Rest Day...

(we'll link pictures soon...)

 

In an effort not to get too behind after the huge internet binge in Prague (20+ hours of computer time), here's a quick update.

 

Spent 15 hours yesterday getting from Prague, in the Czech Republic, to Luzerne, Switzerland. We had a 2.5 hour layover in Munich, allowing us a brief chance to walk around the city and to (drum roll please.....) turn on our Eurorail Pass. (This is very exciting, as it means that the travel category of our daily budget ought to get a bit of a break and we can spend less time in line for tickets.) We discovered an additional benefit on the train from Munich to Zurich to Luzerne: because we are over 26 years old, we are required to buy 1st class eurorail tickets (when we would have much preferred, and been perfectly happy with second class ones). So, on both the trains last night we sat in the first class cabins, which were definitely roomier and nicer than what we were used to. Though we would rather not have had to spend the money, as long as we had to pay for it, we're certainly going to take advantage of it!

 

A couple of words about Prague (Brian might add more later). I would say the biggest reaction we had was regret that we hadn't been able to explore the city 5 years earlier (or at least visit in November or something outside of tourist season). It's a beautiful city with loads and loads of history just oozing out of all the cool architecture and side streets. But we simply couldn't get past the crowds (there are a couple examples in Flickr under the Prague tag). It's hard to look around and appreciate what you are seeing when you are being bumped into constantly. It got a little better over in Mala Strana, which is the area that Jon and Lori really enjoyed on their honeymoon, but we weren't over there much. Because it was grey and raining most of the time, we weren't really able to find a peaceful corner of a park or a cafe or a riverside bench and read or enjoy the people watching.

 

Plus I think we're both a little worn out at the moment. Except for our 2.5 day oasis in Cesky Krumlov, we've been in big cities for the past couple of weeks (Krakow to Budapest to Vienna to Prague) and we're ready for something a little lower key. 2 weeks up in the mountains sounds like just what the doctor ordered.

 

(We did have some good people watching our last night in Prague at a bar with 20 drunken Swedes and a few assorted Czechs watching Sweden play the Czech Rep in an international (soccer) friendly up on the big screen)

 

Tomorrow we head up to Gimmelwald.  Wish us clear skies and good hiking.

 

Becca

 

(Brian's two Swiss Francs:

So we're doing important stuff right now like eating berliners.  Currently in Luzern Switzerland and headed up to Gimmelwald for six days of hiking and sheep sightings in a town of about 100.  Staying at the Mountain Hostel that has been hyped by this site (who's definitely drinking the Alps kool-aid))

 

Please don't be too jealous of us in the meantime!