7-23-09 Prague

Our train left early in the morning, so we grudgingly dragged ourselves out of bed, careful not to disturb our roommates. We shared our room with a couple from Spain, and that meant sharing a bathroom. The shower was poorly designed so that splashing water collected on the floor. My sister and I wore flip-flops in the shower to avoid flesh eating bateria, which we just knew was seething between the discolored tiles. In fact everyone wore shoes to the bathroom because it was the "sanitary" thing to do. However, wearing tennis shoes to the bathroom meant that the pools of water would mix with shoe-dirt and you'd be left with muddy footprints and pools of discolored water. Unfortunately, this had happened this morning, and it was brought to my attention by the lovely Spanish woman. She proceeded to explain to me in a half-English half-Spanish transcultural rant that I had muddied up the floor, and that I should clean it up, and that I smell bad. Ok, so she didn't say all of that, but she did yell at me for the shower as me and my sister packed for the train station. All we said was "We're sorry" as we closed the door and headed downstairs to check out.

We arrived in Prague in the hot afternoon, and went to our hostel. We dropped our bags off, and hung out in our four person room. My sister called our mom to tell her we hadn't been abducted yet, and that I had been able to piss off every Spanish person we had met so far. I hung out the window of our room, and watched the sky, which was clouding over. Suddenly there was a crack of lightening, and the boom of thunder as the heat, which had followed us ever since Italy, finally reached its boiling point. It started to rain, and soon it was a torrential downpour. The wind ripped through our narrow side-street, banging the shutters of windows as it passed. We waited while until the rain eased, and made our way to dinner. Welcome to Prague.

It was understood that there was an authentic Czech restaurant just up the street. I was in the mood for beef tongue, so we went to Kovics. Kovics had an underground fight club feel mostly because the bar/restaurant sat in the basement of a building reserved for offices. We ordered a plate of beef tongue for an appetizer, which I can say from experience looks exactly like it should. Ours was sliced lengthwise, however, you could definitely tell what it was. It kept the same shape, and consistency of what you'd think beef tongue would taste like, and I've got to say, it was really good. For dinner I had steak and my sister had chicken. We paid for the meal in Krowns, and everything added up came out to be roughly $30. Prague, I think I'm starting to like you...

We left in search of another bar, and walk around Old Town Square. After awhile we stumbled into a place called Chateau Rouge. We went in partly due to the rain, which had returned, but also because of the beer prices, ($.50 beers are always worth a try in my opinion). Halfway through our second beer, two Belgian women began talking with us. One was a 25 year-old speech therapist, and the other, (much cuter one), was a 26 year-old teacher. We told them that we were brother and sister traveling across Europe for a few weeks. The Chateau Rouge (sorry for the sizing)
They asked if we were going to Brussels, their hometown. We said we hadn't thought of it, but we might if time permitted. The teacher started flirting with me, and offered to buy me and my sister another beer. We didn't have any more money so I said yes, my sister said no. The teacher's name was Leigh, while we were talking, Leigh kept on playing footsie with me under the table. Though, just when Leigh and I were getting closer, my sister told me she was tired and that she wanted to go back to the hostel. I couldn't have my sister walking around alone in a foreign country, so I escorted her back, but not before I told Leigh I'd be back soon.

When I got back to the bar two guys, who looked like competitors on MetRx's World's Strongest Man, were talking to Leigh. I decided not to die, so I used the bathroom and headed back to the hostel.

On my way up to the room I ran into a three people sitting in the common room. Two had guitars, and the other was sitting at the end of the table listening. One of the guitarist's name was Howlin' Howie. Howie had been playing guitar for 58 years, he was traveling the world playing guitar and singing for anyone who'd listen. The guy at the end of the table was a Frenchman, he was quiet, but I managed to find out that he was going to Vienna next, so I told him about the Belvedere and the crazy drivers. The last guy was a redhead who went by Brian Policoff. He was from Arizona, but lived in Prague as a street performer. His craft was fire-spinning. He had done it in The Ringley Bros. Circus for years, and before that he had been a singing gondolier at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
Firespinner: Exhibit A

After a few hours of guitar and singing and talking, I said goodnight to them and went upstairs. I was careful not to wake either my sister, or the two girls, who were our new roommates, after all I'd already pissed off that Spanish couple, I was determined not to have a repeat in Prague.