Brussels, The Sights

The day with visiting the main sights in Brussels, which you cannot miss in any case.

First, The Atomium, a striking structure that was originally built for the 1958 Brussels World Expo. In fact, it is a representation of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. It consists of nine stainless steel spheres, connected by tubes, which together form a model of an atom. Nice one.

Second, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, with significant collection of Old Masters from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Peter Paul Rubens, Antoine Van Dyck, Jan Bruegel the Elder, Rogier van der Weyden, Jerome Bosch and Frans Hals.

Third, a quirky bar Goupil, located in the heart of the city. The vibrant atmosphere and eclectic decor. It is not just a place to grab a drink but also a space for socializing, whether you're looking to chat with friends or enjoy a casual night out.

It was the very eventful, diverse and interesting trip just during two days. To summarize, I would love to visit Brussels again and again. You definitely will not be bored here.

Prague, Meat and beer

The heat wave is still in progress. But nothing will stop me from my intention to learn the Czech cuisine. Literally, I have been getting ready for this event during several days by not eating too much. Well, it is a pork's knee (or "veprovo koleno" in Czech). Moreover, specially for that occasion I decided to make all the way from my apartment to the city centre on foot to provoke my appetite.

So, 5 kilometers are behind, and I am at the restaurant Krcma near the Old Town square. 

Pork knee costs here 285 crowns per 1.2 kilo. This was an enormous portion, and at the end of the meal I was almost dying. However, I could not let the Czech people think that I am a weak person and not able to finish the dish. So, I have completed it.

Still, I am not sure if I am going to repeat this experience once more. It is too much for me. Luckily, the pork is served with lots of red pepper, horse reddish, mustard and sour cucumber, which helps you to eat more meat and to digest it without a problem.

So, the supper cost me 408 crowns for pork knee, two dark beers and one lemonade. I also left additional 42 crowns as the tips. Good restaurant, good food and good service.

Wallenstein garden (or Valdstejnska zahrada) is another example of Baroque gardens in Prague. This 17th-century park is situated in front of the Senate palace. It is the perfect place for relaxation, and therefore it is often visited by numerous tourists. Though, to my mind, the distinctive feature of this place is the peacocks, freely strolling between the trees, and also the golden fish in the pond.

Tonight I have a special event devoted to visiting different public places in Zizkov neighbourhood. The tour is called Pub Crawl. While staying in some bar we are going to play different games, communicate and drink a lot of beer.

So, the first game was called beer pong. The opposite team should have drunken the beer if they put the ball into the glass. Our team lost the game.

The second task was connected with answering some questions about Prague. To complete this task we had to question the locals. When we took the seats at the beer garden at Riegrovy Sady a heavy rain started. Actually, it was the first rain for the last six days of my staying in Prague. Lastly, we could relieve a little bit.

Another game in the very strange pub for marginals was about guessing the names of the profession written on our foreheads. At that time I was nominated to be a porn director.

At the end of our tour we stayed in the new bar playing pantomimes and football table. It was really cool. We were totally tanked. However, despite the fact that my house was located 5 kilometres away from our current location, I was able to get home safe and sound.

Prague, The Castle

The morning starts with the Corners Coffee. Actually, it is 2 kilometers from my apartments, but I am happy to make this little journey on foot. Indeed, it is another opportunity to enjoy the surroundings of the Prague 10 district.

Again, I pass by the television tower and stop at the Riegrovy Sady for a while.

On the way back I stayed at Havlicek Gardens, where I came to the restaurant Vinicini Altan. Here I drank some white wine from the local vineyard. The vine was average to my taste. However, it is definitely worth trying, just for experience, because you may not have another opportunity to taste wine produced in the Czech Republic.

In Havlicek Gardens there is another attraction, which should be visited while you are walking in the park. Actually, it is grotto, the artificial cave with the gracefully decorated fountain in the front. This quite corner might be a real salvation if you feel hot and tired.

In the afternoon I go for lunch to Ceska Kuchyne, the restaurant, which is located not far from the street Na Prikope, close to the market. For the pork with mushrooms, knedlics and a bottle of water I paid 138 crowns. One interesting feature is that you should pay money at the cashier desk when exiting the restaurant. In general, it looks like an ordinary canteen, and to my mind, the food is average here. So, the place itself is not impressive.

This spit roasted pork on the street reminded me of one of the most famous traditional Czech dishes, which is called Veprove Koleno. I definitely should try it while staying in Prague!

Now I am heading for the Prague castle, that is placed on the other side of the river, across the Charles Bridge.

At the entrance to the Castle from Nerudova street there is the hotel Zlata Hvezda, where I used to stay seven years ago. The hotel is really gorgeous outside and inside. I still remember, that the service was superb there. So, I decided to take a table and order a drink to relax before visiting today's main attraction. Honestly, the prices at this restaurant are doubled. For example, Pilsener costs here 75 crowns. Still, I went for the lemonade with the price of 70 crowns. Honestly speaking, it is the unique situation when beer in Prague costs more than water! Anyways, for the superb location you are expected to pay.
By the way, the waiters in Prague very often have the big leather wallets to give you the change as soon as possible.

It is 8 pm. There are no crowds of tourists near the castle. So, I could make some photos without numerous people in the picture. And what is more important, I was able to enjoy the silence while looking at the fascinating things around.

It is getting dark, but I decided to spend some time on the Charles Bridge and admire the colourful sunset.

The atmosphere of the night Prague is totally charming, and the monuments illuminated by electric lights look even more impressive. I wish, I could devote the whole night to strolling in the cobbled streets of the city. Nevertheless, I should go home, because I feel extremely drowsy.