Half-Term Break Part One

Well, I hinted that we were heading somewhere cold and we certainly did. We spent last week in Prague and Vienna, and it was a winter wonderland. First stop was Prague, and I must admit that I fell in love with this un-assuming city. Walking down the narrow streets that meander in all directions, with the cathedral spires in view on the skyline and the colorful building facades opening up before us, it was fairy-tale charm at its finest. The girls thought that Prague must have been where Walt Disney got his ideas for happily-ever-after castles. But the city isn't glitzy or glossy in any way, it just looks full of history and with a real focus on architecture.

Some of the highlights were hiking up to Prague Castle, walking along the river, crossing the Charles Bridge, wandering around Old Town, going to the Jewish Ghetto to see the ancient cemetery and synagogue, touring the old Cathedral in the Castle, snapping some of the famous Czech cubist buildings that we had seen in books, trying different yummy foods, and sampling many different kinds of Czech beer for pennies. In fact, much of the food and drink was very affordable in Prague, and the cinema was also a bargain, so we took advantage by heading out to see "Hugo" one night. We found that if you stick with traditional Czech foods and beer (the kids tried the cider, soda, and ice drink), eating out was much cheaper than in London. We stumbled upon some great restaurants and fun pubs and coffeehouses, and really didn't have a single disappointing meal.

The people were friendly and helpful, even when they didn't speak any English. And our apartment was amazing! If anyone is planning a visit to Prague, I would definitely recommend the First Choice Apartment where we stayed. It was huge, very nicely furnished, and in a fantastic central location. We could walk to everything, and did get some things at the local market to have snacks in the apartment, including breakfasts and coffee in the mornings. We walked for miles every day, and then would pop into a cafe for a little break. It was an amazing Bohemian adventure.