Prague-The Paris of the East?

Prague is the third city I have heard referred to as the "Paris of the East." Is it really that desirable to be compared to Paris? Okay, maybe I'm biased. I don't care for Paris. Maybe one day Paris will be referred to as the "Budapest of the West." Errr...maybe not.

I used to have a dual personality when it came to Prague. On one hand, I wanted to tell everyone how wonderful it was and I felt somehow personally responsible for the way that it is portrayed. On the other hand, I wanted to add to the fears about it being overcrowded, unsafe, and boring because I DIDN'T want other people visiting. I wanted to keep it to myself and the select others that were also as enchanted with it as I was.

But then, of course, it hit a tourism boom and everyone and their brother started going there. Now, I go to Prague and hear more English than Czech, which I find kind of sad. The prices have gone up, the Euro has come in, and it's difficult to find anything really authentic.

Difficult, but not impossible, if you know where to look.

But man, what a city. If you get off the beaten path and tourists tracks and even just wander down the alleys and streets you'll find parts of it untouched. As my mother says, it's the kind of city where you wouldn't be surprised to see a man walk out of the mist in a large top hat and long coat-and wouldn't be surprised if he was Jack the Ripper. A magical, mystical place.

Quick Tips:

Useful Links

Czech's Official Tourism Page
http://www.czech.cz/

Prague's Transportation System
http://www.dp-praha.cz/en/index.htm

Hostelworld- Book your Prague Hostel Online
http://www.hostelworld.com

Bugeurope- Read Hostel Reviews
http://www.bugeurope.com

Czech National Rail
http://www.cd.cz/static/eng/

Best Way To Get Around:

The Czech National Rail links Prague to every other major city both in and out of Czech. You can get there from Vienna, Munich, Salzburg, Berlin, etc. You can also take the train to neighboring towns such as Brno, Olomouc, Karlovy Vary, and Cesky Krumlov. If you do take the train, keep in mind that some of them are old, especially those routes within Czech, and they're not always in the best of condition. A couple of times it has paid to upgrade to First Class.

There is also a bus system that, ironically, is sometimes more expensive than the train.

I have stayed at the Old Prague Hostel several times. It has consistently pleased me thus far, and I am becoming increasingly difficult to please when it comes to hostel standards. The hostel is relatively new and looks it. It?s clean, compact, and seems to be well managed. The dorm rooms and private rooms are not ensuite, but the community showers are plentiful. Great water pressure and the hot doesn?t run out. That's always important in a shower. The hostel is spread out over two floors and both floors have their own common rooms. The one on the bottom floor has the television. Breakfast is provided and consists of sandwiches, cereal, and juice. There is a place to store your luggage, as check-in is 2:00 pm and it is not only locked up and safe but in the view of the reception. The dorm rooms are roomy and the beds comfortable although the duvets are kind of thin. You can adjust the temperature in the rooms though so I never got cold, even though I stayed there in the winter. The doors are padded in order to control noise.

The location is the best thing about the place. It is only a few minutes walk from Old Town Square and is just around the corner from Namesti Republicky. The tram stop is about a three minute walk and a tram there will take you to the main train station. The price is a little stiffer than at some of the other hostels in town, but you really are paying for the location.

www.oldpraguehostel.com

We booked this apartment through Prague Holiday.

We only had a lukewarm experience with the apartments. To begin with, it wasn't made clear that the reception was a good ways from the actual apartments. We took a taxi there from the train station with our luggage, but as it took us over an hour to check the taxi couldn't wait for us. When I asked the girl how we were supposed to get our luggage to the apartment she told us that it was only a 20 minute walk. However, it was dark, icy, snowing, and cold. And we had a lot of luggage. She eventually called another taxi for us. Good thing, too, because even with a taxi and very little traffic it took us nearly thirty minutes to get there.

