Day 1- We arrived late morning to our hotel, the Hotel Julian, where our travel guide, Gabriella, picked us up to go explore the Hradcany or Castle District. If you're feeling adventurous, you can hike up the winding hill to the castle, but I would recommend taking the tram two stops to the Royal Gardens, so you can enjoy the view and pace yourself for the walking ahead. 

  The trees were blazing against the gray sky and the patina roofs of the castle outbuildings as we made out way inside the gates. The French gardens unfolded in an ordered pattern of hedged evergreens and crushed stone disturbed only by the Singing Fountain in the center (theory being that if you put your head under the fountain you will be able to hear it sing). We then made our way across the powder bridge over the Deer Moat (a beautiful city park, especially in the fall) and entered the Castle area proper.  

  St. Vitus Cathedral, as it exists now, was built in two phases, Gothic and Neo-Gothic, the later being finished in the 1920's. All the stained glass windows are modern construction modeling the medieval methods with the exception of the Wencelas window painted by the famous Czech artist, Edvard Munch. As you circle the ambulatory you can read the development of the Cathedral in its stone chapels. The pentagonal chapels give way to rectangular ones and you advance towards the Wencelas Chapel allowing for the building to shift ever so slightly to cover the original grave of the king. The crown jewels are also stored in this chapel behind the massive wooden door with seven locks, one key representing each of the seven main leaders of Prague. 

 We exited out the side door of St. Vitus on our way to the oldest church in Prague, St. George's Bascillica, where the original facade is still visible today. The interior was cool and quiet with rough limstone walls and a wood ceiling that seemed to inpire a hushed awe from the people moving in and out of the nave.

  We headed down the Golden Lane and back down the hill in search of a good lunch spot. We found a small pub, Arest, down the street from our hotel. The smoke filled subterranean pub served hearty goulashes and pork chops along with a colorful local crowd. 

**Beware, this is not a place for small children nor people who would like a quiet meal. If smoking bothers you be advised to try a restaurant with an outdoor patio as Europe allows smoking indoors.

There are also several grocery stores and fresh fruit markets tucked into the corridors along the street which offer great snack options with a great price. We then headed home with full bellies to sleep of the jet lag.

Day 2 - We left the hotel this morning set to explore Josefov and the Stare Mesto. We headed by Kampa Island on our way to see the Lennon Wall and the 100 hundred year flood marks from August of 2002.  We arrived in the Jewish (Josefov) district and got in line for the Old/New Synagogue and Cemetery. We waded our way through a sea  of display tables selling Golem candles and T-shirts as we waited our turn. It was disorienting, the sacred memory of a people obliterated by a communist/fascist regime juxtaposed with a burgeoning capitalism. The Old Synagogue in its simple way was one of the most powerful memorials. The walls are painted stark white with 80,000 names of victims with their cities and birth dates in red standing as a reminder to the not so distant past. Upstairs art work from the youngest victims depicting life as they experienced it. The cemetery was peaceful and reverent. The 12,000 mossy tombstone push out of the ground at all angles as people file past leaving stones or bits of paper holding prayers pushed into the Hebrew lettering. We then found our way to the Spanish Synagogue, the only synagogue still in use for the 1500 Jews left in the city. 

  We then set off for the Old Town Square to see the Astronomical Clock. The clock tracks the time, the sunset time, the phases of the moon, the zodiac signs and the seasons. If this wasn't impressive enough, the clock was designed in 1490 and is still accurate. We then left the tourist center for Wencelas Square, the main city boulevard, that acts as the nerve center for the modern city and Czech life. We needed to reserve our overnight train tickets for Krakow at the Hlavni Nadrazi. Remember, if you are traveling in a group, you must buy all the tickets at one time, usually at least 24 hours prior. If each of you buy a ticket for a sleeper car, there is no guarantee that you will be in the same compartment. Give one person the money for everyone and have them reserve all of the sleepers at once. Also, make sure to bring your own toilet paper on the train both just in case they run out and for paper towels. Hand sanitizer is also a great option, especially during flu season. The U.S. flu strain is NOT the same as the European strain. 

Day 3 - Our last day was a day to relax and shop for souvenirs. For breakfast we stopped by one of the local cukernias (bakery) near Petrin Hill for breakfast. Whatever you do, do not miss the pastries. Trust me, you walked plenty to earn at least one. After breakfst, we walked over to examine the Monument to Communism. It looks like a stair to nowhere with a statue of a man that melts away as it ascends the stair like individual personalities and uniqueness under a communist regime. It was very pointed and very elegant. Now, I didn't get a chance to hike Petrin Hill as the weather wasn't cooperating, but I would highly recommend it to anyone with a moderate fitness level. If you don't want to walk at least take the funicular up to the top.

We wandered the streets looking at crystal and amber and stumbled upon a very neat little art gallery in one courtyard of the main street leading to Charles Bridge. I would recommend shipping any art that you buy to ensure it gets home on one piece. We then grabbed a snack at the grocery, retrieved our luggage and headed to the train station. We left our hotel an hour before the scheduled departure time. During this time of the season and night,October and 9 pm, it was excessive, but better safe than sorry. Keep an eye on the track numbers then tend to change at the last minute AND make sure you ask the conductor which cars are going all the way through to your destination. They drop cars as they go. You don't want to be in a car that drops before you get to your final destination. If you don't have a lot of luggage take the subway. It is cheaper and faster - watch out for pickpockets, but if you have unwieldy luggage break down and get a taxi.

Things Prague taught Us:

1. The Castle could take an entire day if you let it. The basic tour of the castle, hitting the highlights of the famous stairway and the Black Tower used in the defenestration of 1618 and the two churches highlighted above are plenty, unless you are a serious history buff.

2. Hiring a licensed guide,especially for the first day, is a great option. The guide can take you around the city and introduce you to the different areas of the city. You can then go back on the subsequent days and spend more time seeing what you know you want to and less at those you don't.

3. Try to avoid taxi's. They are a rip off. Consider taking a group van from the airport to the city center. A lot of the time they will even drop you off at the front door of your hotel.

4. Make sure to visit the tourist office in Hradcany. They can tell you if and when the free music and theater shows are, as well as, sell you tickets. If you are traveling with your family, this is a great option as there are a ton on marionette shows throughout the city that cater to children.