Praha Princesses

In the morning I awaited the arrival of my dearest Arielle! After that little smush picked me up at my hostel we were ready to go! Off to Bohemia Bagel we went!!! We got great brunch, caught up (must read Arielle's blog to hear about the Hungarian Catastrophe which is comical), and decided what we should do the whole week. Arielle and I walked around town and by the castle and what not on our way to the TOY MUSEUM. When we got there let's just say it was a little bit of a let down. The toys were creepy, they didn't have good facts. It was like this doll used to come on the train sets in the 1920s. Or this is a Christmas tree with ham hanging on it. Like not really anything exciting. However, when we went up to the second floor - my mind was blown. BARBIE LAND!!! The first barbie ever, bill clinton barbie, nascar barbie, barbie with a fetus inside her barbie, dior barbie. Like it was a dream come true for Barbie lovers like myself. However, I am so glad Barbie has changed her style throughout the years because the first barbie ever would now be considered ax murderer barbie. 

After exploring a little more Arielle went to class, while I just hung around the hostel anxiously awaiting 7pm because I was meeting up with GAIL AND BRUCE LEVIN. That is right - the levin's were in Praha. So I casually met them at the clock tower (which is by far the most overrated thing ever - like you really want to stand there to watch a skeleton ring a bell and then little men shake their heads as the clock turns to the next hour? Talk about medieval entertainment. Youtube pleaseeee). Bruce, Gail, and I sat at one of the outdoor restaurant tent things and had a nice cup of hot chocolate with rum. Arielle came and met up with us and then after a few hours we parted our ways with the Levins. But it was great to see them - sorry you missed out Danni (all we did was shit talk you anyways).

Arielle and I trekked back to her dorm and got Baguette Boulevard - which I wish that sweden has some nice cheap sandwich shop that isn't subway but whatevs. After a struggle of getting people out of their beds we attempted to go out - but the pub was closing in 20 minutes when we got there so obviously Arielle, her friends, and I went to their late night hang out - KFC. Yeah I know weird right cause all KFCs in the states closed and are bankrupt and like Kentucky Fried Chicken in Prague - but whatevs. At closing - which I would say closing at KFC is like a last call at bars - we headed back to her dorm.

In the morning Arielle went to class and I stayed snug in her bed until it was time to meet her for brunch. We went to her favorite cafe, Cafe Savoy, and the french toast was actually out of this world. We split french toast and a spinach, garlic, onion omelet. This place was great, words can't describe. Well actually they can but I won't. Arielle and I then tried to figure out what we should do for the day that was cultural. But it was kinda gloomy so what we did was get a thai massage. 

Let me explain this thai massage fiasco - so first, they are everywhere in Prague! It will be like 8 Euro Thai Massage so like that's tempting right? So Arielle and I were determined to try them. So we find this cute little one off of Old Town Square with lots of Buddhas and pretty stuff. We decide to get just the 15 minute foot and leg massage for 8 euros. It was great! And like great is an understatement. If I lived in Prague - weekly occurrence. So as Arielle drank our tea and basked in our late afternoon foot rub bliss - we decided we had to get the back massage. They have us a discount so like $15 for a 30 minute back massage. Done. So after our couples massages and our second cups of tea we were ready to take on Praha.

Which means we went to the Communism museum. It was a cool, it was a lot of reading. Not something I would recommend for people who are only going to be in Prague for a limited time, but worthwhile if you will be there for more than a couple days and if you like history. After that we went back to the dorm and went to this Italian restaurant near her dorm. We decided to get take out which was totally the move - way faster and then we could eat it in the comfort of our own bed. 

Then it was time for what I had been pumped for since day 1 of booking my trip - THE ABSINTHERY! So many of you know that there is a special kind of absinthe that is illegal in the states, that is obviously what we had to try. What I found upsetting about the absinthe is you get about a little more than a shot, but you are supposed to sip it. Like ewww idk why I would do that - not good. Wait rewind, so you ask for the absinthe, they pour it in a cup (at this point it is green). They then light it on fire and melt a sugar cube through a cool absinthe spoon. It was really cool watching it be on fire. Then eventually it turns brown and ready for you to drink. It is warm though which is not what I like but whatevs and it tastes like black licorice which is fine if you like black licorice. 

After the absinthery we went to Chateau Rouge - this random bar. It was fun. But let's just say there are some things you can find more easily there an a cannoli in Italy (circa to when Amanda and I spent an hour looking for cannolis). But like accessibility was key at Chateau Rouge. Once we left Arielle forced me to get a fried cheese sandwich because apparently it's a thing. It was good - I would have preferred some sauce because a mozzarella stick in a bun isn't the best but whatevs. The weirdest part was Arielle asked for a sausage, a single baby sausage, and they gave her a 4 sausage sandwich. She then took 3 bites and offered it to some random guy on the street. I told her not to cause that's weird - but the weirdest part was the boy took it and ate it. Like granted Arielle doesn't seem like a criminal who will drug your food or put glass in it. Still it was weird. Then it was bed time.

