In Prague along with everyone else on the planet

 
It's true that Prague is an incredibly beautiful city.  It's also true that everyone knows it.  They really need to restrict cars from the center, because there isn't enough room for all the pedestrians (tourists)  even when there are no cars trying to drive along these narrow streets.  Walking from one end of a street to another is difficult in the mob.  

Steve's place is far from the center in a quiet little neighborhood, once a village that got incorporated into the larger city.  It took about 30 minutes on tram and the metro to get into the center including riding the tram in the wrong direction at the beginning (it went to another metro stop, but I had to transfer again).  The apartment is huge -- what we call in SF a full four.  Except that the dining room is used as an office and the living room (my room) has almost nothing in it except a futon (it's a big room). 

Prague is overrun with expats too, Steve tells me.  There  used to be 60K of them, but now there are only (only?) 20K.  Everyone speaks English.  I wandered around for a long time looking for some reasonably priced food (it is more expensive than Berlin with the tourist prices), and finally ordered a "hamburger" (because I knew how to say it) at a stand near a metro station.  A "hamburger" is apparently a thick slice of deep fried ham with sour craut (sp?) and ketchup on a bread roll. 

I fould the place I stayed when I was here in 95.  The little cafe down the street looks much the same, but the restaurant where we fought with the waiter is gone.  (Justice exists.)

My ride here (50 euros, yikes!) was very slow considering it was a premium, intercity express train.  We went through Dresden, beautiful, and Saxon Switzerland, with lovely rocks and cliffs along the river.  I took a couple pictures from the train, but they didn't really come out.  There was another lady in my compartment who spoke English (altho I think she was Danish).  Every time there was something pretty outside, she would nudge me with her foot. 

Steve had a fabulous story about his ride back from Berlin with 4 bikes and a dog.  apparently the dog needs to have a childs ticket, and he isn't allowed to use the "weekend" deals that everyone else used (altho children are allowed to use it).  So, it cost 15 euros for one leg (of 4) of the trip, where the rest of them paid 30 euros total for 5 people for the entire trip.  He was a big yellow retriever who would bark whenever we clapped at the conference.  I won't try to do the whole story justice here.

The buildings here are intricately designed with art nuveau design and paintings.  The churches elaborate.  (The prices inflated.)  the transit system seems to work and is only about $0.50 per ride.  I have seen lots of people on transit both times I've ridden it, and I've never waited more than about 5 minutes for a train.

All that having been said, I have seen very little of Prague so far.  I am going to check out some museums that Steve recommended, then depending on the time either go to a beergarden nearby for a break or head back via the grocery store.  I said I would pick up some pasta and fruit.  I should get some things for myself as well.

Just one more word about Steve -- his highschool sweetheart is Cayce Raine, who I went to grad school with.  His parents are German, he was born in Boston, and grew up in the East Bay.   He is fluent in at least 3 languages I know about, and makes his money (when he isn't at the Carfree Cities office) as a translator.  He lives here bc his girlfriend is Czech.

I imagine my postings will be more frequent now that my days are no longer filled with people and presentations.  So, stay tuned.