Prague
Our trip to Prague from Krakow was brilliant - just lucky we discovered 'Leo Express' on the internet as most other transport options were more fraught and decidedly more convoluted. The private coach from Krakow to Bohumin just across the border into the Czech Republic was great - even had a hostie on board to serve tea and coffee. Then we board a Leo Express branded train for a 1st class train trip right into Prague - fantastic!
At Prague railway station we get off the train and see a taxi driver so we ask for the rate to take us to our hotel. He immediate quotes 500 Czech Koruna. We decline his generous offer and find an info booth downstairs where the girl at the counter makes a phone call and soon a taxi driver turns up for us and our bags and relieves us of only 180 Czech Koruna for the same trip. Our hotel is full of rustic charm and is air conditioned to boot which is great as it's 40 degrees plus for the first few days of our stay there.
We have 6 nights in Prague staying at the Palace Hotel near Charles Bridge. This is a great location right at the iconic bridge and only 5 minutes walk from the old city square. There are stacks of things to do and see in Prague - the famous Palace; the Cathedral; the main square with it's clock tower; the Jewish quarter with its museum, Synagogues and Cemetery; the swanky shopping streets and the plethora of museums and galleries. We do some tram travel but mostly, we walk everywhere. Easy!
One downside of the city is the crowds at this time of the year - it's high summer, and there are tourists everywhere (as one would expect). It seems that an increasing number of people from the Asia-Pacific region are travelling to Europe, and Prague is a key destination for them, but they are not alone - there are people here from every country across the globe and they are very pushy, especially when travelling en masse - usually on walking tours around the city or just in a hurry to get somewhere. I think the locals feel the stress too and react accordingly.
We spend a day touring around the city by ourselves on foot (whilst our washing is at the laundry).
Our own walking tour was with a small group of about 20 people and takes 7 hours to complete but this includes a river cruise with morning tea and lunch. Very good value and a very informative guide.
We hook up with Lisa and Denise (from our Insight Tour) and have a couple of great meals with them including our last night where we hike up to the hill top above the river and have bread, cheese, ham and wine with them as the sun sets over the city.
But soon it's time to head to the airport and pray that our EasyJet flight turns up to take us to Edinburgh for our rendezvous with Laurie and Denise, our travelling friends for the Scotland part of our travels. Surprisingly, EasyJet does the right thing this time (not like our previous experience with them) and our plane arrives, takes off and lands on time and the whole experience is without glitch. Amazing!!!
Next chapter - Scotland.
At Prague railway station we get off the train and see a taxi driver so we ask for the rate to take us to our hotel. He immediate quotes 500 Czech Koruna. We decline his generous offer and find an info booth downstairs where the girl at the counter makes a phone call and soon a taxi driver turns up for us and our bags and relieves us of only 180 Czech Koruna for the same trip. Our hotel is full of rustic charm and is air conditioned to boot which is great as it's 40 degrees plus for the first few days of our stay there.
We have 6 nights in Prague staying at the Palace Hotel near Charles Bridge. This is a great location right at the iconic bridge and only 5 minutes walk from the old city square. There are stacks of things to do and see in Prague - the famous Palace; the Cathedral; the main square with it's clock tower; the Jewish quarter with its museum, Synagogues and Cemetery; the swanky shopping streets and the plethora of museums and galleries. We do some tram travel but mostly, we walk everywhere. Easy!
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| Just a 'little' statue in a niche near the lift in our hotel |
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| The Prague Castle (Palace) at night from across the river |
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| Anne looking relaxed beside the river |
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| The entry tower at the east end of the Charles Bridge |
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| Me looking well...goofy - on the Charles Bridge |
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| The gateway at the western end of the bridge leading to the "Little Town" |
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| These cars are for hire for a city tour - 1200 Koruna ($70) for 45 minutes |
One downside of the city is the crowds at this time of the year - it's high summer, and there are tourists everywhere (as one would expect). It seems that an increasing number of people from the Asia-Pacific region are travelling to Europe, and Prague is a key destination for them, but they are not alone - there are people here from every country across the globe and they are very pushy, especially when travelling en masse - usually on walking tours around the city or just in a hurry to get somewhere. I think the locals feel the stress too and react accordingly.
We spend a day touring around the city by ourselves on foot (whilst our washing is at the laundry).
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| A shop with a name to jog one of our kid's memories about Prague |
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| Statue of St Charles - or was it of a Prince or a King?? |
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| Walking up towards the main square |
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| The Town Hall Tower and its famous clock |
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| The celestial clock in to Tower |
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| Looking back down the main lift well of the Tower |
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| Looking out of the Tower with a random tourist in the foreground |
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| The ancient Cathedral from the Tower |
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| Anne looking fetching as she poses at the top of the Tower |
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| BBQ'ing pork haunches on the spit alongside the main square |
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| The statue outside Prague Castle (Palace) |
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| St Vitus Cathedral within the Prague Palace |
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| The side of the Cathedral |
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| Anne with the city of Prague stretching out behind her |
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| The John Lennon memorial wall |
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| View of the Old Cathedral from Prague Cathedral |
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| Inside a chapel the Loreto Convent in the Upper City |
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| Anne in a street behind the Loreto Church & Convent |
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| Phil walking towards the Jewish Museum |
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| The graveyard in the Jewish Quarter |
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| Inside the Spanish Synagogue, Prague Jewish Quarter |
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| Up the the National Museum at the top of the main street in Prague |
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| Statue of a famous man on a horse |
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| Picture of a famous woman in front of a famous statue |
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| The Town Hall Tower of the so-called 'New Town' of Prague |
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| Anne enjoying a craft brew at the famous micro brewery in Prague New Town |
We hook up with Lisa and Denise (from our Insight Tour) and have a couple of great meals with them including our last night where we hike up to the hill top above the river and have bread, cheese, ham and wine with them as the sun sets over the city.
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| Anne and I on the hilltop above Prague on our last night in the city |
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| The Metronome - a moving sculpture on top of the hilltop parkland |
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| Denise preparing our last supper in Prague. Lisa ably assisting in the background |
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| Our fare for the night - very continental, Note the size of the bottle of white wine! |
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| Anne an I against the Prague skyline as the sun sets on a perfect day |
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| Sunset |
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| The Prague Palace at dusk |
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| The War Memorial |
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| The reprobates on a bridge! |
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| Fireworks on the horizon from the Charles Bridge |
But soon it's time to head to the airport and pray that our EasyJet flight turns up to take us to Edinburgh for our rendezvous with Laurie and Denise, our travelling friends for the Scotland part of our travels. Surprisingly, EasyJet does the right thing this time (not like our previous experience with them) and our plane arrives, takes off and lands on time and the whole experience is without glitch. Amazing!!!
Next chapter - Scotland.
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