Our Monday began in the heart of Bohemia — on a little peninsula in the Vltava River, where our camper was parked just a tram ride away from the city buzz. For Anne, this was her first time in Prague, while Lennard had wandered its cobbled streets once before. But exploring it together felt like seeing it with new eyes.

We let ourselves drift through the city’s tourist hotspots, camera in one hand, local Czech beer in the other. Between the iconic Charles Bridge and the astronomical clock’s hourly performance, the city served us one picture-perfect moment after another. As the sun dipped behind the gothic rooftops, we ended our day with a plate of traditional Czech goulash — rich, warming, and deeply satisfying.

A fairytale start in Prague

The next day, the cityscape gave way to a different mission: find a peaceful place to fish. Easier said than done in the Czech Republic, where you need a proper permit — and finding one can feel like a treasure hunt. Our first stop, a small fishing shop, couldn’t help us, but after a lot of gesturing, smiling, and a heavy reliance on Google Translate, we finally tracked down a place that could.

Armed with our hard-won fishing license, we drove toward a remote mountain lake and spent the night next to a wide field framed by distant peaks. As twilight fell, a few deer wandered into view, and we caught up with family back home. Peaceful, quiet, and full of promise for the day ahead.

The fishing permit quest

Wednesday was fishing day. The plan: launch our kayak and head onto the lake. The reality: no pump. Oops. But where most would give up, Lennard just started inflating the kayak by mouth — determination (and a bit of stubbornness) paid off.

About ninety minutes later, the line suddenly jerked. A bite — and not just any fish. Lennard reeled in an enormous rainbow trout, weighing in at around 7 kg. With precision and pride, Anne cleaned the catch on the shore, calling on her kitchen experience while Lennard channeled his past life as a Dutch National Fishing Championship competitor. That night, we feasted. Honestly, it was one of the best meals of our trip — fresh, hard-earned, and shared under the stars.

Big catch, bigger story 🐟💪

Washing day and shower surprises

On Thursday, we left the mountains behind and pointed the camper toward Dresden. After days off-grid, we were desperate to do laundry and refill our water tanks. We found a laundromat outside the city, loaded up every machine we could find, and then checked into a camper site with all the amenities — including access to showers at the public swimming pool next door.

What they didn’t mention: the showers were communal. No cubicles. Just one big open room. Let’s say... it took some mental adjustment. But hey, when you’re this far into van life, modesty becomes optional.

The next day, we moved to a camper spot closer to Dresden’s city center and explored the historic town on foot. It didn’t take long to fall for the city’s mix of baroque elegance and gritty charm, so we stayed an extra day to soak up more. After a hearty breakfast on the Großer Markt, we clocked in nearly 20,000 steps wandering through both the old and new quarters.

By late afternoon, the heat was on — and so were we. We made a spontaneous detour to a nearby lake, where campers were allowed to park on the grass. The water was unbelievably clear, the swim refreshing beyond words. It felt so perfect that we decided to stay not one, but two more days.

Saturday slipped by in a haze of sun, swims, books, and naps in the shade. Pure, simple joy. Sunday morning ended our lake escape with one last dip, before we hit the road toward Berlin.

Discovering Dresden; and a lakeside retreat 🌞

The drive to Berlin took about four and a half hours, and when we finally reached our campsite just outside the city, we were thrilled to find proper showers. Don’t get us wrong — camper showers have their charm, but when two people try to shower with one small water tank, let’s just say the luxury of unlimited hot water is very welcome.

On to Berlin, with clean hair and happy hearts

Casa Mariposa Meter – Week 2

🌟 Highlight

Fishing with our kayak and eating the catch that same evening.

😬 Low point

Honestly, nothing!

🏕 Best overnight spot

The spot in nature the day before we went fishing. We even spotted some deer!

🔥 Chaosmeter

4/10 - camper was less messy, a lot of laundry but overall not that bad!

📊 Total score

8/10 – A mix of nature and beautiful cities. The weather was also a mix of sun and heavy rain.

See you on the road!
– Anne & Lennard 🦋