The Czech Republic is a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable place to visit. The crown jewel of this wonderful country is definitely Prague. While I was stationed in Germany, with the Army, I took a vacation to the beautiful and culturally rich Prague. It was an amazing trip and after five days of taking in the city, I didn't want to leave. For about $180 I caught an over night "sleeper" train from Frankfurt to Prague. There are trains for much cheaper, that make a lot of stops but I wanted to make the most out of my trip and be well rested. I stayed in the newly finished Floor hotel for about $70 a night. There are more affordable places to stay but I wanted a place just outside of the Old Town square. There are many hostels and even people who will rent out rooms for dirt cheep, waiting as you get off of the train. It is good however, to be fairly close to downtown. Taxis are one of the few things that are expensive and cab drivers will inflate their prices for tourists. It's really worth walking if you can. There is so much to see anyways that you will miss a lot if you are always taking a cab. In five days I felt as if I had only scratched the surface.

I didn't have a strict itinerary for my trip and it seemed to work out to my advantage. I would start off the mornings by taking coffee in the Old Town square and do a bit of people watching. The days were filled with exploring the well preserved architecture, stopping in random shops and mingling with the locals. It is amazing to see the new buildings intermixed with gothic, medieval and baroque style structures. Prague managed to come out of World War Two fairly unscaved, compared to many other European cities. We're quite lucky to have so many buildings from so many different times all in one spot. One of my favorite buildings was the Saint Vitus Cathedral. It is a gothic cathedral and has the tomb of prince Wenceslas. I thought it was King Wenceslas, like the old song says but the tomb said prince. Previously I didn't know he was even in there and felt really luck to have come by it. Saint Vitus Cathedral's awe striking beauty rivals that of Notre Damn in Paris and is a must see. It's located at the top of the hill in the Royal quarter.

The Saint Charles Bridge is also quite a sight. On each side are medieval looking towers and there are sculptures of saints and other religious symbolism throughout the bridge. Saint Charles connects old town to the royal quarter and provides quite a view of Saint Vitus.

One of the more random experiences was taking in a violin and organ concert. It was actually a fund raiser for a local cathedral and only cost me $4. The music was excellent and the atmosphere of the church was amazing. It was definitely worth much more than the $4. There are also many shops throughout the town that have everything from touristy trinkets to fine bohemian artwork. It's worth a gander in some of the shops.

If sightseeing isn't so much your thing, there is a plethora of restaurants, pubs and nightclubs. Like most modern cities, Prague does have food from all over the world and something for everyone. It was the local food that I was interested in though. I always love to try out a country's traditional foods. I would classify the Czech diet as somewhere in-between Eastern European and Bavarian. There were many types of potatoes, pork steaks and even local fish. Most meals were very hearty and pretty generous with the portions. What I really appreciate about European food is that the salads are actually green and the food has actually taken time to prepare. It's not just slapped on a plate or full of high fructose corn syrup. Czech beer is also just as good. Usually a clean and crisp taste but still full of flavor.

The night clubs are a bit pricier than the bars and restaurants but if you're into them Prague does have them. I wasn't dazzled by many of them but they were full of people having a good time and not too uptight. I was lucky enough to be treated to a really neat underground local bar. My hotel restaurant, waitress took me out for a few drinks one night to a place that I never would have found on my own. The place looked like it used to be an old wine cellar and had a very old world feel about it. It was probably one of my favorite places there. If you are courteous and don't act like an American who feels he or she is owed something, most European people will be very helpful. An important note for people who don't want to accidentally end up in a strip bar; If a place says it's a cabaret, there is a good chance there will be nude women in it. And Czech strip clubs are only about an inch away from being brothels.

The Czech Republic also is famous for one of my favorite beverages, Absinthe. Absinthe is a strong spirit with wormwood in it. Wormwood has the drug thujong in it, which is a mild hallucinogenic. You won't see any pink elephants or talk to a lamp post thinking it's Benjamin Franklin but it is a somewhat enlightening beverage. The culture and environment of an Absinthe bar are also quite enchanting. Traditionally the drink is poured into a fairly ornate glass. A slotted spoon in it is placed over the glass with a sugar cube. The drink is then lit on fire for the sugar to melt. A quick stir and extinguished flame make way for the final touch of ice water. It is a licorice flavored drink so if you don't like licorice, be forewarned. Switzerland and France do have a bit smoother versions of the drink but Czech Absinthe is pretty good in its own right. For any drinker of spirits, Absinthe should be on his or her to do list.

The Czech Republic is an amazing place and its people are equally fascinating. The art, culture and downright good times of Prague are worth the visit. This place will leave a lasting impression on any traveler.