One fine day

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Today was another travel day. I left Cesky Krumlov this morning, anticipating another stay at the garage-like station in Cesky Budejovice where I had to make a transfer again. But no need - this transfer was at the main station. The main station had such frivolities as multiple tracks, an enclosed area, food sales and workers (actually it was quite normal). What a huge difference.

While I was there, I went into one of the nearby stores to find a replacement jacket. I figured with food as cheap as it is here, maybe I could find a cheap jacket. Wrong. 5,700 koronas ($345) for a Marmot soft shell jacket. I’ll pass.

The rides themselves were uneventful. I got into Prague this evening and took the metro and tram to the hostel. Along the way, I was stopped by a tram worker to inspect my ticket. He started claiming it wasn’t valid. I showed him the validation stamp with the time. It was 20 minutes old and was a 30 minute ticket. He still had a beef, claiming I couldn’t go from the metro to the tram on this ticket. Apparently I needed a different type of ticket. Seven hundred koronas ($40) later I was on my way. To go one stop on the tram. Thanks KGB.

After looking for the hostel for about 20 minutes I finally arrived. The directions said to “face the tram and walk a few meters then make a right at the church”. I, along with most of humanity, I suspect, have a different interpretation of facing something. I always thought it meant to look directly at something (in this case looking directly at the lead car and thus walking in the opposite direction of the tram). Apparently they do it backwards here because I walked around in the wrong area for a good 20 minutes. There was even a church a few meters away at which I could turn right. After exhausting all possible options in the wrong area, I tried the other direction and found it.

At this point I was livid, thinking Prague better be the land of milk and honey or I will never return. I’ve calmed down since. Helping it was the hostel, which at least is nice. And more so were the couple dark beers I grabbed at a nearby restaurant.

Tomorrow I am touring Prague. I still think it better show me something special.

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