Prague Vacation

Christmas in Budapest

Christmas in Budapest was nice. It seems it is not traditional, in this part of the world (I'm writing this from Budapest), to have a Christmas Eve service but a Christmas morning service.  We enjoyed broccoli cheese soup and Its a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve and headed to the Hungarian/English service on Christmas morning. 

We also enjoyed a post-service coffee at the beautifully restored New York Kavehaz.

It was built at the end of the 19th century and was frequented by the elite of Hungary's literary world. One anecdote tells of how the famous writer Ferenc Molnár, on the day the café opened, threw the keys into the Danube so that it would never close.

Traveling in Style

On Boxing Day, December 26th, we boarded a bus to Prague (pronounced Praha in Hungarian and Czech), Czech Republic. 

On the way, our bus had personal screens for movies and television and served free hot drinks. 

Arrival

It took 7 1/2 hours, with one break and 3 other stops, to get from Budapest to Prague.  After arrival, we checked out the local cuisine. Prague goulash with homemade dumplings is pictured below. 

It was quite a bit different than the Hungarian version, pictured here:

A Tour in Photos

Christmas markets were still in full swing.  

It was very cold ( around 30 degrees Fahrenheit most of the time). We bundled up and began our 46 hour Prague tour.  We spent a lot of time outdoors, so we constantly consumed hot beverages.

Below is the famous Charles bridge, a walking bridge.

The tradition of padlocks, with the initials of couples carved into them, is here as well.

Chimney cakes, also, are in Prague. I ate 2. I also sampled sausages and mulled wine. Sarah said the homemade potato chips were amazing. And she liked the schnitzel (breaded meat cutlets).

One of our many hot beverages.

We also made our way up to the castle district.

Climbing around 380 steps to the top of one of the castle towers, was tough.

But, we were rewarded with some breathtaking views.

Observation and Such

- Rye bread is the staple. When you order a sausage or soup you get rye bread. 

- Cobble stones are everywhere. Even new side walks are cobblestone. Because of this I didn't see very many heeled boots.

- Lots. Of. Tourists. There are more tourists in Prague than Budapest. 

- Even though it was bitter cold we all ate outside at the markets.

- The architecture and statues seemed sort of dark and mysterious.

- It seems the whole world does big, sparkly shopping malls now. Starbucks, H&M and Costa Coffee have overtaken the world.

- Czechs love pizza and Italian food.

- We went to a English speaking church in Prague. It was special to worship, next to the castle, with people from all over the world. 

Final Thoughts

I have wanted to go to Prague for a long time, so I am really thankful I was able to experience it. I understand why everyone loves it.  It's delightful!

And then it feels like coming home, again, when arriving back in Budapest.