Spent today visiting Prague Castle, including the amazing St. Vitus Cathedral, where I saw the Royal Crypt (it was very crypt-like, with narrow hallways and old and crumbling things) and lots of beautiful stained glass, sculpture, etc. Also climbed the 287 narrow and winding steps to the top of the bell tower for a breath-taking (literally) view of the city. (Mind you, these were the 287 in addition to the dozens and dozens it took to climb the main stairs to the castle itself.)

Visited other beautiful and famous sights around the castle including the Royal Palace, Golden Lane, and Summer Palace. Took in a concert at one of the palaces. Enjoyed them very much, even with starting to get sick. (I have a sore throat and am sniffling.) So please think of me as I really want to stay well through the end of my travels!

On my way down the hill from the Summer Palace, I took an 'alternative' route instead of the tourist-traveled one. Wound up wandering through a really beautiful park, a little bit neglected, but still lovely green space after all the city. Ended up on this kind of steep little bike path and had the most fun just kind of following the path where it led and making my way down to the river again. (I know that you think I'm just glossing over everything and making my adventures sound more enjoyable than they actually are, but I haven't been, actually. Even with sneezing and feeling slightly faint I truly enjoyed myself. I really like exploring and discovering new places...within the comfort zone of having a map and a general sense of where I am.)

In other news, I got my hair cut today at a place near the hostel. The lady who cut my hair didn't speak English, but the receptionist/hostess lady did, so it's all good. Feel better, too, because it was starting to get so long that it was irritating...too short to tie up properly, but too long to stay off my neck.

So, I am off to bed early. Going to get some hot tea and take my echinacea tablets which I bought in Russia (they are chewable - so handy!). Oh - had a funny food experience today too. For my 'big meal' (i.e. not cheap street food) I ate at the cafe near the palace where the concert was held (can't spell it, but I can look it up for you later).

Anyway, so at the table next to me were seated two older British couples. I kind of acknowledged them before we ordered because the cafe was busy and it took a while for the waitress to get to us. So I kind of communicated with them, like "where's the waitress?" - the point being that they knew, therefore, that I spoke English.

So the funny part is that during my entire meal, they commented on what I was having. I ordered hot tea, tomato soup and quiche lorraine. When they brought my tea (hot water and a bag), they made clucking noises and discussed how horrible it was that the Czech can't do tea properly and that they certainly wouldn't order tea if it was going to be served that way. Then when my soup came, they discussed that it looked good, and smelled good, and was it tomato? Yes, another one confirmed, its tomato. Mind you, at no point did they actually speak TO ME or make any eye contact with me whatsoever. Then my quiche came, and there was a discussion confirming that it WAS quiche and what kind it was and that it also looked good, and was it lorraine? With bacon. Oh, yes, definitely.

They were eating their own dishes, which of course, they also discussed, in between talking about mine. The girls at the hostel told me that I should have leaned over and offered them a taste to shut them up! Anyway, it was just funny. I felt kind of "on display" and invisible at the same time.

Okay, off to sleep! Hope you are all well out there...