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The long awaited trip report! Part 5 - Prague

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The long awaited trip report! Part 5 - Prague

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Old Jul 30th, 2013, 01:58 PM
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The long awaited trip report! Part 5 - Prague

So part 5! For those new part 1=London, part 2=France, part 3=Barcelona, part 4= Italy and here we are at part 5.

We are a family of 4 . .my kids are 4 and 2 and I have had amazing help from so many people on here from the planning of where to go, where to stay, to help with dramas to now helping me as to where to eat and what to see in the places we go.

Ok so ..Part 5 . . Day One...

Flight with Czech airlines = great! So easy and quick from Milan! Just love flying! the whole here is the 4 cases you deal with it from check in and then not needing to worry till you get off and have a trolley to manage it is so nice! Anyway flight was great and getting through the airport and finding the taxi was also really easy!

Now no one be mean but I seriously was under the impression that you could use euros here . .you can't! You can pay the taxi in euros (we paid 35euros) so after we checked in to our sensational 2 bedroom apartment we went off to find a ATM and got some money out.

Now this apartment . . SENSATIONAL! just love it! 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms . .it is 2 beds . .but they made up the 2nd bed into 2 for my kids but they are lying next to each. It is literally on the steps of Old Town square and I just love that! the views outside our window are great! We are paying 200euro a night and if you can handle stairs (top floor...quite a few steps . .poor hubby with the four pieces of luggage!) and no aircon . .but it's really modern and clean! So I am really happy!

So after we unpacked and put a load of washing on (yes it also has a dryer . . huge plus!) we headed onto the streets. Found the designer strip ..as I do and then made our way back to the main square of old town for tea.

Our dinner was OMG delicious! We assume we have over spent but the pork was to die for! the kids shared ribs and chips, I had a pork knuckle ..the meat was just falling off the bone! and hubby had a pork chop in this delicious gravy with amazing dumpling bread... including drinks and a tip we paid 1500 . . .I think that's like 80aussie dollars??? but it was soooo good and we missed out on lunch today so we justified it

So afternoon/night done onto tomorrow and the full on day of site seeing! Really didn't know much about this part of Europe but already I can see I am going to be in love with this place too!
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Old Jul 30th, 2013, 02:46 PM
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Enjoying your trip Claire; enjoying that you all are having fun and glad that you have made it to Prague. Thanks again for taking the time to post while on vacation, despite your busy schedule.

I was in Prague in 2009 and loved it. It wasn't quite what I expected but still had an excellent time. I too had a terrific apartment that slept four, huge, modern and spacious with all the mod cons, outstanding views and 5 minutes from the Charles bridge and directly outside the fort, but got it for a bit less than your rate (69 euro per day). I too enjoyed the pork chop with gravy and dumplings. I hired a private guide for a day who took me to a great local restaurant where he recommended it and he told me it was a popular local dish. But again I never paid as much, so keep an eye out for such things... you can get good stuff for much less (if you care)...

Don't forget to taste the local pilsner beer. It's delicious and very cheap !
A visit to the astronomical clock and the colourful Jubilee/Jerusalem synagogue is also worth your time. Enjoy !
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Old Jul 30th, 2013, 06:39 PM
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Loving all of your reports, Claire! I was in Prague last month for the first time. Beautiful city!
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Old Jul 30th, 2013, 07:20 PM
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I have been reading your reports too and seems like you are having a great trip! My DH was in Prague last week for work. He said it was beautiful, but of course he didn't have as much time as you did. Can't wait to read more!
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Old Jul 30th, 2013, 08:25 PM
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Leave the old town square to eat... The restaurants near the square will bleed you dry!

You will pay half if you go 15 minutes or so away.
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Old Jul 30th, 2013, 09:12 PM
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I know you just came from Italy, but our favorite meal in Prague was at

Pasta Fresca, Celetná 11, Prague
http://pastafresca.ambi.cz/en/#index

More info in my TR:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-with-kids.cfm
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Old Jul 31st, 2013, 10:34 AM
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Pork chop, gravy and dumplings sounds delicious!
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Old Jul 31st, 2013, 01:58 PM
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Day 2
Well we started the day by 10am ..first stop was the tourist info centre ..got maps and had a chat about our day.

