"The ancient splendor and beauty of Prague, a city beyond compare, left an impression on my imagination that will never fade."- Richard Wagner
Prague. My first stop. Another city of winding streets. A city that holds the many secrets and wishes of visitors who don't want to leave. A city that holds such rich history, yet isn't as popular. A city that is old, but is still new. Prague was a surprise, but what a great one it was.
I touched down late at night, after a delay in Montreal and then a full day spent in London. Let's just say I didn't expect anything worthwhile on my first night. I just wanted to get to my flat, change clothes and perhaps find a still open market to buy some snacks. And that, I did.
My flat was located just a brush away from Charles Bridge - it was busy from 9am to 10pm. On my first night, there were pedestrians buzzing with energy at 9pm, musicians who were entertaining everyone who would listen and there I was, in my third floor room with the window open, enjoying the scene and "La vie en rose" being played down below. But I was also rather exhausted, thank goodness for ear plugs to muffle away the sound of fun.
Day 1:
My legs were feeling quite strong when I woke up, but I really wasn't aware of my surroundings. Apart from Charles Bridge, I couldn't pinpoint where any other monument was. It had rained overnight. I could see the wet cobblestones from my window and I cautioned myself during my run. No one wants to spend their two-week holiday on crutches. After lacing on my runners, I headed down and decided to take advantage of the almost empty Charles Bridge. I found parks quite randomly and after 5km, I thought my poor knees had had enough of the slippery streets. I was also already quite hungry.
Just getting started on Petrin Hill
The owner of my flat, Jakub, was very funny and kind. He's also vegetarian (except when his grandmother makes traditional Czech feast during Christmastime - he feels guilty saying no). He suggested little (and big) gems of the city, and I was quite happy to my much of the work be done by my little feet. First stop, as it was rather close to the flat, was Petrin Hill. That was one heck of a butt workout, I tell you! My legs were so sore, climbing the steep walkways and then somehow, getting lost in a wooded area. But it was just so beautiful! The view was breathtaking and if you climb long enough (well, take the funicular up), you'll end up at the Observation Tower, which is fashioned as a mini Eiffel Tower. It was mostly couples who were with me all morning, young and old. That was rather lonely!
After some time, I decided to walk about some more and explore Mala Strana. I loved the little passageways and the streets that curved, as if they're hiding secrets left and right. I checked out the little shops and since it rained just a bit, I ducked into a puppet shop and met a lovely elderly couple, Andrew and Liz, from Arizona. I decided to start early on my gift shopping and bought a tiny puppet for my cousin. It seems to me Prague was a city for lovers! Tant pis.
I had done my research, as any sensible vegan would, very early on for vegan restaurants in Prague. There weren't many choices and some did seem interesting, but were a bit out of the way. Poor little tourist. There was, however, LoVeg, located in Mala Strana and pretty close to where I was staying. More uphill walk, I see. There was a bit of a climb to get up to LoVeg, staircase-wise, but definitely worth it. The restaurant takes up two floors and there's a magnificent view if you're lucky enough to get a spot on the terrace. There are some offering of traditional Czech cuisine, typical Thai and Mexican dishes plus salads. On this first visit, I decided to go with something light. Travelling always makes me want to eat lots of veggies. I tried the vegan quesadilla with lots of grilled veggies, cashew cheese, soy-based sour cream and a side salad. No heavy sauces and potatoes for now. This dish was exactly what I needed - no pretensions, just a simple and tasty fare. Tummy was well satisfied!
Then, I went up to the Prague Castle of course. You can actually see it up LoVeg so I figured, well, there I was already, so why not just go right ahead. After taking a crazy amount of photos of buildings and facades and food I couldn't eat, I managed to climb up the grounds. The view was simply fantastic! I went about and followed the crowd. There were even newlyweds taking photos on the Old Castle Steps. It was rather funny seeing the brides change into Toms shoes, quite a necessity if you ask me. I just toured the outside grounds and gardens. My drowsy self felt too tired to walk about royal rooms. I needed to take caution lest I actually drop to the ground and hit something priceless. My favourite part is definitely the side garden with a lookout. It wasn't cold enough yet so the flowers were still in bloom. And it just looked like a garden from a fairytale! I could just imagine how splendid it would've been, late at night, during a fete, with some lights and lots of laughter. But, my jetlag finally got the best of me. I went back to my flat and took a nap.
My kind of view
The sun was still up when I finally woke up. The happy chatter down the street was my alarm clock. Ah, more people crossing the Charles Bridge. I freshened myself up and decided to walk about around. It was almost time for dinner. I headed to the John Lennon Wall. I was quite lucky it was very close to where I was staying. It was definitely the most colour I've seen in Prague. It's the one place where a selfie is a must, I think. I spent a few minutes taking a photo of the wall and having my photo taken. It would prove to be one of the very few photos of me whilst in Prague. I also spent some time listening to the lovely musician who was singing John Lennon's songs and Beatles' medley. It was rather a pickmeup!
Sshhh... The singer was actually pretty cute.
Lehka Hlava was my stop for dinner. I got confused with the directions a bit and it's easy to be! This vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant is located in a small alleyway so it's easy to miss. But I was very pleased when I finally got there. However, is it just me or are Prague restaurants more prone to dim lights? My advice is to make a reservation here! It's very busy, but since I was dining alone, I managed to have the last free table that was outside of the main dining area and more out in the hallway. It was lovely. There are a few vegan options and I was a bit disappointed that the tastier options weren't vegan (like their famous beet burger). So I settled for this gigantic Asian salad with seaweed, crunchy tofu and tofu dressing. What a salad! It was sweet, savoury and just plain delicious. But I got so full with the salad that I didn't even bother with dessert. I would have sweet dreams, I knew.
