PRAGA

again, i could rattle off my usual list of adjectives that consume this blog every time i come home from a new place...
but Prague is beautiful!

the bridge with the beautiful stone bridges at night with the castle in the background and the "eiffel tower" of Prague up on the hill and all the beautiful buildings in the mountain all lit up. one of my favorite things.

the many many crazy art fixtures of people who were angry at Prague and the Communism, etc. etc...

yes, that is what it looks like, and underneath, that's the map of the Czech Republic

the main castle itself with it's gothic design and enormous stature.

the gorgeous buildings, each one different and now clean that they have money to take care of them. from above, they all look white with orange and turquoise roofs.

the greenness of it all! so many parks and gardens you can sit and have a drink. although many Czechs say Prague is so gray, it has a certain something to it that shines. maybe it's because everything is so old and interesting, or maybe it's just because i'm from America where nothing is old.

Marta said i was very lucky because the weather has recently been really nice (hotter than Barcelona even) and the people were so happy because of it. in the winter, everyone is depressed and she doesn't even like to go out and talk to them. she has a very interesting view on Czechs, considering how proud of her country she is.

she had so many stories to tell me about the history of everything, they way things were built, the art, the communism, and she had so many secret places to take me that i wouldn't have found on my own. one of them was a hotel near this really big, busy square, and on top was a terrace with a bar that overlooked the entire city. we sat there for hours.

some random things about the language:

• "ano" means yes. but sometimes they shorten it to just "no." so no = yes.
• "ahoy" = hello (this was very fitting for our Marina-themed party!)
• there is no "the" at all.

and, of course, the food. first of all, dirt cheap. i was thinking i should just move there for the rest of my stay and get twice as much out of my money! i probably spent about 70 euros my whole trip there. and the food is sooo good but sooo heavy! lots of meat and vegetables but the sauces are all really rich and thick. the soups are the best, and the beer is the greatest! i also learned that budweiser is a Czech beer, and they want you to know that. but it's not their top beer. Pilsner is the good one. and the dumplings are to die for!!

also, people still drive these around like it's normal--

and here are a few more i just like--

pink

the John Lennon Wall

another really cool wall, right next to the Senate building

a clock in one of the main squares that plays music and has puppets dancing around it every hour