The Prague spring

A 4 hour train journey south from Berlin to Prague was much more interesting than the trip to Berlin, passing through winding river valleys with cliff top forts and amazing scenery. I arrived in Prague with no idea of where I was or where my hostel was, I didn't even have an address to tell someone. I Eventually took the metro to the central station and found the tourist help point. Took the tram too far as the city is smaller than I thought and found the Clown and Bard hostel. A bit out of the way but very nice. Free internet, nice rooms, cheap bar, etc. The rooms are more like an apartment, with 3 rooms to a shared kitchen, foyer, shower, and bathroom. My first night there I went on the bars own pub crawl with two English girls from my room. We managed to get left behind at one bar and walked all over the place before meeting up with the group again. Prague crawls rock, a power hour with free beer, wine, vodka, or absinthe shots. Can be deadly. Also had a shot of this spirit called Becherovka, it tasted like Christmas. Saw an amazing club called Cross Club. All the furniture and decorations are made from scrap metal, it was awesome. Something like four storeys with a food counter, 2 dance floors and a chill-out bar which in stark contrast to the rest of the place is furnished in cane.

On Tuesday I took the Sandemans free walking tour of Prague, another great tour, more great stories about how the Czechs invented the tank (a cannon on a wagon protected with shields), no one noticed, protestantism was invented here by Jan Hus, no one noticed, people being thrown out of buildings (defenestration), The Germans annexing the border defences, then just waltzing in, stacked Jewish graves, cubist buildings, a Mary statue that came to life to take a thief's arm, the astronomical clock and its show, a Wagner statue being destroyed instead of a Jewish one, a communist museum next to a casino, getting the Russians lost by changing street signs and saying all villages were named the same, assassinations, a golem snatching a Nazi, sieges, revolutions and war. Followed this up by what was supposed to be a few quiets with the guy from the Isle of Mann who was in my room. ended up meeting a London lad, 2 French guys, 2 Dutch guys and 2 Dutch girls. Had more than a few quiets then went out with the English and the French. They doubted my navigation skills so instead of a half hour walk we spent an hour wandering around trying to get back to Cross Club. We eventually found it again and had absinthe, beers and a great time.