#this is the longest time ive ever spent on an edit i am so tired but also it was work it

[thegirlisuedtobe]

“Little by little, the old world crumbled, and not once did the queen imagine that some of the pieces might fall on her.” – Jennifer Donnelly

[exploring-vastness-blog]

No Sleep Guide: Prague Edition

Prague, Czech Republic. In the three nights you will spend there, you will stay up to watch the sun rise at a minimum of once. I am now herby renaming it the central European ‘city of no sleep’. If you love dancing all night, trying new kinds of liquor, and exploring new places, keep reading – this guide is for you.

Night 1: Thursday:

You arrive in Prague by train Thursday night around 9:30 p.m., and immediately take a taxi to your Airbnb. The apartment is crisp white and spacious, with a beautiful view of the Charles Bridge and Vltava, the longest river in the Czech Republic. The hunger for a meal heightens, as well as the thirst to explore, so you waste no time at the apartment, and begin walking along the river in search of an ATM. You find one just a couple of minutes down the street, and withdraw 4,000 Czech korunas, also referred to as Czech crowns or Kč.  Don’t be fooled by this seemingly high number, because Prague is a relatively cheap city. To put things into perspective, $1 is equivalent to 22.74 Kč, and most half liter draft beers cost less than 50 Kč; so if you are charged 50 Kč or more, you’re getting ripped off.  Many locations also accept Euros and credit cards, although smaller cafe’s and most clubs only accept crowns as a form of payment.  A sit down dinner is not a priority compared to your hunger, so you buy a bratwurst from a street vendor nearby, and the “hanger” quickly dissipates.  

Now that you have food in your system, its time to pregame. You make your way to U Sudu, an authentic underground cave bar. From the street, it appears as a small unassuming pub. Step inside, however, and you will find a seemingly endless maze of dark underground bars. You and your crew pick one, order half a liter of beer, and within no time befriend half of the people in the bar. Once the first beer has been consumed, everyone begins dancing to the early 2000’s throwback music that includes Britney Spear’s “Hit Me Baby One More Time”. Clearly this is not Czech music, but you don’t mind.

When the clock strikes midnight, you are ready to change locations. You head towards Club Roxy, prepared to get a better taste of what Prague’s nightlife has to offer.  Roxy has a great drink selection at the bar and a fun atmosphere.  When you walk in, go down the stairs to find a bar and many lounge areas. Descend one more floor, however, and you will find another bar wrapped around a dance floor. All of the light fixtures in Roxy contain vibrant neon pink light bulbs to set the club atmosphere. The base of this dancefloor pit is constructed of clear Plexiglas that shows video images plaing a never ending game of tag under your dancing feet. Make sure you try an authentic Absinth shot, as in the Czech Republic it contains a special chemical called thujone that is illegal in the U.S. No, it will not make you hallucinate, but you will be able to claim that you tried it in its authentic setting. The music here caters to the general public – only playing remixes of the top 100 songs. So hold off on this club if that’s not your thing. For the rest of you – you will love it.

Once your feet feel as if they might fall off and your ears begin ringing from the blasting music it is time to make your way back. Walking home is entirely feasible, but if you can’t make it back (for whatever reason), Uber home instead of taking a taxi. It will probably end up being less than $5. If you pass a Burrito Loco on the way home, do yourself a favor by grabbing a late night bite there, as it boasts some of the best Mexican street food you will find in central Europe.  

Day 2: Friday:

Waking up might be considered some form of torture after the little amount of sleep you got last night, but head over to Old Town Square and grab a cappuccino from a local café. This should at least begin to revive you. Add Bailey’s to your caffeine if you are one of those people who believe the hair of the dog is a hangover’s only medicine. Once  your zombie-like state has somewhat subsided, check out the astronomical clock in the square. This clock is the third oldest in the world, dating back to 1380, and is the oldest working astronomical clock in the world.  

Next, head towards the Charles Bridge to take a few shots of the most picturesque views the city has to offer, and be sure to purchase some handmade jewelry from the local artisans stationed there.  Charles Bridge was built during the reign of King Charles IV and was originally called Stone Bridge. The bridge connects Old Town and Prague Castle, and is decorated with a series of baroque style statues, a unique part of this historical hotspot.  

