Prague 18-22nd Jan 2010
Prague
Monday 18th Jan 2010:
Woke up around the usually time I would have if I was still going to work – albeit 15 minutes later. Walked down to get the bus only to find that the times has changed and it was already gone and the next one wasn’t due for 1/2hr.
Got to the airport, and boarded the plane for Prague. Flight was very uneventful which was good and we got into Prague ½ early.
Caught the bus and underground metro into the city centre, then made my way to the hostel for check in. Went straight out after that and got completely lost and turned around (which has never happened to me before as I can usually figure out where I am on a map). Eventually found my way back to the hostel, got my bearings and headed out again. This time to catch a tram and got to the Prague version of the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately there was a hold up along the line, so I got off a bit early and walked across the Legion Bridge. From there I slowly found my way up the snowy and slippery footpaths of the park to the top, where the Petrin Lookout Tower is situated (looks a little like the Eiffel Tower - in a Czech kind of way). It was a wonderful view from the top and I was lucky enough to get there just after the sun went down and was able to get the contrast between a city in daylight and a city in twilight and as the lights are switched on.
I eventually made my way down the hill via the funicular (hill side tram – like in HK). To walk back to the hostel, then pop out for some dinner at a local quick eatery joint. Came back to my room and greeted my roomies for the night (who arrive at 1am the night before). 2 Mexican brothers and a Chilean girl. Shared a couple of beers with them, before writing this up, watching a movie and going to bed.
Tuesday 19th Jan 2010:
Slept in until about 9.45am, then decided to get up, grab some breakfast from a store near the hostel before making my way to Old Town Square for a free tour of Prague.
This was an interesting tour and we were laddened with an American tour guide who’d been living and working in Prague for the last 5 years. Entertaining to say the least about him. We walked around the Old Town, Jewish Quarter and some of the New Town seeing most of the more interesting touristy sites and hearing some interesting tales true and false.
After the tour ended I made my way over the Charles Bridge and down the river bank to the Jiraskuv Bridge to see the Fred and Ginger dancing building. I then made my way back to the hostel to dry out my socks, feet and shoes as they were all well and truly cold and wet. Relaxed here for a few hours before heading back out again – still no internet though so couldn’t do anything online.
In the evening I went to the supermarket to buy some cheap food for a couple of days (breakfast for 3 days and dinner for 2 days), came back to the hostel to cook up dinner. After dinner at about 8.45 I headed out to the old clock in towns square to see who would show up for the organised pub crawl. Quite a few people turned up, so I joined in and had a night on the town with a bunch of people. Eventually making my way back to the hostel and then sleeping the night off.
Wednesday 20th Jan 2010:
Woke up eventually, and while I was in the shower my new roomies showed up (5 girls – lucky me! ;)). I then headed out to the Prague Castle and wandered around the city for a while before my legs got tired and I started to get hungry. While heading back to the hostel I stopped in and got myself a hotdog. Got back to the hostel to find the internet working, so I was able to check-in for my flight back to Birmingham on Friday (still have to print out the boarding pass though), caught up on a couple of emails and other net stuff, before going back to my room and finished watching “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” which I’d started watching on Tuesday night before the pub crawl.
Thursday 21st Jan 2010:
So I decided in the morning to head to Kutna Hora, which is about 1.5hrs south of Prague. It's a quaint little town with a number of different churches around the place, which unfortunately being winter were closed to the public and so I was only able to see the outside of most of them. However I did at least get to see the inside of the bigger St. Barbara's Cathedral, which was pretty impressive inside including all the old paintings done on the walls of the cathedral.
I made my way back to Prague after a couple of hours spent in Kutna Hora - where I had been freezing (I believe it was around -8C during the day, so my hands, feet and face were all pretty much frozen.
Got back to the city, to unfreeze in the hostel, where I met one of the owners, a lady from NZ, had a good chat with her, then went up to my room to unfreeze, before heading back out for dinner.
Came back to jump on the internet and spend the rest of the night in the warmth of the hostel.
Friday 22nd Jan 2010:
Woke up, checked out of the hostel, then headed for the airport.
Arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare, so got some food and a drink then sat waiting for the plane. Time to board came, got my seat and had a very uneventful smooth ride back to Birmingham with a very smooth soft landing.
At home now, doing washing - having had a shower - and checking hte net and downloading missed programs.
