I just found out that my boss is spending the holidays in Prague - I got all excited (read. . . jealous) and started looking through my travel notes and couldn't help but post a new blog right away (so, apologies this time for posting so soon - I know, we're getting hard to keep up with).
If you've never been, GO TO PRAGUE, if you've already been, GO AGAIN. Book your trip NOW, THIS SECOND. Prague is the bestest,coolest, most whatever-est city ever! Like a perfectly preserved picture, not a hair is out of place in Prague. Step back into Medieval times, meander through windy cobblestone streets, sip beer as thick as coffee - and look, it's not even noon. Unapologetically be a tourist - pivot across the Charles Bridge, drop your jaw as the famous clock in the Old Town strikes, but please, get off the cute-as-heck path and explore the big-little city-town that is Prague.
Hike up towards the Castle Quarter via Nerdova Street,in the Little Quarter (notice the "addresses" on the stores - they are actually symbols of the passion/profession of the person that once lived there - before people could commonly read). We stayed at the place marked by the "three violins."
As you walk up Nerdova (about 10 minutes), stay to the left (if you take a sharp right you go directly to the castle).
Keep going and you will find the Strahov Monestary with a Monk brewery - they've been brewing beer there for hundreds of years, order the beer flavored cheese on black yeast bread - yum.
Look for the restaurant hidden in the staircase that connects Loretanska and Uvoz streets, near the Castle Quarter called Nad Uvozem - it's in the middle of a teeny-tiny ally way (if you continue on Nerdova, it becomes Uvoz - hard to find, but offers an amazing view of the city and is a hidden gem, to say the least. That's me 'in the stairs.')
Walk along the river and check out the "Dancing House" we never went inside, but if you like architecture, you will be astounded by this building - it's amazing (same guy that designed the Guggenheim Museum).
In the touristy, but really cute, Old Town Square, walk behind the Tyn Church to the Ungelt courtyard - I recommend the Ebel coffee house for a relaxing breakfast or coffee break - the lattes are as big as the wait staff's heads - BIG.
If you make it over to the Jewish Quarter - Molly Malone's (for obvious reasons) is a fun hangout.
Another great little restaurant we found was called Restaurant Mlejnice (the "Mill"), two blocks from the Old Town Square, serving traditional & modern Czech fare - between Melantrichova and Zelezna at Konzna 14.
The castle area is gorgeous - we went up there at night for a floodlit view of the city. Also, I know this sounds crazy, but one regret I have is that we never saw one of the Marionette puppet shows (Prague is really into Marionettes), I think it would have been fun to go to a show - maybe a bit cheesy, but unique nonetheless.
I was going on and on about Prague the other day (imagine that) and the subject of my rant finally asked, "Why Prague? Why is Prague so great?" Because you don't know Prague - even if you've never been to Paris, you still "know it." If you've never been to Venice, you still,"know it." But you don't know Prague - it's waiting to be discovered. Okay, now GO, GO to Prague, discover it. Make it your own.
(below is my favorite marionette,Gorbachev's twin; a studious Kirk, checking in with his fantasy football league - some things you just don't 'vacation' from).
