Waking Up
Checkout for the flat wasn't until 11am. Since I had to feed the car meter shortly after 9am, I used that as my start time. Checkout was informal, I simply had to leave the key in the mailbox. I woke up a bit earlier than expected but tried to force myself to sleep longer since I needed the rest.
Josefov
The car was parked over by an area of Praha called Josefov, or Jewish Quarter. There are a number of Jewish heritage museums in the vicinity. Most of the area was demolished in the late 1800s and early 1900s as Praha began to model the city after Paris. Only six synagogues, an old cemetery, and a town hall were left in tact. During occupation by axis forces during WWII it would have been extremely easy for Nazi Germany to destroy all that remained, but Nazi Germany actually planned to leave the buildings for an anticipated museum of an extinct race. Completely twisted. Once I fed the meter I decided to walk around a bit. I stopped at a coffee shop and booked lodging for my next stop, Vienna!
Leaving Praha
As I mentioned before, Praha met my extremely high expectations. The city was incredible! I never grew tired of the medieval architecture, landscape, and ambiance. I had wanted to extend the stay another day or so, but my flat wasn't available. While I could have found other lodging, I took it as a sign to move on.
Breaking the Law
Immediately after leaving Germany and entering the Czech Republic I had purchased a vignette (toll sticker). I wasn't entirely sure what to do with it, although it was clear I needed to write my license plate number on the back. My car back home has an Austrian vignette on the window, I planned to put this next to it. At the first available rest area I filled up on fuel, using most of my remaining Czech currency. I still had 300 CZK (around $15 USD) and a bunch of coins after filling it the tank. I wanted to keep some local currency just in case and as a souvenir. I'd later find another 200 CZK in my pocket.
Later, while cruising on the freeway I passed what I had thought was an ambulance van. The symbol on the van was the star of life, something I correlated to a medical emergency vehicle, and had only blue siren lights. Cars were passing the van so I did as well. Sometime later the van passed me and the man in the drivers seat gave me a strange look. Than the van started flashing blue lights. I would have disregarded the car entirely had there not been an LED message board mounted in the back window. In a number of different languages it said "Follow Me", removing any ambiguity as to whether or not I was in trouble. I had to follow him until the next exit, where we pulled in and to the side of the exit ramp. There were two offices, although only one left the car. He started talking to me in Germany which immediately concerned me. How was I supposed to communicate with a law enforcement officer if the officer didn't speak English? What were the chances he spoke Czech, German and English? Fortunately for me he did speak English, he assumed I spoke German because the plates on my car were German. The officer, was was in his late 20s, asked for my passport and license. I asked if I did anything wrong and he said no. Shortly thereafter he'd tell me I needed a vignette. I wasn't sure how long the vignette I had was good for, but I handed it to him. He looked it over and said "there are only two...very small...problems". First, it had to be on the window, second the license plate had to be written on the back of the sticker. He asked for either 10 Euro or 200 CZK (around $10 USD). Fortunately for me I had the 200 CZK and handed it over to him. He disappeared in the van for about 15 minutes and shortly thereafter waived me to the van. There, he explained the ticket, gave me a receipt and my forms of identification, and bid farewell.
Airplanes, Restaurants, and Outlet Malls
The drive to Vienna, or Wien as locals call it, was expected to take around 4 hours. I had a full tank of gas and was ready to go. I didn't think I needed a vignette for the route I was taking into Austria - at least it wasn't immediately obvious driving in. After a couple of hours of driving I had to exit the main highway and enter local roads. The weather was anything but pleasant. It was raining and slightly chilly outside. The drive was extremely hilly - at times I was wondering if the small rental would make it up the hill. I didn't anticipate stopping, but when I saw a large commercial airliner outside a theme park I knew it was a calling. I'm sure it was designed to stir the curiosity of children, but it got me.The park was connected to an outlet mall and on the Czech & Austrian border. I suspect it might be a duty free variant.
