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wildlyplanted · 5 years

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Part 2 of 3: “Bus Station? Dog Bar? What ever happened to Eagle-Eye Cherry?” – Budapest | Prague | Berlin Travels

Hello! Grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea and if you fancy, a treat too. I hope you enjoy this blog post (the second in a 3-part series) about my trip to Budapest, Prague and Berlin. In the series, I share my hosteling and general overall experience in all three cities, the challenges, randomness and realizations I came to along the way of this splendid journey.

Budapest to Prague

We booked our bus ride from Budapest to Prague, on a third-party website called omio.com (formerly GoEuro.com – it was called GoEuro at the time of our booking), with RegioJet bus. The website was recommended by our hostel roommate who is currently living and studying in Prague (she mentioned a different bus company, Flick Bus, but it wasn’t among the choices).

Something that we could have done but didn’t do, was to go book directly with RegioJet (I was in total chill mode on this trip, and I wasn’t checking various sites or planning as hard as I normally would, if I’m being honest). Usually, when I find tickets on third party sites, whether it be for a plane, train or bus, I go and book directly with the airline, train or bus company. It’s usually the same price or sometimes cheaper, and if there are any issues, I feel better dealing directly with the company.

In this instance, it would have benefited us to book directly with RegioJet because GoEuro did not explain that the RegioJet pick up was from the tram stop. The “station” listed on our ticket had the same name as the tram stop, so we expected that once we got off, there would be a bus station. We were further put under this impression because while purchasing our tram ticket, I stopped inside the customer service office to confirm we were taking the correct tram and the associate said the tram stop and bus “station” share the same name. Later, I realized this may have possibly been a language barrier and she meant that the tram stop, and bus station are the same.

Once we got off the tram, there was some confusion. We were in the middle of a suburban neighborhood next to a school with no bus station in sight and no other travelers to give us an indication that we were in the right place. We asked a local passing by and she pointed us to a nearby bus/train station (one tram stop and also a short walk away) but we found that it wasn’t where we needed to be. Luckily with the help of another local who explained that RegioJet most likely stops on the street, not in the bus station, it clicked, and we dashed back on foot to our original stop. There we found the bus, which clearly arrived while we were searching for the “bus station,” parked a few feet from the tram stop.

*I later checked the RegioJet site and on the homepage, they explain that due to construction at the bus station in Budapest, they will pick up from that tram stop. So, I would recommend, whenever possible, book directly with the company or at least check the company website for details and information. This is something I will always remember to do even if I’m in full on chill mode.

Riding with RegioJet was a great experience. The driver and an attendant checked us in and handled our luggage. The bus was much nicer than I anticipated. The faux leather seats were spacious and reclined. The bus had Wi-Fi, USB charging ports, a tv monitor at each seat and there was complimentary bottled water and coffee service. The attendant was very nice, and even let us keep the headphones with the bus’s logo as a souvenir.

The 6-hour ride was scenic, comfortable and felt shorter. The bus made a stop in Bratislava, Slovakia, to pick-up more passengers, and a quick stop for officials to check passports before crossing the border into Czech Republic.

Before leaving Budapest, we looked up a few hostels on Hostelworld, but didn’t decide on one until we were on the bus (if I remember correctly). Our Budapest hostel, Hostel One, had a location in Prague but it was not as central as we wanted, or else we would have stayed at their sister location since we really enjoyed the Hostel One vibe.

48 Hours in Prague

We chose Rosemary hostel because it seemed perfectly located in the new town, and a very short walk to the old town; from the bus station it’s just 3 or 4 stops, on the tram or about a 15-20-minute walk. We did not make a reservation, and we also only paid for one night in case we wanted to switch and stay elsewhere. We did inquire at check-in if there were enough beds available for the following nights, in case we decided to stay, and there were. We did stay at Rosemary for the duration of our visit (2 nights). We were hoping to stay in Prague longer, but we couldn’t, and it’s ok because I know I’ll definitely return in the very near future.