If you are a Beatles fan, this next part will have you hard core fangirling. Continue dragging your exhausted feet along the Charles Bridge and you will find a series of steps that will lead you along your way to the John Lennon Wall.  This wall is a study in grattifi overdrive-- Beatles lyrics, peace signs, and quotes. Bring a can of spray paint if you wish to leave your mark on it, or simply snap an  picture in front of this tribute. Once you feel as if you have spent enough time admiring the wall, head over to the John Lennon Pub nearby. The inside of the pub is decorated as such to resemble a yellow submarine, and Beatles memorabilia appears everywhere from the stained glass windows to the posters mounted on the walls.  

You are now exhausted from walking around all day, and should head back to your Airbnb to rest up a bit before dinner. On your way back; however, grab a Trdelnik from a Czech Bakery. Trdelniks are rolled pastries that are covered in sugar and stuffed with your choice of topping: Ice Cream, Nutella, jam, white chocolate, or whipped cream. Share it with a friend or two, or your dinner in a few hours will be out of the question.  

After you rest, make your way to Národní Kavárna. Order the handmade aglio olio pepperoncino pasta, and finish off your meal with a shot of Becherovka.  Becherovka is a high quality herbal digestive aid liquor produced in the Czech Republic that is served chilled after a meal.  It has a slightly spicy taste, but is also quite refreshing.  

Next up: Boat party. Immediately after your meal, walk over to Zephyr Bar for the boat party pregame, where you will be provided with an ‘all you can drink’ bar until 10:30 PM for just 25 Euro (this also includes the price of the boat tour).  Be prepared to be stared at for the next part, because the boat party crew will attempt to herd 150 boat partiers throughout the city to the port. Sit on the top level of the boat if you wish to enjoy the night time view of Prague, or go downstairs if you prefer to dance or drink by the boat bar.  Once the boat tour is over, the guides will lead you back to where you were last night, Roxy, but stray away from the group and make your way towards Karlovy Lazne – better known as the 5 story club. Although this is a touristy club, it is the largest one in central Europe, and is worth at the minimum stopping by. The first floor of the club is the ice pub, the second is mainstream music, the third is dance music, the fourth is hip hop, and the last is “chill out” music. Karlovy Lazne closes at 5 a.m., so if you are enjoying yourself you might unknowingly stay until closing time and once again watch the sun rise.  

Day 3: Saturday:

Prague has done it once again. You wake up too late to eat breakfast, and immediately head to lunch after getting ready for the day. Your first stop today is The P.U.B., which stands for Pilsner Unique Bar.  Each table has a draft beer tap built into it, and you compete against other tables to see who can drink the most beer. Order one of the large variety of specialty burgers to get your American food fix, then walk over to one of the most amazing sights in Prague: The Prague Castle. This castle is the largest ancient caste in the world, and is made of beautiful baroque style architecture. Its construction began in 870 and it was finally completed in 1929. Make sure you make your way all around its stunning grounds, and find the castle gardens. They offer a magnificent view of Prague from above, and are a peaceful place to rest your tired feet after days of walking and a night’s worth of dancing.  

For more above-city views, head to Letná Park, a biergarten on the same side of the river as Prague Castle just about 15 minutes away walking distance. Sit at one of the long bench tables and enjoy the overlook Staré Město with your friends.  After a few hours of relaxing brews and views, it is almost time for dinner. Tonight you will be dining at Charles Bridge Restaurant. As the name gives it away, this dinner locale is right next to the Charles Bridge, and the terrace seating puts you eye-to-eye with the river.  Order the salmon steak with mashed potatoes and spinach, the Frankovka Rosé, and the crème brulee for a complete meal of delightfulness.  Prepare to spend at least two hours at this restaurant, as it is slow placed and slightly understaffed.  

For your final night in Prague, take an Uber 15 minutes away to one of the most peculiar places you have ever set foot in: Cross Club. Outside of the club the first thing you see is a square clock rotating at 10 times the standard speed. This is open to interpretation, as it could be possibly hinting that time is relative, or that you are about to enter into the future. The latter makes sense once you step inside the club, as it has a futuristic, eccentric, almost post-apocalyptic design that follows a cyberpunk theme. The metal pipes and scraps compose the entirety of the club, and very much resembles the scenery of Tim Burton’s film 9. Sit in the outside terrace and people watch as you are most likely one of the only people that does not have dreadlocks, a septum piercing, and speak a European language. Order some shots at the bar inside and receive them in small, prescription like containers with a sealed top. Explore the two DJs stages at the bottom and main floor, and find an array of music being produced on the spot until 7 a.m. Once you are finally tired of clubbing, eating, drinking and exploring, make your way back once more for a one or two-hour night’s sleep before you have to check out of the apartment and catch the train back home.