It stands to reason that fewer people are traveling right now because more and more people aren’t willing to put up with the hassles. The law of supply and demand kicks in here and tells us that as less people travel, the more the travel industry has to lower its prices or at least hold frequent sales.
I recently bought First Class tickets from San Francisco to London for less than half the price that one would expect to pay. Since the tickets were on Virgin Atlantic, the king of first class service in my humble opinion, I was completely delighted.
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Paris, Paris, Paris!! This is One of the Oldest Functioning Vineyards in Paris, Montmartre
Mom, I'm moving to Paris. Please forward mail, I'm moving into this little pad here on the hilltop of Monmartre, Paris!!
Prague, Czech Republic
Me on The Charles Bridge in Prague
Fabulous Prague
The former Eastern Block countries are open for business! This area of the world, now free from Communist control, has blossomed into a popular travel destination. My husband has wanted to visit Prague, the capitol of the Czech Republic, since the Velvet Revolution expelled the Communist government from the country in December of 1989.
We decided to take a week out of our Parisian vacation to see Prague. From Paris, the flight to Prague is a cheap and simple hop that takes only about an hour and forty minutes. Since I had to leave our comfortable rented apartment overlooking Luxembourg Gardens to see Prague, I was not overly excited about the trip. We were leaving my favorite city to explore an unfamiliar place, with people who would be speaking a language, not a single word of which I spoke or understood. We had agreed to go, however, so from Paris we flew to Prague.
As our driver approached the outskirts of the city proper, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. The landscape was not at all what I expected. In my mind, I had imagined a drab, gray place with colorless countryside, and a city that had been stripped of its personality by years of oppressive Soviet occupation. I couldn't have been more wrong. The city is set among rolling hills, lush with forest green vegetation. We were whisked into the city, through winding streets flanked by sweet little cottage-style homes, reminiscent of Sweden or Switzerland.
Prague has a unique personality, I was to learn; Prague is an ancient, colorful and picturesque city. It is also home to a population of warm, wonderful people who are anxious to welcome visitors. My husband described it best when he said, "Walt Disney must have visited Prague, then returned home to create Disneyland in Prague's image." My husband got it right. His is as accurate a description of Prague as I have ever heard; Prague is like an overgrown Disneyland, complete with cottages and castles.
Our hotel was in an ancient part of the city known as Castle Hill. Prague Castle sits majestically among the gardens, hills and pedestrian parks of this beautiful, old neighborhood. From Castle hill, one can see all of Prague and the winding Vltava River, Gothic-towered bridges intact, spread out majestically below. From this vantage point, I could have imagined, with the exception of a few modern buildings in the distance, that I was a princess in the time of Charles IV, atop a snow white steed, my knight in armor riding close beside me!
Although ancient tribes settled near the present city as early as 500 B.C., modern-day Prague was settled in the ninth century. Since then, it has had a long, colorful and tumultuous history studded with wars, heroes, royal drama and occupations; all of which would make for the perfect Hollywood movie.
Visiting all of the locations where historical events occurred would have been impossible in a week. Among the many attractions that we did visit, were the stately and picturesque Prague Castle which was built in the ninth century. Behind it stands St. Vitus Cathedral, begun in the twelfth century. The Gothic and Baroque spires of St. Vitus can be seen piercing high into the sky from most of the city.
The Vltava River, which meanders through the center of the city, is beautiful in and of itself; but its bridges, many of which were built centuries ago, are wonderful vantage-points for magnificent views of Prague.
Charles Bridge, though often packed with tourists, is a pedestrian only-bridge that offers a look back to medieval times. One walks through an imposing arch beside The Tower of Powder Gate and onto the cobblestones of St. Charles Bridge. The bridge is flanked on both sides by huge statues. At the far end of the bridge, The Little Quarter Bridge Tower awaits your exit from the bridge, through another Gothic arch, and into The Little Quarter.
We chose to make this walk many times during our stay because it is quite a beautiful stroll. I loved it most at night when the city's cathedral spires were beautifully lit and stood out majestically from a twinkling Prague skyline. To our surprise one evening as we walked across Charles Bridge toward our hotel, fireworks began to burst open above the river, lighting the dark, night sky. It was a truly amazing moment that I will long remember.
Of all that I loved about Prague, her people are high on my list. My fears about not knowing the language were unfounded. Most of the younger people speak English. Of the older folks, even if their English was limited or absent completely, they tried hard to communicate with us. They are a very hard-working, educated lot, the Czech people. They value education and their culture above all else.
