Optimism

While at breakfast with the bakers the other morning, the topic inevitably turned to football. I asked how many times had Germany won the World Cup. One of the bakers immediately and enthusiastically said '4 times!' and proceeded to name the years, '1954, 1974, 1990, 2010!'

Fascination with Doors

During my travels in the past few months, I began to develop a fascination with doors, especially the old wooden doors with elaborate hinges and carvings. Many of them are probably older than Canada! Here are some of the prettiest doors I've seen so far.

It's Central Europe, NOT Eastern Europe

I had an amazing time in Prague. Beautiful castle, magnificent churches, well-preserved old town, good public transportation, cheap food and entertainment, it's an ideal place to 'see' Europe on a budget. Although the hordes of tourists everywhere can detract from the experience, it is still a very worthwhile city to visit. For €4, you can have dinner with wine, or see an opera. I did both.





Some interesting observations:

• If you don't want to offend the locals, don't say Czech Republic is in Eastern Europe. It's in Central Europe.
• The age of buses and trams in Prague vary greatly, from spanking new to, hmmm, vintage models. However, they all have GPS and electronic displays that tell you what the next stop is.
• Some of the museums are situated in very beautiful buildings. It is sometimes worth the price of admissions just to admire the interior of these buildings.
• The security guards in most museums in Prague are elderly women. They speak some basic English, and are very kind and sweet. They are also very insistent that you follow the exhibit in the correct order.
• As you leave the museums, the staff will thank you for your visit, and wish you a good day. What a nice touch. I don't think I've ever been in museums where they thank me for my visit.
• In Canada, you can find soft drinks in 2L plastic bottles. In Prague, you can find beers in 2L plastic bottles.

I spent 4 full days in Prague, but can easily spend at least 2 more days in the city. I look forward to visiting Czech again and travelling to some of the other cities and countryside.

Many many more photos here.