My parents came to Prague last week, and it was so much fun hanging out, catching up and showing them around. It was a pretty funny experience to act as the tour guide and explain things like Czech customs, history, food etc to them since I’m used to them acting as the guide whenever I’m traveling with them. The weekend was filled with lots of different wine and beer, and of course good food. Out of all the new restaurants I tried out with my family this weekend, my favorite was probably Kalina. We went to this restaurant for my mom’s birthday (her birthday was last Thursday). It’s French-style Czech cuisine, right off of Old Town Square. We weren’t originally going to go there, but all the restaurants we had intended on trying were full. I’m guessing it’s because it was Easter weekend. It’s actually kind of funny that the one restaurant we didn’t need a reservation for was the fanciest one, but I’m not complaining. It was a restaurant I probably would not have had the chance to go to otherwise, so I’m grateful I had the opportunity to. I highly recommend to anyone who’s in Prague and looking for a place to go to for a special occasion. The service was amazing and the food was so artfully made and everything we tried was delicious. I tried the lamb shoulder, which was super tender and flavorful. I felt like I was in Japan again with the small portions. Yet, I was quite full by the end (maybe it had something to do with the giant platter of cheese we got as dessert…).
The yummy wine
Appetizers– puff pastry filled with pate, cream cheese and salmon wrapped in avocado and topped with caviar, and unidentifiable fois-gras type thing.
My dish– lamb shoulder
Happy birthday to my mom!
On Friday I showed my parents Vysehrad, the area that my school is located. It’s actually a pretty big tourist attraction because of its history. It is where people first settled in Prague, and where the first castle was established before the current Prague Castle was built. I’ve never actually took the time to properly explore the area so I got to see some parts I hadn’t seen before. I went inside St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, which is right next to my school, and the inside was amazing. It has Gothic architecture with Baroque-style art– the grandeur of it was very impressive. There were also several overlooks that give great views of the city.
Vysehrad fortress wall (with church in the back)
View from one of the overlooks
On our last day together, I took them to a farmer’s market that has a lot of really good food and drinks (including tons of samplers). I made my family try kolac, which is a traditional Czech cake, and I tried a mango muffin from one vendor and spinach quiche from another. Both were delicious, but I’m definitely going back for more of that mango muffin because it was unreal.
I also took them up to Petrin Hill to go to the Petrin Tower. I had been there once before already, but I guess I forgot just how much of a hike it is. I was pretty tired by the time we got to the top of the hill. I’m glad I got to go again though, because this time all the flowers were in bloom, which made the journey to the top a lot more enjoyable.
It was a short couple of days, so I’m hoping I showed them the best of Prague and that I didn’t leave too much out. I hope I get another chance to show my parents around some day 🙂
This weekend I’ll be heading to Barcelona with Morgan, which I’m super excited about. I’m ready for some good tapas, sunshine and the Mediterranean lifestyle. We’ll see if I remember any of the Spanish I learned in high school. Adios amigos and hasta luego!
Spring 2014: Prague 