Prague

Up early and out for a run I was – off down the river along the lovely cycling path away from Prague. We were deliberately (and very impressively I think) avoiding seeing anything Praguish until Tom & Tish arrived – didn't want to spoil it.

Anyway, a 40 minute run left me tired – and my bruised toe was a bit sore – but it was done, and I felt pretty good about it! Also, the slightly dodgy looking showers turned out to be amazing – like one of those drenching shower things that you get at posh gyms – just that the surroundings were a bit less salubrious!

By 10:45 we were off and on our way to the airport – Tom had said that he was on the 11am flight. We got to the airport and looked on the arrivals board (terminal 1) – no flights at 11am from the UK. Hmm. We reasoned that probably he meant the 10:30am flight – so they would be out by 11am. So we hung around for AGES – but all the flights had been delayed, so we weren't surprised that they were late. But then – my phone went. It was Tom - “I'm at the airport, where are you.....etc”. Slight moment of panic that he was at another airport – but in reality he was in Terminal 2, of course they had flown via Amsterdam – just that Tom hadn't told me that. Grrrr. Anyway, it was all sorted and we picked them up and we were on our way.

The campsite marked on the map and recommended in the camping book was really close to the airport and looked really nice – and in fact we could see campervans in the distance, but we really couldn't find our way to it. We drove up and down this dual carriageway trying to see how it worked – and totally failed – and we had just given up when – BINGO – we found it! Always the way. Anyway, luckily the site was worth it – nice, peaceful, near a lake and a park and a short walk from the main road and the trams into town.

Tom and Tish got their (brand new) tent up in a good time and we were on our way into Prague.

We fare dodged on the tram (again, nor our fault – no obvious way of buying tickets) and got off near the middle somewhere with the idea that we needed to eat before anything else.

We strolled into the first restaurant we came across – which was, naturally, the most expensive restaurant in the world. We had already ordered a beer before we looked at the menu – the foie gras and other assorted delicacies and associated price tag had us handing the menus back double quick – and only staying to finish our beers!

Across the road we found something more like a pub and had really good meals and beers for a lot less money!

2 pints in and we were off on the sightseeing trail.

We saw the main square, we stopped to see the 'amazing' clockworkings as the church clock struck the hour (actually, they were rubbish), had coffee and cake, strolled across the famous bridge, saw a humourous tableau of two chaps weeing in a pond (photo) and then up to the castle for a wander around,

a picture with one of their guards (poor chap) .

It was all very nice.

Eventually we stopped and had a beer, and then another beer, and then we had pizza – and more beer :)

After that we got a taxi back to the van (a £6 extravagance) and our travel weary chums went off to bed – as did we – ready for more adventures tomorrow.