In the morning I met Arielle and her friends at Choco Cafe for lunch. Brilliant idea of a restaurant. They serve this hot chocolate that is basically just melted chocolate in a cup - I got mine with strawberries and bananas. It isn't the consistency of pudding, more soupy, but not the liquidiness of actual hot chocolate. It's like fondue maybe. Idk but it was good.

So after Choco Cafe (which was like 2 hours later - cause it's amazing). Then we walked around and went up to this amazing look out by a castle and church. You could see all of Prague and there was cute little walking paths (so no falling down a massive muddy hill fiascos occur again). We spent a long time just looking out and walking around this area because it was so cute.

So we went back to the dorms eventually and waited for Cori (Arielle's amazing roommate- hi Cori!!!!) to come home because she had been with her dad and brother all week. For dinner we went to this fun little restaurant where you cook your own food. I was lazy and ordered a burger (but like it was one of the best burgers ever if that is any consolation). So like Arielle and Cori had a burner at our table and they would just cook their own chicken it was cool. Then we had to stop at KFC so Arielle could get wifi and BAM! Congratulations on the Teach For America internship this summer Arielle - so proud. So we decided to get celebratory desserts at the easter market. Chocolate covered bananas on a stick was prime.

Back to the communist dorm we go to get ready to go out for the night. We were going to a club Retro - which is totally the scene on Wednesdays (Hi Kath Sherbin, Hi Jess Ruiz). I would now like to rename Retro Wednesdays as "make out with a czech boy" wednesdays. Literally the only thing going on in that club it seemed like. But whatevs. Retro Wednesday was a good time. Then obvi we got late night at KFC - but like whatever we ordered was not what we wanted. Arielle kept saying "Be Smart Box" because it was supposed to be fries and tenders but Cori got a sandwich in a hot dog bun and I got a chicken wrap but whatevs. All I know is the white dipping sauce is the shit. Then it was KFC closing time. So we hopped on the tram - passed out - and woke up 20 minutes later and were the most ready for bed.

In the morning I packed as they got ready for class and then we parted our ways. I had a great time though, Prague was quite the success - and even more of a success is - guilty confession time - I didn't buy a metro/tram/bus ticket once, thanks for the honor system Prague.  So shoutout Arielle and Cori for letting me stay with them!!! Couldn't have asked for a better time.

As for now, I am back in Sweden just preparing for my exam on Thursday and chilling out enjoying the cold the never ceases to stop. Otherwise life in Sweden is the same old same old - meatballs, pancakes, nations, ikea. You know the drill.

Until next time….

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Running Praha Solo

Walking 45 minutes at 5am to the train station to catch a bus to the airport is how my trip to Prague started. With 2..5 hours of sleep, I was ready to go. By the time I got to Prague I had napped a little on the plane but was still exhausted. I got to my hostel at 11am and they said I couldn't check in until 3pm so just leave my bags and go walk explore. So there goes my napping plans. Thanks.

I was dying of hunger though so I stopped at a little italian restaurant and had a pizza and pina colada. My waiter totally judged me because 1. it was a sunday at 11:30 am and 2. I was alone - but hey I had to start this trip off right. So after my lunch I just wandered around the city and saw a bunch of the areas and buildings you are supposed to see. Obvi went to the Lennon wall and did some selfies with Lennon. 

When I was walking I found this like huge nature area so I started climbing the path, like it was a pretty big hill! So when I get to the top I find out that it is where the Petrina (or something like that) is. Which looks like the eiffel tower but is a lot smaller and in prague. So after my adventoursous climb I am walking back down. There are so many different paths to choose - so I go with what Robert Frost has always told me - take the road less traveled. So I pick to go down these stairs. Well fuck you Robert Frost because the stairs ended and I was stranded in the middle of the hill. It was muddy and slippery and I was wearing nice boots. So I casually did a run to a tree and have it break my fall, then run to the next tree and stop. Eventually there were no more trees and I didn't look to slippery so I started walking. Well I slipped and my life literally flashed before my eyes. Next thing I knew I was sprint slipping down this whole hill just praying I didn't end up a mud monster. Eventually some cement saved me and that's when I decided to just follow the crowds on some things.

I stopped at the Easter Markets in Old Town Square and enjoyed a really great nutella and banana crepe (Rendezous needs to step up their game back in AA - just saying). After wandering around Prague and just exploring on my own I headed back to the hostel. I got some paprika chips and a yogurt (because I was still full from the crepe) - so Paprika chips were my dinner but like let's be real they are so good. If anyone from a chip company is reading this blog, please start making Paprika chips in the US  - plzzzz. I just chilled in the hostel for the rest of the night conversing with one really cool girl who was traveling from Geneva and one really really really really weird girl. Like I can't even describe how weird she was - but all I am saying is if I hear one more person tell me that the American government bombed the Twin Towers I am going to freak. I then showered to escape the wrath of this cray cray girl. So that was my day in Prague alone - it was a great day.

