Well we just got back from our trip. We spent 3 weeks all over Europe, so unfortunately we only had 2 nights in Prague, but it most certainly was a highlight. I think it was the most beautiful city we saw, except maybe Paris. It%26#39;s a close one on that score. I would definitely go back, in a second!
I have to say that after reading so much on tripadvisor, I was a little scared to go to Prague. My initial excitement was overcome by doubt and apprehension. However, we were pleasantly suprised.
We encountered no thieves. We did not get ripped off at dinner, and our taxi drivers and hotel managers all spoke perfect english. We were able to walk the entire length of the old city easily in one day, and while we could have spent more time, we still got to see many things.
We stayed at Vlasska apartments. I wrote a review, I;m not sure if it will be posted since it is not technically a hotel, but if you are interested in Arcadia Residence, you will also be satisfied here. The apartments are owned by Pasquale as well, and are very close to the sights. Pasquale arranged for a car to get us from the airport and take us right to the apartments where he was waiting. We were in Vlasska 2. IT was right next to the US embassy, just down the hill from the Castle, and just up the hill from the Charles bridge. We walked all the way from the castle to Wenceslas square and back in one day. There was so much to see!!
At Wenceslas square there are a ton of Hot Dog stands for some reason. We did not partake as we were headed to Germany and did not want to over-do it, but I did help myself to a pickle from one of the carts. I think it cost like 20 cents. Yum!
We stopped for lunch at Potrefuna Husa which is a little bar. They serve staropramen beer- and it was like one dollar for a huge glass. Very nice considering the same beer in london was 6 dollars. The food there was good. My czech roast beef was a little mild/bland but Kim%26#39;s greel salad was awesome. And while I was confused at the market in the morning about the dumpling dough(I thought it was a sandwich) I got to try them for lunch with the meat. (they were ok- a little like white bread with gravy)
For dinner we went back to our hotel and walked up to David which is just around the corner. You have to ring the bell like club 33 at Disneyland, and the man at the door did not really seem to want us there (He answered - Can I help you?) but when we asked if they were open he let us in and we had a really nice roasted Wild Boar dinner. It tasted like corned beef on rye for some reason. It was more expensive than lunch, but still- a gourmet meal with beer and even dessert, and it only cost us about $60 for the two of us.
Neither place charged us extra for bread or nuts and both had easy to read bills at the end of dinner. Not to mention English menus and English speaking wait staff.
After dinner we went to the hooka bar accross the street from the apartment and used the free internet. Do not bother roaming on the network if you have a PDA phone. We tried looking some things up on our phone and it ended up costing us about $30! Yikes. Just go accross to the bar and ask to use the Wee Fee. :)
We left Prague the next day sadly, but it was on to Germany. I got a bagel for the road from Bohemia bagel. That thing was awesome! We contracted a car from Mike-chauffer.cz and it was easy driving to Bayerisch Eisenstein where we caught our train to Munich. The car cost about 190 dollars. (4000 cz)
I really hope we get to go back some day. I also wish there was more Czech language instruction out there, but you%26#39;d be suprised how far a well placed dobree-den or yekui (I know that has to be spelled wrong) will get you.
Anyway- we took a ton of pictures and they can all be found in our gallery. Just click on Prague.
http://www.kimncris.com/Europe2007/index.html
-cris
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dejuki (for thank you) sounds like %26quot;djeckuyi%26quot;
dobry den is good day. in the evening Dobry vecer, pronounced %26quot;Dobree vecher%26quot; is appropriate.
there are many czech language phrase books and the like online which you can print out and study for free before you go
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I did have a vocabulary list, but If I%26#39;d have relied on it, I would have been frustrated. Nothing seemed to be pronounced like it was spelled!
I prefer the audio books, but the supply was limited. At least it was not all that neccessary. It just would have been nice to be able to learn more.
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that is the problem. if you pronounce words out of a phrase book, noone will understand you. czech is not an easy language, all those consonants together
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I used the Pimsleur language tapes (about $50) but many libraries have them too. These teach you some basic words and phrases. The tapes are 1/2 hour each and each builds on the next. I found them to be very useful in helping to pronounce some of the Czech words correctly (probably with a Boston accent though).
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that%26#39;s what I used too, but it only goes to lesson 8 :(
My French one has 3 sets of 30 lessons each! So I was really only able to say good day, good bye, please, thank you, I would like a beer, etc. But we still managed to get by, I just usually like to know a bit more %26quot;just in case%26quot;.
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also I just remebered - the WiFi at the hooka bar was not actually free but it was really cheap. Way cheaper than using our phone.
Also we couldn%26#39;t help ourselves and bought some of the watercolor paintings (or maybe they are prints but anyway they are pretty) from one of the artists along the river. The bridges are georgeous, and the little paintings even more so!
We had a great time at the castle too. I almost missed the little medieval musum above the golden lane. That was a treat. The poor crossbow shooting vendor at the end seemed to be hating life though :( And we couldn%26#39;t find the golden reliquary arm (the one that looks like C3POs golden arm) anwhere! Where is that thing? Was it not on display at the end of June?
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