I really loved the location of Rosemary hostel, and how clean it was. It’s off a main street, Jindrisska, where you can easily find grocery stores, currency exchange, restaurants and cafes. I became fond of Caffe Milani, which I stumbled upon within 30 minutes of arriving at the hostel, while taking a walk to the grocery store for water. They make fresh juice and have delicious coffee and croissants.

Our accommodation was in an apartment, with two bedrooms. Once inside the apartment, the kitchen, bedrooms, toilet room and showers are each separately located off the hallway. There is one entrance into the two bedrooms. You have to walk through the main bedroom – large with a sitting area to get into the smaller one which is where we slept. Each room had 6 beds (there were stairs to a loft in the larger room, so there may have been a couple of single beds up there). The apartment was mixed gender, although the smaller room remained all female during our stay.

The sinks and showers in the apartment are not private, as they are in the same room. There are two sinks and two separate shower stalls with doors. With that said, there was never an issue or feeling of discomfort, and only the same genders were in the shower room at the same time (not sure if this was mindful or just coincidence). Additionally, the door locks, so you have the option for privacy. I left the door unlocked while I showered since the stalls are spacious enough to undress and dress inside, however, I never had to get dressed inside the stall since no one else was in the shower room, and I locked the door for a brief moment while I moisturized and dressed.

I was extremely happy about how clean the bathrooms were, and the shower was so comfortable with great water pressure, so I honestly did not care that it wasn’t necessarily private. Rosemary hostel does have various set-ups – private rooms, with private bathrooms and kitchens, 4 bed female rooms, etc. Most hostels have private room options, and more times than not, with private bathrooms.

Upon arriving at the hostel, we met a couple of our roommates; one guy staying in the larger room, who was our instant resource about Prague since he had been there the longest, and a young lady staying in our smaller room who we shared deep and touching conversation with. She was from China, studying in Germany and visiting Prague and Budapest on her way back home for her semester break. Her concerns and worries were so familiar and like the ones I had while I was in college, or Uni, as it’s referred to in most parts of Europe. All I could do was offer words of comfort and advice, that I hope would spare her some of the unnecessary worry I went through. I told her what I wish I knew then that I know now.

From a young age, we are learning about ourselves, about the world and as we mature and grow, we are trying to form our own identities, and explore the desires of our hearts and express ourselves; but for some of us, somewhere along the way, we are told we need to be a certain way, to do certain things, not to listen to ourselves or what our hearts tell us. We’re discouraged from being ourselves, so we try to quiet the voice in our hearts. We try to dissolve who we naturally are to be someone acceptable to our parents, our family and friends, and society.

The thing is; the soul never forgets who it is. We are reminded of our authentic selves in so many ways –when we do things that bring us happiness, through the experiences that make us feel alive and resonate with us, in moments when our life makes sense; that is our soul reminding us of who we are. It takes so much courage to shape our own happiness, to write our own story; seeing it through, day in and day out. It takes perseverance to endure falling and picking ourselves up many times over in pursuit of joy. It takes strength of mind to stand and walk alone in pursuit of our calling. It takes unwavering faith to believe, when it seems like God is our only cheerleader in this world.

It can take years to undue the damage that one seed of doubt can plant in our mind. Sometimes being human seems so complicated, and it’s easy to let go of what we truly desire and grasp instead to what others tell us we should want.

For me, it’s a daily process of reminding myself that my life is sacred. I have a purpose, and the desires of my soul would not be there if they weren’t meant to be lived out. Being born is confirmation enough. You and I are made of stardust for a reason. God meant for me, for you to shine just as bright as the stars.

Speaking of stars, we made the best of our two nights in beautiful Prague. Our first night, we had dinner at a typical Czech restaurant called Café Svatého Václava in Wenceslas Square. What a beautiful view, especially of the remarkably lit Národní muzeum (natural science and history). It’s definitely a tourist area, but it didn’t feel that way during that time of day. We spent the rest of the evening walking around the city before turning in for the night.

