Waking Up
When I checked in the night manager, Victor, helped me find legal parking and prepaid for the first hour or so. The meter was set to expire at 9am. I could have liked to sleep longer, but the 6 hours or so would do. I head out to stuff the meter, hoping I would easily find the car and get an hour or so more sleep.
Finding the Car
I marked the approximate location and an alarm of the car using Honk, one of my favorite iPhone apps. If you have an iPhone and a car, check out Honk. The app looks like a parking meter and a simple gesture sets a reminder to warm you before the meter runs out. The app also has maps and automatically records where you parked the car. It also has a map and a compass, so you can't loose your car. The app is genius for anyone with a car in a bit city like Chicago that aggressively enforces parking restrictions. It's also great just for remembering where you parked your car. However, for reasons unknown (maybe morning haze) I managed to reset the location. I knew I parked reasonably close to the flat that served as my hotel. I walked with my bags may at night and the walk took about 3 minutes. I wasn't clearly oriented though. The only things I knew for sure was I walked by an above ground metro station and that I did not parallel park.I started walking in the direction I suspected I could find the car - no luck. Than I started outlining other streets, still no luck. I was getting extremely frustrated, but taking in the scenery helped calm my nerves. As I walked around I also was checking out the local area, and not just looking for the car. That helped ease my anxiousness a bit.
After about 90 minutes though I gave up. I figured I could call the company behind the rental and they might be able to help. Since I don't have 3G in Czech Republic, that meant a short walk back to my flat. I was hoping the staff could reach Victor, as he likely knew where I parked. I tried calling via Skype, but it doesn't work well on any network I used in these parts. To my surprise Talkatone combined with Google voice (which is completely free) has been more reliable and has worked better than Skype. That solution only works for US calls though, not calls in Europe. After trying to call via Skype the very nice woman asked me to simply send her an email. I sent off what I knew of where I parked - outside metro location. The woman returned with a link to a map of the general area where my car could be found. Within 10 minutes I found it! I was about 90 minutes of the meter...but NO TICKET! In Chicago that would be nothing short of a miracle. Looking for the car was a frustrating experience, but as I walked around and took in the city I was constantly reminded of how beautiful it was.
Finding Parking
I parked near some tour kiosks and picked up some information about what to see. I was tempted to join a long tour that was to start in a few minutes. Since I hadn't eaten and needed to feed the meter, I ended up not doing the tour. Finding coins to stuff the meter was as much a problem in Prague as it was in the UAE. I felt moving the car was a good idea. You can only prepay for 6 hours, so I didn't want to be tethered to the car. Setting alarms to feed the meter over the next 3 days was not something I wanted to do. I wanted to ditch the car and live the city life for the next few days. The flat was centrally located either in Old Town or just a very, very short walk from it. I don't think the flat could be in a better location.
A few notes about parking in Prague. IT'S A NIGHTMARE. There are 4 cars for every parking space in Prague. Private parking garages do not exist...ANYWHERE. The only parking that can be found is on the street. Street parking is color coded blue or white. Blue requires a permit that can only be acquired by locals. Guess what color most parking is? White parking is pretty hard to find and timed. The parking spot I had was golden and I lost it.
If you plan to travel to Prague by car, check this site out and prepare in advance. Ditching the car at one of the metro stations outside the city and riding the Metro back is the way to go. The 'free parking' areas mentioned in the blog are mostly out of date. The free parking suggested is now all metered and mostly blue. Prague is broken up into a number of sections (e.g., Prague 1, Prague 2), some with more generous parking restrictions than others. I was used to walking around and figured I could ditch the car in the outskirts and walk back. I must have spent at least 2 hours driving around in dense traffic looking for either a private lot (they don't exist) or an open spot like what I had. I eventually stumbled upon one of the only underground garages in the city, but parking was extremely expensive ($40 USD a day, or around $100-$120 for my entire stay). I pulled in and made the impulsive decision to exit. I figured I knew where the garage was and would look for parking just a bit longer. It was almost 1pm and parking is only enforced to 6pm. So for roughly $8 I could ditch the car until the following morning. If I needed, I could than move the car to the private lot. About 20 minutes later I'd find an empty spot by the post office. Here's where my luck finally starts to turn around! Tomorrow is May 1st, so when I bought a ticket for the night I got the entire following day for free. It took me a while to figure out why the meter skipped a day - I kept thinking I was reading the ticket incorrectly. Parking cost about 10 USD. This meant I didn't have to worry about parking until my day of departure!