I headed to the famous town square, it was just around the corner. There were people gathering close to the Astronomical Clock, the hour was about to strike. I followed the flock. It was beautiful and what a great creation! Everyone was applauding when it was over. The town square was so dreamy that night, with musicians playing and avoiding all the people on Segways. I walked around a bit and stumbled upon some twenty-somethings, looking for a small cafe or bar. And that's how we spent that night, drinking to our health with tea and beer. Not bad at all.
Day 2:
Another day, another run. This time, we ran across the bridges! There was light rain and my fear of slipping on cobblestones wasn't great enough to deter me. There were so many other runners, some running for their lives in speed, others who were more cautious. But breakfast was all I was looking forward to.
A few minutes down my flat is a bakeshop called The Bakeshop. Then, there's the Little Bakery of the Bakeshop, where you can order green smoothies! I was properly excited. I ordered their traditional green smoothie and though it was good, I knew a bigger lunch was in order. Cutest little corner by the way! And the server was totally awesome. If you're not vegan, I was told by the other customers that their cakes are yummy.
I had a proper walk across Charles Bridge, avoiding the packet of fellow tourists who either took excessive photos of all the statues and the view or of themselves enjoying the view. Let's be honest, you'll walk down Charles Bridge more than once during your visit to Prague. Old Town and New Town were my destinations this day. I wanted to just sit down and enjoy a glass of beer whilst reading under the sun. But I headed to the Mucha Museum first. It was tiny! But very educational. I love Mucha's work. There's such sensuality, yet such sincerity in his works. How amazing that his oeuvres were used for advertising, from plays to biscuit tins!
I got lost, obviously. And somehow, I ended up in a shopping area, but that was a welcome mistake. I found a Pandora store and one more charm to my collection added. I reckon I just walked past all the landmarks, took a photo of them and then went on my way. I was in such a hurry to go back to Lehka Hlava - I just couldn't seem to have enough. But this time around, after a meagre breakfast, I wanted something heavier. So after much internal debating, I settled for the vegan bulgur rissoto with sundried tomato pesto and tempeh. Tastebuds were very, very happy, I have to tell you that. I did have to eat slowly though because the pesto was on the salty side, but overall, this dish was ze bombbbb and the consistency was incredible!
Taste explosion
I decided to see some more greenery and headed down Kampa Park, but there was rain that was threatening. But finally, when the sun said hello and seemed like it would last, I took a boat tour and the breeze felt so nice. I was beginning to feel a love affair with Prague brewing. Ah, just what I needed, another city to love. I went back to Old Town Square and instead of getting a bottle of water, I decided to go for beer! Because, you know, do as the Romans do or something like that. Funny thing though is that the strap of my bag always unbuttoned half of my shirt so for some time already, my bra was out there for the world to see. No wonder I kept on getting free beer. Or how easily it was to meet new people. Thank God I'm no alcoholic.
Then, I headed back to my flat to rest my poor feet. I actually covered a lot of ground, but that's what I loved about Prague. Everything in proximity. Just don't be lazy with walking, you see more of the city that way. After a short nap (yes, Prague was my city of naps), I headed back to LoVeg. This was to be my last dinner in Prague. My flight to Copenhagen was just around dinnertime the following day. I, at least, had some time to explore the city a bit more the following day. This time around for dinner, I went BIG because calories don't mean much to me when I know I burn them all with my long walks. So the vegan burger it was with a side of fries for me. Plus, this decadent beetroot chocolate cake. Heavenly! When you decide to (somewhat) join a pubcrawl that night, you gotta have enough food in your belly, am I right?
P.S. Don't tell my mother, a few friends I've met and I headed to the Prague Sex Machines Museum for a laugh. Funniest commentaries I ever did hear (and give) when we were viewing this silent porn film. Totally hilarious! 100% questionable. ("Why is he just... flopping about like a fish out of water?")
Day 3:
To sum it up, I spent the entire morning working around the Jewish quarter. All the buildings were so beautiful and I visited some synagogue. I got tangled with a group of students from German. I accidentally greeted them in German and the professor thought I was one of her students. Definitely not. My German is not good at all! But I digress. The sun finally decided to say hello. I felt very overdressed with my jacket and nylons, but I figured, I've got Copenhagen to look forward to. It was rainy.
My first stop, however, as the Bakeshop for another smoothie and this time around, a bagel also. Carbs are a girl's best friend. Well, at least this girl. I didn't do much shopping and there was still a bit of space in my luggage so I thought, hey why not, let's go for it. So sad when everything I liked was in the higher end shops and it would be cheaper if I buy them in North America. C'est la vie. Needless to say, my last half day in Prague was very quiet and relaxing, just what I needed. I spent a few good minutes on Charles Bridge, immobile, looking out the horizon. It felt so quiet, even though everyone around me was chatting and laughing. The prospects of a new city were giving me excitement, but also a bit of anxiety. As always. But in that moment, Prague felt like home. I had gotten used to its slipper cobblestones and winding streets. Nothing linear, always a sweet surprise in every turn.
Vegan Restaurants:
LoVeg
Address: Nerudova 221/36, 118 00 Praha 1
Website: www.loveg.cz
Lehka Hlava
Address: Boršov 280/2, 110 00 Praha 1
Website: www.lehkahlava.cz
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