Prague: A Golden City in Eastern Europe

Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral

I can say that Prague is another favourite city of mine next to Paris. It has become the object of my fantasy since the former Czechoslovakia dissolved into two independent states:  Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Therefore my very first journey to this former Russia-influenced state stirred so many questions in my head: How does the city look? How are the people? How does a former communist country look like? Is it safe there?

These questions have been answered when I entered Prague, the capital city of Czech Republic.

First Impression

The city looked old and I like it. You see, I travel to Europe because I am fond of medieval cities. The remnants of its past were still visible on its walls and buildings. Those old buildings , the cobblestoned streets, old street cars and the people - yes, I was in Czech Republic.  I can also
say immediately that this is a city of grand architecture! And when I entered our hotel room, which I wrote an interesting review, I said to myself that I was in Eastern Europe.

What I Enjoyed

Walking. I enjoyed walking through the streets of Prague. The sights were amazing; you're eyes won't get bored.

Wenceslas Square

Wenceslas Square is an interesting meeting point for local and international tourists. Here you will find city-bus tours offering guided tours through the city. I tried it and what I enjoyed about it is the fluency of the travel guide in three languages: Czech, German and English. Will I do it again? No. It's not for middle-aged guy like me. From this point, you can walk towards the direction of the river and you will find the Old Time Square.

Prague Astronomical Clock

In the Old Time Square you will find the word-famous Prague Astronomical Clock - the oldest working astronomical clock in the world. You must patiently wait for the figures to move as the hour changes - it's a delight to see. Also, witnessing a Czech wedding is a memorable one. By the way, I also recommend that you visit and spend some time at night here. It's a totally different atmosphere.

Charles Bridge

From the Old Time Square, you're already near the very famous Charles Bridge. This iconic bridge is truly magnificent. From the street by the bridge, you will already see the Prague Castle on top of a hill. The view of the bridge and the palace is something mesmerising. When you cross Charles Bridge, it will lead you to a series  of streets which will eventually take you to the Castle. From this bridge all the way to Palace, your eyes will be tempted by the colourful souvenirs and original paintings by local artists. I was tempted so I bought one painting. It's a long walk, so I recommend that you stop in one of those local restaurants and enjoy a local beer and some dumplings.

Prague Castle

Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world, is very magnificent. I think no still pictures can capture its true beauty. What I find really interesting in this part of my tour is the changing of the guards. I was very lucky to witness them form in front of their head quarter and march towards the Castle. It was midday so if you wanna witness that, try to consider the time. Within Prague Castle is St. Vitus Cathedral.

St. Vitus Cathedral

St. Vitus Cathedral or the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert is the seat of the archbishop of Prague. The cathedral is a perfect example of Gothic architecture. While looking at it, I started asking how much the Catholic church and/or the government has to spend in preserving its natural beauty?

There are so many landmarks and monuments to see in Prague. I stayed there for two nights and three days and I think that should be enough for any adventurous travellers like me.

By the way, I also recommend that you try the ghost tours at night. I imagine it's gonna be exciting.

Facade of St. Vitus Cathedral

Suggestions

1. If you're visiting a city, study it first. Get a map and locate the all famous attractions. Hotels near the centre are mostly more expensive than those far or outside the city. So you need to consider your time and the means of transport in case you wanna save on cash and prefer staying in a much affordable hotel far from the city centre. This is true for all cities, by the way.

2. However, through all my travels, I learned and realised that staying in a hotel near or in the city centre has some benefits. For example, you can save on time and on cash for commuting.

3. Again, for travellers, I suggest that you walk and always carry a map. Wear your comfortable shoes and practice your sense of direction.

Paris - City of Romance

Who wouldn't want to visit Paris? I believe a lot of people would like to see Paris and indulge in its romantic atmosphere?

The Seine River

I am very lucky to see this very famous city more than once. But to tell you frankly, each one is always like the first time. I can't help but become excited whenever I see the Eiffel Tower.