When I pulled in I started trying to make out the type of plane it was. I noticed 4 engines on the tail of the plane which was something I had never seen before. I figured at first they weren't real, since they engines would have scrap value. I was also surprised to see the landing gear and other parts not scrapped. I quickly figured it was a Russian jet. The flight from Israel to Cyprus was my first time on a Russian jet. Most, if not all, of my commercial was on either European (Airbus), South American (Embraer), or US (Boeing). For those curious the jet is an Ilyushin II-62. Apparently a handful of carriers, charter operations, and governments still use the jet. Surprising because it has 4 engines which means it must eat through fuel and cost a fortune to run.
The attached mall probably had about 50 retail shops. Most of them were no different than what you'd find in a US mall. One difference I noticed though was the mall had many, many more athletic and outdoor apparel shops. People in these parts like working out and exploring the outdoors.
Checking In
I found the hotel through Kayak I used the more expensive hotels surrounding the city center as a benchmark for where I should be. The hotel I booked was called the Hotel Pension Bosch and was only $70 USD. It was the closest I could get to the city center without breaking $100/night. The hotel offered the basics, free WiFi and breakfast. It was called a Pension, which I'd later find out simply means some level of board (meal) is included. The hotel did not occupy the entire building, rooms were off a private wing on the first floor. The lobby and breakfast area was separate, on the second floor. I suspect the building had private residential throughout. The GPS took me right to the correct address, but I didn't see a hotel so I drove around a few minutes before returning to where I started. I got in around 8pm and rang the buzzer. The woman who answered was expecting me and quickly helped get me settled. She spoke English well. I asked about parking and she happily assisted. She sold me a few slips for 5 or 6 euros that would constitute the most archaic and confusing parking system I have encountered to date. The woman said I should be covered until 10am the next morning, around the time I expected to check out since I only expected to spend one night in Wien. I asked about WiFi and was told that the key was on the phone. When I returned to the room the WiFi network was not visible. Not wanting to kill time in the room, I ignored the problem and head for the city center.
Walking Around Wien
Walking towards the city enter I passed a number of monuments. It was a bit cloudy out, but there were plenty of people in the cafes and streets. The architecture was very beautifully detailed and the town was very clean. After walking around I turned a corner and stumbled upon the main shopping district. Shows line a very long pedestrian road, with cafes and seating bleeding throughout the street. The area is very, very clean. For how many people and shops line the road it is remarkably quiet.
The area has a nice and elegant feel. I walked around to get a general understanding of the city, not really to see anything in particular. As I walked around I began to wonder if one night was going to be enough in Vienna. The city was more elegant, lively, and beautiful than I had expected.
Before heading back I wanted to get some dinner and a drink. Sometime before leaving the Czech Republic I noticed Trip Advisor had a new iPhone app that included offline support. I downloaded the app as well as content for certain cities. Since I often use Trip Advisor to get ideas for venues, tours, etc. yet have no cell service, the App was extremely helpful. I started with a well rated brew pub, but there was no space at the bar and the smoke was pretty intense. There were a few other places I walked in and out adjacent to the brew pub, but didn't get a very social vibe. Since I hadn't eaten most of the day I figured a good meal was a must, so I settled on steak. I found a well rated restaurant nearby called Steak Point City. It was absolutely fantastic.
Internet Cafe
I decided to head back shortly after midnight. I passed an internet cafe not far from my flat and decided to stop by. I wanted to update the blog and research the next day. I found a number of tour operators and inquired about tour availabilities for the next morning. Most tours started around 10, so I figured I'd need to wake up around 9am if I were to have any shot at joining them if there were openings.
Tomorrow
Since I only expected to spend one day in Wien I wanted to be up early to explore the town. There was a lot to see in a relatively short amount of time.
Checkout for the flat wasn't until 11am. Since I had to feed the car meter shortly after 9am, I used that as my start time. Checkout was informal, I simply had to leave the key in the mailbox. I woke up a bit earlier than expected but tried to force myself to sleep longer since I needed the rest.
