Hello and welcome to my travel blog that stubbornly refuses to modernise and become an Instagram or TikTok account. Apparently the peak blogging era ended around 2012 so I'm only a decade behind. Keep it going for another decade and maybe this blog can become a retro curiosity.
For the first time in several years (and definitely this side of the pandemic) I went on a solo trip, something that felt slightly odd at first. We had a child nearly 18 months ago and so all trips away have been as a family. Now, that is all well and good and very enjoyable but so is the odd bit of solo backpacking. This blog is called the Inane Babble of a Backpacker after all, not the Inane Babble of a Man Clinging on to His 30s Who Goes On Nice Family Holidays. Maybe that can be the Instagram/Tiktok account.
Prague is somewhere I feel like I should have been before now, it's almost remiss of me not to have been there. The flights there were cheap and cost of accommodation, eating, sightseeing was very reasonable too. Around £2-£3 for a beer was fairly common. And it's very walkable if you're concentrating on the main sights either side of the river.
My accommodation was in Praha 2, just outside the Old Town area about five minutes from the National Museum. It turned out to be a great location for food and drink options without paying the inflated prices of the Old Town. In fact, I was staying just around the corner from the gothic Church of St Ludmila, the first picture below. And then below that you'll see the first mistake I made...
The Church of St Ludmila.
I'd seen someone raving about these ice-cream filled doughnut cones online and made it a priority to try one for myself. Unfortunately I wrongly chose a cream-filled rather than ice-cream filled option, complete with strawberries and chocolate sauce. It was a LOT of cream and the regret kicked in long before I'd finished it.
Prague's Astronomical Clock beside the main square in the Old Town. Been telling the time since 1410 – that's a lot of time.
This was just outside the Franz Kafka museum and is a sculpture of two men urinating at each other. Didn't find out why, just took the photo and enjoyed the scene. The base looks like the outline of the Czech Republic and I could google it to find out more but I'm not going to.
Sunset over the Vltava River, which runs through Prague. Prague Castle is on the hill in the distance.
The National Theatre, with one of the local trams going past.
Praha means Prague in Czech, which is why I took this photo. And a tram just happened to be passing to add a bit of extra je ne sais quoi to the picture.
The Dancing House in Prague, designed by architects Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry. You know what? This building was a bit underwhelming. There, I've said it. I expected more, walked a fair way to see it and it was just a bit 'meh'.
The Electric Sheep Book Bar - great cocktails and live music, delicious chocolate covered pretzels, plus a three legged dog wandering around looking for all the attention it can get. What more could you ask for?
One of the 30 Baroque statues that are dotted across the famous Charles Bridge. Also one of the earliest known examples of doing bunny ears over someone who doesn't know it's happening, captured in stone.
Aerial view of Prague from the tower of St Vitus Cathedral in the grounds of Prague Castle. Climbed about 250 steps to get to the top of that tower but the views were spectacular.
I suppose there has to be a photo of me in there somewhere to prove that I actually went. A few more grey hairs since the last solo trip, hoping to one day attain 'silver fox' status. Prague in the background again, taken from the top of St Vitus by a passerby who looked like they knew what they were doing with a camera and wouldn't steal my phone.
Part of the Waldstein Garden, next to Malostranka Station.
Water-level view of the Charles Bridge from a little boat tour I went on. Ice cream and a beer included in the ticket price, lovely stuff. Need to update their audio tour though, still referencing Queen Liz, gawd bless 'er.
Front door goals.
Sculpture of Sigmund Freud suspended over a road. Easy to miss when you're walking by at street level, let me tell you.
I loved the design of this Metro station so I made a little video and it turned out very well. Almost looks vaguely professional.
Czech stew and dumplings. Very hearty Eastern European fare - probably not first an obvious pick in the middle of summer but I was determined to try some while I was there.
On my final night I walked up the hill into the middle of a park called Riegrovy sady, where loads of people gathered to watch the sun set over Prague with a drink or two. Castle in the background again. Fire juggling guy in the foreground, low-key smell of weed wafting about, you get the idea.
Interior of the Spanish Synagogue. Very impressive and blingy.
My flight leaving Prague was delayed by two hours so I had some time to kill before I went to the airport. And just so happened to be near the Prague Ghost Legends Museum. I kind of hoped it was going to be one for the enjoyably shit category of museums and it did not disappoint on that front. Although it didn't kill much time before my flight either as I was done in about 25 minutes. This exhibit accurately demonstrates what I would look like if I were a ghost.
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