pronunciation of my name would technically be correct. Before grabbing this hot chocolate, my friend and I battled with surge Uber prices and unavailable cab drivers to take us to the airport to make our next flight to *drumroll*
Prague! We arrived at the airport famished for some good old greasy eggs and bacon, only to find gourmet food stalls and Starbucks, which wasn't very good, but we had to chin up, our next adventure was right around the corner. Before booking this trip, many people had looked at me puzzled when I told them where I was going. What's in Prague? They would ask, and after doing a bit of hasty research, I realized that I honestly didn't know. My dad and my friend's dad had spent a lot of time in Prague in their lives and gushed over it when we prompted them. The architecture! The history! The nightlife! I will admit, I was a bit skeptical, as anything Eastern European makes my brown skin crawl with fear, but I decided to give it chance... And boy, was I glad I did.
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"Ahoj" from the greatest city in Eastern Europe (until I choose a new city)! We landed at the tiny Václav Havel Airport in the early afternoon, a bit exhausted and unsure of what to expect. Catching an Uber into the city was fairly easy and EXTREMELY cheap, way cheaper than Paris, and way cheaper than anything I have paid in America. I was also nervous about how we would be treated as brown Americans in a country as such, but our Uber driver was extremely friendly, even engaging in German banter with me the whole 20 minute ride in (and they said German would never be useful for me, psht)! The car ride through the city was uneventful, the scenery a bit dreary and cold, like what I imagine a country in Eastern Europe to be. People were bundled in jackets and long pants, and not because of modesty, but because even in late June, IT WAS COLD!! Like 40 degrees cold! I began to shiver in my light jacket and thin pants, wondering if this was just a cold front, but nope, it's like this most of the time apparently! The driver dropped us off at Hotel Vysehrad, a quaint little place not too far from the action near the Charles Bridge. The inside looked like a time capsule from I don't even know when, but it was kept very clean and orderly. We were greeted by a young man who was able to help us get checked in and sorted in our very dated room. After settling in, we decided that it was life or death to get some Mexican food...and stat. Now, before you judge me about my food preferences, just know that sometimes a certain type of food is done better in other countries, and I am not one to discriminate, so I'll try anything at least once. Also, I'm a creature of habit, if you're looking for a blog where the author seeks out the best cow-brains in whatever city they visit, I promise there's one out there for you! The restaurant we chose is called El Pueblo Mexicana Steak House, and it was definitely a strange place as they kind of overdid the Mexican theme, but I can appreciate them for trying! The theme was kitsch, sombreros and Spanish labeled items everywhere, but the food lacked that flavor I know so well having lived in Arizona for many years. Overall, the meal hit the spot, and we were hungry. After starting to feel the pull of the -itis, we decided to hit the streets and see what the surrounding area was like. We got a couple of slack-jawed stares while walking, but my friend and I are used to attention, and worse attention at that, so stares were fine with us. There were a lot of strip clubs and stag parties around which we had been warned about so we kept our distance. The main attraction nearby, was the Statue of Saint Wenceslas, the famous Duke of Bohemia, by which everything here is named after it seems. This statue sits in a park that faces the Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc memorial, a great place for photos and just getting a feel for the city as a whole. Prague: Night OneWho knew that coming to Prague would change how we partied? Since the Parisian nightlife was such a bust for us, we were praying that things would get better once we visited this country to the East, and WOW were we pleasantly surprised.
