Night Train, First Day in Prague

We boarded our night train with our day in Heidelberg behind us. A very friendly conductor took our tickets and showed us to our sleeper car – which was, in a word, awesome. We had a private double with a dedicated WC and shower. There were night lights throughout, and even a power outlet, which I used to stay up late writing the post for the 2^nd J

We were served breakfast on the train in the morning. You can see it in all of its hearty goodness:

It consists of yogurt, rolls, honey, jam, coffee, juice, Swiss cheese, and slices of meat.

A few hours later we arrived in Prague. Here we were greeted by immediate culture shock. We know some German but almost no Czech, and there are fewer cognates between English and Czech, so almost nothing makes any sense. We wandered out of the station and stumbled into the main square. I am starting off our trip with a bit of a cold, so we went in search of a drugstore for some chloraseptic. Luckily the pharmacies here all use the same green cross logo, and the one we found spoke English; otherwise I’m not sure I ever could have gotten across what I needed.  

Our Hostel – the Czech Inn (get it?) is a pretty nice hostel. It is newly renovated, which is a big deal in a city where almost all of the buildings are far past their prime. We get a private double, but we have to share bathroom/showers, but these are in great condition, so no big deal.

The currency in the Czech Republic is the koruna, which like the peso or yen isn’t worth very much compared to dollars or Euros. The exchange rate as of this writing is somewhere between 20 to 25Kč per USD. Prices on items can differ widely from those in the US. A soda can cost 50-60Kč and a meal 150-200Kč and up, but you can get a 20oz beer here for 9Kč (approx. $0.50!). The Czech Republic is in the EU but has not adopted the Euro yet – they plan to sometime before 2015. Next time we visit should be easier on the cash front.

We ate at a Mexican restaurant of all things – Natasha had nachos which were simply tortilla chips, cream cheese, and black beans smeared into a paste. I had a “chorizqueso” which was mozzarella cheese melted over strips of chorizo, mushrooms, and onions. These were both appetizers, so the cost of the meal plus drinks and tip was only 250Kč, or about $15.

Our first day in Prague had to end early because after paying cash for the three nights at the Czech Inn, we hit our daily withdrawal limit on our card and ran out of money. We put in early and prepared for a long day of museum hopping.