The real problem was that the apartment they ended up taking us to was not the apartment advertised on the website. We thought we would be staying on Neurodova. That was one of the reasons we picked that particular place. Instead, they took us to Ujezd, a fairly long walk from the center of Mala Strana. When I inquired about this I was told that the apartments on Neurodova were full. Still, they shouldn't advertise them if they can?t accommodate. It didn't look anything like the pictures on the Internet-probably because it wasn't the same place.

The apartment had both good and bad qualities. It wasn't really an apartment at all. It was a large room with a kitchenette. Oh, and a large bathroom which was nice. Still, there was nothing outstanding about it. There weren't any pictures on the wall or any kind of decorations at all. The beds, while comfortable, were very low to the ground and a little difficult for my handicapped traveling partner to get in and out of. We stayed there for four nights but nobody ever came to clean the room. We weren't told what to do with the key, either, and had to call and ask. The good points were that we had a great view of Petrin Hill and there was a tram stop outside the front door. And we enjoyed having the great restaurant La Bastille below us. It was also nice to have a tea maker in the room, too, as well as a refrigerator.

I’m always a little leery of staying in new places in Prague because I have had both positive and negative experiences. I tend to stick with what I know and expect. However, I booked this hotel through Expedia and got an excellent rate. I was pleasantly surprised at what it had to offer.

Unfortunately, the building does not have an elevator and it is a long hike up the stairs, as the hotel does not begin until the 2nd floor. The room was a good size, though, although small by American standards. The shower as great and we didn’t get any noise from the street like I was afraid we would. The location was excellent. We were located on a busy tourist street right in the middle of Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square. (Although closer to Old Town Square.) We always felt safe in the neighborhood, even after we had been put walking around late at night. The breakfast consisted of meat, cheese, bread, and cereal. The hotel was clean in general and well taken care of, although from the looks of the outside it doesn’t seem like it would. Maid service was daily. All in all, it was a very good value for Prague. The only drawback would be the no elevator problem.

We were very happy to discover this gem of a restaurant by accident. The first time we went in we only had a bottle of wine and a plate of cheese (filling enough on their own), but it was so cozy and the staff were so nice that we went back the next night to have dinner. That night, the meal consisted of peach chicken (a specialty to Czech), boiled potatoes, and a fruity dessert. It cost about $10 per person.

I have since been back many times and the food and service have been consistently good. It’s a small restaurant that fills up quickly around dinnertime, but there has never been a long wait for the food to arrive. My favorite thing to order is the honey chicken while my mom liked the ham and eggs. My friend ordered the salmon and although it had some bones in it, it was good. Not too dry, but not too soggy either. Because it is on a side street it is not as expensive as some of the other restaurants in the area and Ii mostly heard Czech spoken which is a nice change from the English you hear in every other place.

The staff is fairly friendly and used to dealing with tourists, although they seem to have a lot of local people in as well so it must even itself out for them. They are courteous and the food always arrived in a timely manner.

I love this place. I have logged in many, many hours at it, and this is coming from someone who when, at home, doesn't even eat bagels or go to coffee shops.

Bohemia Bagel is kind of like a homing center for Expats. It has it all-cheap phone calls to home, Internet access, bagels, soup, and coffee. It also has a message board for travelers and you can pick up the English version of the "All Around Town" paper. If you want to place an ad to teach English, teach music, or even teach the Czechs how to understand rap lyrics (I swear to God I saw this on the board an am not making it up) you can do so. They also don't mind if you sit there for hours talking to your friends or writing in your journal. (A-hem.) Good place to mingle.

Food-wise, I really liked their tomato basil soup. I also enjoyed their apple and peanut bagels. And chocolate chip cookies...And mochacinos...And chocolate chip muffins...It's all reasonably priced, too.

Note: The guy turns on the clock as soon as you tell them you want to get on the Internet. Run to the chair straight away so that you're not getting charged for time you didn't use.

We stumbled upon this restaurant very close to the TESCO. Although we had to go up many stairs to get there, we loved the art deco interior and the retro design of the tables and chairs.

