Prague at last – Bohemia #3

Day 3 – (Day 2 part c)

… and so, we said stuff it to Pilzen and headed straight through to Prague, where it was hoped we could get a hotel first thing in the morning, and sleep then …

By the time we arrived in Prague, it was about 03:30am/04:00am and we were done in. Stephen had been driving this leg and I took over as we reached the city centre. I was driving around Prague, that Wednesday morning, with no other traffic visible, no trouble with pedestrians launching themselves into the road and none of the very bust trams attacking me at any time. I drove around and around, getting a feel for the place but finding no hotels.  We decided to drive back up the way we came in as we had seen a lot of roadside hotel booking agents back there.  We thought we could sleep in one of their car parks and wait there until they opened in the morning.

But I got lost. I couldn’t find the road we had come in on.

We were eventually given a police escort back to the Pilzen road, after being stopped from trying to drive along some tram lines, which I hadn’t realised were for trams only.  They had mostly been shared with general traffic. Whoops. The police men in the police car had obviously seen me looking either lost, stupid or drunk and decided to pull me over.  Ben, our most fluent German speaker and I went to meet the policemen, we even tried French, but they only spoke Czech. We managed to convey the fact that we were lost and were trying to find the Pilzen road.  I think that he tried to tell us, but saw only blank looks – so he motioned us to follow him in the car.  Which we did. On the way, we passed a beautiful church, which we never found again, despite trying.

We tried a hotel up the road, that looked expensive and wondered if maybe this too would be closed up for the night. But we looked through the window and saw a receptionist playing pool.  We attracted his attention and found us a room for three people at what turned out to be a very reasonable £62.00 for three nights. Bargain. It was basic, but reasonably comfortable and anyway, who at that time of night (it was already light by now) could be choosy? The room had three bench-type beds with reasonably comfortable mattresses and ‘too warm’ quilts.  It was en-suite and breakfast was included. We missed the first day’s breakfast but the next two day’s fayre was interesting (which I will come to in the next post – the real day 3).

Author: David Sugden

I'm am now almost-retired after many years of self employment. I used to teach teachers how to use modern and emerging technology Effectively, Economically and Engagingly ('E'-learning). Before that I was a chef and eventually a chef-lecturer. I update several blogs regularly and have others that don't see me quite as often. -EduVel.wordpress.com, was my main work blog and reflected my work role and thoughts around teaching and learning in the 21st Century. I don't update that any more. -Saturdaywalks.wordpress.com is more personal and could be about absolutely anything. [This blog is updated regluarly]. -Shoestringfoods.wordpress.com is my 'food' blog - aiming to show others how easy it is to prepare and eat healthy, nutritious, economical food. [Not updated too much]. -Cosynookbooks.wordpress.com is where I reflect upon the books I've read. This is likely to be updated less regularly than the others, because I forget to do it :-( and because most books I read now are 'e' books. -dsugdenholidays.wordpress.com - is where I log the more recent trips and holidays we have had. [This blog is updated regularly]. -sugdenonline.travel.blog - is something of a project. I have found some old holiday diaries and am now transferring them online. [This is updated regularly - 18.09.19] I worked in the catering industry for most of my life - teaching chefs for almost seventeen years after working in hotels, hospitals and in a wide variety of self-employed roles. :-) View all posts by David Sugden