£ falling against the €. Where now?

After Barcelona 2008, Quo Vadis?

Well, the main problem here was not where to go. We'd just as happily returned to Barcelona and gone to see our favourite team again. We'd also like to check on the building progress at the Sagrada Familia.


Alas, Barca was out - as was the rest of Spain, and for that matter, anywhere else within the Euro zone. Thanks to our finest minds, our economy is even more trashed than the remainder of Europe, and the £ is in freefall. It's all very well and good wanting to go somewhere special for Fiona's birthday present, but where is Howard going to buy cheap legal cigarrettes?

The solution was in the Czech republic. Once a Soviet satellite, (unwillingly), the Czechs are again embracing capitalism. It's capital is one of Europes most picturesque cities. Almost untarnished by communisms building programs, the city not only preserves its past with considerable style, but embraces the 21st century. One has to admire the city planners who in a less imaginative state could so easily fall into the trap of attempting to preserve all that is wonderful by refusing to allow anything new. Fidel Castro managed that quite nicely in Cuba, with the result that the place is stuck in a time warp.

Selecting a hotel - (should that be an hotel) from the internet recommendations, we flew from Manchesters Terminal 3 building (such a painless check in, I thought the girl had forgotten something), with BMI Baby. Also observing internet recommendations about not using Prague Taxi drivers, we'd booked a ride to the hotel Certovka (and hopefully back on the Monday).

Our flight was on time, and our driver was there to greet us. We were first out at our hotel, (we hadn't booked an individual ride) and checked in. I'd asked for a room overlooking the Charles Bridge, and unusually, got what I'd asked for. Oh the pleasures of travelling in the low season. Dumping the cases, we thought we'd go out for a stroll over one of Pragues

most famous landmarks. It was late, and the bridge was almost empty of the tourists and street vendors who usually make crossing the bridge such an "excuse me" journey.

After a decent nights sleep and a good breakfast, we ventured out the Saturday. One of Pragues main attractions is the "Astronomical clock". Depending on the advice we'd read, this was certainly a beautiful piece of horology. One guide stated that clocks hourly ritual wasn't worth waiting more than 5 minutes for. Although it was a masterpiece at the time it was built, I'm inclined to agree.

We wandered around the old city for a while, but eventually realised we were getting footsore. Scattered around the city were vendors offering tours, and we settled on one which took in Prague Castle, and a cruise on the river Vltava. (Try saying Val-Tava).

One place we had heard of in Prague was Wenceslas square, so we wandered off there, and wondered why we'd bothered. It seems to be the equivalent of Market Street/Oxford Street. All the usual suspects as far as shps are concerned, although the Marks & Spencer seemed to have stuff left over from three years ago. We couldn't make the same judgement on C&A as they left the U.K. some years before!

The tour we booked was brief, but informative. First we went up to the castle and cathedral. The latter, like so many medieval cathedrals is immense and magnificent. In the U.S.A. most magnificent structures are dedicated either to the state, or the military. In Europe, they all seem to be dedicated to the church.

From there, we went on a river trip. Not too sure what we saw that we wouldn't have seen from either side of the river, but it was relaxing and at least got us out from the rain.

If you go to the slideshow of the Prague images, I haven't figured out how to put a home link on it yet. Just press your Back button.