OK, if you wanna go to Paris, the most important thing for you to do is to plan ahead your activities because there so many landmarks to see in this city and they're not very close to one another. I also suggest that instead of riding a cab which can be very very expensive, you walk or take the Metro. For example, from the Eiffel Tower, you can walk along the Seine River and you get to see The Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, and  Pont Alexandre III, which I consider to be the most beautiful bridge in Paris. This might take a day, so be sure you have a hearty breakfast and comfortable shoes.

Pont Alexandre III

There are other landmarks that are easily accessible to the Metro - Paris subway train, and I recommend that you use the Metro because it's very convenient and fast. What you need to do is to bring a Paris subway map and Paris map-in-one so you would know where to get off or where and how to change trains.

It happened to me once that I had to change train because the line which I was supposed to take was closed. It was close to midnight and there were very few people in the station and no one could speak English so I tried to study the map and found a way to reach my final destination. When it happens to you, do not panic. Study the map and I am sure you will find a way. Anyway, the ticket that you have is good until you completely exit the station, so as long you're in the subway, you can ride as many trains as you wish.


What to Remember While in Paris:

Souvenir Items from Paris

Well, always keep your belongings safe. If you're travelling alone, be very careful when exploring the city at night. Never ever entertain the "ring gangs". I call them the "ring gangs" because their modus operandi is to pretend that they found a ring in front, behind or near you and ask if that was yours. Well, it can be very tempting especially that the ring looks an expensive gold one. But in reality, it only costs a few euros. How will they get money? They would probably ask for a reward for finding the ring and if you refuse they will trouble you. So stay out of trouble and do not entertain them,

Authorities also warn about those street vendors. They remind tourists not to deal with them. Honestly, I bought some of my souvenirs from them and I must that they can be very demanding and annoying. Once you ask for the price, they won't stop and will follow you until you finally buy from them. My tip is to never deal with them if you're alone (especially female) and can not walk really fast.


Where and What to Eat in Paris

Ready-to-Eat Sandwiches

You will never go hungry in Paris! However, I must admit that for my budget and needing, the portion is very small and kinda pricey. So if you wanna save on budget, you settle for affordable food stalls that are scattered all over Paris. They offer delicious sandwiches and soda which can fill your empty tummy and provide you with the needed energy to stay up and energised. You can also prepare your own by buying cold cuts and fresh bread from this list of   supermarkets in Paris.

Where to Stay in Paris

Paris has a lot of hotels and they are mostly strategically located near a Metro Station. Hotels in Paris can be fully-booked during peak season so you might end up going from one hotel to another looking for a room, so make sure to book your hotels on time. . Because we travel on a tight budget, we stay in a simple hotel and that is Ibis hotel. They are scattered all over Paris. Why do we like Ibis? Well, we know it. It's not a surprise anymore. We know what to expect and it's pretty affordable. The rooms might be small, but for Asian travellers like me, I guess it's not an issue. They have free wifi, paid parking and the buffet breakfast is good. However, I can say that breakfast buffet differs from one branch to another. For example the breakfast buffet in Ibis Porte d'Italie is amazing.

My Impressions and Tips

The Eiffel Tower

I would say that this is the most prominent symbol of Paris. It was specially constructed for the 1889 World's Fair, but unlike other structures from the past fairs, the Eiffel Tower was not demolished after the event. Hence, we still see its magnificence up to this time.  By the way, in Manila, there's a bridge that was also designed by Gustave Eiffel, that's the Quezon Bridge connecting Lawton to Quiapo. Anyway, to get to the Eiffel Tower using the Metro, take the Trocadero station. For me, that station is the more convenient one especially if you wanna observe the Tower at night. The other station is Bir-Hakeim which is behind the Tower. Depending on the season, the Tower is illuminated with dazzling lights at around 22:00 (summer time). If you wanna go up the Tower, allot at least 45 minutes for the queue - I think there two separate lines for the entrance and for the ticket booth so you have to consider this also. To avoid wasting more time lining up, get there early. The view from above is amazing. What I enjoyed: Well, the mere view of the Eiffel Tower is something indescribable. It's like a fairytale-come-true. The trip by foot from Trocadero to the Tower passing through a bridge over the Seine is in itself very rewarding. Taking selfies from all sides of the Tower seems not enough to tell the world that you've to Paris. Looking at tourists as they pose for a souvenir shot is a site that I enjoy observing. Finally, going up the highest platform is simple exhilarating for me. The 360-degree view of the city is just breath-taking.





