I think I'm going to divide up our vacay posts by location (Prague, Bratislava, Budapest) and by quality of photos (my point and shoot vs. Dave's fancy pants camera).
So, I thought I got an amazing deal on Jet2.com airlines when I snagged our flights from Newcastle to Prague for 99 pence each (each way), but it turns out that they nickel and dime their first customers to death so that they will never want to fly with them again. We just carried on "hand luggage" because carrying on an official overhead bin type of carry-on was expensive and actually checking a bag was extortion. I actually wore Allison's clothes, shoes, and accessories all week, and it was so FUN!
Despite our attempt to pack light, to make a long story short, we paid way more than three-pounds-ninety-six-pence-please-thank-you, including, but not limited to, a hefty 17.50 pound fee EACH for not having a printed boarding pass with a bar code on it when we checked in.
I wanted to cry. I was so sick of British mean-ness (Do you remember my FB whinge about the mean library lady who called on security on me because I didn't "have a booking" on a computer in a half empty lab?) and ready for some freaking sun and some smiles from some natives already.
Thankfully, I didn't cry. Instead, Nathan and I hung out at the Newcastle airport for about three hours (I'm crazy about being early, plus our flight was delayed) watching people young and old get totally drizzunk before the flight. There were a lot of lads' and ladies' trips. By that I mean, there were lots of large single-gender groups of people with matching t-shirts going on holiday together. That was kind of weird to see, but I guess it's totally normal in the UK.
We arrived in Prague with no problems. The airport was eerily quiet although there were lots of people padding about. Then I heard a shriek, "HEEEY!" My eyes darted to where I heard the noise, and it was Allison with her hand over her own mouth, most decidedly tagging herself as a stereotypically loud American.
We rode with some smelly Eastern Europeans on the bus/metro/tram from the airport to town and got to sightseeing straight away.
This is the John Lennon wall. Apparently there are lots of people who tag it with his picture and lyrics. Although... I don't recall hearing "One Love, One Swagg, One Hustle" before. GANGSTA!
I'm terrible at knowing the names of all of these places. Nathan and I did absolutely no research for this trip. I booked our flights (and did a pretty bad job, if you ask me) and gave Allison our budget, and she and Dave took care of everything else. It was a complete marriage saver. Nathan and I are horrible at planning and taking vacations together. I don't want to talk about it anymore.
Moving on!
Something else cool
Me and Al Pal
Nathan and Dave
I think you can definitely see this winter's padding on me in this picture, but I love how Nathan's arms are around me, so it made the cut.
Gorgeous view. Any time you see my hand reaching around to my behind, it's just me holding my insulin pump back there so you can't see it. I didn't want a third party in my vacation pictures, but sometimes I forgot.
Hey girl!
Business in the front, party in the back! Our first mullet sighting. It wouldn't be the last.
Something else cool
Something Jewish and cool
A nice view on our free walking tour. If you're ever in a big European city, do a free walking tour. The guides just do it for tips, and Nathan and Allison were soon scheming about how Nathan could start a business doing the same thing in Durham.
We saw a huge man walking a huge dog on our after dinner walk. It's an Irish Wolfhound, and this picture does it absolutely no justice regarding its size.
We rented a paddle boat the next day, our five year anniversary. It was so fun to celebrate with Dave and Allison!
Here's Nathan, working hard.
We went to a Thai restaurant for lunch, and we got sticky mango rice for dessert. Yum!
Up to a rose garden near the Eiffel Tower of Prague.
Beautiful friend and beautiful roses
The first picture of the four of us. We forgot the camera extender.
Gorgeous flowers
Our tram ticket was valid for 75 minutes, but we barely missed a tram down at the 73 minute mark, and by the next time a tram came, it had been 78 minutes. The angry lady kept saying, "NOT VALID! BUY MORE TICKET!" So we walked all the way down on principle.
Some other cool building
I took down my braided bun, and this is the craziness I was left with. It looked good for about five minutes, and then it just looked kinked out and flat.
The next morning Allison took me to breakfast to celebrate my belated birthday. She ordered the "healthy breakfast" and it came with about ten plates of nuts and seeds and other tasty things.
Let's hear it for crazy food pictures!
As Paulette said on the FB comment, "Classic Nathan."
Stained glass in a big church
Middle school kids playing with fire in the big church.
Middle school kids seemed to be following me around the whole week. They were everywhere! I didn't really mind except when some German kids were pounding Red Bulls and picking what looked to be JuJuBees out of their braces and giggling hysterically on the train from Budapest to Prague at 5:45 in the morning. Then I wanted to be their teacher and tell them to pipe down for crying out loud. Too bad I didn't know how to say that in German.
This is a giant metronome with the words "The Tears of Stalin" underneath. Interesting choice. I don't know why it's in English. Just big question marks all around here. All I know is that there used to be a statue of Stalin there, and now there's a metronome.
One of the weirdest posters I saw while in Prague
Nathan hijacked the camera to take this picture.
On a dinner cruise on a river boat
Prague was wonderful! We left to head toward Bratislava the next day, but I'll be sure to get some of Dave's amazing profesh pictures before taking you to Slovakia.
