In my previous posts on Budapest and Vienna, I mentioned that I had taken a trip to Central Europe in 1996, and kept a journal of it. I also mentioned that I was a very inexperienced traveler at the time, and also that I was a lot younger.
I am continuing to share my journal with the Prague portion of that trip. For the most part, I am going to leave the journal the way I wrote it at the time. I hope all of my readers enjoy it!
November 4, 1996
Right now, I am on the train to Prague. We got up this morning and went to breakfast. Then I dashed into Vienna for a brief time in order to get some pictures of Pairliament, the Rathaus (City Hall) and the City Theater. Then we got our stuff together and left for the Sudbanhoff (South Station). We missed a tram so we had to wait for the next one. The train left at 11:25 am. We got to the train station at 11:20 (huffing and puffing), but at least we made it.
So now, time to learn yet another new city, new language and new currency.
Roger is having problems with a painful cyst at his tailbone. He was actually thinking of trying to fly home yesterday – he was in that much pain. Hopefully he will improve and get a chance to enjoy Prague.
Central Prague - Wenceslaus Sq
The Czech countryside is beautiful. As the train came into Brno, there was a gorgeous cathedral. Unfortunately, my camera was not ready in time to take a picture.
The ride from Vienna is about 5 hours – heading just west of due north (approximately 230 miles). Berlin is probably about 5 hours further north. I would love to try to go there, but I have seen how difficult a quick trip to a city can be. There’s not enough time in a few days to get used to a new city, especially a city as exciting and grand as Berlin (or Vienna).
I am thinking that for next summer, I would love to go back to Vienna for a week –and maybe also go to Berlin and maybe Cologne and Munich.
[Note: One of the cool things about Prague is that there was very little damage done to the city in World War II. This is because the Czech government surrendered very quickly to Hitler’s Germany and thus Prague was not actually bombed during the war. Because of this, from a historical perspective, it is well preserved.]
When we got to Prague, we had to go to the office of the rental agency through which I had booked an apartment. On the way there, we get to see a little of the city (and its traffic). The apartment we got is great. It is 1 block from the river and real close to everything. We can walk to just about all of the sites in Prague.
November 5, 1996
Wenceslaus Square
Today was a “get our bearings” day. We didn’t really feel like starting with museums or the castle yet. I had to go to American Express to change my traveler’s checks. Their office is in Wenceslaus Square – so we started from there and wandered around. (Wenceslaus Square is where thousands and thousands of Czech people gathered and protested the communist government and ultimately “expelled” it – this is called the Velvet Revolution.)
Astronomical Clock
We stumbled on a street market (which thrilled Roger and Paul). We wandered through that for a while. Then we stumbled on a street filled with galleries (which thrilled me). Finally, we stumbled upon the famous Astronomical Clock. We got to see it do its thing (the procession of the apostles) at 3 pm. Then we went back to the apartment to rest. Tonight we are going to begin to investigate the gay side of Prague.
So far, I really like it here. It is a lot dirtier than Vienna (in that regard it is a lot more like Budapest). The subways are packed like they were in Budapest. However, Prague is in many ways unlike either Vienna or Budapest. It is like being in a fairy tale.
[Note: During the winter especially, Prague gets pretty dirty and the air can be bad due to a thermal inversion over the city]
November 6, 1996
Yesterday was the Presidential election in the US. Of course, we don’t know yet who won. I guess we’ll see tomorrow’s international papers (or the news in the morning). All the papers say so far is that the early exit polls indicate that Clinton won.
We have decided not to be real structured here. We’re a little overwhelmed already with what we have done in Budapest and Vienna. We are going to see a few of the major sites, but we don’t really want to run from museum to museum. Instead, we are just wandering on the street and seeing what we find.
Astronomical Clock
Today we went to the Post Office. It is huge (and open 24 hours). Now we are heading in the general direction of Josefov (Jewish Town). I think we will pass by the Astronomical Clock again.
We tried to go into a clothing store, but neither of the clerks could understand us. What a trip. Also we cannot find decent coffee here. It is Turkish style in all of the shops – yech.
November 7, 1996
Old Town Square
Right now I am sitting inside St Nicholas Church – an absolutely beautiful church. Today it has been drizzling all day, so we haven’t done too much. We wandered around the Old Town Square. There are hordes of tourists everywhere. The shops in the area where the tourists go are incredibly expensive. Food and t-shirts and souvenirs are 2 to 3 times more expensive. Even going to the rest room costs more. It’s truly outrageous. The commissions on money exchange are around 10%. I really cannot believe it. I get the feeling, also, that the locals do not like the tourists at all. I sure would not want to be here at the height of the tourist season. Even the synagogue charges $8 just to go in and the Jewish Museum is $6 – hard to believe.
We were up until after 4 am. We went to a bar called the L-Club. All 3 of us got hit on. Paul met a guy from Spain and Roger met a young guy from a small Czech town near the German border (about 40 miles NW of Prague). Both of them brought their friends back to the apartment. This club played the best music – some of it familiar, some of it not. I danced most of the night.
Come Away With Me 
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