A Bean Abroad: Extravaganza

So here's the ins and outs on our big trip, I put the highlights above everything else since I thought you might want to skip right to the goodies.

Here is our route

Highlights in order:
-Concert in Vienna
-Sunset river boat cruise in Budapest (sounds so grown up)
-Playing in the sculpture garden in Prague
-Kittens!!!!
-Playing in the bubbles in Prague
-Dancing at any and all bars we went to

And a shout out to everyone we met and loved (to Megan, Heather, Sam and Chandrika from Prague, to Sammy for making us welcome in Budapest and to Mel and boyfriend who's name I forget for making our hostel in Bratislava bearable)

Tastiest foods:
-Kava Cafe in Bratislava had tasty coffee plus blackberry cheesecake that melted in your mouth the way all cheesecakes should. I got the enjoy this while listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers with teacups dangling above me, heavenly.
-Lokal restaurant in Prague has locally sourced everything, had this thing that was like a solid version of split pea soup (I then tried to explain split pea soup that we make home to our waiter, he told me they did also make soups, I don't know if my point made it across the language barrier)
-Best beer - Czech - I did not have a bad beer this whole trip, but I was especially into the dark flat ales here
-Re:fresh in Bratislava made me really plain bean chili and rice and it saved my life

Cheers!

PRAGUE

Prague ended up being my favourite of the four cities. I think probably because we spent the most time there. It was generally just really pretty, and had lots of good vibes, and felt really safe, and had good beer.

Prague Old Town Square

Goes to Europe to find out I don't really enjoy crowds - Charles Bridge

Playing with bubbles in Wenceslas Square

VIENNA

Being in Vienna was similar to what I imgine being in the eye of a hurricane might feel like. We definitely did not have nearly enough time so it felt like we were whirling around trying to visit everything. We went to a fabulous performance (and I mean fab) and ate and slept and went for a big bus tour and I saw the first floor of the Hapsburg treasury and BAM we were out!

Concert hall in Vienna

The girls and me went to different restaurants for supper - enjoying beer while waiting

Hapsburg coronation robe from the treasury

BUDAPEST

Budapest felt slightly longer than Vienna. I think that's because we stayed in a cooler neighbourhood that was more central, we went out to a bar at night (not doing night time activities shortens like 50% of the time you're in a city and could be doing stuff!), spent an afternoon lounging. I think I can pinpoint Budapest day 2 as when I really started to feel travel weary. Generally didn't like the food here.

***So, is it worth the price of staying in the middle of the city? If you ask me, yes. When we were in Prague and Budapest we were within spittin distance of the city centre/ stuff we cared about seeing. And those are the two cities I felt like I got the best feel for. When it's borderline late and you don't want to take the metro in to town, or your walks home could be any city, I think that sucks, so stay somewhere cool.

During the bingo bar crawl

At the laundromat the morning after the bar crawl

Spot the odd one out

Sunset cruise looking at the Budapest castle

BRATISLAVA

Okay, let's face it, we had no collective opinion on Bratislava. We heard from Megan in Prague that it was a hidden gem, I thought it would be too, Natasha didn't have high hopes and Kaelan was somewhere in the middle.

We stayed in a shitty bed bug infested hostel that did boast some cool Australians and seven kittens! Day two we went to the castle, had a sleep in the sun on the observatory deck above the city, found honest to God the best cafe I've been in in a long time.