Half a day and one night in Prague

Next stop on the 'Mad Dash through Europe' travel tour was Prague. There are direct trains from Berlin to Prague twice a day so we took the morning train and headed towards the Czech Republic. Sean and I knew we'd have some serious train journeys on this trip so we killed a lot of time playing cards and looking out the window at the rolling countryside. 

Prague's train station is pretty ancient but there are beautiful stained glass windows as you come off the platform and into the main station. It certainly felt like we were in Eastern Europe at last. We had booked Hostel Downtown, two minutes from the famous Wenceslas Square in the Nové Mesto (New Town) on the right bank of the River Vlatva. Definitely an improvement on the Berlin hostel with free internet and a far more comfortable sleeping arrangement. There was also a kitchen which meant we could cook in the evening - it's really the little things that make you happy when you're on a budget... and when you're in need of a bed to lounge on.

We knew we didn´t have long in Prague as we were planning on heading to Budapest around noon the next day so as soon as we dropped off our stuff we headed out to explore.

We strolled down to the riverside and made our way up to the Charles Bridge, which is a beautiful stone bridge lined with statues and is, in my opinion, the most impressive site in the city. 

On the other side of the bridge we grabbed a couple of Pilsner Urquell's (couldn't possibly be in Prague for more than an hour without indulging in some Czech beer) made our way up the narrow, winding streets towards Prague castle. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of Irish pubs in Prague, and in every European city it seems, so we took advantage of the backdrop for a good ol' posed shot

!

The sunshine was coming out and after three days of rain, it was a welcome change! At the end of the climb, the view overlooking the city is stunning and even Sean was alright with looking slightly touristy as we took a few pictures from the top

After a quick bowl of pasta back at the house, we headed out to the Old Town square, Starometske namesti, a 12th century marketplace which is definitely a rival for Brussels' Grande Place. It really is stunningly beautiful, with a towering astronomical clock as the main feature. 

At the end of the night we found ourselves in (I'm ashamed to say it) an English pub, mostly because it was one of the first matches of Champions League. All in all, Prague is gorgeous. I could definitely see myself coming back at a later date, perhaps with a group of friends for a few nights out on the town, treating myself to a nicer meal than pasta and questionable tomato sauce in a hostel kitchen...

When it rains in Berlin...

So they tell me Berlin is the next big hotspot. Some even say it's been a big hotspot for years and if you didn't know about it, you weren't with it. Truth is, I think you need to know someone in Berlin to fully appreciate the place. It was our first stop; we had the backpacks and the excitement, we just didn´t get the weather...

We arrived in the evening and headed straight from the train station to our hostel in Friedrichshain. A friend had recommended the A&O Hostel as a good budget option... My verdict? Unless staying in a hostel overrun with German schoolchildren aged between 'just became a teenager and want to make sure everyone knows about it' and 'I'm far to cool for school but I sure do like to kiss my boyfriend any opportunity I get' is your idea of fun, stay far away from this hostel. Also, the only guy staying in our room was a Swiss didjeridoo player (provided some interesting entertainment) who became a bit of a tag-a-long. He was funny though and found an interesting way to stay dry in the rain!

The area around the hostel is quite good though, great for cheap places to eat and drink (we had a full meal with bread on the table for 2 euros each!) and home to a large student population. When we were there however, university term had not yet started and it was all strangely empty. Couple that with two days of solid rain and a very sick Stephanie and you get a pretty blah impression of Berlin. The trouble is there isn´t one 'easy to orient yourself from' centre. There are lots of interesting places to see, but I imagine a sunny day would make it less frustrating to walk around the city. Also, having spent the past four years in London where most of the museums are free, I just wasn´t prepared for the entry prices at galleries and museums around Berlin. We did make our way to Brandenburg gate however which was quite impressive and the public transport system is great!

Also, I met up with a friend of a friend's (thank you Daniela!) on our second night there and we went to a great little bar in Friedrichshain for herbal tea - highlight of my trip!

Final verdict: go with someone who loves to go clubbing and has thoroughly researched where to go, or go in the summer, or go with a friend who knows Berlin and can show you around.

Late in everything I do - including posting on the blog...

 I have now been from Brussels to Budapest, from Kotor to Croatia, over to Italy and into France. I've experienced the joys and terrors of night trains, beers from just about everywhere; chipped teeth and bruised arms and bums as well as delicious wine, food and beautiful sights. I originally said I'd update people via the blog but the truth is, when you're travelling around with only half an hour of internet use every few days, it does get complicated. Well, that and the fact that stupid blogspot has some kind of bizarre glitch whereby it defaults to the language of the country in which you find yourself, making Croatia, Montenegro and Hungary very hard places to blog in...
In any case, I promise to satisfy all (I know you wait with bated breath) with my first proper blogpost on Brussels, followed by Berlin, in the next week. Get excited people!

