Prague (or Praha in Czec)

Hello everyone!! That's right, I'm in Prague. Except here all the signs and souvenirs and stuff say Praha in stead. This is by far the most beautiful city I've been in so far. I have so many pictures. We're not out doing as much stuff here, not going to specific places other than the castel because this whole place is so amazing and old. It was a Communist country up until I think the 90's...or something like that. They were totally within the Commy regime, and now they are free, and it's so cool!! The economy is booming and all that, but because they were so cut off before with the politics of the place, it is still all very old, very much stepping into the past. Again, I have so very many pics. The castle is amazing...it's in the old Gothic style of architecture. I don't know if many of you have seen real Gothic architecture before, but it's the really spiky kind, with gargoyles and peaks and stained glass everywhere!!! OMG!!! So happy!! The streets here are all windy and cobblestoned, there are big streets that have horse drawn carriages and cars on them, and then tiny little streets no wider than a bike path but that are lined with shops and stuff. I so love it here. I bought myself my one expensive take home item here. I knew I wanted to get a piece of jewelry from my travels and I thought I'd get it in Italy, but Prague is just so unique and different and not a place that everyone goes to. I got a ring with garnets set in silver, which was totally made in Prague using materials found in the surrounding area. So cool. I love it! Going to have to get it resized though, I wanted it for my thumb, but they didn't have different sizes in the tiny shop we were in. Ah well.

Last night I actually got to play cards with Steph, Lynn and Geoff. Steph and Geoff are both from Australia, Steph's been my buddy since day one and Geoff is the most polite guy on the whole tour, Lynn is one of my fellow Canadians, she's from Ottawa. So yaeh. Great bunch and we played a game that Geoff taught us and I showed Steph and him how to play 9, 5, 2, whoo hooo!! I got people to play with!! It was wonderful. I confused the hell out of the bartender at the small pub in the downstairs of our hostel last night. They don't really do mixed drinks here. There's beer and wine and strait booze...I don't really care for beer or wine or strait stuff, so I wanted to order juice and a shot of vodka and put them together (yes yes everyone, I have had drinks on this trip, no I haven't gotten drunk, but I've managed to find some nice things when we've been out so that I can be social with the rest). The bartender had no idea what I was on about. I finally had to basically point to stuff in the fridge and be like "a glass of that and a shot of that" and just mixed it myself at the table. Sigh...so complicated apparently. Everyone was giving me a hard time for being so picky lol. Tonight we're apparently all going out to this club near the river that's...get this...FIVE STORIES!!! That's right, five stories of a single club, with different kinds of music and ambiance on each floor. Should be interesting. I think people are going to be hurting on the bus to Munich tomorrow. Actually, people have been hurting most nights...they just don't seem to be able to take a night off of getting smashed. Crazy Aussie's! I can't do what they do, so I just tag along, have one drink (occasionally two) and have fun. They've spent so much money on alcohol I don't know how they do it!! Anyways, I'm going to leave off this post for now because it's a million degrees here in Prague.

Love and miss you all!!
Mom-hope inventory is going well!!
Dad-no floods, just say NO!!
Dez-hope that pie was good, but it doesn't compare to the desserts I've been having!! Chocolate covered things and crepes of all descriptions and pastries and gelato...you'll never catch up m'dear!
Eric-(he might not read this, but Margaret, I'm sure you'll let him know) I finally found the perfect little souvenir for you!! Nothing too crazy, but it was too cool to resist.
Okay...really, that's all!!