Day 13 - Prague

Last night was spent in the bar. The beer was only the equivalent of 80p and the cocktails were good too. I, however, had not yet mastered the language and so after ordering my cocktail I was given what appeared I by half a pint of tequila and line. I drank it anyway, don't want to go wasting good tequila!

7.30am start today, got breakfast in the hostel and began our exploration of Prague. We headed straight for the castle and passed FC Sparta Prague's stadium on the way. We've seen a lot of stadia so far, I think Ajax was my fave in Amsterdam. We got off the tram and came across St Nicolas' Church so decided to go in for a snoop. Dear me, has the Catholic Church for money or something?! * never seen so much gold and so many statues in my life. The ceiling was painted and everything was just very dramatic looking. It was a stunning place, but I couldn't go to mass there cos I'd be distracted by all the shiny things (especially the giant golden st Nicholas at the top of the alter). We took a few snaps and left, we were excited to go wandering.

Whilst hiking up a hill to the castle, we heard a low rumbling behind is. We turned and saw approx 100 people in a tourist group from the Philippines all charging up the hill behind us. It was quite a sight. They assembled on the steps to the castle for a photo and proceeded to do Mexican waves and cheer at passers by. We were distracted by the absinthe I've cream shop for a moment, but when we turned around we were faced with 100 Phillapine tourists shouting CHEESE at their group leaders camera. We wanted to get to the castle before them.

At the top of the slope to the castle, we were stopped dead in our tracks by the most breathtaking view. You could see over the whole of Prague and it was stunning. After some touristy pictures, we went to watch the changing of the guard at the castle. The guards uniforms looked a bit like Thunderbirds and the tune that the trumpets and drums wet playing sounded suspiciously like the Thunderbirds theme tune. We think they must watch it whilst eating their breakfast.

We were now hungry. We found a cafe in the castle grounds and the girls had traditional Czech goulash in bread bowls (basically a hollowed out loaf). It all looked very yummy but there was too much dead cow for my liking so I had a baguette and hot chocolate instead. Oh my word, the hot chocolate. Perfect.

Onwards we trekked, and after more pretty views and a dodgy Czech public toilet, we arrived at Charles bridge. This was amazing. The performers on the bridge were unreal. One band had a man playing a washboard and a cow bell, and the singer played the harmonica normally with his mouth, but at the same time he played another harmonica WITH HIS NOSE! Oh I was impressed. Musical genius. The next bands drummer was playing with whisks. Why not, eh?

It was starting to warm up now, we were heading for the Astronomical clock and then Wenceslas Square. On the way there we went down gorgeous winding little streets and saw the cutest Russian dolls! I couldn't buy any tho cos it wouldn't fit in my bag :( we had a good mooch around, got some good pictures and then went to find beer. Oh did we find beer! We went to a little restaurant and were presented with a glass tankard of beer and traditional Czech apple strudel. DIVINE!

Back to the hostel and we went to the computers in the bar to sort out some stuff. Dee had gone to bed and the rest of us were catching up with people on Facebook. All of a sudden, Dee came down to the bar looking all flustered and said our room had been invaded by a giant green winged monster and that she needed back up. We all went up to the room and it had disappeared. We crept about, armed with bug spray, deodorant and squatting weapons but could not find it. I went to sort the curtains out and sat off on the window, as bold as brass, was the beast. A giant Check cricket. I'm pretty sure it had been hitting the gym cos no amount of big spray would kill it. Dee his in the toilet and we hatched a plan. When it was sat on the curtain, we put Katie on a chair with our Europe guide and she squished it. We heard it crack. All was now calm, the beast was tamed. I had my camera out to photograph the corpse, and it moved again. It came off the curtain and onto the floor. I have never been so scared. I nearly fell over the bed, Katie screamed, and Dee and Sarah were out in the corridor as fast as lightening. We squished it again and put it out of the window. The drama was now over. The creature was no more. We were victorious and the room smelt like bug spray. We are sleeping with one eye open tonight.

Tomorrow we get a 10am train to Budapest. Dee wants to go to the baths and I want to dance along the water singing The Blue Danube. We also hear the beer is cheap too...

*joke - I know they bathe in £50 notes

PS, Mother, you would have been proud of me. I was all brave and helped to kill the beast. Dad still hasn't lost his position as spider tamer tho. And don't worry, in not just drinking beer all the time. Honest.