Throughout the trip I've thought about things I should have done differently in an effort to improve future stops and just to evolve my ways. I wondered if driving to Prague was a good idea. The rental car was extremely expensive (around $450 for the week) and parking was next to impossible. A rental gave me the flexibility to hit major cities and sites in between. Coordinating a train to Prague from anywhere in Germany would have been possible, probably simple. I could have also coordinated a train from Prague to Austria, which was my next stop after Prague, and than back to Germany. In hindsight, that option may appear to have been a better choice. I'm not sure though. While the train station in Germany was extremely easy to navigate throughout, it hasn't always been the way around the world. Egypt is a good reminder of a chaotic train system. Plus, not everyone speaks English well in Prague. When looking for change I went into no less than 4 or 5 stores and the merchants spoke little if any English. Sometimes making a decision involves choosing the best of several bad options - I'll write this decision down as one without a good option.
Walking Around
I spent a lot of time walking around the waterfront. Charles Bridge and the surrounding area is nothing short of amazing. The town is amazing. Given I had spend the previous 4 hours hitting my head against a wall finding the car and working out parking, I had every reason to be frustrated and irate. I wasn't though, I was in wonder of this incredible city. Prague is probably the one place I've been told to visit most in Europe. Cheap beer, inexpensive living, and the historic sites have made it a backpackers favorite. My expectations were very high...which normally leads to disappointment. I was bound not to let the issues of the morning affect my attitude.
Charles Bridge
A big part of the view form the river is the historic Charles Bridge. The bridge dates back to the 1400s! Walking around Prague (or Praha as locals call it) is nothing short of amazing. My impossibly high expectations were actually met.
KGB Museum
Part of the gun retracts. It's modeled after the AK47 and was standard issue to KGB
Do I look Russian or what?
Petřín Lookout Tower
After touring the KGB museum I made way towards the Petřín Lookout Tower. It was now around 7pm so it was a gamble if it was open. Plus, I didn't know where the entry actually was. I just saw it in the distance and hiked in that general direction. Hike is an understatement. The hills the tower is atop are very, very steep.
After climbing the enormous hill, which was a feat of its own, I made my way to the tower. From a distance the tower looks similar to the Eiffel tower, the differences become more apparent up close.
Tickets come in two variants - with and without the elevator. There is a 50 czk difference which I later calculated out to about $3. I opted without and hiked the 299 steps to the top. I had forgotten there was a mid-level and upon reaching it, thought the hike was nothing. The mid level has an outdoor section and is windy. The guide there happily snapped a pic and I than learned there was more to hike. After a longer hike, I was at the top. I walked around a bit, snapped some pics and waited for the guide to finish up conversation with a South American couple. He happily snapped a few pics and I was off. I knew it was a long way down, but at least it was downhill. The climb was exhausting, but bearable.
Hike started all the way down at the street between the green and road.
Victims of Communisim Memorial
As I was walking back I walked by some statues that were very intriguing. The statues were actually a memorial for the fallen victims of communism. It was a remind of just how surreal it was to be walking around in the former USSR. When you stop to consider the history and the meaning of the statues...it's incredibly sad. Tourists were posing with the statues without considering the meaning. I got the fact they were just having fun, but I felt it was very disrespectful. To some degree it reminded me of a visit to WTC memorial with my brother Jim. When we visited, without thinking much of it, I asked a guard to take our picture. Jim politely opted out, telling me later his thoughts about what the memorial meant. I think I get how he was feeling that day, maybe he instilled a little class in me.
