Last day in Prague. Had a late breakfast and went back to the room to pack and charge all the gizmos because we wouldn’t be getting the train till 22:00. Sun was shining and it was warming up. Walked down through the castle and past the cathedral, and there were about 3 times as many tourists compared to when we looked around. There were long queues for the buildings we just walked into a couple of days earlier. Carried on walking and up 244 steps to a park to take photos of the bridges. Back down to the tram stop then into the old town for a haircut. Weather was warm now, had to take off our jackets. Found a salon that was run by Asians and looked reasonable. There was also a young American couple in there so I was quite confident I wouldn’t be scalped. They did a good job but Song had to intervene in the middle to ask him to cut it shorter. It cost $14 and included a wash so was good value. Walked over the bridge and got some good photos of the Charles Bridge and the castle. We could see the Charles Bridge was full of people.
Stopped at a restaurant just next to the bridge which was very touristy and pricey but we were hungry. We usually go off the beaten track or use Tripadvisor or Lonely Planet books to find something to eat, but sometimes we succumb to the pull of the tourist trap. Another nice Art Deco interior, and quite busy. We shared a plate of olives and a large bottle of Perrier. Song had roast chicken breast on mashed potatoes , I had goulash with onion and dumplings. Both meals were OK, nothing special but filling. We idled for a while using the wifi then set off to Wencleslas Square.
Carried on down the road and came into the square. Not sure why they call it a square, it’s a long road that ends in the museum. The buildings that line it are impressive, lots of ornate carvings, statues and paintings. I was amazed that so much has survived considering the violence and political upheaval Europe has experienced. Took more photos then went back to a jewelry shop Song wanted to revisit via the Astronomical Clock that was about to chime so stood with about 3000 other tourists to watch and saw the mechanical things this time. Didn’t buy anything in the jewellers and walked a bit further and came across the Jewish area where there are a couple of synagogues. Feeling as if we’d walked enough, sat down for a beer. I think we got ripped off because the bill said 89 and she charged 100 – I think she added the discretionary tip herself but I wasn’t in the mood to argue.
Went back to the main street and had dinner at Cafe Louvre. Song had spinach rolls with vegetables, I had sirloin of pork with Lyon potatoes. Both meals were pretty good. I also had a nice dark beer. We each had a dessert – Song had a raspberry cake and I had a caramel sundae with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, and paramedics were standing by just in case my heart gave out. The meal cost $32, which was really good value considering it’s a touristy place.
Took the tram back to the hotel, popped down to the castle to take some more photos, then a taxi to the train station. We had a sleeping compartment which was pretty neat – 2 bunk beds, a sink and a place to store the luggage. It was pretty small, but it was fun – I felt like I was on the Orient Express and expected a French (Belgian actually) detective to appear. We’d been on the go all day so hopefully would sleep well. Walked 15.67 Km today.
