After a very successful Halloween where I dressed up as Mary Poppins, I went to Prague for my friend Melissa’s 21st birthday. I am absolutely obsessed with Mary Poppins to the point of watching it 4 times in a 2 week period – a highly underrated Disney film – and I loved my costume, definitely one that will be used again.
Zombie Hipster, ‘the death of Scottish Independence’, and Mary Poppins
I had planned to go to the masters open day at the University of Amsterdam on the Saturday, which is why I booked my flight then rather than the Friday – however my flight was about 3pm in the afternoon which made going to any of the talks which all started at 1 or 2 very difficult. Besides if I do decide to do my masters in the Netherlands I think I would go to Utrecht University anyway. Ever the anxious flier I arrived at the airport about 2 hours before my flight when I had no luggage to check-in, but plenty of time to shop – or so I thought. Due to flying on that specific flight and also flights going to Milan and maybe Geneva we got put in the tiniest departure lounge with basically no duty free and to my dismay no MAC counter to treat myself to some new make-up. It’s only saving grace was free wifi and plug sockets.
I arrived in Prague around 5:30pm and somehow managed to make my way to the hostel – I have no idea how really since the entire bus journey was in the dark with all the stops read out in Czech, but I did it. I did then get hideously lost trying to find the resturant for dinner where I planned to meet my friends, walking 30 minutes to the Jewish quarter when really it was a 5-10 minute walk from my hostel. Arriving half way through dinner whilst travelling seems to be becoming a bit of a tradition for me. It was so so nice to see some of my friends from uni, it came exactly at the right time after a week of missing my Leeds friends loads!
That night we went out to celebrate Melissa’s birthday, first with a house party and then going to a club for Halloween (recycled part of my Mary Poppins costume and went as a vampire schoolgirl). I think the last time I went to a club was before I moved to Utrecht so the end of August, so that was an interesting experience. The UCSA bar on campus is great because it’s so close to home and you know everyone and generally feel very safe – but I need to start breaking the bubble and going ‘out out’. There are so many great places to drink in Utrecht, when my Dad visited (the weekend before Prague) we went to Kafe Belgie which had the most impressive selection of beer I have ever seen – I need to explore more. That said, I do have a tendency to get bored of clubs very quickly or just tired – I managed to last until about 3:30 in Prague though when it was time for the best part of any night out – post-night out food. This is what I live for.
Outside the National Museum that turned out to be closed for the next 5 years
I’d already been to Prague whilst interrailling after first year, although we were only there for a day so didn’t see everything. It certainly took some of the pressure off sight-seeing though combined with having a friend who will be living there for the rest of the year. We did a lot of wandering around and sitting down and eating often without any particular aim. We went to Campa island which looked like it would have been a really interesting art exhibition if we hadn’t arrived shortly before it closed so could only see one room. 
I hadn’t been to the Jewish quarter when I went last time so on the Monday we wandered around there and saw some of the old synagogues – we chose the Spanish synagogue mainly because it was cheaper and less busy than a lot of the older ones. I don’t think I had ever been in a synagogue before which is odd because we did so many school trips round churches and temples – this synagogue did however seem to be preparing for some kind of concert so probably wasn’t the best example. It was so beautiful though – really decorated and opulent but quite small which made it feel not too ostentatious.
Spanish Synagogue
Really though as ever the highlight of this holiday/trip was the people and the food and oh my god the food, Italian food, Lebanese food (all I ever want to eat again), an African cafe, traditional Chinese tea, gluhwein/mulled wine, V for Vendetta/anonymous themed bars and cocktails (I would thoroughly recommend – it was really cool). I like this travelling round Europe lark.
Chinese tea table
Prague, I will definitely be back.
A year in Utrecht 