Today's blog brought to you in several parts OR catching up after using up three blog posts for the WTF#4
New city, new metro, new language, new navigation. We had already easily conquered the metro, a 12 minute uphill walk from our flat. We had even taken Bus 135 to our metro line, changed and made it to the Center unscathed. But Friday we decided to bypass the metro and take what woulda shoulda coulda been the 22 tram right up to the Castle.
We had already been informed the 22 was partly out of service but the X22 stopped right around the corner and we could take that until it ended where we could then pick up the 22 tram to the Castle. Easy enough, sounded like when Septa has to 'bus' part of a route. We arrived at one stop where a lot of people got out...but not all. We figured we had not reached the switching point until we realized we were heading back home. We hopped off as quick as possible and walked a couple blocks back to the metro we knew and loved.
Now having a good map in any city is crucial but since we could only pack a limited amount of travel materials, we were working with a small map of Praha and what Steve refers to as a tourist cartoon map-you know the kind where not every street is shown and the scale is WAY off. Consulting the map we had 'differing' opinions as to which metro stop would be closer to the Castle, which is way on top of a hill as castles tend to be. My choice, the stop I knew at the bottom. Steve's choice...the unknown stop, past the Castle, in new territory, but with the promise of a downhill walk. Since I am directionally impaired, we went with Steve's choice.
Upon exiting and looking around, it was not readily apparent which direction to walk for the castle since it was nowhere in sight. Luckily, we came upon a group of Anglican Mormon missionaries who kindly pointed us in the direction. We walked down and around and through a park and past a wedding 
and around some more (mind you on the map it looked like a five minute walk).
It sure felt like we were lost and would have to turn around and hoof it back to the Metro from whence we came and take it back one stop. Finally though, the very top of the Castle is in sight. Funny, it still looks a bit far away but at least we know where it is and can get there until.....what? We are at the top of a cliff with a big road below and nowhere to cross it other than heading in the opposite direction, winding down and around and back into town all the way to the bottom where we have to climb all the way up the hill to the Castle??????? Really, and exactly why didn't you like my pick of the Metro stop Steve??
But traveling together for this long in places you don't know means this will happen every so often. We don't get upset or mad or yell, believe it or not, and in fact we just laugh. Sometimes a lot, as when I suggested to Steve later that night that he should admit we were lost. He looked at me quite seriously and explained that being lost is NOT when you don't know how to get where you need to go, not when you take the wrong route and double back three times, but being lost is only when you don't know where you are and he had a map and kind of knew where we were on the map and so even if we couldn't get there we were NOT LOST. I found this absolutely hysterical and I have a feeling all of the women reading this are laughing and all of the men are not. Not much different than the old gender divide about asking directions.
PART II Prague Castle
Now even if you have not been to Prague, you may have heard of the Prague Castle or certainly seen pictures. 
This is my Rick Steve's version of how the guidebook entry should read ( it very well may, but I did not bring his Prague book along).
Take the tram or the Metro to THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL and walk up to the Castle. The Castle is not one building, not all at, so don't be confused. It is really a hilltop compound of buildings and gardens and includes a Palace, churches, museums, lanes and courtyards.
You can buy one of two combo tickets, about $13 or $17 per person depending on what you would like to enter but you can choose to forgo a ticket all together and simply go into the lobby of the most impressive building, St. Vitus , 
see the magnificent stained glass and over the top architecture and decoration from afar.
Ditto for St. George church. 
You can peep down Golden Lane with its very small colorful medieval houses and not stop in the ones converted to souvenir shops. You will miss going into the palace itself which is mostly massive, empty, very impressive halls but you can still wander around and enjoy the exteriors, the views, and the gardens, bring a guide to read about the very interesting Czech history and enjoy a glass of wine at the hidden away museum cafe ($4) and pay instead ($5) to see the incredible photography exhibit 
one of the smaller palaces in the Compound to glean some real insights into Czech life, Czech faces and the Czech people before and after Communism. And then go have another glass of wine or beer with the money still left from not buying a ticket. Or buy the ticket like we did and still have the wine and see the photos!
PART III. Prague Gastronomy (including the subset called Czech cuisine)
Of course we consulted Chowhound for foodie picks in Prague and they were supplemented by my friend Eva's list as well as her admonition not to eat anywhere without a consult with her. I think she feared after Paris that we would encounter a somewhat lesser degree of amazing food in her home town. But the point is to experience it all- the good, the bad, the different, the local and the 'heavy'.
On Friday night we intrepidly made a reservation at OB LA CA, the restaurant nearby, situated at the top of the SECOND UGLIEST building in the world, the Zizkov TV Tower, a total totalitarian architectural wonder. 
A wonder as in: I wonder what they were thinking when they built this. I wonder whose idea it was to install huge statues of naked babies climbing the tower. I wonder how much it costs to stay in the ONE ROOM hotel with 360 degree views of Prague at the very top. I wonder how you get up there and where is the check in desk and isn't it creepy when everyone goes home at night and you are left sleeping in luxury up there and all alone.
You must google this building. (www.towerpark.cz )
What a pleasant surprise to be whisked up to a very modern, hip looking bar and into a gray and white, Eames chaired, multi-level, panoramic room with well designed lighting and railings and menu.
We started with aperitifs. Steve a dull beer and me a Black Ice, the most interesting cocktail I ever tasted, described by the waiter as a Caprese Salad in a glass, made with vodka, not Romaine, of course.
Next the breads came. 
