Prague, the Finale

The moving your kid across the world for college edition.

08/27/2023

Back to Prague for Move-in Day

We took the train from Vienna to Prague without any problems. The nearly four hour journey was relaxing and scenic. Upon arrival, we headed directly to DD#1s new student housing. She was so excited not only to see her new apartment but more to meet her roommate. Her roomie had become her best friend over social media for the past eight months. They were beyond thrilled to finally meet face to face.

The studio apartment was huge by US dorm standards. The exposed beams, skylights, kitchen, bathroom, and view made this something really special. Her share of the rent is less than $500 per month. Best of all is that it is in a very cute neighborhood that we would really get to know over the next six nights.

After all the excitement of getting checked in to the new apartment, mom and I walked a short five minutes to the Plaza Prague Hotel. This would be home for six nights. We had a great view and loved the quiet character of the neighborhood. It was around 80 Euros a night including breakfast, so quite a deal for Prague!

We walked to a nearby restaurant where we enjoyed dining with local families. The salad and schnitzel were yummy!

I went for a night walk to get a feel for the neighborhood in the dark. It felt safe, quiet, and surprisingly modern.

I discovered some incredible art on one of the new buildings.

We had a great night's sleep and were happy to be back in Prague

Letna Park and the Great IKEA Run

After a morning run, we enjoyed the huge breakfast spread at our hotel.

Today's big accomplishment was hitting IKEA on the outskirts of town to help outfit DD#1's new apartment. We took an uber to the giant IKEA with DD#1 and her roommate where we met up with her mom. We spent between 2-3 hours buying everything from shoe racks, a kitchen cart, to basic kitchen utensils and appliances. We hired an uberXL to take us and all the new gear back to the apartment. This affair took up a huge portion of our day. And I have no pictures to show for it.

Mom and I rewarded ourselves with a trip to Letna Park for happy hour. We found a beer garden that overlooked the river and city.

It was all lovely until a major thunderstorm rolled in. We were trapped under an umbrella with lots of locals for nearly an hour!

We had a simple dinner at the restaurant right next to DD#1's apartment.

After another night walk, I called it a day.

Charles Bridge, a Tower Climb, and a Grocery Run

After another huge breakfast, we took a tram to the old town where we crossed the Charles Bridge. It was such a pretty day!

We walked around Prague's lesser town before coming upon St. Nick's Church. I climbed the tower to the top and loved the history within the tower. There were two apartments in the tower that housed watchmen back in the day. From the top, there were explanations on how the tower was used during WWII for reconnaissance and communications. The views were incredible of the neighborhood below. I could even see the park surrounding the US Embassy.

Here is the church and its tower from the outside.

We took a tram across the river to do a little garnet shopping. Mom bought a couple pretty jewelry items to bring home. We passed a recommended bakery for a traditional kolache. I had a berry one and it was delicious.

It seemed to be happy hour already so we found a brewery on a boat! I had visited this place last summer so we checked it out once again.

We met DD#1 and her roommate at a large supermarket to help them buy groceries and supplies. This was another two+ hours dedicated to getting them set up. It was fun shopping like a local. Again, no pictures from this everyday experience.

After a break in the apartment, Mom and I walked across Prague's newest footbridge to the Karlin neighborhood to a nifty microbrewery/food cart place called Dva Kahouti. Highly recommended! The brews were fabulous and the food cards had some fun ethnic foods. I loved the bao buns.

Meanwhile, DD#1 was adjusting well to college life meeting new people, staying out too late, and getting moved in.

Fast Forward to the Last Three Nights in Prague

I'm skipping ahead past our time in Wroclaw and Dresden to our last three nights in Prague.

Bike Ride and Old Town

I started the day with a bike ride along the river. It was my first time biking in Prague and it was great! The city has lots of dedicated bike lanes and trails.

I even found people surfing on the river!

Mom and I took the tram into the old town and popped in and out of lots of churches. It was busy with tourists so we only lasted a couple of hours.

We took a break along Wenceslas Square where we found a cute balcony to have a coffee and lemonade.

We met DD#1 at a bank so we could help her open an account. It was an easy process but it took over an hour. We did a little shopping on the square and bought DD#1 a few more things for her apartment. We decided to return to the prettiest beer garden in Prague for another beer.

We took a tram to the tallest structure in Prague, the TV tower. We took the elevator to the top and took in the views of the expansive city. It was interesting to see how many apartment buildings were built around a park. You can see the strange crawling babies headed up and down the tower.

The cool hanging chairs were comfortable at the top of the tower.

Mom and I headed back to the apartment and mustered the energy to have a drink before getting takeout doner kebab for dinner. So good!

Last Day in Prague and One Hard Goodbye

Last European run for a long time. Oh how I will miss these views and running in new terrain.

I knew today would be hard. Getting DD#1 settled and ready for her new life in Prague was really the goal of this entire trip. I had to come to terms that we had done all we could to get her set up and ready for success. What an opportunity she has been given!

DD#1 met us for a trip to the Vysehrad Fortress and park. I had visited this area in the winter of 2003 and always wanted to return. The fortress is topped by a famous cemetery and a beautiful church. The grounds are a giant park with cafes, walls to climb, and beautiful views over the river and city. We took tons of pictures.

The interior of the church was stunning. Every surface had been thoughtfully painted. What a work of art!

We found Dvorak in the cemetery.

We stopped for a cold drink at one of the cute cafes. Oh how I'm going to miss this kid!

We used the metro a few times today and Mom was especially impressed with the longest and fastest escalators she'd ever seen!

We did a little last minute shopping for snacks and chocolate before finishing up our day. We found yummy potato croquettes for a snack and headed back to the beer garden for one last dinner with DD#1.