Josefov
The car was parked over by an area of Praha called Josefov, or Jewish Quarter. There are a number of Jewish heritage museums in the vicinity. Most of the area was demolished in the late 1800s and early 1900s as Praha began to model the city after Paris. Only six synagogues, an old cemetery, and a town hall were left in tact. During occupation by axis forces during WWII it would have been extremely easy for Nazi Germany to destroy all that remained, but Nazi Germany actually planned to leave the buildings for an anticipated museum of an extinct race. Completely twisted. Once I fed the meter I decided to walk around a bit. I stopped at a coffee shop and booked lodging for my next stop, Vienna!
Leaving Praha
As I mentioned before, Praha met my extremely high expectations. The city was incredible! I never grew tired of the medieval architecture, landscape, and ambiance. I had wanted to extend the stay another day or so, but my flat wasn't available. While I could have found other lodging, I took it as a sign to move on.
Breaking the Law
Immediately after leaving Germany and entering the Czech Republic I had purchased a vignette (toll sticker). I wasn't entirely sure what to do with it, although it was clear I needed to write my license plate number on the back. My car back home has an Austrian vignette on the window, I planned to put this next to it. At the first available rest area I filled up on fuel, using most of my remaining Czech currency. I still had 300 CZK (around $15 USD) and a bunch of coins after filling it the tank. I wanted to keep some local currency just in case and as a souvenir. I'd later find another 200 CZK in my pocket.
Later, while cruising on the freeway I passed what I had thought was an ambulance van. The symbol on the van was the star of life, something I correlated to a medical emergency vehicle, and had only blue siren lights. Cars were passing the van so I did as well. Sometime later the van passed me and the man in the drivers seat gave me a strange look. Than the van started flashing blue lights. I would have disregarded the car entirely had there not been an LED message board mounted in the back window. In a number of different languages it said "Follow Me", removing any ambiguity as to whether or not I was in trouble. I had to follow him until the next exit, where we pulled in and to the side of the exit ramp. There were two offices, although only one left the car. He started talking to me in Germany which immediately concerned me. How was I supposed to communicate with a law enforcement officer if the officer didn't speak English? What were the chances he spoke Czech, German and English? Fortunately for me he did speak English, he assumed I spoke German because the plates on my car were German. The officer, was was in his late 20s, asked for my passport and license. I asked if I did anything wrong and he said no. Shortly thereafter he'd tell me I needed a vignette. I wasn't sure how long the vignette I had was good for, but I handed it to him. He looked it over and said "there are only two...very small...problems". First, it had to be on the window, second the license plate had to be written on the back of the sticker. He asked for either 10 Euro or 200 CZK (around $10 USD). Fortunately for me I had the 200 CZK and handed it over to him. He disappeared in the van for about 15 minutes and shortly thereafter waived me to the van. There, he explained the ticket, gave me a receipt and my forms of identification, and bid farewell.
Law enforcement pulling me over
Airplanes, Restaurants, and Outlet Malls
The drive to Vienna, or Wien as locals call it, was expected to take around 4 hours. I had a full tank of gas and was ready to go. I didn't think I needed a vignette for the route I was taking into Austria - at least it wasn't immediately obvious driving in. After a couple of hours of driving I had to exit the main highway and enter local roads. The weather was anything but pleasant. It was raining and slightly chilly outside. The drive was extremely hilly - at times I was wondering if the small rental would make it up the hill. I didn't anticipate stopping, but when I saw a large commercial airliner outside a theme park I knew it was a calling. I'm sure it was designed to stir the curiosity of children, but it got me.The park was connected to an outlet mall and on the Czech & Austrian border. I suspect it might be a duty free variant.
