Highlights
There are few dogs on leash, even on city streets. All were well behaved. Many intact males. Hard to miss some of them. I did not see any cats! Not even in a window. The birds seen were similar, but not the same
Transportation
Trams were free for seniors. I totally took advantage. No graffiti on the trams, but on every other flat surface. It did not seem to be the scourge as in the US.
Friendly?
In New England a nod or a smile is frequently acknowledged. In Prague no one even acknowledged my “Dobry Den”. Perhaps my pronunciation? The only friendly response was up on the hill, an American walking her 3 happy dogs.
Habits.
Few in New England smoke. Vaping and cigarettes in Prague far outnumber those seen in the US. . Prague is a city with traffic. I do not recall hearing a single car horn. And the patience in dealing with the throngs of tourists was impressive. It must be difficult living in a 24/7/365 tourist attraction. The vendors were amazingly helpful.
Toilets.
Paying for toilets seemed an inconvenient novelty for some. As a child growing up in NYC, while we didn’t pay, though I do recall some stalls requiring payment to access, we did always tip the ever present attendant. A habit I carry on today The toilets were always very clean and stocked. Attendants were both male and female.
Feeling overwhelmed by the history and beauty of Prague? Fear not mall rats, there is a huge 3 story mall to visit, complete with Starbucks.
Takeaways.
The flight is too long for this restless person. Future travel shall be within the realm of 6 -8 hours.
While Road Scholar is incredible and I highly recommend them, I am not a tour person.
Best Giggles.
Two older ladies running across the Charles bridge. Adeptly dodging and weaving through the crowds of tourists. We had detoured to buy hats and had to get back in time to join a tour. We made it! Hats purchased.
Other takeaways.
I got a haircut. My sweet young hairdresser did not speak English. I muddled any Czech. We managed to communicate and I got an amazing cut.
Purchasing from Street artists is a favorite touristy tradition when I travel. I brought back two watercolours. I am partial to watercolours. The artist highly recommended we tour Vechy Castle. Locals give great insight to must-see places. In Scotland we travelled to the world Scottish games!
What did I learn about Miki?
I know I am a loner and do love wandering on my own. I found some wonderful companions. Sadly, I came away with little contact information. Short term friendships are fond memories.
Karen, hope your car didn’t float away in Asheville. And hope you continue to wear your elegant hat. Thanks for giggling with me hot footing it across the Charles bridge.
Lauren, hope all the presents were appreciated and loved. Thank you for teaching me about travel thrift shopping. My new favorite travel destination.
Katie, thank you for keeping us all looped in. You were such a great help. And, I loved laughing with you.
Dagmar, your sense of humour had us groaning or laughing. You were a great guide. Incredibly patient and so able to smooth any slight conflict with locals that might arise.
Thank you to Road Scholar for being the first intro to solo travel to Europe.