I really loved the hot chocolate menu. I mean, it's a menu devoted entirely to HOT CHOCOLATE. And this stuff isn't instant, either. They had dozens of kinds and although I only tried the white hot chocolate I was tempted to try other ones as well. I ordered a ciabatta sandwich and my traveling partner got a plate of pasta. Both of us were satisfied by the portion size and taste. I had also ordered chocolate fondue, but alas, it never made it to our table. That might have been my fault. After all, who orders both hot chocolate and chocolate fondue? Me, that's who.

The atmosphere is what set this café apart from the rest in the area, but I don’t know if I would recommend it if you were really hungry and wanted a good filling meal. It’s more of a breakfast or lunchtime place and place to hang out. You can also bring in your laptop if you have wireless internet.

I have eaten at the Klub Architect on several occasions but the food has been hit and miss. On my first visit, I had a wonderful pasta served with boiled potatoes. I followed it with crepes that were absolutely amazing. They were filled with strawberries and bananas and topped with ice cream, real cream, and chocolate sauce. To this day the best crepes I have ever had.

When I went back the second time I just had a bowl of soup and split some banana nut bread with the girl I was with. The soup was tomato basil and while not inspiring, it was still okay. The banana nut bread was supposed to be a banana with ice cream and whipped cream. Banana nut bread wasn't even on the menu. Lost in translation? Ran out of bananas and thought we wouldn't notice? I do not know.

On my third visit I had the pasta again, but it was very salty, almost to the point that I couldn't eat it and generally I am fine with salt.

On my fourth visit my dining partner had some ostrich. She said that it was a little tough but that the flavor was good. We'd never had ostrich so we figured it might always be tough. I had the honey chicken, which was a little dry but still tasty.

The restaurant itself is fun to visit as it is located in a cellar and very atmospheric with candles and big wooden tables. The staff all speak English, if that is important to you, and are courteous.

Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Not just a castle, but a huge complex of buildings-twelve in all. It was constructed in the 9th century by Prince Boøivoj and over the years different rulers made their own additions so there is a mixture of styles. It has had four major reconstructions, but it keeps its classical facelift it took on in the 18 century during the reign of Maria Theresa. It has three courtyards and it has always been the seat of Czech rulers as well as the official residence. A massive structure that is best viewed from the Charles Bridge at night-it stays lit until midnight.

You can wander around the grounds for free, but you have to pay to go inside the four main attractions. It only costs about $3 to do this. This could definitely take up an entire day-or two or three depending on how much time you want to devote to it.

Honestly, I don?t know why this church is so popular with tourists, except maybe for the fact that it is a staple in the Old Town Square. Personally, I call it 'Twin Peaks' because of the large spires that poke up from it. It's a beautiful church and can be used as a landmark if you are lost. When I stayed at the Pension Tyn, every morning when I woke up and started down the alley that lead away from my hostel, the church always loomed in front of me as a welcome beacon.

The church is of Gothic architecture and was built in 1365. Its multiple steeples are 80m high and you can see them from various parts of the city. An entrance portal decorated with scenes of Christ's passion and a huge Rococo altar on the northern wall are two features that really stand out inside. To the right of the altar there is a tomb of the Danish astronomer Tycho de Brahe who worked at the court of the Emperor Rudolph II. Sometimes the church has concerts in it. Actually, it seems that is hosts concerts most nights.

You are probably familiar with the song "Good King Wenceslas." Well, here you can even see a statue of him. For history buffs, this is where the Velvet Revolution took place. It’s basically a big boulevard (not really even a square) that feels disjointed from the Lesser and Old Town areas. It’s very modern and feels more like what you would expect from a big city. Originally a horse market, it got its present name in the mid-19th century. It is the main centre of modern Prague surrounded by shops, cinemas, office blocks, hotels, restaurants and cafés. The 750 m long and 60 m wide square has been the scene of a great deal of Czech history. In 1969 a university student Jan Palach burnt himself to death in protest against the Warsaw Pact invasion and in November 1989 protest meetings against police brutality were held here and led to the Velvet Revolution and the end of communism in Czechoslovakia. In the middle of the square is a monument of St Wenceslas on a horse accompanied with sculptures of four Czech patron saints.