Hemingway Bar
I was hungry, it was getting late, and I decided to head back to the apartment. I looked on TripAdvisor and found a nice place for a drink called Hemingway. Upon entering it reminded me of a cross between two Chicago local favorites (Violet Hour and Hubbard Inn). I gave the bartender a few drinks I normally liked and asked him to surprise me. This little request normally gets me a nice surprise. The bartender made my drink with the same precision a scientist would use making a substance. He had eye droppers, measuring cups, and was exact in everything he did. His worked showed. Even the presentation of the drink was impressive. I was fantastic. Unfortunately the bar had few food options. I'd spend an hour or so at the bar and moved on, eventually heading home.
Tomorrow
Since tomorrow was May Day, a holiday throughout Europe, I stayed out to observe the local nightlife. It was pretty interesting and lively. I figured tomorrow I'd wake up late and visit Prague Castle and do a few other things.
When I checked in the night manager, Victor, helped me find legal parking and prepaid for the first hour or so. The meter was set to expire at 9am. I could have liked to sleep longer, but the 6 hours or so would do. I head out to stuff the meter, hoping I would easily find the car and get an hour or so more sleep.
Finding the Car
I marked the approximate location and an alarm of the car using Honk, one of my favorite iPhone apps. If you have an iPhone and a car, check out Honk. The app looks like a parking meter and a simple gesture sets a reminder to warm you before the meter runs out. The app also has maps and automatically records where you parked the car. It also has a map and a compass, so you can't loose your car. The app is genius for anyone with a car in a bit city like Chicago that aggressively enforces parking restrictions. It's also great just for remembering where you parked your car. However, for reasons unknown (maybe morning haze) I managed to reset the location. I knew I parked reasonably close to the flat that served as my hotel. I walked with my bags may at night and the walk took about 3 minutes. I wasn't clearly oriented though. The only things I knew for sure was I walked by an above ground metro station and that I did not parallel park.I started walking in the direction I suspected I could find the car - no luck. Than I started outlining other streets, still no luck. I was getting extremely frustrated, but taking in the scenery helped calm my nerves. As I walked around I also was checking out the local area, and not just looking for the car. That helped ease my anxiousness a bit.
After about 90 minutes though I gave up. I figured I could call the company behind the rental and they might be able to help. Since I don't have 3G in Czech Republic, that meant a short walk back to my flat. I was hoping the staff could reach Victor, as he likely knew where I parked. I tried calling via Skype, but it doesn't work well on any network I used in these parts. To my surprise Talkatone combined with Google voice (which is completely free) has been more reliable and has worked better than Skype. That solution only works for US calls though, not calls in Europe. After trying to call via Skype the very nice woman asked me to simply send her an email. I sent off what I knew of where I parked - outside metro location. The woman returned with a link to a map of the general area where my car could be found. Within 10 minutes I found it! I was about 90 minutes of the meter...but NO TICKET! In Chicago that would be nothing short of a miracle. Looking for the car was a frustrating experience, but as I walked around and took in the city I was constantly reminded of how beautiful it was.
Finding Parking
I parked near some tour kiosks and picked up some information about what to see. I was tempted to join a long tour that was to start in a few minutes. Since I hadn't eaten and needed to feed the meter, I ended up not doing the tour. Finding coins to stuff the meter was as much a problem in Prague as it was in the UAE. I felt moving the car was a good idea. You can only prepay for 6 hours, so I didn't want to be tethered to the car. Setting alarms to feed the meter over the next 3 days was not something I wanted to do. I wanted to ditch the car and live the city life for the next few days. The flat was centrally located either in Old Town or just a very, very short walk from it. I don't think the flat could be in a better location.
A few notes about parking in Prague. IT'S A NIGHTMARE. There are 4 cars for every parking space in Prague. Private parking garages do not exist...ANYWHERE. The only parking that can be found is on the street. Street parking is color coded blue or white. Blue requires a permit that can only be acquired by locals. Guess what color most parking is? White parking is pretty hard to find and timed. The parking spot I had was golden and I lost it.
