Prague, Czech Republic – Bridges, Trdelniks and Garlic Cheese Sauce
Our next stop on our trip east was Prague, Czech Republic. We woke up and had our great European breakfast for the last time then boarded a train that did not have enough seats for the first 2 hours. We sat on our luggage in a hallway of the train along with many other passengers.
We checked into our hotel, dropped off our bags then went out into the city to find lunch. Turns out Czech food is not that popular. You are much more likely to find an Italian or American restaurant. Maybe we just don’t know where to look but in a desperate search we scarfed down bad pizza and pasta.
We walked around the city, toured some souvenir stores, and saw lots of crystal for sale. While we love getting popular souvenirs for the area we visit, all of the crystal did not seem to be very modern or anything we could use. Plus I had my heart set on some other souvenir later on in our trip….to be continued.
Since we had such terrible luck for lunch we Yelped a restaurant for dinner. Determined to try authentic Czech food. We ended up having the best meal of our trip. Neither of us were very hungry but oh my goodness I could have eaten that meal twice. The restaurant that shall never be forgotten is Mlejnice. I finally got a Cider, my preference, and we ate the most amazing Pork Tenderloin Braid Pierced with Garlic and Cheese sauce. The sauce was out of this world. If I ever learn how to cook a sauce half that good I will die a happy little Italian.
After dinner we had to try this cinnamon dough thing called a Trdelnik we had seen all over the city. It was like a funnel of puff pastry coated with sugar and cinnamon. Then, if you would like, they fill it up with ice cream, fruit and toppings. They are so large I could only eat half of mine. M highly recommends this sweet treat he couldn’t get enough of.
The next day we woke up to breakfast at our hotel then headed downtown. We visited the astronautical clock and a small nearby chapel. While everyone is staring at the clock and taking photos M yells into the crowd, “Does anyone have the time?”
We continued exploring downtown and came to the Vltava river. M and I enjoyed a couple pints at a lovely restaurant by the water before we headed up a steep hill to a cathedral.
Once we finally made it to the top it made for some pretty scenic shots.
We explored the castle a bit more then got some brats for lunch. Continuing down the hill M got another Trdelnik with ice cream. He munched as we sat in a nice shady park.
The next site on our list was the Charles Bridge. This beautiful old bridge was filled with ancient statues and modern vendors. We took some photos and once on the other side of the bridge we found a man walking down the street with a giant yellow cobra. No photos. We just freaked out and got out of there.
Later in the evening we explored a giant toy store, candy store, and possible dinner options. This was pretty difficult. There are plenty of restaurants in Prague but they all see to have either poor quality food or too crowded. Not too thrilled with the food scene in Prague. We finally found a restaurant but nothing great.
The night ended with gelato for me and a Trdelnik for M.
Overall thoughts on Prague: While we enjoyed our stay in Prague, it was not one of our favorite cities. On a positive note, there are many beautiful scenic parts. It can be enchanting and provide some of the greatest treats like Trdelnik or a garlic and cheese sauce. However there were some “dark alley” parts of the city that we worked to avoid. More so then the average city. Many restaurants appeared like cheap tourist traps and most of the visitors seemed like bachelor parties.