Czech Republic

Walk around downtown and the old city. Visit the castle. Buy paintings done by local artists.

Beautiful city...ignore the modern parts of the city and wander about the historic parts. Make sure you visit the old Jewish cemetery and the Castle. Christmas especially is a beautiful time to visit the city, since you have christmas markets on each square and market.

If you go there by bike, be sure NOT to drive through the pedestrian zone! Policemen there are merciless.

Be wary of the rail train stations (people are lurking everywhere to make off with your belongings).

If you plan to be in Prague in early summer, ahead of time, try find out about the performing arts festival with visiting troupes and groups from all over Europe and the Czech Republic. It is a time when this wonderful city seems even more magical than ever. We saw several performances (tickets are available last minute for those who stumble onto the festival as we did). Among the best was an English company that performed a dramatized version of Canterbury Tales. It was a rollicking delight.

Stunning city. Very walkable. Go a street or two off the beaten track and beer etc is much cheaper.

Try Starobrno beer. It's made right in the city and you can smell the yeast.

Absolutely adored Prague! They call Paris the city of love and romance, but Prague was way better in my opinion. It is the only capital city in Europe that wasn't bombed to pieces in the second world war. That means that the structures have crediblitiy architechually. I spent heaps of time on the Charles Bridge (which is where INXS filmed the video for Never Tear Us Apart from the Kick album). The Charles Bridge is full of artists and has amazing statues. The castle over looks the the bridge and the river and is definitely worth a visit. It has the most amazing stained glass in the church windows and a fascinating history in regards to be built. On the other side of the bridge are shops with the most amazing jewellery and glasswork, wonderful restaurants that include quality Czech cusine, the clock that puts on a show on the hour and Wencheles Square (can't spell that name) which is named after that king that we sing about in Christmas carols. I had another really good cheeseburger at the McDonalds at this square too. Prague has an underground train system, which is fast, but you might need to wait to arrive. It closes around midnight, so if you need a taxi back to your lodgings after visiting the very stimulating five storied nightclub (a good night out) haggle a bit. Absinthe (the very alcoholic beverage that Van Gogh was drinking when he cut his ear off) is very affordable and available in Prague. But limit yourself to two or three shots and forget the chasers, otherwise you will be in bed by 8pm and missing out on the clubbing!

Make sure you have a permit to travel on the motorway and alway keep your headlights on. You will be fined for both. I know.

streetwalkers and gypsies