Praha (aka Prague)
It all started in a rush - a rush of excitement, anticipation and a rush to get to the plane on time. I thought I had planned my journey to the "T" - an early wake up call (I think I saw the sunrise, but then again I could have been dreaming) - a dash to the Northern Line - a switch to the DLR at Bank - and then an easy ride to City Airport. City Airport welcomed me like an open mouth full to the brim with unhappy travellers, frustrated by the early morning delays. I would not escape unscathed either - forced to board a later flight to Zurich with a connection to Prague.
I arrived at Prague airport, wondering where everyone was. The transfer into town was easy, a bus ride through the outskirts of town (with scenes of what I can only imagine the Soviet Era might have been like - bleak, tall high rises surrounded by crisp clean roads), a metro (no gates!) and a tram to finish it off.
The hotel was nothing less than enchanting, tucked away in a side street a stone throw away from Charles Bridge- Our room ( which I think was bigger than my London flat!) was on the top floor and boasted low ceilings and exposed beams which gave it a true bohemian atmosphere .
Prague is definitely a walking city. Strolling through the Jewish quarter, the main squares and the numerous churches, one can't help but be amazed by the architecture and charmed by the eerie atmosphere of this city. The experience was only slightly dampened by the huge amounts of tourists roaming the city streets. They (like us!) clutching a badly designed street map, probably trying to locate the Vltava River which would lead them back to where they wanted to be (or at least should be).
A completely out of sync schedule meant that we were never out early enough to sample the (probably) delightful food on offer - but we did sample the beers which were cheap and plentiful and the apple strudel which provided enough energy to walk up the long and steep hills to the Castle.
This weekend was also about trying to connect the past with the future ... and that, I realised is no easy task ... even in Prague.
I arrived at Prague airport, wondering where everyone was. The transfer into town was easy, a bus ride through the outskirts of town (with scenes of what I can only imagine the Soviet Era might have been like - bleak, tall high rises surrounded by crisp clean roads), a metro (no gates!) and a tram to finish it off.
The hotel was nothing less than enchanting, tucked away in a side street a stone throw away from Charles Bridge- Our room ( which I think was bigger than my London flat!) was on the top floor and boasted low ceilings and exposed beams which gave it a true bohemian atmosphere .
Prague is definitely a walking city. Strolling through the Jewish quarter, the main squares and the numerous churches, one can't help but be amazed by the architecture and charmed by the eerie atmosphere of this city. The experience was only slightly dampened by the huge amounts of tourists roaming the city streets. They (like us!) clutching a badly designed street map, probably trying to locate the Vltava River which would lead them back to where they wanted to be (or at least should be).
A completely out of sync schedule meant that we were never out early enough to sample the (probably) delightful food on offer - but we did sample the beers which were cheap and plentiful and the apple strudel which provided enough energy to walk up the long and steep hills to the Castle.
This weekend was also about trying to connect the past with the future ... and that, I realised is no easy task ... even in Prague.
Labels: Prague
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