Then we wandered old town...got slightly lost and walked in abut of a circle but I hear that's what you do

Then we walked from old town up to the national museum ...loved the little wooden markets and food stalls! Bought my kids the puppet witch ...if you have been to Prague you would know the one...you clap and it kicks it legs and sounds like a kookaburra also saw some gorgeous wooden toy stores but Aussie customs are strict on wood and I really don't want to declare anything. If I really really fall in love with something...like a traditional puppet from an antique store I might make the exception!

Anyway wandering those streets looking at the amazing buildings and the talented artists has made me find a new appreciation for Prague.

The Catholic Church right near the old town is just incredible ...I had no idea it was going to look like that! Recommend you go in and check that put that's for sure!

Those that have followed from the start know my son is a huge train lover ...so much so I paid 350pounds to drive him from London to Thomas world! Lucky boy I say! Anyway I read about a "train restaurant" found and booked online ....it was called Vytopna ... Look my son loved it ...the drinks get delivered on miniature style trains and these go past throughout the meal etc to other diners so the concept is really cool ...not a lot of kids there surprisingly! But anyway in comparison to the food we had last night
..it wasn't very good ..it was ok but I wasn't a huge fan. The kids enjoyed their meal though and they did a really cool ice cream Sunday.

So from here we then did the clock tower ...Amazing views and a huge must! Loved the way they had done this and it was nice to not have to climb a million stairs to get there. I have heard there is a behind the scenes to see the saints/apostles from the inside but by this stage the children were tired and we made our way home.

Tomorrow we plan on doing Charles bridge , the palace ..in detail ??? ...another church and I want to take my son to the miniature railway park...then go for dinner somewhere that takes our fancy ..thanks for the suggestion Indy dad but we are so Italian out and are loving the traditional food!(side note...loved your blog...made note of what you did and saw!) oh and fi ISP with a horse and cart ride through old town that's the plan anyway ..lets see what happens!

Night everyone
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Old Jul 31st, 2013, 02:50 PM
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I am still following along and really enjoying your story!
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Old Jul 31st, 2013, 06:26 PM
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I loved this restaurant in Prague: We ate outside last month at Konírna Restaurant and had the delicious Malostranský mega skewer for two people (shish kabob) and vanilla crème brulee according to the old French recipe for dessert. http://www.konirna.eu/cs/
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Old Jul 31st, 2013, 06:29 PM
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Oh, and if you like history, I recommend this World War II tour in Prague. Hubby and I loved it!
http://www.ww2inprague.com/home
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Old Jul 31st, 2013, 06:59 PM
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The cab driver must have thought all his Christmases had come at once!

Claire, my experience is that if you declare a wooden toy or similar, then you bypass the long queues and exit customs etc by a much shorter queue. I always declare something, even if its just a duty free Toblerone.
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Old Jul 31st, 2013, 07:12 PM
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Clare, when you say you don't want to declare anything, you are talking about the wooden toys? Hope you are not talking about all the shopping and the luggage purchased to hold it. Again, your trip.
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Old Aug 1st, 2013, 09:31 AM
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Claire, I am in Prague now too. It's wonderful, isn't it? Supposed to get quite hot tomorrow. Not sure whether it'll be Aussie hot, though. Have fun!
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Old Aug 2nd, 2013, 03:47 AM
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all this is making me want to go back to Prague, i visited a couple of years ago and had a great time, but agree its all too easy to get lost, i did a lot of organised tours because of that
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Old Aug 2nd, 2013, 10:33 AM
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enjoying
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Old Aug 3rd, 2013, 02:19 PM
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Claire hasn't posted in a few days. Hope everything is OK.
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Old Aug 3rd, 2013, 02:41 PM
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Missing your reports, Claire. I hope that you and your family are okay. Hopefully, you are just out having fun in the beautiful city of Prague!
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Old Aug 3rd, 2013, 04:42 PM
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How long were they staying in Prague - anyone remember?
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Old Aug 4th, 2013, 01:05 PM
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Hi guys sorry for MIA!!!

We loved Prague!

We just did so much as we only really had 2 full days to see what we wanted.

We really enjoyed the clock tower ... Great photos!

The funicular was a fun outing but incredibly hot! My son loved the trams!

Charles Bridge was great! Make sure if you go that you take with you a guide of who the statues are!

The church in the main o,d town square ..can't remember its name but its a catholic one was incredible

The main Square in the
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