Prague and Berlin - December 2012
Here are the pictures from our week in Prague and Berlin at the beginning of winter break. We had a great time exploring the cities. We were slowed down a bit by some illness... flu like symptoms, and pink eye, but all in all enjoyed our time.
- We got to Gatwick airport at a good time, leaving the house about 6am. But the flight delayed over an hour :(. It was coming from Milan, and I guess it was snowing.
- realised I forgot my kindle :(. Not the worst thing to forget as I don't usually have much time to read but I like having the option. Could use Paul' android if he isn't using it I guess.
5 hours after we left the house the plane finally takes off. About 1 1/2 hour flight. Captain says Weather is pretty yuck - 1 degree celcius and rain.
We land and the kids are thrilled to see snow on the ground. Easy passport control and we had a hotel transfer waiting for us, so it is super easy to get to the hotel.
I am very annoyed that my requested inter connecting rooms was not granted. Two huge rooms but the family can't be together.
Went out for yummy traditional Czech food of pork, goulash (and pizza). We had a tiny breakfast and skipped lunch so by 3 local time (2 at home) we were all starving.
After that walked across The Charles Bridge and through Old Town to the Christmas markets. It was So so crowded, we could barely wal. Maybe because it was Saturday night? We had a few of these supper yummy rolled danish-like local Czech treat, trdlnik.
Sunday.
It was a super long walk from the train through the meting, slushy snow with four young snow-loving children wearing shoes (read not boots) and regular non-snow gloves. Do you thing there were any snowballs thrown??? It was a great few of Prague, a cool grave yard, and lots of Local legends that Eva told us, including one about the Roman column and betting your soul with devil (with help from St. Peter), the Story of Sarka and other proverbs, and info about the Founding of Czech Republic. The super cool part was the Tour of the underground tunnels with **the Original statues of the Charles bridge**.
Went past the close Christmas market at Gendarmenmarkt then dinner at a Munich Bavarian place the Augustiner. We aren't in Bavaria, but Paul could never get the pork knuckle he wanted in Prague, and they have it here!
Wednesday
Breakfast at 8 and a 9am guided taxi tour of Berlin highlights.
Berlin is such a huge city in part because there used to be 2 of everything.
Saw: Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, Victory tower, monument to fallen Russia soldiers, Pieces of the wall, the Holocaust memorial, Hitler's bunker... we learned a ton.
After tour we went to local deptartment store to look for new buggy. They didn't sell any, then we took a Taxi to hotel. Paul isn't feeling well :(.
Went out for coffee and cookies. Checked email. No wifi around here! For dinner we walked to the Mcd's at Checkpoint Charlie.
Thursday
Anjie has pink eye :(.
We took a taxi out to the west side shopping area, as we are still looking for cool new buggy (the ones around here and further north have cool tires for snow). The we walked back towards Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Luckily Paul noticed the church, it is totally covered in scaffolding! Hit another Christmas market for lunch and ate at a pizza place.
Friday
9:30 tour, so a litter more time for breakfast :).
We took a tour of Potsdam plus neuer garden where treaty signed.
We had our driver drop us off at museum island and went out for Chinese. The quick tours of the Pergamon Museum and Neues museum. Yet another Buggy piece broken. Now we really need new stroller!!
Hit one more Christmas market - this one with a rather rickety ferris wheel... looked scary to me. Back to the hotel, and Tom has pink eye.
Saturday
Traditional 8am breakfast :). Paul has pink eye. Not enough time to do much so decided to go to airport. Usually there are things to do, but not here. We are way too early to airport. Can't check in for 1 hour.
It is Snowing!! And now our flight is delayed, of course! How odd, the flight was delayed because someone got on the plane without a ticket when it was arriving into Berlin. How do you get on a plane without a ticket??? They ask for your tickets and passports about every 50 meters.
The flight and transfers were fine, and we are home gearing up for Christmas and our next trip - we are leaving on Thursday for a week in Egypt!!
Here are the pictures from our week in Prague and Berlin at the beginning of winter break. We had a great time exploring the cities. We were slowed down a bit by some illness... flu like symptoms, and pink eye, but all in all enjoyed our time.
We have been wanting to go to both cities, and had heard amazing things about the Christmas markets in both cities. With Easyjet it is very easy to fly into one city, and home from another with not a second look. That's the kind of thing that might attract attention in the US.
Here are some notes from our trip...
Saturday, December 15, 2012
- We got to Gatwick airport at a good time, leaving the house about 6am. But the flight delayed over an hour :(. It was coming from Milan, and I guess it was snowing.
- realised I forgot my kindle :(. Not the worst thing to forget as I don't usually have much time to read but I like having the option. Could use Paul' android if he isn't using it I guess.
5 hours after we left the house the plane finally takes off. About 1 1/2 hour flight. Captain says Weather is pretty yuck - 1 degree celcius and rain.
We land and the kids are thrilled to see snow on the ground. Easy passport control and we had a hotel transfer waiting for us, so it is super easy to get to the hotel.
I am very annoyed that my requested inter connecting rooms was not granted. Two huge rooms but the family can't be together.
Went out for yummy traditional Czech food of pork, goulash (and pizza). We had a tiny breakfast and skipped lunch so by 3 local time (2 at home) we were all starving.
After that walked across The Charles Bridge and through Old Town to the Christmas markets. It was So so crowded, we could barely wal. Maybe because it was Saturday night? We had a few of these supper yummy rolled danish-like local Czech treat, trdlnik.
Sunday.
We are up before the sun - but it's already 7:15 as we want to get breakfast before we go on a tour of a castle just out from the city. We have a tour guide scheduled to help us learn more about the city - Castle Vyšehrad.
