We jetted into Munich from Perth Australia in the winter of 2012-13.
This was the start of our back-packing adventure taking in six countries or Europe as we approached our sixties.
Our family and friends thought we were very brave - and so did we! Accommodation Accommodation for the first part of our travels was booked in advance.
On the internet we had discovered that vacancies over Christmas/New Year were getting tight.
We joined Hostelling International and pre-booked hostels in Munich, Prague and Lucerne.
Munich We spent a most enjoyable three days in Munich taking in Marienplatz with its Rathaus and the Christmas markets.
The snow was beautiful, the gluhwein warming, and not for the first time we wondered why Australians don't travel to Europe in winter.
Travelling on from Munich to Prague by bus took us through snow-covered rural districts, pine forests and small villages.
It seemed strange to notice many paddocks full of solar panels when there was little sun.
There was an incredible amount of traffic especially trucks carrying freight in both directions.
As we drew closer to Prague we could see a lot of heavy industry with high-rise apartments to house the workers.
Prague Our first introduction to Prague at dusk wasn't good.
There was no signage and we had trouble being understood.
We struggled with our luggage out of the dismal Central Bus Station in light rain down a dimly lit backstreet where the dirty cobbled footpath was partly broken up and littered with rubbish and dog faeces.
We had booked for eight days over the Christmas period and initially thought that was a big mistake.
New Town Hostel Eventually we worked out how to change our Euros into Czech Crowns to buy public transport tickets and caught a tram to our Hostel.
The Hostel was in New Town, very affordable, and on a main transport route.
We discovered that the European hostels that we visited didn't have kitchens or laundries as in Australia.
We never did get an answer to the question of where to do our laundry, so used the bathroom and heaters to that end.
Meals Meals out, like everything in Prague, were very affordable and delectable.
In fact, just over the road from our Hostel we had the best pizza ever.
One meal we had at Karlstein Castle included spinach penne & grog (hot water with spiced rum, lemon and sugar) for me - and vegetable soup, pork schnitzel on potato mash and beer for my friend for a total cost of AU$10.
50! Transport To get the lie of the land as quickly as possible we bought tickets on a hop-on, hop-off bus, which included a river cruise.
This gave us three days of touring before Christmas Day.
Then after Christmas we did it again as the company introduced a tour of Staropremen Brewery for a limited time.
Old Town As we ventured into Old Town we could see that it was vastly different to our early introduction to Prague.
We began to see why the city has long been renowned as one of the world's most beautiful cities.
Prague Castle wasn't like the typical fairy-tale concoction we expected.
Rather, it is a collection of buildings constructed within a walled compound over various periods of time.
The stunning gothic spires of the abbey attracted a long queue of tourists.
We discovered that the gargoyles decorating the building were actually part of the storm-water system and rainwater gushed down on us from their grinning mouths.
Inside the opulent murals and sculptures rewarded us for our long wait in the rain.
Footwear We made the descent from the castle via the back staircase to the shopping area below.
On the descent one of my walking boots literally exploded! The snow and ice, combined with the trek down many, many stone stairs caused the two halves of the sole to split and the soft core sandwiched between them spewed out in a fine black powder.
We headed for the nearest shoe shop in a modern mall and the other boot exploded all over the white polished marble floor.
Was my face red! Happily I left the mall wearing a smart new pair of non-slip boots - leaving my old ones in a bin.
People We had already noticed that the friendly people of Prague are extremely attractive, well-dressed and beautifully groomed.
It was as if every inhabitant had a new coat and pair of boots for winter.
We didn't see any obesity and no-one seemed to eat junk food.
The children we saw were snacking on fruit.
On Christmas Day we went to Charles Bridge and mingled with other tourists and locals who flocked to share this icon of Prague.
Despite a fine coat of Christmas snow, the weather was fine and sunny.
The promenading crowd listened to the many classical musicians and admired the works of artists and photographers.
By the time we caught the bus (this time via the front entrance of the Bust Station) to make the return journey to Munich we were glad we had eight days in Prague.
The Christmas Markets in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square were such fun.
Picturesque Karlstein Castle, once the centre of the Roman Empire, is just a short day trip from the city.
Truly, the many delights of this part of the world are remarkable.