June 28-July 8, 2009. Took a trip to Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Visted my friend Petr in Prague, went to Poland on the night train on my own and then onto another night train to Bratislava. It was an awesome trip and I was so happy to spend time with my friends. I flew into Prague on the afternoon of the 29th. Petr - who is from Prague but I met in Iraq - picked me up from the metro stop I took from the airport and then I freshened up at his place and then he got me on the night train to Krakow around 1030pm. I love the sleeper cars - as long as you have your own room, it is awesome. I can always sleep on the train. Petr was so great and talked the guy on the train into giving me my own room (there is a possibility to have three to a room total) and I arrived at Krakow around 0900. I missed my connection in Katowice and had to wait an hour for the next train, but that's the good thing about not being on a schedule.
In Krakow I found an apartment for around $80 a night - it was probably more than I should have paid, but it was right in the city center near the square and it wasn't a hostel or an american chain, so that was good. It was 5 flights up without a lift and I was really regretting my failed attempt at packing light, cuz my bag weighed about 45lbs. I explored the city on the first day and took in a performance in the cathedral of the Krakow Orchestra playing Valvaldi. The second day I took a tour of Auschwitz. I also boutght a book while I was there and became totally absorbed in the history of the Holocaust. It is just incredible. The last day in Poland I took a tour of the castle and a tour of the city. There are many churches there and a huge castle as Krakow was the first capitol city in Poland until it was moved to Warsaw. Another interesting thing was that the city tours are given in golf carts of all sizes - I thought it a great way to save emissions, they are much quieter and they don't take up as much room on the road. I loved Krakow a beautiful city, nice people and a great 3 day trip.
Next onto Bratislava on the sleeper car where again I got lucky and had no roommates. This train was much more modern, very clean and nice. I met two American couples on their way to Budapest, one from San Francisco and one from Cincinatti. Very nice!
I arrived very early into Bratislava and the plan was to stay with my friend Livia (who's wedding I was going to attend) and her family, but she did not recieve my text that I was coming in so early, so I splurged on an American hotel (Marriott $250) which I thought very overpriced. That evening about 8 girls met up for a little bachelorette party for Livia. It was a very nice evening out and fun to meet all her friends. The next morning we departed early for the Chataeu Bella - about 1.5hours drive from Bratislava in the city of Sturvo near the Hungary border. It was a beautful setting for a wedding and Livia made an exquisite bride. I helped out with some of the wedding preparations and at the end of the day it all worked out beautiful. Andrew (her husband) is Scottish and he and his family are extremely nice. He had many friends there from Scotland and Ireland AFter the wedding I planned on returning to Prague to spend time with my friend Petr, but it all went wrong when his schedule changed. Livia's parents are the most generous people I know and I was able to stay out at their country house near Bratislava. But Livia and Andrew were very late picking my up the following day, so I was unable to get to Prague until about 1030pm. I was planning on spending the day with Petr since his scheduled had changed, it was the only day we would have to hang out. It was very disappointing, but he still went out of his way to pick me up from the bus, give me a quick driving tour of Prague, take me to my hotel and then met me for lunch the next day. It was so great to spend time with him even if it was a short period as he is so thoughtful and fun to hang out with. I am continually blessed with amazing friends. My last night in Prague I went for dinner at a nearby restaurant and met a guy from DC. In Europe they often have you share tables and he was on his own and I was on my own, so it worked out that he spoke English and was traveling on his own as well. It really made the evening enjoyable and was a great way to end the trip.
Overall, an awesome vacation - great weather, amazing friends, beautiful landscapes, good food.
