Prague: Kid, friend and a missing lover.

By the time we entered Prague my ability to keep patient and focus on finding the way had been largely reduced to the bare minimum. The trip until now had been stimulating but also challenging for the mind, body and any other virtue that makes us civil.

As we entered the train station, I had no money, so we withdrew from the mini bank at the station, the notes were 1000, and 2000’s notes, no one wanted to change us money to responsible buy our metro ticket, and with the stress of it all I didn’t see that one of the metro offices was open just behind me, and selling tickets. I managed to buy a bunch of crap in a convenient shop in order to get change and get my money thrown at me by the shop clerk, she realized her rudeness when all the coins she gave me back landed on the floor, then she sincerely apologized to me, I didn’t speak or get angry, I picked my money and I dismissed her with my seldom used but ultimate arrogant hand gestures.  The frustration I saw in her eyes was easily recognizable, she hated her job but I was not going to make her hate it more.

If it wasn’t for dear Aleksnader, my ten year old, we would have continued searching for line B going in circles that only accentuated my mental state of stupidity, me cursing words in Norwegian and he telling me to stop.  At the end he managed to solve my directional myopia and found the way to the right Metro.  It seems that the lessons I thought him in the cities before Prague were absorbed properly. Good!  I thought after we sat finally in the Metro and I held him, whispering thank you to him and telling him how proud I was of him helping me gaining control and helping me see what was impossible for me to see.

We arrived to our hostel, Downtown hostel Prague, as backpackers it was a dream of mine to stay in one and having the experience. The hostel had amazing reviews online and with reason, the staff was great, the place was funky and it offered accommodations for three, as my friend Sam was joining us from Berlin for the weekend.  According to my travelled hostel experienced friend Sam, the hostel standards were very high. We settled in the top floor, the room and toilet were specious and were very clean. We had a few windows we could climb out and stand at the edge of the roof; we spent a lot of time there, enjoying the views of Prague, enjoying the cool breeze of Prague and catching up with the past (my favorite spot this holiday was that roof).  

Prague was full of children and I surprised Aleksander  with a 2:30 hour tour of Prague on Segway, we were too tired to walk and he loved the experience, and we saw a lot of places in a short time, it was money well spent.  As any other major famous city, there is nothing new I can contribute that hasn’t been shared, plenty of things to do and experience with kids, here is the article that helped us identify some of the activities we did.

My favorite place during the stay was Petrin Park, we returned to it twice, the views of the city are very pretty, and is not crowded, one can take a picture without having thousands of people in view; the nature is beautiful and one can find pear, apple, plumb and cherry trees. As we walked down slowly from the top of the hill to the city, absorbing the undeniable magic of a city, I could not help but to think, that Prague can make anyone long for a hand holding lover and not the insisting clinging of a child and an accident prone chatter box female friend whom Aleksnader adores.

Nevertheless, both Sam and Aleksander  brought  me back to my relaxing self and sense of humor. I could not wish anyone else to see Prague for the first time, as for the second…



 

From Berlin, 22.07.15