Definitely worth checking out, especially at night when things in Prague tend to take on another worldly feel. Be careful in this area, though. Pickpockets and the like keep their eyes out for unconcerned tourists.

I went to this theatre to watch a visiting Italian opera while I was in Prague. I was most impressed with the fact that even though I was seated pretty close to the top row, the seats were situated so that nobody was sitting in front of me. It's a gorgeous (green) building from the outside, and very ostentatious on the inside.

It usually presents Mozart operas but other composers' works can also be experienced there. Historically, its value lies in its historical signifiance, from the musical career of Mozart to modern times. For the filming of "Amadeus," director Milos Forman requested use of the theatre as a set. But since he was not in good standing with the government, having defected in the 60s, he was denied any access to the space. Finally it was agreed that he could film in the theatre, if a portion of the film's profits would go towards restoration of the building. In 1786, Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" was performed there, and in 1787 Mozart conducted the premier of "Don Giovanni".

This is from an actual letter I sent on my first trip to Prague. The hostel in question is the Hotel Imperial.

Dear Chris,
It’s after two o’ clock in the morning, but I can’t sleep at all. I’m scared. I don’t mean spooked or on edge, I mean that I am honest to goodness frightened out of my mind.

Remember how I said that my hostel was kind of scary looking? Well, after the finally let me check in, I came up to my room and things just started getting worse. The hallways were massive, but not in a good, airy way. Like in a dungeon way. They must have been fifteen feet tall, and I felt so small walking through them that I felt suffocated. When I entered my room, I saw that I was to be sharing it with someone, and this as a relief to me. I knew this because on one of the beds there was a nightgown laid out and I found beauty products and various other articles of clothing in the closet. I was anxious to meet my female roommate, but after about an hour I wanted to get back out into the city again.

When I returned back to the hostel, after getting lost in some of the cross-streets, I was a little surprised to see that my roommate had not returned. Nothing in the room had been touched and I just had this feeling that nobody had been in there after I left. I figured that she must be out partying somewhere, so I crawled into bed and left the lamp on for her-just in case.

I slept fitfully for about an hour. I don’t know when I have slept so badly since I arrived. I had dozens of nightmares and can swear that I woke up every fifteen minutes. Whenever I would wake up, a creepy feeling would come over me and no matter how hard I tried to shake it off, it wouldn’t leave. There is an essence to this place that I can only describe as evil. I have never felt this way about anywhere before. After the last time I woke up, I was unable to go back to sleep with my back to the room. Instead, I turned over and pressed my back far up against the wall, taking comfort in that I could see everything going on in the room. When I at last drifted off again, the most horrible dream took over me that I am surprised I didn’t wake up screaming. I was in the hostel, in the very bed that I was sleeping in, when the door slowly began to open. As I rose out of bed, a lone figured appeared in the shadows and whispered, "murder." At this, I violently slipped out of sleep and really did wake up. The first thing that shot through my mind was, "Oh God, someone really did die in this room!" After the thought had entered my mind, I could lose it. I could feel fear in the walls, under the bed, everywhere. I ran out of the room to the bathroom down the hall, but even the hallways started closing in on me. I tried splashing some water on my face, but nothing would help.

Now, here I am, back in the room. The nightgown laid out on the bed next to me is creeping me out, too, and I am so scared that I can barely move. Writing to you is the only thing that is keeping me from going out of my mind. Have I already lost it? Is the pressure from traveling alone finally getting to me so badly that I am having illusions? What am I going to do? I have to get out of this place. The longer I sit here on the bed in this room, the more claustrophobic I feel. I swear I can hear whispering and things going on in the walls that I know are not coming from other hostel-dwellers.
The rational part of me knows that there isn’t anything to be afraid of. After all, I am in a hostel and if I screamed everyone on the floor would hear it. But the other irrational part of me wants to pack my bags and leave.
I guess for now, though, the best thing for me to do is to just try and get some sleep. First thing in the morning I am checking out of here.

Love,
Rebecca