Again, gorgeous with amazing butter, salt and pepper on a tray with at least four different varieties, my favorite the dark brown with nuts and seeds. We ordered fairly pedestrian apps, me a Caesar salad and Steve octopus salad, with pretty pedestrian flavors but we have missed having salads all the time so it was a welcome change.
My main was intriguing...fresh pasta (no indication of what kind), fresh ricotta with candied fruits-I couldn't resist. 
The pasta was fresh tortellini filled with ricotta, the fruit was small bits,not overly sweet, and lovely vegetables. Steve had rabbit three ways- a loin piece, a mousse and a couple of very teeny tiny chops no bigger each than your pinkie finger and two bites. 
The meal and service were lovely but not as wonderful as sitting at the top of the world (well Praha 10) watching the sunset and Prague light up at dark. Down the elevator and out the door for a view of the 2nd Ugliest building all lit with pink and blue......and not ugly AT ALL.
Now the flip side of Czech food, Saturday night, at Lokal, which is reviewed as a very good,more modern, lighter interpretation of traditional Czech food ( aka meat, sauce, sausage and dumplings) and on both lists- chowhound and Eva.
Inside this literally block long restaurant it feels somewhere between a beer hall and a cafeteria. We had read that the service could be brusque and the menu was only in Czech and no waiter provided English translations. Wrong on all accounts. The waiters were nice and efficient and the menu was English and we went traditional all the way. I finally had my first beer in this beer obsessed country 
and good thing too, as I am sure if you fail to have a beer in the first week, you would be asked to leave. The starter was a plate of different sausages-all pork, all made in their own butcher shop. 
The first two tasted pretty much like skinny hot dogs with snappy natural casings. The last, spicy, more like knockwurst and gets a RR 'delish' with the mustard. The horseradish sauce, also on the plate, was a bit odd for our tastes. The horseradish was freshly grated into something that resembled a non sweet whipped cream-one taste and we passed on that.
The first main was beef tartare, for which they are known, and seems to be a dish that is uniquely ground and spiced and mixed in differently in each country, this one served with hearty toasts and hugh garlic clove to rub on the bread. Not bad at all. 
We wanted to finally have some Czech potato dumplings. Our waitress was quite clear that you must have them with a main that has a lot of sauce and recommended the chicken leg. There is not much you can say about a chicken leg in a simple sauce but we can both unequivocally say we do not need to have dumplings again- think matzoh balls cooked for only ten minutes instead of the 40 it takes to make them fluffy.
PART IV The good and the interesting (Czech food that is)
Right in the park where we get the Metro is a thrice weekly outdoor market where we were encouraged to go and shop. We missed Wednesday and Friday but finally made it on Saturday. There are about twenty vendors ranging from handmade artisan pottery (yes we will be shipping four bowls home in our next box), flowers, produce, baked bread and cakes, cheeses and milk and yogurt, butchers for meats and sausages and fish mongers. Everyone there is busy by 9am, the vendors weighing their just picked apricots and the customers lined up at the wine and beer stalls enjoying a liquid breakfast. I am not quite ready to trade my coffee for beer that early. I can enjoy a lovely wine buzz during a leisurely lunch but a beer buzz at breakfast? Maybe it is just the Hair of the Dog from the night before but lots of people were partaking.
We bought warm cheese filled doughy buns to eat as we shopped, fruit pizza and yogurts and cheeses and apricots, blueberries and raspberries to enjoy later. But the best thing by far was when we turned the corner to see a large wooden barrel, a man with a stick and a hook and a string of fish hanging as if to dry. 
One at a time he would lower a fish into the barrel and just a few minutes later, amazingly delicious freshly smoked trout, better than in the crepes at Beau Monde or in the cases at DiBrunos, would be pulled out, wrapped up and taken home for lunch. We won't miss another day at this market and can't wait to eat lunch again on Wednesday.
PART V The Old Town Hall
Other than the market, we took Saturday off from sightseeing entirely or so we said we would. We needed to do wash, iron, and make some more plans for our upcoming road trip. And more importantly we needed to rest our weary feet and legs.
But we still needed dinner and we don't mind hopping the bus into town and we wanted to try Lokal and well, why not thrown in a nighttime guided tour of Old Town Hall. Again a name imparting the idea of a single building which is really a plural- four separate buildings all connected-maybe it is just a Czech thing about singles and plurals.
Our guide Maria had perfect English for the entire fascinating hour. The Old Town Hall buildings were originally built starting in the 12th century when the streets were eight meters lower ( 26 feet) and continually flooded. Over time, the street level was built up, which is not all that uncommon. But since we had not read anything at all about Old Town Hall, we were quite surprised as we toured the lower and then lower and then lower levels underground going from what was the ground floor of these homes in the 14th, then 13th, then 12th century ground floors. We saw the old dungeon and the doorway still carved with names or marks of prisoners and dates back to the 1400's. We stood in what was the alley, now 7meters below, that was originally between these houses only to be vaulted over when the street level was raised 750 years ago. Maybe it is just the way my feet feel when they walk in these places, but you really feel the history.
From the depths of centuries the tour ends at the top of the tower reached by climbing at four long flights of stairs, followed by ten stories or ramps up, followed by one story of a spiral staircase so narrow there are traffic light of green and red at the top and bottom to tell you when you can climb up or down. And oh, did I mention it was hot and this was the day to rest our weary legs?
But the reward at the top was worth it. The sun was setting in the west with pinks and purples behind the Castle silhouette and the church was lit up against the dark sky of the east and below in the largest square in Europe people were walking and drinking and eating in a beautiful, charming Praha.
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