Rough Guide to Europe Part IV

Date: Friday, July 20, 2001

Subject: Rough Guide IV

Hey folks,

We are now in Prague on day 18 of the journey. It seems we have reached the drinking phase of our trip after leaving the Beer Halls in Munich to land in a place where you can buy a large bottle of beer for 45 cents at the corner store.

As mentionned, before Prague we were in Munich. The city was quite a surprise as it was beautiful and possibly the best organised city in the entire universe. During our stay we took a 'Third Reich' tour of the important sites where Hitler and the Nazis originated. It was very interesting to be standing on the very streets where this history took place. The following day we went to Dachau which was actually the first ever concentration camp for the Nazis. It was eerie, disturbing and interesting all at the same time. However, the subject was handled in a very sensitive manner which promoted respect and understanding. I can't really do it justice by describing it, but we do have some good pictures. We didn't do too much in the way of nightlife. However, we did eat at a famous Beer Hall where 95% of the entire menu was focused around meat. Strange culinary practices....but the beer was good!

Je (Erik) suis victime de cette diete allemande base sur la viande. Javais des maux de ventre et du gaz pour les prochain 4 jours!!! Nous avons pris le train le matin de Munich a Prague. Une fois arrive en replique czech, ils nous ont demander pour nos passeports et nos visa touristique. It was some scary shit. Tu ne sais pas vraiment a quoi tattendre dans un pays qui est un ancien pays communiste et un pays de leurope de lest.

Prague et nous, n'avions pas commencer sur le bon peids. Aussitot descendu du train t'avait des crisses de tanants qui voulais nous rendre mille et un service pour vraiment "cheap", yeah, whatever. Cest un gros tourist trap Prague. Et ca continue... Une fois arrive a l'auberge, ils avaient perdu nos reservation mais heureusement il restait de la place. Toutefois, pour echanger nos cheque de voyage, la commission a payer etait ridiculment haute, anything to make a buck! Ensuite on rentre dans notre chambre et il a 50 autres crisse de personnes dans notre fucking chambre! Cetait seulement un vieux gym avec un paquet de bunk beds avec des lits dures comme la roche.

Apres une petite sieste (il devrait avoir des siestes au canada), nous avons manger et ensuite essayer de trouver un club de jazz. Crisse, pas capable de rien trouver dans grosse pluie en plus que jetais en train de mourir de crampes causees par mon experience culinaire allemande. On a ete se coucher...bin crisse, ca pris 3 heures avant de tomber en dormis car 20 des 50 personnes ronflais et un autres dix etait sur le gros party dans le salon a cote. Toutefois, la journee suivante etait spectaculaire...

We didn't start the day too early (see 50 beds in the same room here) as we were kinda sleep-deprived. We did eventually make it up to the Prague Castle which is kinda like a whole village behind ancient 14th century brick walls. Everything in Prague is kinda like a mixture of the stateliness of Munich in Germany and the ornate decorations of Paris. It really is something to see. The colours are vibrant, but the buildings are pretty simple in architecture. We walked around town for the rest of the day and then took another Siesta (God Bless siesta time!)

Taking advantage of the cheapness of Prague we then went out in syle to a restaurant that is actually in a cave where there are crystals and rock formations in the ceiling. We sampled Czech food at its finest and pretended to be grown-up tourists! haha...We then headed to a Jazz Bar (which Prague is quite famous for) which was named after a Miles Davis album. We listened to some good Jazz, drank some cheap alcohol and smiled and nodded at the Czech coolio people which were sharing our table. The party then continued back at our hostel where the bar was still open serving 75 cent pints!!!! Needless to say we have a bit of a headache today, but everything is still intact. We are heading to the Jewish cemetary today and then taking the night-train to Amsterdam. Our trip finishes at the next stop which is Paris. We will no doubt have very interesting stories from Amsterdam and our hostel does have internet access.

Take care Everyone

Salut tout le monde

Erik et Natalie