3 weeks at home, in the Czech Republic, was going to be mine and Mia’s vacation. The boys had summer jobs and were taking classes. Ruby is getting too old to be put in the kennel, so it was just the 2 of us. We split it into a few chunks:

Prague

This is turning into a pretty common pattern. Get lost in all the new stores and buildings while searching for my favorite places. Find half of them. Try to recall all the street names that thankfully didn’t change and remember the tram routes. Quintessential visits to Cukrar Skala, Havelska Koruna, the amazing Prague zoo (you have to do it – truly stunning), castle, some new exciting museums for the aging teenager. Thumbs up to the Museum of Illusions and Museum of Senses for entertaining a 14-year-old for about an hour. Zara, Mango and Primark stores were also on the list of interesting snaps for friends. Didn’t take long to figure out they have the same stuff as in the US, so that died quickly, fortunately for me. It is like exploring a whole new Prague again—thankfully, Mia got it quickly so was pretty independent in the public transport maze on her own.

I realized that I can’t advise anyone on restaurants or hotels in Prague anymore as everything is changing too fast. The old hangout places are gone, replaced by the newer or trendier version, most of the time some large multinational brand that can afford the skyrocketing rents. On one hand, a bit sad, on the other hand, can’t stop progress whatever shape it comes in.

Sleeping and sort of re-living my school years when I lived in our apartment was a fun reminiscence for me and shocking to Mia.

• How did you all live here with only one bathroom and bathtub with no shower? One toilet? We managed without killing each other at 7 am with all of us in and out.
• You slept on a pull out couch, like everyday? Yes – and you are now sleeping on the same one down at the cabin.
• How did you get to school, I don’t see any school buses? Well, it’s summer for once, second, hello public transport and 7 am 157 bus and good old metro and Palac kultury (now Vysehrad stop). Any later bus means you are late to school.
• Why isn’t there AC in the apartment? Oh, there is but only in 2 rooms and only 10 years old. Hello global warming.

The country people

That was us, hanging out with babi and deda at their house in southern Bohemia. Village of barely 200 people, quiet, ponds and animals around, barely 30 mins away from a large town of Ceske Budejovice (yes the original Budvar town). It was a perfect do nothing for me and just hang out with babi and deda – probably a little too slow for Mia – but change of pace is fine. We visited Budejovice’s old town which I have never been to and was surprised how gorgeous it was! Of course we baked sausages on fire, took Ema (the golden) to swim, played darts and also visited a Blueberry festival in a village nearby!

Karlovy Vary

Always a Bond fan, Mia asked to see the Casino Royal setting, which was in Grandhotel Pupp in Carlsbad, or Karlovy Vary, a spa town in western Bohemia. So we booked us a night for a little trip to see it. Of course, they wouldn’t let us anywhere near the casino – as Mia was underage, I wasn’t dressed appropriately, and you couldn’t take photos anyway. Well, so we walked around town, pretended to be fancy, drank coffee, ate gorgeous desserts and wafers, and drank the hot mineral springs water – and hoped it wouldn’t tie us to the toilet overnight. We also ate overpriced food and went to a gorgeous pool/sauna in the hotel. This gem of a hotel from 1701 is where the film festival happens annually and of course was the stage for Casino Royal as Hotel Splendid in Montenegro where the big poker game was played.

I was also determined to show Mia a little bit of the WW2 history so she remembers what truly happened. So we made our way to the north, to Terezin, the concentration camp/prison. While a demure experience, I think it hit home walking through it and reliving a little bit of what people are capable to do to others. And this got exacerbated during our visit to Berlin which was next.

Berlin

Really the only trip we planned a bit more. Started with a train and a sentimental visit at the Prague main train station which is an interesting place. It used to be my exit station for my college as well – and it also was and seems as still is the hangout for drug business and prostitution. So not a place you want to stay for longer than necessary. I did splurge a little and bought first class train ticket for the 4 hour journey up north and it was great. Loved the train and even had very good svickova in the restaurant car.

Getting to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof was a true welcome to Germany, or more to the German language. Mia always jokes that German sounds so harsh and very loud and we sure were about to experience this. We ordered Uber and walked out of the station somewhere. Where are we going to find this cab – and here comes a car, 50m from us with window going down and a big guy yelling – Michaela, Michaela and something super fast in German, but definitely angry. He opened the door and gestured to get in which we did with bags on our back, no idea if we were being kidnapped or trafficked. Apparently we were in the wrong stand or place, whatever. And we weren’t trafficked but raced across the city in crazy speed.

We stayed in a fun hotel Social Hub, kind of a mix of remote workers, students, and Airbnb—an interesting concept. Rooms were tiny and dark purple so a bit retro. At the metro station, right next to Alexander platz and walking distance to museums.

Our first event was rikshaw tour of Berlin. It was actually an Italian guy on an electric bike/tricycle – forgot the name – and it was a great overview of the city and where we should double click on. We walked a lot, and took trams and metros, loved the small town feel in the neighborhoods, the Turkish food influence, the courtyards of small boutiques, the diversity, the dichotomy of the new vs. old, West vs. East, the whole vibe. We met with Cristian, our au pair when the kids were small and who know lives and works in Berlin – and I also met up with a colleague of mine who took for a great Turkish breakfast!

Overall – an amazing trip home with a fun escapades all around and quality time with family and us girls !!