If you plan to travel to Prague by car, check this site out and prepare in advance. Ditching the car at one of the metro stations outside the city and riding the Metro back is the way to go. The 'free parking' areas mentioned in the blog are mostly out of date. The free parking suggested is now all metered and mostly blue. Prague is broken up into a number of sections (e.g., Prague 1, Prague 2), some with more generous parking restrictions than others. I was used to walking around and figured I could ditch the car in the outskirts and walk back. I must have spent at least 2 hours driving around in dense traffic looking for either a private lot (they don't exist) or an open spot like what I had. I eventually stumbled upon one of the only underground garages in the city, but parking was extremely expensive ($40 USD a day, or around $100-$120 for my entire stay). I pulled in and made the impulsive decision to exit. I figured I knew where the garage was and would look for parking just a bit longer. It was almost 1pm and parking is only enforced to 6pm. So for roughly $8 I could ditch the car until the following morning. If I needed, I could than move the car to the private lot. About 20 minutes later I'd find an empty spot by the post office. Here's where my luck finally starts to turn around! Tomorrow is May 1st, so when I bought a ticket for the night I got the entire following day for free. It took me a while to figure out why the meter skipped a day - I kept thinking I was reading the ticket incorrectly. Parking cost about 10 USD. This meant I didn't have to worry about parking until my day of departure!
Throughout the trip I've thought about things I should have done differently in an effort to improve future stops and just to evolve my ways. I wondered if driving to Prague was a good idea. The rental car was extremely expensive (around $450 for the week) and parking was next to impossible. A rental gave me the flexibility to hit major cities and sites in between. Coordinating a train to Prague from anywhere in Germany would have been possible, probably simple. I could have also coordinated a train from Prague to Austria, which was my next stop after Prague, and than back to Germany. In hindsight, that option may appear to have been a better choice. I'm not sure though. While the train station in Germany was extremely easy to navigate throughout, it hasn't always been the way around the world. Egypt is a good reminder of a chaotic train system. Plus, not everyone speaks English well in Prague. When looking for change I went into no less than 4 or 5 stores and the merchants spoke little if any English. Sometimes making a decision involves choosing the best of several bad options - I'll write this decision down as one without a good option.
Walking Around
I spent a lot of time walking around the waterfront. Charles Bridge and the surrounding area is nothing short of amazing. The town is amazing. Given I had spend the previous 4 hours hitting my head against a wall finding the car and working out parking, I had every reason to be frustrated and irate. I wasn't though, I was in wonder of this incredible city. Prague is probably the one place I've been told to visit most in Europe. Cheap beer, inexpensive living, and the historic sites have made it a backpackers favorite. My expectations were very high...which normally leads to disappointment. I was bound not to let the issues of the morning affect my attitude.
Charles Bridge
A big part of the view form the river is the historic Charles Bridge. The bridge dates back to the 1400s! Walking around Prague (or Praha as locals call it) is nothing short of amazing. My impossibly high expectations were actually met.
Charles Bridge
One of many monuments on the bridge
After walking around a bit after crossing the bridge I noticed a large American flag waving in the background. I was curious. After snapping a picture I walked up the street and noticed flags of other nationalities. I than noticed police were outside the building with the US flag. It became clear it was the US embassy! US soil was steps away! I hadn't registered since entering the Czech Republic, so I figured stopping by would be an adventure itself. Unfortunately the embassy was closed. As I walked up the street though I noticed a storefront called "KGB Muzeum". I entered and a man told me the next tour would begin in 20 minutes.
American flag in Prague, huh?
