Prague

Next stop on our European adventure was Prague, Czech Republic. Known for it's incredible Gothic architecture, amazing shopping, sophisticated night life and arguably the best beer in Europe. Our city tour took us past some of Prague's most famous landmarks including the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock.

As we walked along the Charles Bridge, I marvelled at the 30 statues that line either side of the bridge. 41 saints, 8 Jesus figures and 3 Madonnas mark your progress as you walk across the bridge, exposing centuries of history. There is one statue in particular that lies in the middle, the statue of  St. John of Nepomuk. St. John of Nepomuk was a priest who served during the reign of King Václav IV.  He heard the confessions of many of the townspeople, including Václav's wife, Queen Sofia. Václav had suspensions that Queen Sofia was being unfaithful. Václav asked what the queen had revealed during confession. The priest refused to tell, saying it was confidential, so the king had the priest put in a dungeon and tortured. St. John of Nepomuk tried to strike a bargain: If the torture came to an end, he would tell one soul present in the dungeon what the queen had said. The king agreed, assuming the priest intended to tell him. But the priest asked that everyone present leave the room so he could whisper the secret to the king's dog. The enraged king ordered the torture to continue. Finally the priest died from his wounds, and at night was thrown from the Charles Bridge into the Vltava river. The statue is visited by hundreds of visitors each day, posing for photos. By touching the bronze dog, tourists can either make a wish, book a return to Prague, or ensure that a secret they have will never be told.

Charles Bridge, Prague

Standing on the bridge, looking over the Vltava River

The statue of  St. John of Nepomuk

In the Old Town Square stands the Old Town Hall Tower. Built into one side of the tower is the Astronomical Clock which dates back to the 15th century. Every hour on the hour, you can stand among the crowds of tourists and observe the procession of the Twelve Apostles. A small trap door opens and Christ marches out ahead of his disciples whilst the skeleton of death rings the bell.

Old Town Hall Tower and the Astronomical Clock

We couldn't visit Prague without experiencing it's legendary nightlife. We were taken on a pub crawl that started at a bar called the Drunken Monkey. There we played beer pong against a group of Americans (as a group of Aussies and Kiwis we were greatly disadvantaged!). We ended the night at Karlovy Lazne Club, the largest music club in Central Europe. One entrance fee gets you into five clubs on five floors including Discotheque (70's disco revival), Kaleidoscope (hits of the 60's-80's), Paradogs Club (house music) and Chill Out on the top floor. We were also introduced to the Beer Factory, where you can pour your own beer at your table.

My sister Courts and I outside the Karlovy Lazne Club

Shots with the girls at the Drunken Monkey

Before we left Prague, we were determined to experience some of Europe's best shopping. As we pounded the pavement in Wenceslas Square, I was in retail heaven. H&M, Zara, Topshop, Mango and MaxMara. After a couple of hours, I had almost doubled the weight of my luggage and left a dent in the credit card.

After a whirlwind 48 hours in Prague, we were headed to Amsterdam. But first back into Germany and the Rhine Valley.