In Which I Walk and Talk My Way Through Prague

After a delayed arrival to Prague, travelmate Avi and I rolled our suitcases over to Namesti Republiky and settled into our apartment, with enormous street-facing windows offering a view from the 6^th floor near the river. For a first AirBnB rental, I’d say it’s fair and square but nothing exceptionally special – it is nice to be greeted by a local host, in this case, an expat, and the unexpected washing machine is a huge added bonus. Underwear was becoming scarce. But laundry could wait – there’s a city to see!

We made it over to Old Town Square to pick up one of the highly recommended ‘free’ walking tours. Disneyland was clearly inspired by Prague. The city is all spires and colors and red tiled rooftops and those kitschy Christmas markets, even though it’s August. I ate a scoop of overpriced ice cream for lunch after realizing I was starving in front of the astronomical clock.

As I asked a tour seller why I should go with his company instead of a competitor, he gave a stupid answer like ‘because we’re great!’ but I stopped listening because he was interrupted by a familiar voice. “Stef Groner?!?!” Pam, a friend from Northwestern, just happened to be taking the same tour at the same time with her friend Vicky, another ‘Cat. We embraced gleefully and decided to head off on the three-hour walking extravaganza with the same guide. 

On the tour, we learned many fun facts, like how a Nazi official ordered two guards throw a statue of Felix Mendelssohn, a Jewish composer, off the top of the Philharmonic. When the guards went up, they couldn’t figure out which one was Mendelssohn, so they measured the statues’ noses and ended up throwing highly anti-semitic Wagner down instead. Wagner happened to be Heidleger’s favorite. Oops.

All of the tour guide’s stories were awkward, slightly funny maybe, and mostly tragic. Students burning themselves in communist revolt, the astronomical clock maker blinded by the government, committing suicide in the clock’s gears – I’ll just stop. You get the picture, except this went on for three hours. And then I had to tip her still.

After the tour, Avi and I went to book dinner for Shabbat  at Dinitz on the recommendation of a friend, and then we stopped by Chabad to check it out. Their new center looks like a mancave nightclub, and I instantly regreted not booking dinner there instead.

I walked home and was tired and wanted to be alone, but on the walk back realized being alone is… really lonely. So, I googled ‘Prague Meetup’ and found an event for 7 p.m. about a half-mile walk away, called Travel Massive #7, a group for travel professionals and enthusiasts – I think I might qualify in both categories at this point.

I arrived at Nebe and met German Alexandra and Slovak Miro and Romanian Budno and two guys with the same name, one Czech and one Australian. I was probably the youngest and the Australian, the oldest, in his ‘60s. Over a pina colada and ginger ale, I had weird conversations about what I’m doing in Israel, how most people don’t really like their jobs, why people judge you when you do stuff alone, and if living in New York is like Sex in the City. Yes, someone really asked me if New York is like that. I explained that you’d have to be super-rich to live like that, and most of us are not. This disappointed the modelesque Czech girl who could’ve easily played Katinka in Zoolander.

I’m really glad I went. It’s healthy to do out-of-comfort, once-in-a-lifetime things like that, if they’re in well-lit areas with sizeable groups of people. Unfortunately, I got lost in the dark on the way home after thinking I spotted a shortcut, and was terrified. I made it back with the help of a luxury hotel doorman, and ate a slice of pizza in bed because I basically forgot to eat all day.

After that, I slept the most soundly I had in a week.