Why you need to go to Prague right now

I fell in love with Prague. I may even have left my heart in Prague. And who wouldn't? Prague may belong to the least popular european destination amongst Filipino tourists , in fact some Pinoys has not even a clue to which country it belongs to, but my say is, Prague has to be included in every traveller's bucketlist.

Prague is beautiful . Period. It was my first ever taste of Europe and i wasn't expecting that much. It turned out to be much much more. It seems that Prague architecture is the biggest draw card. Every building or tower tells a story and almost all was spared from the bombings during the World War 2. Prague city has little physical evidence of the second world war . It was occupied by the Nazis for 7 years (1939-1945) and not a scratch on it (only to my naked eye :). Prague is really one lucky city!

BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE @ CHARLES BRIDGE

CHARLES BRIDGE 

One of Prague's most alluring and one you won't and shouldn't miss is the Charles Bridge. I walked this path countless times during my stay and never got tired of it. Charles Bridge or Karluv Most crosses the Vtalva River . It is protected by 3 bridge towers , two of them on the Lesser Quarter side and the third one on the Old Town side.

At night , bridge would light up and casts an eerie glow . Nothing scary. More like a romantic glow. During daytime it is filled with tourists just walking , taking pictures . Not to be missed are souveinirs and local musicians . Best part of the day is the sunrise. I highly nudge you to set that alarm a little extra early so you can witness Prague beautiful sunrise. Trust me it'll be worth it !

PRAGUE CASTLE

PRAGUE CASTLE 

The massive UNESCO World Heritage site goes back to more than 1000 years of history. The enormity of this castle was described by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest coherent castle complex in the world. Here shown was i looking up and trying to challenge my eyes how far it can see while throngs of tourists disturbing my moment . hahaha. Seriously, i'm not much into history but a walk around this complex would surely tire you out and take half of your morning so make sure to put on your most comfortable walking shoes .

ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK

PRAGUE ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK ON THE OLD TOWN SQUARE

Above me are 12 apostles figurines which blesses the city every hour . The animation would go on live every hour and tourists would flock to this venue to witness it. This is one of the most popular touristy thing to do in Prague in case you haven't read it yet from the other blogs . Hahaha again :)

Walking around this city will eventually wear you out. As in my case, the growling hunger ticked simultaneously with the clock and found ourselves settling in with a nice Prague comfort food.

PRAGUE COMFORT FOOD 

GULAS OR GOULASH

The Czech Goulash basically belongs to traditional Hungarian cuisine. Pck the morsels with a dumpling  (a traditional Czech side dish made from wheat or potato and boiled) or eat with rice. It tastes and look similar to Mechado from the philippines.

PIG'S KNEE OR KOLENO

Need i say more to introduce this mouth watering pork dish? Don't be shy. Go ahead and indulge. Wash it down with beer - like a true cave man!

TRDELNIK

As i always say , you can't buy happiness but you can buy this sweet thing and it's kinda the same thing . In every street corner you see this. Nutella is smothered inside and then you die and go to heaven. Just kidding. Top it with ice cream and then hell will break loose. :)

After filling up we then ride around the city with the coolest vintage car .

OUR RIDE AROUND THE CITY IS GOT TO BE THE COOLEST TOP DOWN VINTAGE CAR

PRAGUE VINTAGE CAR TOURS

After the sumptuous meal we had, i swear i wouldn't walk anymore and this pretty little thing offered the best solution for us. We paid a little less than 100usd for a 1 hour ride tour of the best sights of the city. It was a wonderful cold/windy ride and we got a lot of envy stares from the other tourists.

It's a great way to see the whole city in style .

PRAGUE QUIRKS AND ECCENTRICITIES

I love Prague not only because of it's beautiful landscape but also it's quirkiness and unconventional , bizaare, freakish statues. Maybe it's weird but it adds to it's character and i love it more.

JOHN LENNON WALL 

A GIANT BABY BUTT by DAVID CERNY

A HANGING MAN

A DANCING HOUSE

A PEEING MAN by DAVID CERNY

And this man never ceases to amaze me .....

P.S. Prague is part of the Schengen Countries. To get a Schengen visa and to know more about it pls see it here 

How i applied for a Schengen Visa through Czech Republic Embassy in Manila

Ahhh....Europe... Everybody's travel bucket list. But getting there is half the fun. Amidst the planning and saving for the trip , one thing we dread most is applying for the most coveted entry visa.

