We arrived in Prague (or Praha, as the Slavs would say) after a 5 hour train trip from Munich. Tired, hungry, thirsty.

The Old City is much different from my memories of twenty years ago. The buildings are still stunning, the alleys are still charming and winding, but rather than the cool stillness of a city that had recently loosened the yoke of Moscow’s rule, we were greeted by English lads on stag trips, Starbucks, and more than one person stuppered by more than just the city’s charming architecture.

We found dinner, washed the travel from our clothes, and got a good night’s rest.

The Prague we found in the morning was more stunning than anything I’d remembered from my long ago explorations. We crossed the Charles Bridge before the previous nights’ revelers had shaken off their hangovers and explored the western bank of the Vltava River. It was simply breathtaking.

A city of two personalities….and I’m 20, and in love all over again with Praha.