Praha - to be continued....
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"What is an Ikea?" - Firenze friends do Sweden

Sorry about the recent hiatus from blogging. I just didn't think my audience would be too amused by my daily mundane activities. Here is the short version - everyday I wake up run, go to class, come home, chill and every few days I work in the pub or wander around town and overall just live like a Swede (eating meatballs and hard bread - the usual). But other than that nothing too exciting has happened until recently. So I will pick up with the excitement resumes.

Thursday I went to Stockholm because Annalisa, Emily, Jay, and Tommy were visiting fpr their spring break. It was good to see them again, well at least Ani, Emily, and Jay - Tommy meh (jk Tom, love you). But when I first got there we went to the Vasa Museum. Which is a really old viking ship that sunk and then they brought it back up and it is all in tact and everything. It was actually a really cool museum and we got in for free because Ani said we were all 18, so like now I still got 20 dollars in my pocket. Whoot. The only thing that upset me was that we weren't actually allowed on the boat! Like what? Bummer. The museum is closing for a couple of months soon though so it was nice to be able to see it before it closed. 

After that Jay got this weird wrap that had like mashed potatoes, hot dog, and something else in it but he liked it so whatevs. As we were on the bus a lady had a really cute dog and we tried to trade Annalisa for the dog, but she wasn't as thrilled with the trade as we were. Then we obviously went to Max Burger for a late lunch. And all I have to say to Annalisa is - Did I get a mozzarella stick? Did I? After lunch we attempted to ice skate but like the ice skating rink was more of a circle of ice cubes so we just decided to walk around town and explore. So we went to Old Town which is the cutest little area of Stockholm. It is so quaint and has cute little shops everywhere. On the way we passed Parliament, the Opera, and some castles. Stockholm is the shit.

After that we walked around a little longer and went to the H&M's and then decided we were going to the Ice Bar so we had to find wifi to do the reservations so we went and chilled in 7-11 for literally 2 hours. Here is how the 7-11 saga begins. As we are in 7-11 Jay and I decide to get candy (cause bulk bin candy is the shit) so we bought soooo many gummies and I decided my favorite are the sour octopi. OMG. Annalisa had a magnum bar. So as we were doing the reservations on our phones - Tommy remembers he lost his book - so Jay and him go to find it - Annalisa then eats a second ice cream bar. By the time they get back we have the reservations but Annalisa credit card alerted her dad that she spent 180 dollars not swedish kronor so we had to wait for her to call him. In the meanwhile Tommy tells us this story about how he lost his book in H&M and asked the girl who found his book out - Anna Sven. Too bad she got sick and had to cancel on him - Tommy could have found his wife. Bummer. Better luck next time Tom.

So then it was time for the ICE BAR! Which was soooooo cool! We put on this big coats with gloves on them and walked into a room completely made of ice and our drink glasses were made of ice. It was the best. Ani, Jay, and Emily got some drink called the snowflake - but obvii Tommy and I got tequila sunrises. TEQUILAAAAA. So that was super fun and after that I took the train home because I had class in the morning. Hmmph.

So after class on Friday Annalisa came up to spend the night with me in Uppsala which is hard to describe because ridiculous would be an understatement. I gave her a quick tour around town and got her a semla (the swedish cinnamon flavored bun filled with almond cream treat sent from heaven). Then we went back to my apartment and made pizza - it was actually so good. I think Annalisa still might be a little upset that it wasn't mac and cheese pizza but she will just have to wait for Mesa back home. Then we pregamed and went to the club. To spare you all from the ridiculously detailed account I could provide (from what I gathered from other's knowledge) - it goes like this: Go to club, introduce Ani to all the workers, take tequila shots, go to dance floor, lose Ani within 10 minutes, leave the club (without Ani and without my keys), wait until Ani finds her way home at 6:30 am, go to bed at 7:30am, wake up 9:30 to meet Jay and Emily at train station, somehow survive. All in all I'd say Annalisa in Uppsala was a success.

We then met Jay and Emily at the train station because Tommy was "too tired" to come. I gave them a personal tour of Uppsala, we went to the castle, the church, a museum, store torget, and just walked around. We then decided Ikea would be the best place for lunch! We got to Ikea and with so much despair they weren't serving meatballs due to the "horse meat" fiasco that had occurred early. But like I was totally prepared to eat horse meat, sorry Black Beauty. Whatever type of chicken I ate though had a wonderful sauce and was so good - Ani enjoyed her french fries and cookie and Emily her swedish pancakes. We then took a tour of Ikea, but I still didn't learn - what is an ikea?!? 

After that we took the bus back to my apartment to show them the wonderful building of Flogsta I live in (jokes - I live in a shithole). Then we went to town and made sure to get Emily and Jay a semla and Jay got princess torte as well.It was all delicious!!! And then I had to say my goodbyes - but unfortunately the next time I will see them will probably be in America - Annalisa most likely at a McDonalds.

This week I just have class and don't have anything exciting to do - but on Sunday I am traveling to Prague!! So Arielle get ready!!!

Peace, Love, and Swedish Gummies

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