Thursday, September 01, 2005

High on a hill was a lonely goatherd...oh no, that was Austria!...heres Prague pt 2

Ok part two of the Prague adventure. As you will remember we left our hero’s about to venture out into the wilds of the former iron curtain city.
11am and refreshed we all meet up downstairs and decide on a plan of action. The map brigade are already unpacking there arsenal of guides maps more guides and bigger maps. Martin and I are thinking about food and in particular chocolate cake a delicacy in these parts. We leave the hotel and turn right, Annie in front with guide and map. Marie along side pointing out what’s what and filling the air with descriptions of historical interest. Martin and I bring up the rear feeling like we are there to make up the numbers. This is defiantly a Taylor girl’s do. All Annie needs is on of those umbrellas held up for the tour party to follow.

Actually I must stop this right now. I am making the trip sound like a nightmare. Let me just say it was not. Prague is truly beautiful the company was great, we all get on very well and never argue about anything. I just think that lack of sleep and too much caffeine to keep me awake have affected my senses at the time. The architecture is fantastic and depending on where you are in the city has little bits of French, Italian, and Russian. Not surprising since all three have had control over the place at some point. The other overriding sense you get is Art Nuevo/ Deco there are some fantastic examples of the movement on lots of buildings which have great interiors that if in the west would be monuments to the work of their creators.

The other thing that surprised me was money. Not the currency be the fact that there is obviously lots of it about. I was expecting a former iron curtain country to look like some of the old films you see. But no there is lots of money around. The shops have more expensive jewels and there more brand new expensive cars around on the streets than you get in the west end of London. But like lots of continental cities there is a great use of space. Lots and lots of communal parks and the river banks are crammed with shops and café’s. Talking of food there are more places to eat than I have seen in a long time. Not only are the eateries plentiful but there good quality as well. There are of course the usual Mcshit fast food outlets but honestly there is no excuse to go within a million miles of one. Good home cooked food was around the corner at every turn. And I should know when you go on holiday with a highly talented and travelled chef you tend to find the nicest food. Beer what can I say there is lots of it. The national drink is beer and there are some fantastic and strong brews available where ever you go. Pilsner was invented hear and is sometimes drunk before breakfast or on the way to work. Now that’s what I call living.

Apartments also feature in Prague, in the same way that Paris has apartment living. This is one of the reasons that there is so much space in the city for parks and other communal spaces. It’s only in Britain that we have this must have a home with its own piece of land mentality. I liked Prague and its people. Well I say people but I have never been to a place with so many tourists. On any street at any time you could hear twenty different languages. Did I like it yes, will I go back? Someday. Would I recommend it as a holiday destination? Without question. Until next week.
Matt

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Why did you stop with your lighthearted account of this trip, it created a fab mental picture of two girls charging off, and two boys dutifully following, but with their minds focused on other things.
Perhaps this could be Annie's new part time job! Gx