Saturday, May 13, 2023

Into Prague

 The train ride from Berlin to Prague was a pleasant, picturesque trip after a passenger finally moved from my seat! Once on the train I double checked my ticket and motion to the lady that she was sitting in my seat. She did not agree until I used the one German word that I remembered from my school days - Fenster, meaning window - and showed her the word on the ticket did she move. Oh the carry on in first class carriages! 😆

After our stop at Dresden the  view became even better as we followed a river all the way to Prague! I had a bite to eat, sandwich, in the buffet car - one of the better ones I've been in!

My hotel in Prague was on the edge of the Old Town and initially I couldn't recognise anywhere from my trip here 19 years ago! After wandering the cobbled streets I came across the Astronomical Clock and my memory was back. The shop selling all the Czech glassware was in the same spot but boy have the prices risen!!

I tried local restaurants for meals but Prague seems to have been taken over by Italian cuisine!

 Czech goulash with potato dumplings 

 Dark beer to help the goulash go down!

Another meal - where are the veggies?


Back in time beer was the safest 'water' to drink and consequently it is cheaper to drink beer than have a soft drink!!!

It's easy to get lost in the streets of the Old Town- and I did a few times! Just a wrong turn and you can and up 'miles' away from where you want to be! Luckily I always found my way back!

Opera House










I took a pleasant one hour boat trip.







You definately need a comfortable pair of solid shoes here! One evening the opera was on - it was painful to watch the ladies in their evening dresses and heels navigate the cobble stones!

The internet was not the best in Prague and I was also having trouble with the power. Although my adapter fitted the socket the power just wouldn't go through - luckily I had a powerbank with me! Be prepared for everything!

Yesterday, Saturday, I had another train ride! Once again I was in first class, even got a discount as a senior! I ventured to the information centre to check on my seat as I couldn't find a number. Just sit in any seat I was told. Well that was easier said than done!  You'd think there would be a certain standard of behaviour in first class but  no it was survival of the fittest! Initially I didn't do so well, although I made sure that my bag was safely stowed, when a couple offered me one of the seats at their table.

The first hour and a half of the journey went well with the American couple and I engaged in interesting conversations. Suddenly the train stopped and we waited for a while. I thought that this was as good a time as any to have lunch - I couldn't face the goulash so I  just had a sandwich!  The train still wasn't moving and after a while the buffet car started to fill up! I made a hasty retreat back to my seat. Final a message came through to say that a tree had fallen on the power line and we were waiting for it to be fixed. Whether or not this was the truth we will never know! We continued to wait and, because we were seated next to the buffet car the noise became louder, the clicking of bottles more intense. There was a moment of excitement - we'll for the smokers who were allowed off for a while!! I might add that we were basically in the middle of nowhere.

We were still not moving and about 2 hours had passed. There was a bit of huffing and puffing from the conductor was now handing out refreshment vouchers to the value of 30 Czech crowns - $2 - to be used on the train and yes you've guessed it there was nothing on the menu for that value plus I had managed to get rid of all my Czech money.

First class is always the last couple of carriages of a train. Suddenly all these children carrying backpacks suddenly appeared - it was like a Month Python scene! We worked out that a train must have been backed up behind us and they were moving  the passengers from there on to our train because we should be the first to move. 
Finally we did get going and a few was stations down the track I saw the 'camping children' get off and were greeted by parents - a school excursion perhaps!

We arrive 160 minutes late into Vienna but were very glad to be here!


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