As in all great cities, the best part about Prague is simply wandering around the old sections, marveling at the buildings. The churches are great but the museums are not. The views from the castle and the St. Charles Bridge are fabulous. The place has fully recovered from the devastating floods of the previous year. Prague is so beautiful that even the hordes of tourists there don't spoil it.

The Vyšehrad Cemetery is one of the best in Europe. Composers Dvorak and Smetana are buried here, along with the writer Karel Capek and many other famous Czech's. The lovely church of St. Peter and Paul, with its Romanesque exterior and colorful Art Nouveau interior, along with the Rotunda of St. Martin are nearby. Someone managed to steal the church's famous tabernacle in 1999. .

The Baroque library and Astronomical tower in the Klementinum are well worth a look. The overly popular Jewish Museum Complex is good, but relatively way overpriced. Pavel and his wife are appalled at my 450kc ticket. In comparison, the City Hall tour, which goes both underground and gives a view of the back of its famous clock, is a bargain at 50kc.

I take a day trip out to Karlstejn Castle, which looks far better from the outside. The woods of the surrounding area are nice for hiking though. I spend another day on random subway stops, despite experiencing the aftermath of a shooting at the Museum station just after my first subway transfer.

Prague is easy to love and still easier on the budget than most of Europe. A beautiful city, good cheap beer, and nice people -- what more could a traveler want?