Cities of Light Prague to Paris First day on tour

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And just like that, vacation is over and the tour begins! Anyone who has ever been on a tour knows what I mean. A tour is not vacation. A vacation is leasurly days, late mornings, open schedules, and rest. A tour is packed days, early mornings, and hectic schedules. If you want to see a great deal of sights, be taken to places with guides, and learn about history and such, take a tour. If you want to relax, take a vacation. They are very different.

So today is tour day one. We were up at 5:45 AM and down to breakfast by 6:30. There are two Viking ships in this hotel so breakfast was hosting about 400 people who all needed to leave at approximately the same time. If you want to be sure to get a seat in a timely manner, get there early. I was first in line. Breakfast was a buffet and it was sumptious. Fruits, breads, cheeses, meats of all kinds, juices, and made to order eggs, omelets and pancakes. There was an unlimited supply of delights. Trying not to gain 100 pounds, I chose some fruits, one slice of ham, and a glass of juice with coffee.

Our first order of business is a walking tour of Prague with a guide. We are to meet the guide at 8:40 (about an hour from now) in the lobby.

Our Green Bus tour group met in the lobby where we were given our Quiet Vox radios. These are vastly improved wireless radios that allow our guide, Eve, to transmit her comments to our entire group individually. This eliminates the need to jockey for position to get close enough to the guide so people can hear better. It is also great for the guide who does not have to shout to reach her tour group. You can also turn it off and tune her out if you so desire!

Eve led her group back across town, stopping here and there to explain some point of history or point out some interesting site. She was very informative, entertaining, and most of all she walked at a pace that Cathy felt very comfortable with. Within the hour we were back at Old Town square just in time to see the 10 AM clock show. Cathy and I have seen this many times already but each time is fascinating and fun. Next Eve gave us 40 minutes free time. Cathy and I took advantage to stop at a Cafe and enjoy some coffee and just plain relax.

We met Eve again and continued our walk up and around to the Charles Bridge where we learned more history about King Charles and the history of Prague. We crossed the bridge and went into Lesser Town. This name was not to be meant as demeaning but simply indicated this area was smaller than Old Town.

We continued our walk and soon met up with our bus which transported us to the top of the hill and our tour of the Prague Palace and Cathedral. The castle, once the home of the Hapsburg kings, was now the official office of the president and a World Heritage site. It is under military control much like Buckingham Palace. And just like at Buckingham, they have a changing of the guard ceremony every hour. It only takes 5 minutes but it's the history of such an event that is important.

The Palace itself is perhaps the largest in Europe. Some parts are more than 1000 years old while the latest addition is about 100 years new. The grounds are beautiful and the history very interesting. Our next stop was the Prague St Vitus Cathedral located on the Palace grounds. The Cathedral was begun in the year 925 but not completely finished until sometime in the 1700's. It was burned down in sections, rebuilt, added to, renovated, and stands proud today as an example of Gothic architecture . The coronations of kings and queens took place here and it is also the burial place of several saints, noblemen, and archbishops. The interior is as beautiful as the exterior.

We soon completed our walking tour at about 1 PM and it was time for a bus ride back to the hotel. By now we were indeed hungry, so we stopped at Korkovna restaurant right near our hotel. This chain restaurant is where the locals dine, and we soon found out why. We ordered a Pilsner beer, a Latte, and two servings of pork schnitzel with potato salad. The food was excellent, the portions huge, and the price was 574 CK or $24.38, the lowest cost meal we have had anywhere in Prague. After lunch, Cathy wanted to hit the "mall" to look for a piece of authentic Czech clothing for warmer weather, but it was Phil who had success, finding a new belt. Then, it was time for a much needed nap before we embark on this evening's entertainment, The Czech Traditional Folkshow and Dinner. Another night of food, drink, music, and entertainment.

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