I applied through Czech Republic Embassy in Manila because i will be staying the longest days in Prague. My itinerary is 5 days in Prague  Czezh Rep , 3 days in Paris France and 4 days in Rome Italy and so i had to apply through the Czech Rep Embassy.

Since this is my first schengen visa application , i  browsed the internet in search of blogs that would help me with my agenda. I only found a few who shared their experiences during their application process through Czech Rep embassy. I was worried that this embassy is notorious in denying visas.

Preparing the requirements
Anyway, i proceeded to preparing the required documents. Based on the official website of the embassy here are the requirements for Tourist visa application.
1. Duly filled out application form  (pls download it through the link)
2. Valid Passport - should at least be 6 months valid at the start of your travel date
3. One passport sized photo - must be recent
4. Hotel accomodation confirmation
5. Proof of financial means - Bank Certificate and Bank Statements (3months)
Note :The Official Bank Certificate must include a paragraph containing waiver of rights to release information to the Embassyof the Czech Republic - Visa Section. If this is not possible, a separate authorization letter addressed to the bank concerned must be produced, signed by the accountholder and acknowledged by the bank representative (whether by signature or by stamp), a copy of which must be submitted to the Embassy at the time of application.
6. Flight Reservation
7. Travel Medical Insurance
8. For Employees - COE and Leave of Absence
9. For Business owners - Business permits/DTI/SEC
10. For students - Certificate of Enrollment
11. For minors - Affidavit of Support , Copy of parent's passport, NSO BC, DSWD clearance (if not travelling with parents)

Hotel accomodation confirmation , Flight Reservation , Travel medical insurance can be obtained thru your trusted travel agency for a nominal fee.

Once i am pretty sure that i have completed everything , i need to set an appointment .

Appointment Setting 
After preparing all the requirements , i needed to set an appointment with the embassy to submit my documents. You cannot just walk in and announce to them your visa application. Appointment setting is done through VISAPOINT.  (https://visapoint.eu/disclaimer)

Visa lodging days are Tuesday , Wedneday and Thursday ONLY at 0900am to 1200pm. Personal appearance is required for biometrics and a thorough interview.

On the day of my appointment 
My appointment was at 0900am and i was there 1 hour before the set time. I was specially early because i meant to avoid the traffic. It is better to be early than miss my chance to be interviewed. The guard at the 30th floor of the Rufino Tower where the embassy office was located informed me to go to the canteen first and come back when the embassy open. Their office is quite small and there are no lounging areas.

I came back after 1 hour and i was ushered into the office where other visa applicants are waiting. I was 3rd to be interviewed. We were asked to sit in the waiting area before our turn comes for the interview. I can hear the exchange of questions and answers between the visa officer and the applicant since the room is quite small.

When my turn came , i went into the room and one male visa officer (Czech national) and one female assistant (Filipina) was standing in front of me. I greeted them good morning and I immediately handed them my documents. Then they proceeded with the biometrics (fingerprinting/photo/signature). After which then came the questions.

Here are some of the questions asked (as i recall)
1. What are you going to do in Prague ?  Ans : For tourism / vacation
2. How long are you going to stay in Prague ? Ans : 5 days
3. Do you work ? What do you do ? Ans : told them my line of job and business i have
4. How many siblings do you have ? What kind of job do they have ?  Ans : narrated my siblings work
5. Which countries have you been to ? Ans : told them the list of countries ive visited already

Male visa officer was a good natured guy but his Filipina assistant is quite cynical. Or maybe she was just like that to scare people off. Maybe its a strategy of embassy staff to be hostile to test if you are telling them the truth.

Be honest with your answers. These people are trained and they can tell if you are lying through your teeth. And if they feel you are not telling the truth it may cost you your application. Remember that the visa fee is non refundable.

Visa Processing time 
My interview was on a Tuesday and they told me to call them Monday (the following week) to follow up if my passport is ready for pickup the next day (tuesday). They normally give a decision within 5 working days after the interview/submission. Wow ! only 5 working days! Unlike other embassies which normally takes at least 15 working days to release your passport.

In other individual cases , it may take up to 30 to 60 working days . But mine was released after 5 working days.

You may also authorize other person to pickup your passport. Pickup days are Tuesdays , Wednesday, and Thursday at 1200nn to 100pm only.

