Category: Travel to Prague

Despite the ordeal my sis had in arriving here, she missed the connection in Heathrow due to bad directions, we have had a wonderful time here in Prague. The name “city of 100 spires” is an apt title. There is an awe that sweeps over you when you see the castles glow in the dusk of the evening, their spires dark against an orange gold sky. The cathedrals, not as grandeur as those in Rome and Paris, are still inspiring. We have been lucky to see two local festivals, one for Easter and one where the teenagers dress up in costumes: boys in manly outfits, pirates, superhero’s, etc and the girls are fairies, ballerinas, and bumblebees or butterflies–they all cheer every so often as the dance in the street. An amazing thing we’ve encountered in the metro is that teens jump up everytime to give my mom their seat, very polite.

I had heard that the food is quite heavy, and to be sure some of it is, but there are plenty of places with first rate food, even if its from a stand on the corner that sells 8 kinds of sausages. And those dogs are made for Pilser Urquell. Now if you order a Budwiser, the waiter is sure to tell you it’s the real Bud, not the one from \America, the ones who stole our name because it wasnt’ copyrighted.And the wine, we had 2 different Czech red wines, house wines that were so good we asked to buy a bottle to bring home.

Last night was our last one in Prague, where we went out to the boonies to a private run home restaurant, where the owner proudly said was the first private restaurant after the fall of communism where entrepreneur ship was no longer illegal. The dinner was six courses with free flowing red wine, a bottle which we also took home. We’ve met some other southern californian women on our trip as well as people from Australian and Canada.

In a few minutes we are on our way to Vienna and my free `15 mins are almost over on the hotel computer, so I have to run, or else I’ll be the one to miss the connection and stay in Prague–which isn’t a bad option.

It’s Travel Thursday, and the travel gods must have known it. Triple A called. They had my travel documents ready. This is my second tour with Triple A. Usually, I book my own flight, hotel, and tours. But I had to compromise with my travel companions. They wanted “Lively, Escorted” in 5 cities, 2 days each, with everyone on a schedule and doing the two-step pack and unpack.

I need my space, I have to wander, I want to discover that great little restaurant or museum. Hence, my favorite activity of perusing travel books and TripAdvisor.

They were happy that I found a flight for almost $400 less than the tour company but unhappy that it was British Air. The last time we took BA, our luggage was lost from 3 days to 1 month-my. The baggage was a one-month delayed.

We lost time and were unable to visit Musee D’Orsay and Sacre Couer. It took a while to find a Monoprix. It was like a combo Rite Aid and Target, but we found what we needed to get by, and lucky for me (and everyone else), I had my tote bag of hygiene and extra undies and blouse.

I’m still taking only a carry-on for the 12 days. Who cares that I wear some of the same clothes more than twice, as long as the photos don’t reflect that fact. And a scarf does wonder to dress and change up an outfit.

My motto is to buy something from that country if I don’t have enough to wear. No room in the suitcase? Leave one of your t-shirts or blouses there or trade them. If that fails, I may do what I saw a woman at CDG-Paris do. She layered two pairs of pants, two blouses, a vest, a sweater, and a coat on her and a beret.

She did not look cute, but she avoided paying baggage costs and was warm on the plane.

I’m going to make the carry-on and tote bag work. I think I can do it, but if not, I’ll check the luggage in, pat it goodbye, and say a prayer to the travel gods.