Hotel Olympik Prague

... It was funny watching all the people crowded around the clock to witness this show, and then hear the collective gasp when it was over so soon.

I next wandered back over towards my hostel because I wanted to go try and buy a new battery recharger. I finally realized that the one I have is completely broken and I didn't want to buy batteries for the rest of the trip. So before I left this morning, I asked at the hostel where I could buy a recharger. And there ...

The 4 hr train from Berlin to Prague was comfortable.  We read, slept and had lunch as the countryside whirred past us.  Some spots were picture perfect (and I didn't shoot any of them!) as we meandered along the river at 60mph.  Fall is approaching and you could see patches of orange, red and yellow across the mountains.  The rivers in Europe always amaze me-especially when one thinks of the Rio Grande.  The poor RG would really be ...

It is the third day and I have stopped walking like a tourist. Across the bridge, carrying my bag of onion and potatoe. Sometimes people glance my way. Usually it is wild, shirtless guys. There are alot of groups of them, setting the idea that Prague is the city of stag parties. I ignore them. Sometimes I laugh at them, especailly the masses of drunks in kilts a block from my flat. They are here from Scotland because the Czech football team Sparta is playing against a ...

... Three hours later we woke up and walked to a very beautiful restaurant for the best steak dinners ever. It is amazing how much I have eaten here, especially when my parents are the ones feeding me! The next day we decided to go on a boat tour, but to take our own little walking tour before hand. We walked through the main shopping area and even managed to get a little lost in the commercial part of town. We found the modern building we were looking for which was ...

Well we got up early yesterday and caught the train.. the magician saw us film some of his show and wants some footage.. so he might get lucky with Sheree's voice in the background saying we are the only girls.. We caught the train which we reserved.. for about 3 euro each as opposed to 7 in Germany.. and 6 and a half hours later and three stamps.. yes.. three stamps in the poor overused, abused passport we are here in Prague.. it was really very funny.. Now both Sheree ...

... 5 of us began to communicate with sign language and passport information and other ways, then the party got started. The ladies kissed us on the cheeks and we took tons of photos. They got off about an hour later, we said our good-byes then got comfy, well sort of. Around 3 am or so we finally went to sleep in the normal train seat sleep position, curled up in a ball with our purses held tight with all the valuables inside, credit card's/passports ...

... the museums in Berlin, it's just that in all those places I felt like I was adding in someway to my trip. Whether I was at Delphi or Checkpoint Charlie, I was more than happy to pay because my experience in Europe and around the world was being enhanced. Aside from the Jewish Cemetery, with its overlapping tombstones, I don't feel like anything I saw with that ticket added to my trip. That's all I'm saying. After going around the Quarter for a while we fought ...

I arrived in Prague yesterday with a journal in hand and a fresh outlook on a new city. After almost missing my train (I thought it left at 7:42 when it left at 7:35), I got into the city around 12:30. After a bit of confusion I found Lauren, Elliott, and James and we went back to the hostel. Lauren and I were supposed to stay at a different location, but since we were with the guys we switched to their hostel. It has great location, but it is a little ghetto ...

... the time they closed with Feeling So Real, we were all sweaty, exhausted, and loving life. After the show I came back to the restaurant across from the hostel. They were open, but the kitchen was closed and they sent me towards another place. Walking into the uber-trendy club/lounge/restaurant Radost FX, I was glad the first place was closed. It was exactly what was missing from my experiences in Spain, with a young ...

... back to England. Jan managed to tie the buggy to the top of his two door car, and somehow we wedged four children, three adults and all our luggage in, for the trip back to the airport. We loved staying with Zdena, Petr, and Ivana. They were gracious hosts, patient with the children, and fun to spend time with. Our Czech hosts have promised to come and stay with us next year, and we are very much looking forward to having them.

First published in VISA issue 59 (February 2005)