I have left the office

And now the serious work begins. Yesterday was my last day in the office, which was awfully strange and probably won't fully sink in until Tuesday when I don't have to wake up to go in to work. My wonderful colleagues bought me an amazing leaving present package (not to mention the excellent send-off drinks on Thursday night), which consisted of the Rough Guide to Europe on a Budget, a lock for my back pack, a very handy head torch and a sleeping bag liner. Yay for excellent friends!

This morning I decided to start searching for a few tips on Prague, one of our first stops on the trip, and found a great article on the Hostel Bookers website. Here's what it had to said about the Czech republic's capital city:

Prague

With charming cobbled streets and Gothic spires, it’s no surprise that backpackers think Prague is one of the best cities in Eastern Europe. Prague is enchanting. Winter months are spent popping in and out of cosy cafes for a steaming hot chocolate or sitting in bars with roaring fires. It might be a popular stag destination but there’s plenty of nightlife that avoids these crowds.
History: Wandering between the tombstones of the Old Jewish Cemetery (Starý Židovský hřbitov) can be both a haunting and peaceful experience.
Culture: For a miniature entrance fee of €3, marvel at artworks inside the Museum of Miniatures (Strahov Monastery). Some fit inside the eye of a needle and require a microscope.
Cafe: For that serious cup of steaming hot chocolate, Cukrkávalimonáda cafe (7 lázeňská) offers a gloriously rich 70% cocoa variety. Sip this devilishly delicious drink beneath an ornately decorated ceiling.

Bar: Beer is what the Czechs do best. Pivovarský dům (15 Ječná/Lípová) is a micro-brewery where you can sample an assortment of wonderful light, dark, sour cherry or banana beers. Inside, two large copper vats dominate the bar and the rest of the brewery is visible through a small window. If you’re feeling strong Prague is the place to visit the Green Fairy (drinking absinthe) and since this place is off the tourist route, the barman has time to show you how to prepare the 70% ABV drink.
Area: Laze on the grass beside the watermill in Kampa near Újezd and enjoy a cold and refreshing beer in summer months.
Top Tip: Hop on tram no. 9 (line 58 at night) for a cheap tour of the city. Take your pick of some of the best bars that pass by.
Youth hostel Prague: The brand spanking new St Christopher’s at Mosaic House is a budget traveller’s dream. Top reviews compliment the staff, cleanliness, live music, terrace garden and the historic city centre location. Private and dorm rooms from €12pppn.

Boxer Rebellion's film debut tonight

My friend Piers' band The Boxer Rebellion have been fighting the good fight for the past 10 years. Eighteen months ago they were approached with a proposal; to appear in a new Drew Barrymore film and record the lead single for the soundtrack. Tonight the film, Going the Distance, premieres in Leicester Square! To be honest, I don't care if it's awful or a revolution in the rom com genre, I'm so proud of the band.

You can listen to the single, If You Run here - http://www.myspace.com/theboxerrebellion or watch the video

My buddy Piers, the day after his wedding!
How many good things can happen to one dude in the same summer?

In other news, my friend Sarah has just confirmed that she will be joining me in Dubrovnik and Kotor in September. What was already a very exciting part of the trip just got even better!

Megafaun and Macedonia

Two wonderful things today:
1) I learned how to say 'Hello', 'Please' and 'Do you speak English' in Macedonian,
2) I found out Megafaun are playing in London tonight so I'm going to see them live at the Slaughtered Lamb.
ZDRAVO - Hello
VE MOLAM - Please
ZBORUVATE LI ANGLISKI - Do you speak English
So I'm all set for the stopover in Skopje now. I suppose I just need to learn the same phrases in Czech, Hungarian, Serbian, Croatian, Greek and Italian. Excellent. I'm well on my way.


And having spent most of the morning listening to Megafaun, reminding me how great folk music can really give you a feeling for the country it comes from, I am quite excited about the kind of music I'll hear on my travels. Might be a good idea to bring a little recorder with me... Especially like this great little tune 'Worried Mind' that they performed live with Bon Iver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcI1AHH1H3U

Interrail. It's on baby.

August 13th - the perfect time to start blogging about my journey which will begin on September 13th. This is the basic idea for my upcoming trip. Most people say it can't (shouldn't) be done in a month. But I am on a tight schedule (I'm cheap) and can't be traipsing around for more than a month at a time (interrail charge by the month)! So I've set myself a task, see at least two things I would never be able to see anywhere else in each city I visit and write about them, tweet them, capture a picture, keep some sort of proof that I've been to these places and I managed it in a month!
The other, slightly more important task? Don't be broke by October 13th.