I hope this will somehow help you with your Schengen Tourist Visa application.
Please comment below if you have questions. I would be glad to help you in any way i can. :)

How to apply for a Schengen Visa ?

Applying for a travel visa is something we Filipinos have to endure. Preparing the documents , submission , the interview and the waiting game that comes along with the process brings stress and dilemma to each and every traveller . No pain , no gain as the old adage says. I , for one went through it. 

The application process may slightly differ depending on which embassy you are intending to apply to but the required documents are almost the same. I also have read that there are embassies that has a higher visa approval rate compared to others. 

The advantage of getting a schengen visa is that  one visa gives you freedom to travel to 26 different EU nations. Below are the list of EU nations under the Schengen Agreement.

Austria                                                      Portugal

Belgium                                                    Slovakia

Czech Republic                                        Slovenia

Denmark                                                  Spain

Estonia                                                     Sweden

Finland                                                     Switzerland

France                                                      Lichtenstein                      

Germany  

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

And so, what are the steps in applying for a Schengen Visa?

I have applied through the Czech republic embassy in Manila before and i just followed these simple steps. 

Step 1 : Determine which embassy to submit your application

If you are travelling to only one EU country then you have not much of a problem but if you are intending to travel to 2 or more state then you must follow the rule . It is highly suggested to apply in the embassy of the country you will be staying the longest. What if you'll be spending equal number of days ?  Then apply to where you will be entering first according to your itinerary.

For example : 

(entry) 4days France + 3days Spain + 7days Italy (exit)  = Apply in Italy Embassy

(entry) 4days France + 4days Italy (exit)  = Apply in France Embassy

It will also help if you have an itinerary prepared for your trip to determine exactly your embassy . 

Step 2 : Prepare your Documents

Now that you have determined which embassy to apply to check the official website of that particular embassy for the required documents. As i have said every embassy has their own set of required documents. Others such as the French Embassy require a Cover Letter but the Czech Rep Embassy and the Netherlands Embassy does not need one. So read through and carefully take note of the requirements because it can make or break your chances of getting a Schengen Visa. Remember that these embassies are quite busy and they are quite unforgiving if you appear before them with incomplete/missing documents.

So check, double check the requirements. If you are unsure or have questions  , you may contact them prior to your appointment . 

Generally speaking the required documents for Tourist Visa are :

1. Original Passport

2. 2x2 photo 

3. Duly Filled up Application Form

4. Proof of Employment - Certificate of Employment , Leave of Absence, ITR

5. For business owners - DTI/SEC/ ITR

6. Proof of sufficient means of substinence - Bank Certificate , Bank Statements (6months)

7. Day to Day Itinerary 

8. Proof of accomodation - Hotel Reservation

9. Airline Reservation

10. Travel Insurance 

Numbers 7-10 can be acquired from a travel agency for a nominal fee.

Step 3 : When to apply

You may apply as early as 3 months prior to your intended travel date and the latest at least 20 working days before your travel date. Give yourself enough time because you will never know if the release of your passport will be delayed. 

One rule to apply here is, DON'T BUY your tickets yet. The embassy does not require you to buy your tickets . In fact it is not an advantage if you show them a finalized ticket. 

Step 4 : Set an appointment 

You need to call the embassy or the visa application center (handling the visa of a particular embassy) to set an appointment for interview and submission of documents.

Step 5 : Submit your requirements/Pay the Visa Fee

Some Embassies conduct interview upon submission of application some do not. Certainly, biometrics are taken upon submission. You should also prepare your payment in CASH (peso currency) or a Managers Check (in the case of a Visa Application Center). 

Be sure to bring all pertinent papers because as i said it can make or break your application. The embassy may also ask for additional documents from you if they deemed it to be necessary.

Step 6 : Waiting Game

The embassy or the Visa Application Center will designate a date of release of your passport (with ot without a visa stamp). All you have to do is wait and pray that your application shall be successful. Processing time varies with each embassy .

If you are granted a visa be sure to abide by the rules and DO NOT OVERSTAY. 

But what if you are not fortunate to get a visa? You may apply again depending on the rules of the embassy . Inquire through the embassy.

Good luck to all visa applicants of Schengen :)

You may also want to read how i got my Schengen Tourist visa through the Czech Rep Embassy in Manila.