Our second day – we had breakfast at Caffe Milani before going to the old town square and joining a walking tour to hear some history about the astronomical clock tower, Charles University and other sites. Rather than continuing the tour, we explored the rest of the town square on our own and made our way to Charles bridge and Prague castle. We opted to walk and explore more of the area instead of touring inside the castle (next time). Just as in Budapest, I was fascinated by the architecture and charm of Prague. While strolling through one of the many beautiful streets, my travel buddy asked which city I liked more, I couldn’t decide. From my personal experience, Budapest is bold and trendy, while Prague is chic with a touch of romance, and I appreciated both.

We had the loveliest dinner at a restaurant whose name I can’t remember, and sadly, I mistakenly erased some of my notes. I do know the second half of the name is “Garten.” I tried searching on google maps since I remembered the general area of the restaurant but couldn’t find it. It was located halfway between our hostel the bus station.

After dinner we walked to the station to purchase our tickets for the ride to Berlin (and ensure the bus left from the station, ha!). There were a number of bus company ticket booths, none of them had a sign for RegioJet, and because we recognized Flickbus (the same hostel roommate in Budapest who told us about GoEuro mentioned that she uses this bus company), so that’s the company we went with.

On our final night in Prague, our hostel roommate (the guy who was in Prague the longest) suggested we go to the Dog Bar. Although, he had never been, he said he heard it was a cool place.

It’s located on a fairly quiet street and behind a huge wooden door. No sign, noise or indication that there’s nightlife going on inside. Once you enter, you first must see the cashier and pre-load money onto a card to use for drink purchases. On your way out, you return the card, and whatever you don’t use is refunded. We only loaded the very minimum as we were not drinking much, and, I wasn’t about to find out if they actually return the money or not. Once the transaction is complete, you make your way downstairs.

Picture an underground maze-like cave with numerous rooms. We settled into a room where the tables and seats are made from doors, and the seats are suspended from the ceiling like swings. Dog Bar must be where, particularly American, exchange students hang out because there were a good number of young Americans there. Members of the band also turned out to be American, and the last thing I could have ever guessed was that I’d be sitting in a bar in Prague, Czech Republic, listening to a band perform “Save Tonight” by Eagle Eye Cherry. I think I was the only person in the room who knew the words (or so I thought at the time). We didn’t stay very long, but it was long enough to see why the place was called “Dog Bar” when a huge, shaggy dog slowly made its way into and around the room. – in context, Dog Bar is a “cool” place to pass through and check out. I understand the interest; but I would not stay longer than the hour that we did. Also, I can’t with the bathrooms there.

As we were leaving the venue, we met a few other people who were also on their way out. We all recognized we were from the states, and one of them happened to be from my hometown, Philly and the others from Long Island. The one young lady was studying abroad in the city. She showed us around a bit more and took us to one of her local hang outs. While hanging out with our American friends, Eagle-Eye Cherry came up, and I was happy to find out that 2 out of 3 knew the artist and the words to “Save Tonight.” We all wondered, what happened to Eagle-Eye Cherry? He is a talented artist and we shared in the disbelief that his other music did not reach the commercial success of “Save Tonight.”

The city of Prague is a beauty. It’s easy to navigate and it’s walkable. I only used the tram a couple of times, (I didn’t use the underground so I’ll make it a point to do so next time), and it was easy to figure out. I’m excited to return in the future to experience much more.

Look for the final blog post in this series:

Part 3 of 3:“Leaving Prague, Berlin, I love you and Final Reflections & Tips” – Budapest | Prague | Berlin Travels

Where you can find me/how to contact me:

IG: wildlyplanted (check out photos)

YouTube: Wildly Planted ( I uploaded short video and photo reels)

Email: [email protected]

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