It was a super long walk from the train through the meting, slushy snow with four young snow-loving children wearing shoes (read not boots) and regular non-snow gloves. Do you thing there were any snowballs thrown??? It was a great few of Prague, a cool grave yard, and lots of Local legends that Eva told us, including one about the Roman column and betting your soul with devil (with help from St. Peter), the Story of Sarka and other proverbs, and info about the Founding of Czech Republic. The super cool part was the Tour of the underground tunnels with **the Original statues of the Charles bridge**.
We were tired after walking so much, we had lunch then back to rest in hotel, but a quick stop for coffee and fish feet! Those weird skin nibbling fish!
Luckily we were moved to connecting rooms. Thank you Rocco forte!
In the evening we walked up to Prague castle and had dinner (more traditional food) on way down the hill.
Monday.
Same routine - up for breakfast at 8 then meet guide at 9am.
We started our tour with a 90 min drive in a mini van with our guide to Kutna Hora. Anjie has something between a bad cold and the flu :(.
Our first stop was somewhere between cool and really creepy - the Sedlec Ossuary. Personally, I am going with pretty creepy. Then on to Saint Barbara church and a tour of the medieval town. Lunch for 7 including beer for 30 only euro. It is So much less expensive outside of Praha. And I was so proud of myself for recognizing that St. Barbara looked same as St Stephen in Vienna. Same architect for the 500 year old churches!
Other things about Prague
- there is graffiti everywhere
- English is common mostly only in Prague not rest of Czech Republic
- with guides we learn a lot more of local things
- Prague city center expensive but not outsude
- 90+ percent of churches in Prague are Catholic.
- weather. We missed the snow. 15 inches last week but just slush left. Kids throwing snowballs whenever possible. Just warm enough (3 ish). Maybe 35 or so to rain and melt. Not great when you have warm coats but not boots. Very low heavy clouds like Midwest.
Tuesday
Breakfast at 8.
Car at 9:45 to get to train station. Today is transfer day to Berlin. It is a 4 1/2 hour train but we have a 6-seater compartment. Perfect! Grabbed some cookies and treats at store plus there is a restaurant car.
Tuesday after train. Taxi to hotel. Took two. Train station new and beautiful. Near Reichstag parliament building. The Hotel is in a good location in Mitte. The two Connecting rooms were ready, but not the extra beds. Thankfully it was quickly fixed.In the evening we walked up to Prague castle and had dinner (more traditional food) on way down the hill.
Monday.
Same routine - up for breakfast at 8 then meet guide at 9am.
We started our tour with a 90 min drive in a mini van with our guide to Kutna Hora. Anjie has something between a bad cold and the flu :(.
Our first stop was somewhere between cool and really creepy - the Sedlec Ossuary. Personally, I am going with pretty creepy. Then on to Saint Barbara church and a tour of the medieval town. Lunch for 7 including beer for 30 only euro. It is So much less expensive outside of Praha. And I was so proud of myself for recognizing that St. Barbara looked same as St Stephen in Vienna. Same architect for the 500 year old churches!
Other things about Prague
- there is graffiti everywhere
- English is common mostly only in Prague not rest of Czech Republic
- with guides we learn a lot more of local things
- Prague city center expensive but not outsude
- 90+ percent of churches in Prague are Catholic.
- weather. We missed the snow. 15 inches last week but just slush left. Kids throwing snowballs whenever possible. Just warm enough (3 ish). Maybe 35 or so to rain and melt. Not great when you have warm coats but not boots. Very low heavy clouds like Midwest.
Tuesday
Breakfast at 8.
Car at 9:45 to get to train station. Today is transfer day to Berlin. It is a 4 1/2 hour train but we have a 6-seater compartment. Perfect! Grabbed some cookies and treats at store plus there is a restaurant car.
Went past the close Christmas market at Gendarmenmarkt then dinner at a Munich Bavarian place the Augustiner. We aren't in Bavaria, but Paul could never get the pork knuckle he wanted in Prague, and they have it here!
Wednesday
Breakfast at 8 and a 9am guided taxi tour of Berlin highlights.
Berlin is such a huge city in part because there used to be 2 of everything.
Saw: Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, Victory tower, monument to fallen Russia soldiers, Pieces of the wall, the Holocaust memorial, Hitler's bunker... we learned a ton.
After tour we went to local deptartment store to look for new buggy. They didn't sell any, then we took a Taxi to hotel. Paul isn't feeling well :(.
Went out for coffee and cookies. Checked email. No wifi around here! For dinner we walked to the Mcd's at Checkpoint Charlie.
Thursday
Anjie has pink eye :(.
We took a taxi out to the west side shopping area, as we are still looking for cool new buggy (the ones around here and further north have cool tires for snow). The we walked back towards Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Luckily Paul noticed the church, it is totally covered in scaffolding! Hit another Christmas market for lunch and ate at a pizza place.
Friday
9:30 tour, so a litter more time for breakfast :).
We took a tour of Potsdam plus neuer garden where treaty signed.
We had our driver drop us off at museum island and went out for Chinese. The quick tours of the Pergamon Museum and Neues museum. Yet another Buggy piece broken. Now we really need new stroller!!
Hit one more Christmas market - this one with a rather rickety ferris wheel... looked scary to me. Back to the hotel, and Tom has pink eye.
Saturday
Traditional 8am breakfast :). Paul has pink eye. Not enough time to do much so decided to go to airport. Usually there are things to do, but not here. We are way too early to airport. Can't check in for 1 hour.
It is Snowing!! And now our flight is delayed, of course! How odd, the flight was delayed because someone got on the plane without a ticket when it was arriving into Berlin. How do you get on a plane without a ticket??? They ask for your tickets and passports about every 50 meters.
The flight and transfers were fine, and we are home gearing up for Christmas and our next trip - we are leaving on Thursday for a week in Egypt!!
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