Mal's travels - A story about my journeys by Mal J Robinson: Day103 - Ostrava to Home

The day started bright and early with a quick shower, throwing all the remaining items into my case before a few minute check of emails that always turns into almost an hour before heading out of the door and to reception to meet my colleague and set off for the station.

I had played a blinder by checking out the night before which meant I could rush through reception, throw my key to the lady behind the counter and then sit and wait ten minutes for a taxi to arrive. My budget for taxi was 200 crowns and to my surprise got away with 140 so I was 60 crowns up already, twelve more visits to the toilet could be planned (you have to read yesterday’s blog to understand that).

The plan for today was to catch the 8.30 pendalino from Ostrava to Praha and this would arrive about 12:00 noon and we could then spend some time walking around Prague before going to the airport for out 18:00 flight to Frankfurt where we part ways, my colleague to go to Lithuania and me to Manchester.

So we arrived at the station 60 crowns to the better only to find that from the last time I was here the trains have changed and it was now 09:30, so we had about an hour to kill which we did by sitting down and watching people drink coffee to which we could not do through lack of funds. Finally the time approached and we headed for platform 2 and to the train, except I had not noticed this before but at one end of the station is platform 1, 2 3, 4. And at the other end of the station is platform 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. We wanted platform 2 but didn’t know which one. After an attempt to speak to a station crew person who didn’t speak English I finally hit on the word Pendalino and they lept up and down (literally) and pointed us to one of the platform 2’s. Nervously we waited and just before half past the train arrived and we were on our way to Praha or Prague depending where you come from.

Upon arrival at Prague station we deposited our cases in a left luggage area and set out to see what the delights of Prague looked like. We had done a bit of research on the train checking where the old town was and we were not disappointed. At first we walked through a nice area on our way to the old town as seen in Picture 1. But as we reached the more touristy areas it was a mass of old architecture. Churches, provincial businesses and shops of all types. With a budget by now of just 45 crowns about £1.90 we could only browse. We found one of the sights of Prague, an old clock that shows the time, the month, the star sign and the phase of the moon, an obvious well known attraction as it was very busy with people taking photographs and of course there is one here for the blog. We then continued and eventually reached a bridge, it is a very famous bridge and I should have remembered the name but it was impressive all the same. Plenty to see with people selling things and offering different services, but the main part is the small decoration that is well know for people to touch for good luck, I did it and my colleague took a picture of me touching it for proof.

We had been in only the smallest area but it had taken nearly two hours to walk this far so it was time to turn around and head back to the station for the bus to the airport. But my impressions of Prague have changed with seeing even this little bit. I can see why there are thousands upon thousands of tourists walking and looking. Almost every building is quite magnificent and couple that with bus tours and river tours you could easily spend a number of days exploring. The place is very touristy and therefore it does seem very safe, the locals who run the services seem to be very friendly, I suppose they would be as they want you to spend but I have seen miserable people in other places still expecting you to shell our cash. The one thing that Prague is not short of is tour guides, I could not have counted the number of groups following people holding up small flags, umbrellas or any bright coloured object. Each group was being given a audio tour as well and at one point we tagged onto a Russian group and my colleague translated what she was saying. At the bridge we tried to tag onto a group speaking English but she had just finished when I slid up to them.

All in all a really nice afternoon spent relaxing from work and taking in a real pretty city and one that I hope I would like to return with my wife.

After the entertainment of walking around for almost four hours it was time for the bus to the airport and whilst I would not criticise the city as it is one of the best I have been to, I am amazed by the transport to the airport. They generally have a very good transport system but to get to the airport there is only one direct route and that is by the Airport Express Bus. This leaves the front of the railway station every 30 minutes but the problem is that queue is huge and we were lucky to get there just after a bus had left and therefore was about 10^th in the queue, the previous 10 not been allowed on to the bus that had just left. When the next came 30 minutes later the queue must have had about 100 people in it. We got on the bus but as we left there were many who would have to wait another 30 minutes for the next. As this is a paid service why don’t they put three or four busses an hour, they would fill them as some people were leaving the queue to get a taxi and therefore they were losing revenue.

We got to the airport in the most overcrowded bus I had ever been on, the best way to describe it would be the London Tube at rush hour on the busiest line. With all the people about the airport was packed and it took almost an hour to get checked in and through security leaving not much time to get to the gate for the flight to Frankfurt. If that bit was a rush then it was made up for at Frankfurt airport where I had two hours to wait for the next plane to Manchester.

The late flight meant that I arrived home at 01:00 Saturday morning and absolutely shattered as technically I had left the hotel this morning at 07:45 But I am not complaining as it has been a really nice day and one that makes up for all the long hours I put in, in a normal day. In a give and take job, today was a chance to take.

Night All