Europe Day 2

Today was the day of looking up. Everything was so grand and so beautiful and so ornate. I had heard that Prague was "the most beautiful city in the world" and now I get it. It's because EVERY building EVERY nook and cranny was designed with the most ornate detail. The best way to describe it is that everyone here looks photoshopped in. The architecture is so old and so period and then the people walking around are all current. It's fascinating to watch Euro cars weave in and out of these gorgeous allies.
We started with our hotel continental breakfast which was really something. Don't picture your regular Hampton continental breakfast. This was all scratch cooked, organic, healthy food. Tons of choices :) Since breakfast is usually a chocolate breakfast shake for me, I was in heaven. Warren and I are not only the youngest in the group but DEF the youngest at the hotel. :) I forgot to mention yesterday that I get a ton of double takes at my belly :) Pregnant ladies are not as common here as in the good ol state of Utah. haha. After breakfast we loaded up on our private tour bus and went up to Prague castle. Wow. Warren and I immediately thought it looked like a scene from Harry Potter with the gothic spires on top. Someone could study the ornate details of the castle for a year and still not know every significance. Truly one of the most inspiring parts of the day. Their president actually lives there onsite somewhere in the complex so there are 4 guards that stand out front all day. We were actually there for their daily "changing of the guards" which was super cool to watch. After the tour of the castle and grounds you can descend down the hill weaving through building after building of Old Town and cross over the well known Charlston Bridge. There isn't a single building that isn't dressed up. No matter how little it's significance no detail has been spared. There are plenty of cool shops and food stands. We met at the bottom of Old Town for lunch. Steve Berry's friend {a local} suggested a lunch joint that was one of those only to be found by a local. It was my FAVORITE PART OF THE DAY. I can't describe what it looked like. A pic will never do this place justice, Reminded me of the scene in Tangled where they are at the bar and they sing " I had a dream" It was a courtyard of sorts with arches lined with green moss and newer buildings hugging around it. TRULY something we'll never see again. Food was delish and again we laughed at how small their cokes are. TINY little shot glasses haha. And the water there is either "still" or "sparkling" and they come in a glass bottle. NO ice. Ever. Anywhere. Most of the local workers here speak English pretty well. We sat by Steve's publicist and her hubby and shot the breeze about anything and everything from Georgian Plantations to kids to history. I could have sat there ALL night and stared at the walls. So after Steve Berry wanted to go back to this little Thai massage joint he found on his previous research trips here.  They offer leg massages and head massages right there in their little store fronts. But what ELSE they offer are dead skin eating fish. You stick your feet in a tank and the fish feast on your dead skin for 30 mins. EWE!! So we watched Steve and a few of the guys partake of this weird procedure. It was a hoot. Then we wandered over to a bookstore and Steve and his fans gathered around him as he pulled out all his novels in Czech with a little Q and A. This really is a trip of a lifetime for these fans. Steve and his wife are super nice with heavy Georgian accents. They make it really comfortable for the fans : ) And he is always talking about his characters and where he plans to take them someday and it's pretty cool to watch everyone light up. By this time it was 5 pm and Warren and I were smashed. We went back to our hotel room and zonked till 7:30. We met up with Ruby and Brad and had a delightful dinner back at the pizza joint from yesterday :) Now we are back in our room thinking that today felt like a week. There was SOOO much to see! I am feeling like a saturated sponge here. :) Just taking it all in and trying to remember every little detail. So excited for tomorrow as we are going to spend more time with Steve just outside our hotel at the Jewish Corridor- back where that cemetery is. Should be another awe inspiring day :)

Taisley and Warren

This is where we ate!!! {Above}