Prague - a wonderful city...

I don't know what I expected Prague to be like, but it has exceeded my expectations by far. The buildings are beautiful, with elaborate facades, multicoloured, and run along narrow, winding streets. At every turn, there is another alleyway to explore, or another courtyard cafe beckoning you in... and another host waiting to pour you another beer!

Most of the people we met were friendly and helpful. Their english is good, menus are in several languages, and whilst the currency takes a little getting your head around, most places will gladly accept euros or credit cards... In a few short years, the country has gone from communist state to western chic, yet it has still retained its old world charm. Yes, there may be Starbucks and MacDonalds, but they are few and far between, and vastly outnumbered by cute outdoor eateries... and churches: there seemed to be one on every corner!

Yes, we did the tourist sights, first with a brief city tour, including a jaunt up and down the river, then on our own. It's such an easy city to get around by foot, so we walked ourselves into the ground. The old palace up on the hill (the largest palace in the world they say) had a fascinating history going back to about 2500BC, when people first lived on the site. We spent most of the day there, before heading back into town, ducking into art galleries and glass shops along the way.

So I would highly recommend a few days in Prague to anyone coming to Europe. It might be a bit off the beaten track, but it's certainly well worth the effort to come here.