PRAGUE, THE 25TH#2

Since I have been so bad about blogging I figure I owe you all one!  We, 3 OF US, left from Sofia by  plane the 24th of December and flew into Frankfurt Hahn, Germany.  If I remember right, I can go look and see if thE times are right but really don't want to right now, we boarded a bus at Frankfurt HaHN to take us to the train station.  We boarded the bus at probably about 9:30-10 and were on that bus about 2 hours.  Once at the train station we found a train to Prague at 1am.  I think we had a bit of a layover in the train station.  We were all at different stages of tired at this point!  Our train finally comes and we get on and pretty much went right to sleep.  The car was darK and it was pretty obvious we weren't the only ones traveling a long distance overnight.  I'm sure I slept, how much I can't be certain and I really don't think it was much; I just couldn't get comfortable.  We arrived in Prague about 10 am the 25th.  We had been snacking on basically junk and were ready for a substantial meal.  We had done some research on stuff to do in Prague before we arrived, and Rachel had been there before, and had found this beer club/restaurant type place and wanted to do that for dinner, so decided to get a light lunch and have an early dinner.  We headed off to find the hostel, leave our bags, and find some food while exploring a bit.  We left our bags and headed out and smack dab into the center to be confronted with this statue of this guy on a horse holding a Czech flag with TONS of red and white candles, flowers, and canned red stuff all over the ground in front of this guy.  Then it occured to us that "ohhhhh!  This must be the former leader of the Velvet Revolution Rachel's mother was talking about!"  His statue flowed into the Christmas market where we (finally) Got some food in our stomaches.  There were litTle tables set up so that you could eat.  We enjoyed traditional food, I'm assuming, and cups of hot mulled wine.  aFTER OUR LUNCH WE WALKED A LITTLE MORE AROUND THE CENTER/market and THEN headed back to the hostel to check in.  I have no idea why this is in all capitals...and no, my caps lock isn't on.    By thE time WE GOT CHECKED INTO OUR ROOM, THAT NIGHT WE HAD A ROOM TO OURSELVES AND GOT SOME GOOD SLEEP; AT LEAST i DID, AND GOT THINGS SITUATED A LITTLE AND HEADED OUT FOR AN EARLY DINNER IT WAS ABOUT 3:30-4.  THE BEER PLACE/RESTAURANT WAS VERY NICE AND THE WALLS WERE LINED WITH BEER BOTTLES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.  THE MENU OF COURSE HAD SOME FAVORITES LISTED AND, i'M NOT SURE HOW MANY TIMES WE WERE INFORMEND THAT THE CZECH REPUB. IS KNOWN FOR THEIR BEER, WE HAD TO TRY THEM OF COURSE.  I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT 2 OUT OF THE 3 OF US HAD COLDS WHEN WE STARTED THIS VACATION AND IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME!!!  EVERYONE KNOWS YOU ALL HAVE TO TRY EACH OTHERS FOOD AND DRINKS, ESPECIALLY THE RENOWNED BEER!!  THAT WAS A FUN NIGHT!  WE EACH HAD ANOTHER BEER (I LET JEZ PICK MINE OUT SINCE EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT A CONNOSEUR OF BEER I AM...NOT) AND SHE DECIDED I SHOULD TRY A COCONUT BEER.  IT WAS INTERESTING AND LED TO ALL DIFFERENT SORTS OF CONVERSATIONS SINCE IT WAS ALSO A "FAIR TRADE" BEER AND, LET'S FACE IT, WE WERE FAIRLY HAPPY BY THIS TIME.  I GOT A SOUVENIOUR (HOWEVER YOU SPELL THAT) BEER MUG.  WE DIDN'T DO MUCH AFTER DINNER SINCE WE WERE LACKING SLEEP; WE MAY HAVE WALKED AROUND A LITTLE MORE BUT BY THAT TIME IT WAS DARK (THANKS TO JEZ AND RACHEL WHO WERE THE NAVIGATORS PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE TRIP-FOR MY FAMILY OUT THERE, NO JOKES ABOUT MY DIRECTION ABILITY OR LACK THEREOF) AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE OUT TOO MUCH AFTER DARK IN  A STRANGE PLACE.  WE HEADED BACK TO THE HOSTEL AND BASICALLY FELL INTO BED.  I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF WHEN I SAY THIS WAS THE LAST GOOD NIGHT SLEEP I GOT UNTIL THE 30TH BACK IN BULGARIA.  THIS WAS THE 25TH OF DECEMBER.    IF I CAN'T BE WITH FAMILY OVER THE HOLIDAYS I'LL TAKE MY PEACE CORPS FAMILY!!  THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE LONGER THAN I REALIZED SO THE FULL DAY IN PRAGUE, THE 26TH, WILL COME NEXT WEEK...OR AT LEAST I'M REALLY TRYING FOR IT TO BE NEXT WEEK.  LOVE AND HUGS FROM HERE!!  TO MY FAMILY, IMMEDIATE AND EXTENDED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE!!