Well we made it to Prague! And the travel day went really well... better than
most actually.

I woke up around 7am so that I could shower before everyone else got up. I then
went downstairs and got some breakfast and started reading my book for school.
I think this past month I have put off the fact that there actually is a reason
that I am over in Europe right now. And that is for my study abroad program....
but it was actually really interesting because as I was reading the book, I
actually took in a lot more because of everything we have seen and experienced.
So this trip is not just for fun, but also learning :) I can justify anything I
swear...

Anywho, we packed up our stuff and checked out of the hostel.

We then took the Underground to the correct train station and found our
platform. We were there about 30 minutes early, but we really didn't want to
miss the train because we would have had to wait 4 hours for the next train :(

On the train ride I read more of my book and then watched some of the pilot
television episodes that I downloaded yesterday. Ugh, there were not really any
good ones. Except Friday Night Lights, I did like that one. This was our first
long train ride during the day, and it was nice to be able to enjoy the scenery.
Because it was absolutely gorgeous.

The other cool thing, is that as soon as we switch countries my phone alerts me.
So I know the exact point of time when we switch, which isn't that important but
still kinda interesting.

The train was pretty empty and Meredith and I got a table :D Which is directly
in the middle of a coach, where the chairs face each other and there is a table.
It is definitely the best seats for second class.

It was just the two of us for most the trip, but then these creepy older men
came onto the train. They must have had bought exact tickets with seat numbers,
while everyone usually just sits wherever they want. Because the coach was
practically empty except for our table, and the other table where there were
three teenage boys traveling. Well one man sat at our table, and the other sat
at the other. They never said anything, or showed us there tickets so we would
move... but then they started moving around, but always like within the closest
row... Odd.

It was about a 5 hours train ride. And we left at 9:30am and arrived in Prague
at 2:20pm.... We then followed the directions and got to our hostel :)

The Czech Republic also uses a different currency, and the exchange rate is 20
Czech to 1 USD... Which is much easier math compared to Hungary's currency which
was 230HUF to 1USD. But it still takes a while to get use to things costing
44,CZK and that is only a little more than $2.

We found the hostel pretty easily and got checked in. We are in 8 female dorm,
and so far the hostel seems pretty good. They have a kitchen, and that is
turning out to be really important.

We then decided to pick up some broacheurs and head to lunch.... which we opted
for Subway...again :)

We planned out the next couple of days and decided to try out first free walking
tour tomorrow at 11am. We have been told that they are GREAT. And you just pay
what you want at the end, people recommend about $5. Which is a really good
deal for a 3 hour tour. So I'm pretty excited about that.

We also checked the trains to Berlin, because we were hoping to do a day trip.
BUt we decided it would be about 10 hours on the train for less than 5 hours in
the city... BUT we did not give up on Berlin all together... Instead we decided
to only spend three nights in Prague and book a night in Berlin.

That is the great thing about our rail pass, because it is so flexible! I have
loved it.

After lunch we decided to go to the grocery store and picked up some stuff for
breakfast, and to make our new favorite salad for dinner. I also picked up some
chocolate gronala! Which I am really excited about :)

After we headed back to the hostel and hung out. We made our salad around 7pm
and ate with a girl from Iowa. It was actually funny because she asked us where
we were from and we said Michigan and she was like "oh, everyone in Iowa, hates
everyone from Michigan" making a joke about the basketball tournament...

At 8pm one of the hostel workers was taking a group to the Petrin Tower. Which
is identical to France's Eiffel Tower, however it is 100 times smaller but was
only built 2 years after the Eiffel Tower... But it is up on a hill, so it
overlooks the whole city. Chris (hostel worker) took about 7 of us up there,
and it was a really good time.

We took the cable car to the top of the hill, and then climbed the 400 steps to
the top of the tower. Got a great view of the city, and then decided to walk
down.

We also saw the Wall of Hunger. Which King Charles hired the poor to build. It
serves absolutely no purpose, but was allowed the poor and hungry to earn money
for food.... Hmmm so this is where Obama got his inspiration from?

We also saw the statue dedicated to the people who were imprisoned and killed
during the communist reign.

On the way back to the hostel, we all decided to go to a cafe that is attached
to the performing arts theater and grab some coffee.

We just got back tot he hostel and Meredith and I decided to watch some Dexter
... oh we totally downloaded the first season :D Although we couldn't justify
paying $50 for Chuck we got Dexter on sale ... so worth it.

The only complaint that I have about Prague so far are the bugs! Goodness there
a are thousands of little ants everywhere! Especially by the water. I took a
picture off the bridge on our way back from the tower and it looks like there
are hundreds of stars in the sky, but they are actually just bugs!

Tomorrow we are going to wake up and make feta cheese omlets yummy and then go
on our walking tour :) We also hoping to rent a paddle boat to take around the
river tomorrow (we saw one today that is a HUGE swan shape, so I am hoping to
get that one!) ....
-brooke.