I had to chuckle when we first arrived, a sign hung outside a local "caf" window offering soft drinks, beer, cappuccino and other treats. The front door was closed, so my husband opened the door to ask what time they opened in the morning. The owner was as surprised as my husband as they found each other standing there, face to face; this was not a caf but the gentleman's living room! The man laughed and explained that he sold foods and beverages from his window which fronted on the ground floor on a main street. However, it was his home, not a restaurant! We met many locals this way, through their window, as many of the more enterprising souls sell home-baked goods and bottled drinks and snacks this way.
The Czech people are proud of their country and their culture, as well they should be. Their civic pride shows in the pristine cleanliness of Prague. I'm rather used to not-so-nice restrooms in many countries, including our own! If a country was judged by the cleanliness of its public restrooms, Prague would rank number one. Even in the oldest of the old buildings, restaurant WC's were perfectly kept. I've always felt that if a restaurant can't keep a clean restroom, I'm not so sure the kitchen is clean, either. Not a problem in Prague.
The streets are beautifully clean, as well. With the exception of the occasional cigarette butt on the ground, there is no visible litter. This carries over to the transportation system, the trams and the subway. I thought Paris had an amazing public transportation system until I got to Prague. There are tram (streetcars) car stops within a couple of blocks of wherever you might find yourself. The system is wonderfully clean and safe.
We bought a tram/subway weekly pass for about $15.60 or 280 CZK. You stamp the pass the first time you board a tram or subway train, and then simply carry it with you. It works rather like the honor system; no one checks your ticket again unless an inspector happens to board your train. Interesting system. I wonder how that would work here in the U.S.? Not so well, I'm thinking! We never spent a dime on a cab ride, the trams were wonderful and the closest stop was only two blocks away from our hotel, and the entire week's transportation for just over fifteen dollars, is a real bargain.
I was worried that I had picked a hotel on Castle Hill, far away from the action; and I did, and it worked out really well. The down town area, especially old town, is brimming with partying tourists all day and night. Castle hill turned out to be a nice, quiet, calm area to return to at the end of the day. Our hotel was built inside an old Abbey; literally, they gutted the Abbey and built a brand new hotel inside the framework. It was also on the Abbey grounds, which were tree-studded, quiet and beautifully kept.
The first day that we arrived, we were tired and hungry. We wandered through the grounds to find a restaurant down a flight of stairs, in an old, ninth-century cellar! The walls leaked, so the owners placed small ponds beneath to catch the natural spring water that trickled through the stone walls. It was amazing, and a wonderful start to our trip. The food was wonderful, as it was throughout Prague, and we returned to "the cave" another evening for a fabulous, three course meal. And I thought Czech food would consist of greasy sausage and schnitzel! Wrong again, California Girl!
TIPS FOR THE FIRST-TIME VISITOR TO PRAGUE:
1. The streets AND sidewalks are all made of cobblestones. They are very hard on the feet. Prague is a great walking-city, but bring thick-soled, flat, comfortable walking shoes or boots so that the cobblestones don't irritate the soles of your feet and you won't be as likely to turn an ankle.
2. Bring clothing that you can layer. Temperatures can vary greatly throughout the day. Bring a light raincoat and umbrella, even in summer or fall.
3. If you like to party and drink great beer all day and night, you might want to stay in The Old Quarter or The New Quarter.
4. If you like quiet evenings, Castle Hill or Hradcany may be better for you. Remember, the transportation system gets you anywhere you need to be quickly so your hotel location isn't a problem.
5. Prague is not yet on the Euro currency system. This makes travel within the Czech Republic much more reasonable than the rest of Europe. Be advised that when the changeover to the Euro occurs, (the changeover date seems to be a well guarded secret) it may well be much more pricey than it is now to travel in the Czech Republic.
6. Watch when getting change in tourist-frequented establishments, short-changing is an art-form in these places.
7. Take public transportation when in the city. You might want to book a driver for your arrival and departure. The cost is very reasonable.
8. Prague is a very safe city. If you carry a purse, I was told to hold it close on trains and tram. It was never a problem for me, but as in any country, use common sense.
9. Try the Czech food and beer, it's wonderful. The high-end Moravian wines made nearby to Prague, are also quite good.
10. Enjoy the People, try speaking to them. You'll be amazed at how many speak English and the rest will try very hard to communicate with you! Enjoy!
Paris
Back at the Eiffel Again!!!