Praha

here we go again friends! off to Praha today. trained to Charles de Gaulle in Paris, made it to the gate just in time (for no lack of effort. I was sweating) and had a comfy flight to Prague. I arrived, bused to the metro and then took the metro into the city. Clare, a fellow flyer and friend, was gracious enough to let me stay with her. she picked me up at the metro. we dropped my things at her place, which was HUGE. met all of the roomies, there are five girls in total. they have a living room with two couches and a kitchen table - super homey (especially in comparison to de la Maine.) we went to one of the main streets, popped into some shops and caught up about our semesters so far and the news back home. we went back home, picked up a roomie and then ventured out to grab dinner at their favorite Italian place. I had a delish pizza, and met another roommate of Clare's as well. we were originally going to out, but we were all beat so we just sipped some wine on the couch - after a day of travel I appreciated it.

Wednesday Clare didn't have class, which was amazing so she was able to spend the day with me which I really loved. we made a little breakfast for two at the apartment, which was really fun. unfortunately it was quite cold and rainy, but we went to old town square, and the buildings in Prague, much like Italy, are just pretty. they are colorful and aesthetically pleasing. I tried my first tridlnik - a doughy cone rolled in cinnamon and nuts, filled with cream and strawberries, a Czech favorite. very tasty! we popped in and out of little shops, taking in the sights. we stopped at the John Lennon wall, which was really neat. Clare said its different every time she sees it, because people just continue to paint and write on it so its always changing. we parked it in a coffee shop for a little while - the rain was coming down, Clare couldn't feel her fingers, and my jeans were a bit wet and by default cold. after our day of a lot of walking and sightseeing, we went back to the apartment, grabbed the gals and went for a traditional Czech meal - goulash and a beer. the great thing about Prague is the cheap food. I only paid 8 euro for dinner, whereas in France or Italy that meal would cost probably 15-18 euro. Clare and I had been talking about how gross our nails were, so we popped into a place and got them done. a real treat because I feel put together when my nails are nice & polished. we went back to the apartment, got dressed and all fluffed to go out. we drank a bit, then ubered to the club because Europeans go out SO late, so the metro had already stopped for the night. Clare knew quite a few people there from school, so we danced and drank and grabbed a (really spicy - by accident) burrito on the way home and fell quickly asleep.

Thursday morning was a bit rough for both Clare and I, but she had it worse because she had class. I took the metro in the direction of her school and we grabbed a sandwich at a popular bagel place. it was everything I needed, I'll say that much. we had a lovely time just chatting, and before Clare went back to class she pointed me in the direction of the castle / church at the top of the hill. I moseyed around the gardens and courtyards, enjoying the sunshine and people watching. I realized it was the first time I had been sightseeing by myself all semester.. which is kind of crazy. I have enjoyed every second with the girls and the travels we've taken on together, but it was peaceful walking by myself and taking in everything around me.

side note: Prague's metro escalators are the FASTEST sons of betches I think I've ever encountered. you gotta have your head on straight and focus when entering & exiting. I almost ate it a few times.

all of Clare's roommates are american, but they're from Texas, Arizona & California. interesting and cool how even though they're from the states, they still have totally different lifestyles. Clare and I are both midwesters, so there is significant common ground there. talking to the girls about their homes, families and school lives was really neat to learn about.

I met Clare back at the apartment, we gathered the troops and went back out to cantina, a Mexican place, to celebrate cinco de mayo. it was DELISH! I have been so incredibly deprived of Mexican food, so it was extra tasty. definitely a pricey meal, but Mexican food is a coveted thing in Europe and it was worth every penny in #americanjkro's books. we snagged some soft serve (haven't had that in forever either) and walked over the main bridge, saw a lot of hustle and bustle and just enjoyed the evening's weather. we were all in a food coma, so we were lazy for a while at the apartment and then went to bed.

Clare & co. (@roomies) thank you SO much for welcoming me into your home, sharing your space, your stories and your kindness. I had an amazing time.

early morning for me Friday, I was out the door by 6:30 to get to the airport. onward to Venice! ciao, Praha.

cheers, jkro