I wasn't sure what to make of the storefront. I would have checked TripAdvisor, but I didn't have 3g and couldn't find a free WiFi hotspot. Having grown up during the cold war, anything pertaining to the USSR is of intense interest. I was a bit concerned this might experience might be a real life example of the Kramer's Peterman Reality Tour but was up for giving it a shot. I would not be disappointed. The museum is run by a man named Andre who hails from Leningrad. The museum is filled of items he has personally collected. One of Andre's grandparents and mother were agents in the KGB and he knows a lot about it. Before I entered he warned that he spoke little English. Andre needs to give himself credit, because I could understand him fine. He was also great with my camera, often suggesting and insisting I pose for pictures. His only request was that the photos be for personal use - easy request. First, everything in the museum is real. It felt weird putting on the KGB hat - almost like I was spitting on my country. I figured it was no different than what I might do in the 80s on Halloween.
Andre knew a lot about the KGB and explained the history of the organization. He had all kinds of crazy stuff, like a pair of the first Soviet night vision goggles, encryption machines, agents coats, information on gulags. Andre was also a character. Take a look at the picture of him popping his head out of his shop
Part of the gun retracts. It's modeled after the AK47 and was standard issue to KGB 
Do I look Russian or what?
Love Andre's expression
Real antidote for gas to be taken 45 minutes before using weapon
Fake passports found on Asian and US spies
Cryptography machine
Device for using cocaine.
Cocaine became very popular after vodka was outlawed
Andre and me
Interrogation kit
After touring the KGB museum I made way towards the Petřín Lookout Tower. It was now around 7pm so it was a gamble if it was open. Plus, I didn't know where the entry actually was. I just saw it in the distance and hiked in that general direction. Hike is an understatement. The hills the tower is atop are very, very steep.
After climbing the enormous hill, which was a feat of its own, I made my way to the tower. From a distance the tower looks similar to the Eiffel tower, the differences become more apparent up close.
Tickets come in two variants - with and without the elevator. There is a 50 czk difference which I later calculated out to about $3. I opted without and hiked the 299 steps to the top. I had forgotten there was a mid-level and upon reaching it, thought the hike was nothing. The mid level has an outdoor section and is windy. The guide there happily snapped a pic and I than learned there was more to hike. After a longer hike, I was at the top. I walked around a bit, snapped some pics and waited for the guide to finish up conversation with a South American couple. He happily snapped a few pics and I was off. I knew it was a long way down, but at least it was downhill. The climb was exhausting, but bearable.
Hike started all the way down at the street between the green and road. 
Tower
Outside Tower - mid level
View from below
View from the top
View from top
Victims of Communisim Memorial
As I was walking back I walked by some statues that were very intriguing. The statues were actually a memorial for the fallen victims of communism. It was a remind of just how surreal it was to be walking around in the former USSR. When you stop to consider the history and the meaning of the statues...it's incredibly sad. Tourists were posing with the statues without considering the meaning. I got the fact they were just having fun, but I felt it was very disrespectful. To some degree it reminded me of a visit to WTC memorial with my brother Jim. When we visited, without thinking much of it, I asked a guard to take our picture. Jim politely opted out, telling me later his thoughts about what the memorial meant. I think I get how he was feeling that day, maybe he instilled a little class in me.
Memorial to the Victims of Communism
Hemingway Bar
I was hungry, it was getting late, and I decided to head back to the apartment. I looked on TripAdvisor and found a nice place for a drink called Hemingway. Upon entering it reminded me of a cross between two Chicago local favorites (Violet Hour and Hubbard Inn). I gave the bartender a few drinks I normally liked and asked him to surprise me. This little request normally gets me a nice surprise. The bartender made my drink with the same precision a scientist would use making a substance. He had eye droppers, measuring cups, and was exact in everything he did. His worked showed. Even the presentation of the drink was impressive. I was fantastic. Unfortunately the bar had few food options. I'd spend an hour or so at the bar and moved on, eventually heading home.
Hemingway Bar
Tomorrow
Since tomorrow was May Day, a holiday throughout Europe, I stayed out to observe the local nightlife. It was pretty interesting and lively. I figured tomorrow I'd wake up late and visit Prague Castle and do a few other things.
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