Prague and Munich

Thursday started at the hideous hour of 3.30 am, and I was on my way to the Czech Republic by 5 am. Needless to say I was asleep for a while and woke up when we stopped at Dresden and a Korean girl sat in my compartment. The scenery outside suddenly became beautiful so I stayed awake and attempted to take pictures of it.

It was around this time that the Korean girl, who introduced herself as Deborah, started to read 'The 4 Spiritual Laws' to me. It was all just very awkward as I tried to tell her I didn't believe in it, but she gave me the booklet anyway and told me to add her on Facebook. Which I have done, I just don't want to talk about Jesus... this post is starting off strangely. Anyway. The train was delayed for a little bit, but I arrived in Prague at about 10, grabbed a metro ticket and met Sia and Sarah at I.P.Pavlova (a very pleasing station name). First stop was my hostel and then it was sightseeing time!  

We decided to take a free walking tour from the Astronomical Clock, which is probably one of the best things I've done! I never take walking tours as I normally just navigate myself around, but it was brilliant - we saw so many relatively hidden things and it was so interesting.

The Astronomical Clock



Sleeping Beauty's Castle was inspired by this apparently, not Neuschwanstein then?

Franz Kafka street and cafe

Memorial plaque for Jan Palach, a student who set himself on fire in protest against the end of the Prague Spring

The only door to the attic of the Old-New Synagogue *shudders*

Traditional Czech cakes, soo good

Brilliant

After the tour, we stopped for a coffee in a little cafe before walking back to the Old Square to look through the market and watch the astronomical clock show.

On Charles Bridge... oh dear

We walked across Charles Bridge, where I became obsessed with photos of it in the mist, then went to Mind Maze. None of us had done anything like it before, but basically you are locked into a room and you have an hour to get out by solving clues... we didn't win, but I think we did pretty well! We stumbled on the last two hurdles. After lots of frustrated mumblings and a shared cuppa at the hotel, we went for dinner at the Railway Restaurant, where your drinks are delivered by little trains! Amazing. 

Green beer, why not

 We had a few drinks at a bar that looked like a cave, as far as I remember before the girls dropped me at my hostel and went on their way. The hostel was fine, save for the fact I had to ask someone how to unlock my door ...

I met the girls at their hotel next morning and had some of their breakfast, before we headed up to Prague Castle - that was a tough walk but the views were beautiful!

Then I decided to go to Munich with them. I'm really proud of myself of being so spontaneous! So I rushed to buy a ticket and as it was only 34 euros, it would have been rude not to really. Six hours later, after lots of word games and being very overheated (we only worked out how to open the window 4 hours into the journey), we arrived in Munich. The girls checked into their hotel, and we just decided they would sneak me in later.  I was massively worried about this but tried to forget about it, and I think I did quite well. We had an amazing Indian, then went for a beer at the Löwenbräu brewery. 

Blurry but happy!

This was pleasing until my horrible man voice appeared

This was my first visit to Bavaria and I was not disappointed. I sat there with my litre of beer and a pretzel, watching people dressed in lederhosen and dirndls dance around. Wonderful. Happily, the hotel plan went also went without a hitch but Joe had been in Munich that evening and we missed each other because I didn't text him early enough. Typical!

Next morning, we got up fairly early and grabbed coffee and baked goods before heading to the Glockenspiel at Marienplatz. I decided very quickly that Munich was very nice, but I found the accent quite different - a lot softier (and mushier?) than Berlin. We had lunch in the courtyard of the Glockenspiel, which was delicious.

Schnapps sausages with potato pancakes, Bavarian sauerkraut and bacon

Then we had a little wander to see some of the city before we all went our separate ways - me on a bus back to Berlin, Sia to Vienna, and Sarah to Freiburg. 

The bus wasn't too bad, but time seemed to drag after the 5 hour point. I would definitely do it again, as it works out so much cheaper! I also definitely want to go back to Prague some day.

As usual, it all went far too quickly but it was lovely to see Sia and Sarah again, and I can now tick two places off of my list.

Tschuessi

xxx