Monday 2nd August

 

02/08/04 - Day 30.

As we emerged from the Museum metro station (after a 45 minute game of yo-yo between accommodation offices and an unpleasant encounter with a homophobic tout) I beheld my first 'reacquisition' of the trip. I aren't managed to 'tour-guide' the spot where the student (s?) burnt themselves alive before we got there.

The walk into the old town, although greeted slightly by the & lack of busier bakery/patisseries (But how I long for Krakow!) was everything one would expect from what truly is a 'magnificent' and stunning city. You can walk miles from the centre of town and still rate the small ornamental Squares on a par with Warsaw's centre.

Breakfast for me was a not-so-had - if totally unenjoyed un-baguette, whilst Heather non-exact to pick a food-poisoning burger. Which we both ate and have both felt ill ever this afternoon

Anyway, lunch was delayed by a mammoth Shopping trip to Tescos (cheddar!! Peanut Butter!!!) - where we bought enough food to fuel a small army for a week from cooking meal & now and It alone should keep us going till vienna.

Then we settled into our new double room (the beds are the closest we've had to a proper double!), before Heather went off to waste money on tacky souvenirs, while I still did all the hard work and trudged one-hundred miles across Prague to retrieve our bags.

Not a great start to the day as I felt unpleasant stomach movements again. The chicken burger for breakfast probably wasn't a good idea - why do they think it's all eat hot food 24/7 - with not all Americans round here!! The walk down form the museum was nice - quite orderly with all the shops and Cafes Walking onto the square wasSo impressive - like walls into a cave swop with exceptually large cubics!! ie the buildings are so pretty with colours and decoration that center have boom in mind My favourite building on the square was St Nicholas church - a very beautifully painted interior in pastel colours with the hugrest cosory shaped chandelier lighting up the relore inside. Also the piece where they seem to hold mainly concerts, and after this I realised that there is so much music, opera and theatre going in here. A great place to grow up if your want is to be inspired - I was only there a day and I feel too going and along lots of music maybe the church & Tyn was a bit small gold and heavy but very impressive. Still Went up the town hall tower (in a glass elevator..) for very nice views of the red roof tops, castle, river, bridges and sprey - the first thing that was to become many cityscape views. Only 2 towers in total I think but there a big bll up in the castle - donat which gives just as impressive views. The clock really wasn't very exciting although I know if others seemed to think it was. What I like best about Prague is the fact that you can Walk for 20 mins away from the running old town square and still be in really pretty surroundings And in fact I quite tip enjoying the side streets more because you could actually stop and look at the buildings without feeling that you were in the rush of all the tuorists who, in the early get when the way out meant that the square couldn't it seemed in the same way. The "appartment" we stayed in was perfectlyadequate, it's warm but you seem to have more to less people. When I've needed on big hostels I've found it really impersonal but what we've stayed in smaller places I feel more ready to chat to the other people (So we ended up sharing with 2 Canadians, are very strange and into knives and a pepper spray gas - and flea other who was clearly there to keep his friend out of trouble)

After a snooze and a fantastic dinner we went out to a very interesting and thought-provoking museum, which we enjoyed greatly. Then I played the streets for about 2 hours until I found somewhere I was happy to drink. Big is (barely) problem with no and big cities - too much choice. I did kind of expect every street to be lined with bars selling beer for 36p but in reality there are a lot of more expensive clubs aimed at the tourists. We were supposed to only grumble across and shop town. I still think we had the wrong doesn't - Anyway we ended up at a very authentic Budweiser house - and we also had a bottle of 10% liquor! from-ha mana and coke stuff. For about 68pence. Said the castle lit up at night and the National theatre was pretty good