Before going out, we stopped down to the lobby of the hotel and chatted up another young man who had taken the night shift, and he made the same suggestion everyone else had about where to go for nightlife, Karlovy Lázně. I had done my research before coming out and knew that this place would be the ultimate tourist spot, and I was expecting to be disappointed, but it was amazing. First off, keep in mind that even in June, Prague can be chilly and rainy, and if you know how to shiver in a mini skirt and heels, I would definitely suggest it as Karlovy Lázně get hot AF, and I'm not just talking about the temperature. There was a very long line to get into the club, and in America, this usually doesn't mean anything good (i.e. the club wants to seem like it's packed, so they keep people waiting outside to boost that illusion). Karlovy Lázně is the exception to this, after paying about $20 US dollars we went inside and the place was PACKED with tourists. If you're the type of person who wants to hit up the local faves when you go on vacation, definitely stay away from here, but if you just want to get drunk and have a good time, this is the place for you. My friend and I met so many awesome people, got a LOT of beer for really cheap (or free), and scurried up and down the different levels, just exploring. We really didn't want to leave since we were having such an awesome time, but there were other places on our list to go. We left here going into the freezing night in search of more music and drinks. We stumbled upon a club called M1, which I had read reviews for, and it seemed just right for my friend and I. We waited in a line where people said they had been standing for ALMOST AN HOUR, realizing that we may have to wait AND pay a fee, my friend and I jumped to the front to ask about it. Once we did, a bouncer immediately yelled at my friend to get back in line. He didn't look at me, OR any of the other people who were standing nearby, he specifically targeted my Arab friend, being very rude and hostile. After getting this treatment and connecting with other people who had witnessed it as well, we decided to leave. We headed to Chapeau Rouge next, still high off of anger from that awful experience and ready to drink somewhere else. This bar was decent, a bit empty, but a great place to rehash the nights events with some new friends. They had a club in the basement, but it cost, so we and our friends decided to pass. After leaving and meandering around a bit, we decided to leave and just call it a night since it was getting late. We were a bit bummed, especially considering how awesome the beginning of the night had been...until we stumbled upon Fancy Lounge. We debated going in as we were unsure of what to expect, but this was probably the best experience of the night. This underrated bar was a mecca for hip-hop and reggaton, we danced and sweat so hard we stayed out for three more hours, not going back to the hotel until around 4am. This place was wild and also a great place to find a mix of locals and tourists, it's dancefloor is tiny, but so worth it. Have you ever woken up in a state of panic, realizing you're running late for something? Yeah, that was the start to our second morning. We woke up, crusty eyed, and deprived of much needed sleep realizing that we were going to be late for a tour of the city we had bought. We hopped out of bed and threw on whatever we could find, not bothering with hair or makeup and jetted to the entrance of the Charles Bridge to meet our tour guide. This would be our first time on the famous bridge known for its prime viewing angle of sunsets or sunrises and statues. Once we met our small group, we started walking towards the old town (where we were staying is considered outside of the old town, once you have crossed the bridge the differences can be noted). Our guide took us to the lesser town, an area known for its quaint restaurants, shopping and great city views, up to Prague Castle (which we didn't go inside) and past the Lennon Wall which was pretty cool, but not something to cancel your day plans for. Just walking around this town was awe-inspiring. If you want to feel like royalty, or like a character from a storybook this is the place for you. From the colorful houses, to the rambling hills of cobblestones and historical architecture, this place is as romantic as it can get! The entire tour was very informational and really gave us a good workout, with the weather going from freezing cold while the sun was obscured to too toasty for a jacket when the sun came out. There was an add on option for a longer tour comprised of a meal at a traditional restaurant, but for the sake of our funds, we skipped this. Now by this time, I managed to catch a nasty cold. Yes, an honest to god, nose-dripping, throat-aching, head-throbbing cold and I was desperate to keep moving, so my friend and I went back to the square in front of the Statue of Saint Wenceslas where there is plenty of shopping and American commodities, like H&M for all of our warm sweater needs. Before trekking out for new clothes, we stopped in a cute café overlooking the square where we had tea and warmed up a bit. Though the name of this cafe escapes me, I won't forget the amazing ginger tea that I had along with excellent service. On a cold day such as this, both the tea and the staff warmed my soul! After having tea, getting warmer outfits, and making our way back to the hotel, we prepared to get ready for the rest of our day (which involved more needless eating). We went back over to the lesser town which had some stores we wanted to hit up for souvenirs, but before that, we needed food. After walking around a bit, we decided on a place that seemed decent enough called U Prochazku. The food was advertised as traditional, but they still had plenty of familiar options such as Caesar salad and fries. The food tasted about as bland as it looked, but it didn't upset our stomachs like the food in France did. The service was good, with a couple of helpful waiters that gave us insight into the underground Prague dance scene...which really didn't seem much like our style but we appreciated the tips (Still unsure as to what a "pumpy pumpy" is...). After leaving, we goofed off around town killing time before going back to the hotel for a much needed nap before another night out. We bought trinkets and gifts to bring back home and my friend was able to flex her haggling deals for decently priced t-shirts and knick-knacks. Keep in mind that Prague isn't insanely cheap, they will certainly try to sell you mass produced t-shirts and shot glasses for steep prices, so definitely brush up on your haggling...you'll need to be a pro. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped for these churro-like ice cream cones that everyone was walking around town with and truth be told...they were just okay. The cones were definitely visually appealing, but nothing to write home about (or text home, whichever you prefer). After having this mediocre treat, I then realized that for some reason, the food in Prague wasn't explosively good. Anything we got was bland and under seasoned, which was surprising, especially since I had heard so many good things about the Czech food experience. Maybe I should have listened to the people who said that the food was more HEAVY than flavorful. I knew coming in that the cuisine would be meat-based and full of carbs, but I just wished the flavors would have been a bit more WOW! Prague: Night TwoBy far, this night was one of the best.