Monday 18th Jan 2010:
Woke up around the usually time I would have if I was still going to work – albeit 15 minutes later. Walked down to get the bus only to find that the times has changed and it was already gone and the next one wasn’t due for 1/2hr.
Got to the airport, and boarded the plane for Prague. Flight was very uneventful which was good and we got into Prague ½ early.
Caught the bus and underground metro into the city centre, then made my way to the hostel for check in. Went straight out after that and got completely lost and turned around (which has never happened to me before as I can usually figure out where I am on a map). Eventually found my way back to the hostel, got my bearings and headed out again. This time to catch a tram and got to the Prague version of the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately there was a hold up along the line, so I got off a bit early and walked across the Legion Bridge. From there I slowly found my way up the snowy and slippery footpaths of the park to the top, where the Petrin Lookout Tower is situated (looks a little like the Eiffel Tower - in a Czech kind of way). It was a wonderful view from the top and I was lucky enough to get there just after the sun went down and was able to get the contrast between a city in daylight and a city in twilight and as the lights are switched on.
I eventually made my way down the hill via the funicular (hill side tram – like in HK). To walk back to the hostel, then pop out for some dinner at a local quick eatery joint. Came back to my room and greeted my roomies for the night (who arrive at 1am the night before). 2 Mexican brothers and a Chilean girl. Shared a couple of beers with them, before writing this up, watching a movie and going to bed.
Tuesday 19th Jan 2010:
Slept in until about 9.45am, then decided to get up, grab some breakfast from a store near the hostel before making my way to Old Town Square for a free tour of Prague.
This was an interesting tour and we were laddened with an American tour guide who’d been living and working in Prague for the last 5 years. Entertaining to say the least about him. We walked around the Old Town, Jewish Quarter and some of the New Town seeing most of the more interesting touristy sites and hearing some interesting tales true and false.
After the tour ended I made my way over the Charles Bridge and down the river bank to the Jiraskuv Bridge to see the Fred and Ginger dancing building. I then made my way back to the hostel to dry out my socks, feet and shoes as they were all well and truly cold and wet. Relaxed here for a few hours before heading back out again – still no internet though so couldn’t do anything online.
In the evening I went to the supermarket to buy some cheap food for a couple of days (breakfast for 3 days and dinner for 2 days), came back to the hostel to cook up dinner. After dinner at about 8.45 I headed out to the old clock in towns square to see who would show up for the organised pub crawl. Quite a few people turned up, so I joined in and had a night on the town with a bunch of people. Eventually making my way back to the hostel and then sleeping the night off.
Wednesday 20th Jan 2010:
Woke up eventually, and while I was in the shower my new roomies showed up (5 girls – lucky me! ;)). I then headed out to the Prague Castle and wandered around the city for a while before my legs got tired and I started to get hungry. While heading back to the hostel I stopped in and got myself a hotdog. Got back to the hostel to find the internet working, so I was able to check-in for my flight back to Birmingham on Friday (still have to print out the boarding pass though), caught up on a couple of emails and other net stuff, before going back to my room and finished watching “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” which I’d started watching on Tuesday night before the pub crawl.
Thursday 21st Jan 2010:
So I decided in the morning to head to Kutna Hora, which is about 1.5hrs south of Prague. It's a quaint little town with a number of different churches around the place, which unfortunately being winter were closed to the public and so I was only able to see the outside of most of them. However I did at least get to see the inside of the bigger St. Barbara's Cathedral, which was pretty impressive inside including all the old paintings done on the walls of the cathedral.
I made my way back to Prague after a couple of hours spent in Kutna Hora - where I had been freezing (I believe it was around -8C during the day, so my hands, feet and face were all pretty much frozen.
Got back to the city, to unfreeze in the hostel, where I met one of the owners, a lady from NZ, had a good chat with her, then went up to my room to unfreeze, before heading back out for dinner.
Came back to jump on the internet and spend the rest of the night in the warmth of the hostel.
Friday 22nd Jan 2010:
Woke up, checked out of the hostel, then headed for the airport.
Arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare, so got some food and a drink then sat waiting for the plane. Time to board came, got my seat and had a very uneventful smooth ride back to Birmingham with a very smooth soft landing.
At home now, doing washing - having had a shower - and checking hte net and downloading missed programs.
posted by Matt at Thursday, January 21, 2010
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