To Europe and Back

Farewell Prague

We've gotten to be swift and organized packers, after having slept in 4 different hostels in about 10 days (not including the overnight train accommodations), so we had stored our baggage and headed out to Praha Bakeshop to grab some breakfast by about 10 a.m.

Unfortunately, we discovered we were not Prague's only visitors, as we battled crowds around Prague Castle throughout the morning. We visited the Golden Lane, which is a row of storybook houses, including one where Franz Kafka once lived, but the charm of the space was completely lost in the crowds of tour groups and the conversion of all the houses into souvenir shops.

The interior of the Royal Palace and climbing to the top of the tower in St. George's Basillica were the highlights of the rest of our crowded tour of the Castle area. The views of Prague from the area are amazing, but battling the crowds was exhausting and frustrating.

We headed back down toward the Old Town to have a beer at the Executioner's Pub and lunch at an Indian restaurant recommended in Lonely Planet. We filled out the afternoon with some souvenir shopping before heading to the train station to store our bags until our 11:23 p.m. train for Budapest.

The weather looked ominious, so we were happy to be inside at the Globe Bookstore when the downpour began. Journaling, emailing and enjoying just sitting for a change consumed several hours before we headed out for dinner at nearby bistro Universal. After waiting at the train station for about 30 minutes, we got settled into our couchettes -- happy once again to have reserved bottom bunks. Our roommates included two gentlemen originally from South Africa (now from the U.K. and Prague), as well as two girls from Dresden. A somewhat sleepless night due to various border control checks and climate issues in the car ended with our arrival in Budapest around 8 a.m.

posted by Heather @ 3:38 PM