Work told me I HAD to take holidays before the end of March - Just had to. Couldn't carry them over into the new financial year! So tacked a few days onto the end of Easter and ran away with Daniel to one of the the most gorgeous and romantic cities: Prague!
Also, my first time in Eastern Europe!
What a blast! And a cold one at that - We landed in a blizzard! There was so much of it, a family was building a snowman in the airport carpark!!
We quickly figured out the tram system, found our little apartment, set out to explore and find a bite to eat. NOTE: Definitely do not eat near any of the tourist areas, unless you want to pay scary amounts for dubious looking meat dishes...
Prague quite simply is an open air, living and breathing monument to gothic and baroque architecture through the ages - An absolute feast for the eyes.
Prague's origins date back as far as the 11th century (ie the 1000's!) and some buildings from that period are still standing - They certainly don't make'em like that anymore!
Daniel and I had such a great time spending each day in a different area of the town; the jewish quarter, old town, new town etc...Lots of fun to be had!
The Jewish quarter was amazing and I can say I have never stepped into so many synagogues, and probably won't ever again! They are quite amazing and all very different...
For example the Pinkas Synagogue's walls are a memorial to those Jews who died during WWII - There are well over 70,000 names on the walls. The Maisel Synagogue houses many of the old relics of the Jewish community, whereas the Spanish Synagogue has amazing moorish decor, and has certain documents on display from the World Wars including some photographs from war torn Prague.Unfortunately, it is forbidden to take photographs inside the synagogues....This one is in the Jewish cemetary...Very cool.
Old Town Square was just an amazing bustle of people fun and some amazing buildings. Now I mentioned the weird meat dishes, however the beer and pretzels were amazing!! Many different 
types of beers were sampled, many a place was visited, just because of a certain type of beer it served...Beeeeeer, yuuuuuuum.
types of beers were sampled, many a place was visited, just because of a certain type of beer it served...Beeeeeer, yuuuuuuum.We spent a day wondering through Prague castle and the surrounding buildings...Finding of all things a toy museum, which just happened to have a special Barbie exhibit...Hilarious! Barbie has gone through so many a fashion stage...From fashion victim, 
(definitely in the 80's!!) to fashion model....She has also made a few friends throughout the years, (check the photos, you may see a few familiar faces!) and even has her own family tree!
(definitely in the 80's!!) to fashion model....She has also made a few friends throughout the years, (check the photos, you may see a few familiar faces!) and even has her own family tree!
In the meantime, I was making my own friends in the museum!
Prague castle is set on this hill that overlooks the whole city - Fabulous views, and a nice uphill walk!!! However, wandering through it's little
cobbled streets and gawking at the buildings made it all worth it....
The little blue hose on the left behind Daniel was once lived in by Franz Kafka, one of Czechoslovakia's most famous writers....It's a tiny, tiny, tiny little place.
The inside of the Cathedral was amazing with all its stained glass windows...Even more so when the sun shone and the colours splashed over the walls....
Ooooops...Where did that hand come from!?
Aaaah, the good old communist days, when people wore real hats!
The inside of the Cathedral was amazing with all its stained glass windows...Even more so when the sun shone and the colours splashed over the walls....
Walking out of the gates that are 'protected' by two giants we were entertained by a group of singers who even got a few dance steps out of Daniel and myself right there on the plaza!
More music was enjoyed on Prague's most famous bridge: Karlov Most, better known as Charles Bridge. This is one of Prague's oldest bridges, built in 1357 and was originally known as the stone bridge. It is said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to strengthen it!!!
More music was enjoyed on Prague's most famous bridge: Karlov Most, better known as Charles Bridge. This is one of Prague's oldest bridges, built in 1357 and was originally known as the stone bridge. It is said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to strengthen it!!!
Baroque statues line both sides of the bridge, and although many of the ones remaining on the bridge are now copies, the originals can be seen in one of the museums in Prague.
Each of these statues represent a person in history, and each have a little story of their 
own....The most popular is that of St John of Nepomuk, a saint who was executed by being thrown into the river from the bridge....Rubbing the plaque on this statue apparently brings goodluck...And as you can see, along with a bunch of other people, I wasn't going to let luck just pass me by, had to rub it as well!
own....The most popular is that of St John of Nepomuk, a saint who was executed by being thrown into the river from the bridge....Rubbing the plaque on this statue apparently brings goodluck...And as you can see, along with a bunch of other people, I wasn't going to let luck just pass me by, had to rub it as well!It is also said that those who rub it return to Prague....(I did throw my coin into the Trevi fountain in Rome, eight years ago and haven't returned there yet...Let's see what the universe has in store!)
We also had a great time in the mirror museum.....
Ooooops...Where did that hand come from!?
Aaaah, the good old communist days, when people wore real hats!
And then of course, because it was so close to my birthday, I had to give myself a present...So Daniel and I got up very early one morning hoping the weather would be decent enough...And off we went for a hot air balloon ride!
Brilliant fun!!! We had a blast!
After all of that...Had to come home to celebrate in London and in style!!!
