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Prague

October 2019

Por Kelsi

X marks the spot (above Frankfurt, Germany)

• PART ONE •

MEETING PRAGUE

The inner courtyard of our Airbnb. Dusty with time and character. (Almost) needless to say: I was in love!

Americano. Can they please be served this way in the States?

Getting around Prague would prove to be both easy AND affordable!

The Astronomical Clock & Town Square

This is what the astronomical clock looks like at the top of EVERY hour, from 9am to 10pm. An introvert's nightmare.

THE JEWISH QUARTER

The Old New Synagogue (also called the Altneuschul) is the oldest active synagogue.

Golem, a creature in Jewish lore said to be created to protect the Jewish community from anti-Semitic attacks, is said to lie dormant in the attic of the Altneuschul, ready to be reactivated when needed.

Because the Jewish population was confined to this small section of the city, this plot of land is where they buried their dead. The fact that this cemetery is so high above ground proves just how many layers of bodies are here (an estimated 100,000).

Prague's Jewish Quarter is the most expensive area in the city to live and shop.

PRAGUE CASTLE AT NIGHT

The Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, so it's good the tour was three hours long.

CASTLE GROUNDS AT DAYTIME

• PART TWO •

TBC + FCF Do Prague

Alicia and I united with Kellie, Spencer, Kyle, Kyle, and Evan and we took to the city, finding tree-covered beer gardens, underground bars, pay-by-weight meat dinners, Bohemian trdlenik (chimney cake)... oh, and vodka.

Carrying beers like a local. Letna beer garden

Entrance to Charles Bridge. So many people.

Selfie from halfway across the Charles Bridge. (Taken by Spencer)

Kellie and I preferred Prague's dark beer, which proved to be tougher to find than we expected!

This underground bar was made of brick-lined, serpentine tunnels and was clouded with a thick layer of cigarette smoke.

The Prague Museum in Wenceslas Square. Possibly the most fun word to say.

Martinis on a rooftop bar. Our server did NOT like us.

Monument to the Victims of Communism at the base of Petřínské Sady (Petrin Hill). An incredibly moving installation, where the figures dissolve one statue at a time.

ABOVE & BEYOND

Everyone in the group—except me—had been to this festival before (and all but Alicia had traveled internationally a few times for it).

We soaked up music and lights til nearly dawn.

At the end of the night (aka morning), after literally 7+ hours of music 💙

ABGT: DEEP SET

Two days later was another music-filled evening. This time, the outdoor venue was a few streetcar stops outside of Prague's Old Town. We absolutely lucked out on weather—both nights couldn't have been more perfect.

• PART THREE •

The following morning began the next leg of Alicia's and my trip; Kellie, Spencer, Evan, and both Kyles were to depart Prague shortly after the concerts, so off Alicia and I went to explore even more.

Petřín hill

Alicia did a great job of navigating us up the winding paths and stairways. We'd still be there if I'd been in charge.

Not Petrin Tower, but rather St. Lawrence Church, located at the tower's base.

After ascending the park's steep hill, we climbed the 299-step tower and looked out over the city.

View of Prague from the top of Petřín Tower.

Looking northeast, where the Vltava River bends.

WALLENSTEIN PALACE

Dripstone Wall, said to have thousands of human and animal features hidden in the rock face (see what I did there).

Malá Strana

Meaning "little side" in Czech, this is one of Prague's oldest and more historic districts, located across the Vltava River from Prague's Old Town.

NOT the Lennon Wall, which was covered for restoration. Bummer.

Looking at the Charles Bridge and Old Town from the Malá Strana riverside.

• PART FOUR •

KUTNA HORA

Located about an hour train ride East of Prague, this small town was a perfect day trip with lots to see and explore. As with pretty much all of Europe, this Czech village has a rich and interesting history, including past lives as a silver-mining town and one of the world's main chocolate producers.