My friend and I started the night off at Karlovy Lázně, yet again, because why ruin a good thing? On this night we got solicited by strangers (gross) and made tons of acquaintances. We also felt brave enough to give M1 another shot...and this was when the night got interesting. We met some pals in the line, a group of meleninated girls from America who quickly became our allies in getting into this poorly managed club. With their help and guidance, we were able to make a smooth entrance, being transported into this very narrow but popular venue. The music was fantastic, lighting was low, and clearly this was where all the black people hanging in Prague went. Our group eventually split up, parting ways, and my friend and I and tried to dance, but it was just so packed. It was hard to move, but we made it work. It was here that we met a British stag party who made sure we weren't bothered by creeps in the club and even helped us to get on a platform to dance! We danced all night and didn't leave until six in the morning! No lie, when we left, the sun was coming up and it was actually daytime! This is the beauty of partying in Prague, the TRUE place that never sleeps! Yes. Those indeed are bags under my eyes from a night of bad decisions. After getting a few hours of shut-eye, my friend and I threw our clothes on and hit the streets again for a tour of The Old Town hall which houses the famous clock tower, a must see for tourists. Before heading there however, my friend and I decided to go for some carbs...yet again and surprise surprise, the food was sub-par, but it hit the spot. Afterwards, we made our way to the Old Town Hall, and to our dismay, the clock was under repair! But we were tired and delirious anyways, so we went straight to our tour group that was leaving out of the second floor. Our knowledgeable tour guide took us throughout the hall and told us of its history, how the basement which was dungeon-like actually was a home to a family, and all sorts of other cool facts. Outside of the Old Town Hall is a gorgeous square filled with people, food, and breathtaking architecture. I would definitely spend a little bit more time here if I went again, just grabbing food in one of the outdoor cafes or watching some of the street vendors/performers. After we left, we realized we had plenty of free time to check out one of the famous torture museums that housed many of the terrifying contraptions used on alleged criminals back in the day. We made our way to one nearby in the new town by the Charles Bridge and began our ascent into the creepy and dark world of torture. There was plenty to see from gibbets to coffins with spikes in them. One thing we noticed, much to our dismay, was that many of these devices were used on women!! They had so many niche tools for inflicting pain on females (including nipple clamps??? Ouch???!!), can we ever catch a break?? On this last day, it was extremely dreary and cold, fit for a day inside by a fire somewhere, but we decided to grab food and make one last trip to the Charles Bridge to get our caricatures drawn. We stopped by a cafe to connect to internet and grab some sweets, this particular place was nice because they gave us blankets and seated us near heating lamps (little did I know, a lot of cafes do this in the area to accommodate to guests who like to dine outside in the cold). After paying and heading to the bridge for our caricatures, we noticed some shady dude creeping on us a bit. He had a horrible Brazilian Keratin treatment and was leering and lurking nearby while we waited for our turn. It didn't become sinister until we realized that after glaring back, he only stared harder, even leaning against the wall and watching us. At this point, my friend and I were nervous, we hadn't encountered anything this weird the entire trip and wanted this guy to just go away, but he wouldn't. At one point, he literally JOGGED off, and came back with his friends who also stood and stared at us. Needless to say, this was very uncomfortable and confusing to us as we were fully clothed, not famous, and simply waiting in line for a drawing. We also knew this wasn't race fueled as the individuals who were glaring at us were also brown!! They stayed the whole time we were sketched, but we didn't let them get us down. The older gentleman who drew us was very friendly and nice, taking time to really bring out our most prominent features. I won't say the end result was the best in the world, but it was still fun nonetheless. A wild stag party stopped by to throw "party favors" at us and take pictures with us which was great, and although the temperature was dropping, we went through all of this to get our pictures drawn. After being thoroughly spooked by the men on the bridge, my friend and I decided to wrap the day up for an early night in, as our plane left the next day. We ordered in a pizza that took FOREVER and just goofed off until we had to go to sleep. This was hard to do especially knowing that we were going to have to leave our new favorite place.
The verdict is...Prague is a hidden gem.
I had heard so many mixed things about Czech Republic from "they're bad to brown people" to "it's amazing", and I was unsure of what to believe. After being there myself, I realized that this place is magical. A great destination spot for anyone wanting to try their hand at Eastern European travel. Let one of the locals give you a crash course in Czech history, have a heavy meal and walk the lesser town, dance the night away in a bar that never closes. Prague has it all! I think it's somewhere that could be visited for a couple of days, four days at most, but so worth it! Though it was cold and I was sick, I had the time of my life, probably more fun than any place I have been overseas and will definitely visit again. The people are great, the food is...well dense...and the quality of life is one that will make you envy those living there! Until next time Prague! |
Prague 2018A trip to Prague in June of 2018 ArchivesCategories |