When I pulled in I started trying to make out the type of plane it was. I noticed 4 engines on the tail of the plane which was something I had never seen before. I figured at first they weren't real, since they engines would have scrap value. I was also surprised to see the landing gear and other parts not scrapped. I quickly figured it was a Russian jet. The flight from Israel to Cyprus was my first time on a Russian jet. Most, if not all, of my commercial was on either European (Airbus), South American (Embraer), or US (Boeing). For those curious the jet is an Ilyushin II-62. Apparently a handful of carriers, charter operations, and governments still use the jet. Surprising because it has 4 engines which means it must eat through fuel and cost a fortune to run.
The attached mall probably had about 50 retail shops. Most of them were no different than what you'd find in a US mall. One difference I noticed though was the mall had many, many more athletic and outdoor apparel shops. People in these parts like working out and exploring the outdoors.
Restaurant Airplane
Attached patio
Back when air fare was regulated bars like this were common.
Since airliners couldn't compete on price they competed on luxuries.
Captains area was blocked off
Checking In
I found the hotel through Kayak I used the more expensive hotels surrounding the city center as a benchmark for where I should be. The hotel I booked was called the Hotel Pension Bosch and was only $70 USD. It was the closest I could get to the city center without breaking $100/night. The hotel offered the basics, free WiFi and breakfast. It was called a Pension, which I'd later find out simply means some level of board (meal) is included. The hotel did not occupy the entire building, rooms were off a private wing on the first floor. The lobby and breakfast area was separate, on the second floor. I suspect the building had private residential throughout. The GPS took me right to the correct address, but I didn't see a hotel so I drove around a few minutes before returning to where I started. I got in around 8pm and rang the buzzer. The woman who answered was expecting me and quickly helped get me settled. She spoke English well. I asked about parking and she happily assisted. She sold me a few slips for 5 or 6 euros that would constitute the most archaic and confusing parking system I have encountered to date. The woman said I should be covered until 10am the next morning, around the time I expected to check out since I only expected to spend one night in Wien. I asked about WiFi and was told that the key was on the phone. When I returned to the room the WiFi network was not visible. Not wanting to kill time in the room, I ignored the problem and head for the city center.
Exterior of Hotel
Small twin bed
Sink in room
Private bathroom
Confusing parking slips
Walking towards the city enter I passed a number of monuments. It was a bit cloudy out, but there were plenty of people in the cafes and streets. The architecture was very beautifully detailed and the town was very clean. After walking around I turned a corner and stumbled upon the main shopping district. Shows line a very long pedestrian road, with cafes and seating bleeding throughout the street. The area is very, very clean. For how many people and shops line the road it is remarkably quiet.
The area has a nice and elegant feel. I walked around to get a general understanding of the city, not really to see anything in particular. As I walked around I began to wonder if one night was going to be enough in Vienna. The city was more elegant, lively, and beautiful than I had expected.
Downtown
Before heading back I wanted to get some dinner and a drink. Sometime before leaving the Czech Republic I noticed Trip Advisor had a new iPhone app that included offline support. I downloaded the app as well as content for certain cities. Since I often use Trip Advisor to get ideas for venues, tours, etc. yet have no cell service, the App was extremely helpful. I started with a well rated brew pub, but there was no space at the bar and the smoke was pretty intense. There were a few other places I walked in and out adjacent to the brew pub, but didn't get a very social vibe. Since I hadn't eaten most of the day I figured a good meal was a must, so I settled on steak. I found a well rated restaurant nearby called Steak Point City. It was absolutely fantastic.
Internet Cafe
I decided to head back shortly after midnight. I passed an internet cafe not far from my flat and decided to stop by. I wanted to update the blog and research the next day. I found a number of tour operators and inquired about tour availabilities for the next morning. Most tours started around 10, so I figured I'd need to wake up around 9am if I were to have any shot at joining them if there were openings.
Tomorrow
Since I only expected to spend one day in Wien I wanted to be up early to explore the town. There was a lot to see in a relatively short amount of time.
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