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The City of a Thousand Spires
Jun. 3rd, 2002 10:14 amIf I ever wondered why Prague seemed to be such a popular destination with backpackers (almost everyone I've met in the hostels has either been here or wants to come), I now understand.
I arrived at three o'clock, not at the train station I thought I would, but it actually turned out fine because I was closer to my hostel. I'm staying at Sir Toby's (no, I don't know who Sir Toby is), a privately-run hostel, which means there is no curfew, 24-hour reception, the dorms are mixed, they do your laundry for a small fee, and everyone is so much more relaxed because they don't have to be out of bed by a certain hour. In fact, one of my roommates is still sleeping. I even indulged and slept in till 8:30. Consider that most of this trip I've been awake by 7:30 and up and ready to go by 9.
I spent the afternoon and evening walking around the old town with my roommates; there's Kim, and Canadian living in Britain and Dermot, her Irish boyfriend, and Laura and Jeanette, two girls from Ohio. We went out to eat, then wandered around town, ending up in three different bars, one with really good live jazz. We've all signed up for a bike tour of the city this afternoon, so that'll be fun as well.
The part of town where my hostel is is a working-class neighbourhood, and looks the part. But a ten-minute ride on the tram (8 koruny for a 15-minute ride; 1 euro = 29.68 koruny and 1 euro = 1.43$ Cdn -- you do the math) takes you to Wenceslas Square and the gorgeous old part of town. There are churches and old buildings and cobblestones and souvenir shops and restaurants and bars, and it's touristy, but not in the way that Venice is. Here, everything is relaxed and mellow. Things are cheap, too (my supper last night, which included delicious little spiced potato-cakes, cost me all of 5$).
I think I'll go visit the castle, today, and do some shopping. The specialties here are jewelery, glass and little wooden puppets. Then I'm off bike-riding, and I really should look for a quiet spot to update my journal; I'm a day behind because of my night at the opera and last night. After a glass of mulled wine (amusingly spelled "muled wine" on the menu) and other drinks and being out all night, I was in no state to write about it. Besides, I didn't want to bother the other people in the room, and we have no bedside lamps.
I arrived at three o'clock, not at the train station I thought I would, but it actually turned out fine because I was closer to my hostel. I'm staying at Sir Toby's (no, I don't know who Sir Toby is), a privately-run hostel, which means there is no curfew, 24-hour reception, the dorms are mixed, they do your laundry for a small fee, and everyone is so much more relaxed because they don't have to be out of bed by a certain hour. In fact, one of my roommates is still sleeping. I even indulged and slept in till 8:30. Consider that most of this trip I've been awake by 7:30 and up and ready to go by 9.
I spent the afternoon and evening walking around the old town with my roommates; there's Kim, and Canadian living in Britain and Dermot, her Irish boyfriend, and Laura and Jeanette, two girls from Ohio. We went out to eat, then wandered around town, ending up in three different bars, one with really good live jazz. We've all signed up for a bike tour of the city this afternoon, so that'll be fun as well.
The part of town where my hostel is is a working-class neighbourhood, and looks the part. But a ten-minute ride on the tram (8 koruny for a 15-minute ride; 1 euro = 29.68 koruny and 1 euro = 1.43$ Cdn -- you do the math) takes you to Wenceslas Square and the gorgeous old part of town. There are churches and old buildings and cobblestones and souvenir shops and restaurants and bars, and it's touristy, but not in the way that Venice is. Here, everything is relaxed and mellow. Things are cheap, too (my supper last night, which included delicious little spiced potato-cakes, cost me all of 5$).
I think I'll go visit the castle, today, and do some shopping. The specialties here are jewelery, glass and little wooden puppets. Then I'm off bike-riding, and I really should look for a quiet spot to update my journal; I'm a day behind because of my night at the opera and last night. After a glass of mulled wine (amusingly spelled "muled wine" on the menu) and other drinks and being out all night, I was in no state to write about it. Besides, I didn't want to bother the other people in the room, and we have no bedside lamps.
