In a way, we saw as much in Prague as we did in Vienna. Somehow the first and last cities we visit always seem to suffer. The former because of jetlag, the latter because we were just done. Done with tours, done with museums, done with spending money. Or was that just me? I think Lance would’ve been happy to keep playing tourist day after day, but was equally happy to take it easy with me.
In Prague, we wandered through the meandering streets of Old Town and enjoyed the city that was touristy but still genuine and dirty. People live and work here and you can tell. We’d always end up in Old Town Square, because it’s the view I always picture when I think of Prague. There we’d enjoy a snack from a street vendor and let Lila run around — she’d usually chase the pigeons, point to the “horsies” or want to pay a street performer to play in his bubbles.
Unfortunately the Old Town Hall and its clock tower were under construction, so it was unsightly and we were unable to climb to the top, which supposedly boasts the best views of town. Instead we ventured across Charles Bridge (a beautiful sight itself — built in 1390!) and wandered the grounds of Prague Castle. The castle is the city’s most popular tourist attraction and has traditionally been the seat of Czech rulers. Today it functions as the official residence of the president. Entrance to the grounds was free (though manned by armed guards) but to go inside any of the sights, including St Vitus Cathedral, required a ticket. We opted to just explore outside as the weather was beautiful and Lila needed a break from the stroller and baby carrier.
On our way back to our side of town, we stopped at a park just below Charles Bridge, which offered an amazing view of the bridge and the Old Town. Had we been alone, we’d never known there was a park there or stopped to rest and take it all in. It was moments like that that we were glad to have brought our Baby Girl. And despite the playground being covered in rain drops, Lila loved playing and making new friends. We would’ve stayed longer, but a poopy diaper and only two wipes made us return home.
During our three day stay, we discovered a yummy treat called “Trdelnik” — it’s a yummy pastry rolled into a cone with soft serve inside drizzled with Nutella. I had two while we were there (and together we could barely finish them). So good! We also finished up our souvenir shopping and bought a Prague magnet and a wooden “choo-choo train” for Lila. Though it looks like it could’ve been purchased at Ikea, it still reminds me of the trip (and hopefully someday her) because she pointed out and went on so many “trains” (metros).
The apartment
My AirBNB review: “Though this apartment has a lot of potential, I wouldn’t recommend it. Here’s why: The bed was so hard, loud/squeaky and uncomfortable that I ended up sleeping on the couch. The bedding and number of pillows are not accurately portrayed in the photos; no dish soap, laundry soap or paper towels was included; the place seemed to be hurriedly, half-heartedly cleaned and not at all restocked since the last guests. (We ran out of toilet paper!) Despite all of the reasons why I wouldn’t stay again, there were nice elements of the apartment. It was in a good location, felt safe, and the SmartTV (which allowed us to sign into our Netflix account) was a nice touch. Much of the decor was nice, and the bathroom was updated. But when traveling, I care more about comfort, cleanliness and functionality than aesthetics. (Just FYI — we are Americans in our 30s and this was the final stay of a 2+ week across Austria and the Czech Republic. We stayed at a variety of pensions, hotels and home rentals, and are used to different standards of comfort. This went beyond that.)”
