Prague

We arrived in Prague about 45 minutes late – for which the conductor apologized over the intercom on the train every time we stopped and took on new passengers.

Old pros at the metro now, we found our lines and our change points with no problem, and the hotel was a short walk from the metro stop. We are 2 blocks from Charles Bridge, which we will cross tomorrow to visit Prague Castle. The streets are FAR more crowded with sightseers than in Vienna or Budapest – Owen says it is like walking down Bourbon Street in New Orleans!

Our hotel room is small – double bed, IKEA closet, slanted ceiling with a tiny window and a small but functional bathroom – don’t plan t spend time in the room, so no probs.

Went out to try the famous Prague beer – Pilsner Urquell is as good as its reputation. Tomorrow we will try Elaine’s suggestion of Staroprammen. We tried dinner in a jazz club, but after waiting 15 minutes for service, and noticing that no-one else in the place had food (menus, but no food) we did the no-dine-and-dash (our girls know it is not a typical vacation with Mom and Dad until we walk out of a restaurant!) Found a spaghetti/sandwich place down the street. After dinner we walked back to the Charles Bridge to see it at night and to see the castle all lit up across the river. Again, the bridge was full of people, and buskers and probably pickpockets – gone are the days of having a whole wing of a museum to ourselves, or a tourist attraction where our photos look professional, only because there are so few people in the scenes.