Well that was a tourist trap! Granted, we were only in Prague for about five hours before taking a train into Munich so we only had enough time to see the major sights. Too bad the rest of the entire human race did the same. Beautiful architecture, but the tourists killed it for me. I would have loved to have had some one-on-one time with the city, wander about the streets preferably filled with locals milling about. Or perhaps it would've been worth our while if we had ventured off to the less-explored parts of town. I likened it to being in some kind of Euro Disney or the "international" portion of Epcot where every street is filled with vendors selling their souls and kitschy wares to the never-ending stream of foreigners.
I was so ready to be amazed by the beautiful, scenic Prague I'd read about. On our train ride out of the Czech Republic that evening, we saw the charming countryside whizzing by. Little terracotta-colored roofs spotting the scene and people leisurely going about their business along the riverside. It was as if they were enticing this city girl to get off the speeding train bound for her next destination and stay to know the authentic parts of their country. Oh what I wouldn't have given to watch the sun set from the grass rather than from our train car window.
Well that was a tourist trap! Granted, we were only in Prague for about five hours before taking a train into Munich so we only had enough time to see the major sights. Too bad the rest of the entire human race did the same. Beautiful architecture, but the tourists killed it for me. I would have loved to have had some one-on-one time with the city, wander about the streets preferably filled with locals milling about. Or perhaps it would've been worth our while if we had ventured off to the less-explored parts of town. I likened it to being in some kind of Euro Disney or the "international" portion of Epcot where every street is filled with vendors selling their souls and kitschy wares to the never-ending stream of foreigners.
I was so ready to be amazed by the beautiful, scenic Prague I'd read about. On our train ride out of the Czech Republic that evening, we saw the charming countryside whizzing by. Little terracotta-colored roofs spotting the scene and people leisurely going about their business along the riverside. It was as if they were enticing this city girl to get off the speeding train bound for her next destination and stay to know the authentic parts of their country. Oh what I wouldn't have given to watch the sun set from the grass rather than from our train car window.
It's a shame you didn't get to experience it better!
ReplyDeletethe summer between my junior and senior year of high school....long....long...ago (OK...1989)....I took a trip to Czechoslovakia, Hungary and the Ukraine of the USSR. Well before these countries broke up into smaller countries.
ReplyDeleteWe spent a LOT of time in Prague and I agree with you. The tourist-y parts are just that. Tourist traps. But when you only have so much time before you have to catch a train or plane, you do what you can.
At least you can say "I've been there". :)
toriz, it's okay. We got over it pretty quickly since we were transported to a whole 'nother world a few hours after that. Though I have to say Munich was okay, I guess. We stayed in our first hostel and that brought its own set of stories. I can't wait to round up all the places we're staying at and compare and contrast our experiences. At the end of it all we'll have stayed in hotels, hostels, a sleeper car on the train and Airbnb stays in two people's homes including our current Parisian one where we'll have the apartment to ourselves for three days!
ReplyDeletekelley, exactly! I'm usually drawn to wandering around and just stumbling upon cool places by chance, but we didn't have that luxury here. I'm definitely trying to mix some of that in with the tourist stops while we're in Paris. We've give the city four days and I know I'm going to hate having to leave Sunday morning!
That's what I experienced in Prague, too! I don't think I've ever seen so many people all in one area before.. just being tourists. It was crazy! Something that would have taken about an hour was doubled, if not more! Sorry you weren't able to experience Prague the way you were hoping to.
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