The Louvre

Entrance to The Louvre

A close picture of Mona Lisa using a
telephoto lens

Probably the best museum in the world.  I specially enjoyed The Louvre because of my Humanities and Mythology classes. I can appreciate not only the aesthetic side of the masterpieces, but also the historical facts associated to it. In Louvre, you can take pictures (with flash though) of most of the exhibits, unlike in Prado for example. And the Mona Lisa? Yes, it's there, but I was disappointed when i saw it. It was very small and I could not even get very close to it because it's enclosed in a glass and because of its prominence, hundreds of tourist-photographers were already ahead of me, taking their chance of having a selfie with her. My Tip: If you wanna visit The Louvre, allot at least 45 minutes and as I suggested earlier, get there early. There is a general-entrance ticket which entitles you to visit almost all the exhibits, but that doesn't cover entrance to special halls. Those who want to plan their visit ahead may purchase ticket online. If you really wanna maximise your time in the museum, allot one day so you can visit all the exhibit halls and appreciate all those masterpieces. Anyway, you will never go hungry inside.

Arc de Triomphe

Arc D'Triomphe

View from the Top of the Arc D'Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe in the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle  is probably the other landmark that best symbolises  Paris next to the Eiffel Tower. The arc is not only impressive; it is also very historic.  The tower reminds everyone of the heroism of those who fought during the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars. I was surprised to know that this 50-meter high monument has a museum inside. People can get to the top through a narrow stairwell. There is no lift therefore you need to endure the force of gravity as you ascend, but the vWhat struck me: The history behind the monument is something striking for me. Those names and events carved on the wall of the monument would remind the visitors of the fallen heroes and the past events that shaped the city.
iew on top is very rewarding. From there, you will see the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysee of course and the Sacred Heart Basilica from a distance.





Sacred Heart Basilica  

This gothic church is another landmark in the Montmartre area that I never fail to visit whenever I go to Paris. You can get there using the Metro (Montmartre Station). First, I wanna remind you that you must be fit if you wanna reach the basilica because you have to endure hundreds of steps before you can reach the Basilica itself. But the reward is a breath-taking view of Paris and of course, the Basilica itself. However, if you think you can not attain it, you may use the funicular for a fee.  What else to do: Well, aside from visiting the Basilica, I realised that souvenirs are cheaper in this area. So you can shop for souvenirs here. Beside the church is an area where Bohemian artists converge. Please strictly no photography. That's how serious they are about copyrights of their work and why not? They create excellent and original art pieces at a very affordable price. You can even have your portrait and yourself immortalised on a canvas while waiting for a sumptuous lunch or snacks. Speaking of dining, be sure to strategise your time. Lunch time can be very crowded in restaurants here which would mean waiting for several minutes to be served or find a seat. So consider modifying your lunch time.

Notre Dame de Paris

If you know Quasimodo and his adventures, then Notre Dame surely rings a bell. A piece of advice, if you wanna have a solo shot in front of the cathedral, get there very early before the tourists start flocking in. I must say the latest is 7:00. The entrance to the Cathedral is free, but you must queue up which is very typical in most popular tourist attractions in Paris. My Other Tips: Walk around the perimeter of the Cathedral. The sides and its rear are as architecturally magnificent as its facade. A few meters away from its garden (behind the church) are "love" bridges. I call them "love" bridges because they are studded with locks bearing the names of persons that I presume to be lovers or very close friends. What they do is that they get a lock with their names on it, hook it to the bridge and throw the key into the Seine River to symbolise their eternal bond. That's indeed very sweet. From those bridges, you will have a postcard-perfect view of the cathedral.

Well, I can write more about the other places in Paris that I visited, but I guess, I leave the rest up to you, my avid readers. If this excited you, go, pack your bag and fly to Paris.