Kiki the Tour Guide

Last night was the best sleep I've had in a week. The two girls I'm sharing a room with just happened to go to bed and wake up at the same time as me-- how convenient! (Yes, 9pm-9am). I woke up and pretty much got started right away. I went down to the Old Town where the free tour was meeting and putted around, taking pictures of the gorgeous buildings. (If I could find my cord, you could see just how gorgeous they are!) Then, I saw the tour guide and went to chat with her. Her name is Kiersten, but she also goes by Kiki! Haha! I told her how my first impressions getting off the train were horrible and she said, "Yeah, the train stations here are the sketchiest. You get off the train and you're like, 'Ohh no, nevermind.'" Haha, she's so right!

The tour group consisted of a very nice couple going to med school in England but originally from Ohio (and who had worked in Waterbury, CT!); a few English couples; and a HUGE group of Irish (probably about 12) that were in Prague for a wedding. They included a little boy and girl about Emma and Ryan's age-- so cute! The boy was just talking and talking and talking, telling us about the crayons in his backpack and the fact that he's missing school. The tour guide said, "You're lucky. I didn't get to go to a wedding until I was 18 years old." And he said, "Yeah, but, but I didn't even git to go to a weddin' 'till I was...4 years old." HAHA, with his cute little Irish accent.

Anyway, the tour was amazing and I finally saw the beautiful side of Prague that attracts so many people. We saw the Old Town, the Old-New Synagogue, the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, the Powder Tower, and much, much more! Kiersten had a lot of interesting historical facts, which I love. In the town square, apparently the basements of all the buildings actually used to be the first floors, but every time the cobblestones in the square needed to be fixed, they wouldn't uproot them but rather built on top. So over time, the entire square just rose a whole floor level! There was this wall called the Lennon Wall because during the Communist regime, students would right "All you need is love" and other lyrics all over it. Every day the Commies would paint over their writing and every night, the students would write it again. Anyway, now, it's completely covered in people's doodling and writing; clearly, the Commies lost. =)

The tour ended at the castle, which has SO much more to see than just the castle, so I stuck around. First I went into St. Vitus Cathedral, a beautiful work of architecture; huge and very Gothic. Then, I went to the Toy Museum. (I know, what is it with me and toys?) It was actually a continuation of the one in Munich! How appropriate! It was very cool and it even mentioned Oberammergau, the town we stopped in on our way to Neuschwanstein! Apparently it's the oldest and most famous toy capital around. Who would've known?

After the toy museum I went to another museum, right across the street. It was in the Lobkowicz Palace and was all about the Lobkowicz family. The really cool thing, though, was that it was an audio tour on headphones and the people giving the tour WERE the Lobkowiczs! Mainly it was this guy, the son of the son of the son...anyway, you get the point. One exhibit had two pages of Mozart's ACTUAL compositions-- in HIS handwriting! And Beethoven actually dedicated his most famous works, the 5th symphony to this guy's 4th-great grandfather. Definitely a great choice on my part. At the end of the museum I went to the cafe and had a cheeseburger. (I know, but what is Czech food?) It was really good, if that helps. Then I walked around the pedestrian-only cobblestone sreets of the Old Town, lined with shops and cafes. I bought a few things (surprises), stopped in a store for some 'Real Belgian Chocolate' (saw the little Irish boy and his mom again!) and then headed home. On my way I heard two Canadians talking, "Et peeeeeeee j'ai vuuu le Charles Bridge." ('Charles Bridge' in perfect English, of course. Haha, oh Quebecois.)

Oh, and everyone from Prague I talk to that finds out I'm from "America?!" says, "Very good, president now!" Haha.

Tomorrow- VIENNA! (In the tour guide's words: "What Prague would be if it were cleaner.")