The Prague Walk

For those of you who would like to see an approximation of how much/where I walked to you can check it out here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=V%C3%A1clavsk%C3%A9+n%C3%A1m.&daddr=V%C3%A1clavsk%C3%A9+n%C3%A1m.+to:mustek+to:clock+tower+to:Old+Jewish+Cemetery,+U+star%C3%A9ho+h%C5%99bitova,+Prague+1,+Czech+Republic+to:Prague+Castle,+Prague-Prague+1,+Czech+Republic+to:Pet%C5%99%C3%ADn,+Prague-Prague+1,+Czech+Republic+to:Ricni+to:Charles+Bridges+to:mustek&hl=en&ie=UTF8&sll=50.08591,14.414025&sspn=0.019743,0.045447&geocode=FUw3_AId4hjcAA%3BFQwn_AIdmi7cAA%3BFU45_AId8BXcACk9Q6NG7JQLRzFnF4OlQk7k7w%3BFThE_AId-ArcACFq9qa3a1MaLg%3BFUtP_AId6fzbACEJsAqkFgp1pA%3BFYJR_AIdFbbbACGfJRKviDzPKg%3BFTo4_AIdkLfbACHpr3rsn2j2Rg%3BFU0w_AIdO9HbAClJ6JNb-5QLRzFvQNqsYDU88w%3BFVdC_AIdP-bbACFHBBS1grVcOg%3BFU45_AId8BXcACk9Q6NG7JQLRzFnF4OlQk7k7w&dirflg=w&mra=ls&t=m&z=15

Sorry for the ridiculously long URL but that was the best I could do.

As you can see from my map I walked about 6 miles.  I am pretty sure I walked closer to 7 miles though because this map does not include the trip from my hostel or the 17 times I got lost.  That seems to be the theme of this trip.  I have started to conclude that my sense of direction is completely wrong because every time I get on a bus, tram or the metro I end up going the wrong way.  Even if I have been on that same bus, tram or metro earlier in the day.  I am pretty worried because tomorrow I am supposed to be going to Austria to visit Sarah.  I am pretty sure I might end up in Poland.  And these trains don't run every 15 minutes like the rest.

So, things I have learned today:

1.  The post office is closed on Saturday and no one sells stamps but the post office so don't bother asking (this means all of you I have addresses for will be getting your Prague postcard sent from Austria but I wrote them today).

2.  Do not cross the road when there is no "Green Man".  When he is red he is trying to tell you that crossing will indeed cause you to have a near death experience via tram.  Yeah, myheart rate shot through the roof.

3.  Eleven hours of hiking through a city is about 4 hours too much.  You don't need to walk more than you work in one day.

4.  It's about a million stairs to the Prague Castle and about another thousand up to Petrin Tower.  It is not necessary to do those climbs during the hottest part of the day (about 85F).  It is also not necessary to walk to the castle and the tower in one day.  My feet saw "owwwwwwww".

5.  Czech hotdogs are life changing.  Nothing like in the U.S.  They are crispy on the outside and hot and juicy on the inside.  So good, best breakfast of my life!

6.  Czech people for the most part do not speak English and they are pretty grumpy.  At least everyone I have met today and yesterday who was Czech and not a tourist has been quite irritable.  These are quite the sweeping generalizations but that has been my experience thus far.

7.  It is weird to not hear your own language for almost an entire day.  Your ears almost get tired of not understanding anything that anyone is saying.

8. Sunscreen is a lifesaver.

9.  Watch where you are walking - cobblestone can be life threatening.

10.  Relax about getting lost, you are just always in a state of "lost", another word for that is "sightseeing".

Anyway, today was an exceptionally long day but so much fun.  I saw what feels like all of Prague.  I ate goulash for the first time, drank Czech beer.  Saw the sun for the whole day!!  I met an American couple at the place I went for dinner and got some travel advice.  Food here is amazing!!!

Also, the Occupy movement is here.  They were protesting in the Square and near the castle.  It has spread all over the world now!

I am off to grab a beer with my roommate who just said "We should get a beer together since we are sleeping together".  That translation did not work.

Ahoy!