Sando's first blog

Well!

This is my first blog while away and having had all sorts of hassle trying to find this internet cafe, I'm not sure whether this might be the first and the last!

Prague is as amazing as I remember it from last time! The hotel I'm staying in is right on the Old Town Square! Cute hotel and the staff are really helpful organizing things like changing the train from Prague to Vienna for me so I've got a bit oftime this morning in Prague befor leaving by train.

Day 1 - I arrived, checked in and made my way directly to the beer cafes on the other side of Jthe square from the hotel, I was on my way to tasting my way through the Czech Beers! Jet lag set in fairly resoundingly though and it probably helped to fend off two French guys- a bloke who served in Vietnam in 1947-1949!! - Yes you've got it, he was old enough to be my grandfather, but he still thought it incumbent on him to tell me that hotel rooms were to be shared (or words to that effect), then there were the two Dutch guys one with buggy eyes and bad breathe who kept telling me he couldn't speak English!!! On a winner there!!

Next day was a day of exploring and a walking tour of the Jewish Quarter of Prague.

I am simply blown away the the architecture here, It's fabulous! For the real estate contingent of my blog email list, I couldn't resit getting the photo of a real estate agent office in Jutna Hora.

Day 2 was a trip to Gutna Hora. The trip up was white knuckle stuff, the drive was pretty scary! Apparently in the Czech Republic, the double continuous white line is actually an indication to overtake the slow moving tractor or old Prabant/ Skoda which came off the factory line before Glasnost! I spent about halfthe trip with my face buried in the seat in front of me!

Gutna Hora is pretty amazing in the History stakes, an old silver mining town and it used to be the Royal Mint It UNESCO listed so is in most places pretty well looked after although there are some houses, which would in our part of the world be nothing if not condemned! Damp seems to be a huge problem and there are some villages in the country that I find hard to believe people actually live in the houses!

Karlovy Vary - Carlsbad, the spa town 110 KMs from town, was yesterday's excursion. We had the tour guide with the personality of a fire hydrant and personal hygiene habits that could have been improved! Although having said that he was translating his commentary into Enlgish French and Spanish which I though was pretty amazing!

After much deliberation, I've decided that Urquell Pilsner wins in the beer stakes! It's not a big juicy Pale Ale though. The wine here is to put it mildly pretty god awful! I have been out for dinner every night and will need to come home for a rest from food I think! Prague is just amazing to be out amongst it. There are just people promenading late into the night. It's fantastic to be amongst it!

Am off to "Wien" later today so am looking forward to actually having some chance of making myself understood. I am finding it really frustrating not being able to speak to people in their language! Although having said that it seems most of the people in Prague at least that work in the tourist area seem to have really good English and at least one other language as well!!!

Best be off...more later...next time Ill try adding photos!

K

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