Prague

I dont think I will ever book another reclining sleeper train seat again, despite the money I saved. (By the way, I wont be able to use apostrophies in this entry because I cant find it on this strange keyboard). I was seated next to a large man in a bright orange shirt who smelled like raw onions and blasted ABBA on his headphones. There were a bunch of young American backpackers behind us who brought a mini keg with them and proceeded to "party" as soon as the train left the station (10pm). Finally, around 2am they chilled out and went to sleep, but I slept poorly. I had fascinating dreams when I did drift off, nightmares I suppose, but they were the kind that are interesting as well as frightening, so it was kind of cool. 

If Bavaria was the land of Christmas, Bohimia is definitely the land of Halloween (at least today it certainly was). The countryside is beautiful here with the trees all gold and orange, and the black rocks jutting up out of the earth. I hadnt realized there would be mountains here, but there they were, big craggy hills and black rock that was blasted away to make a path for the train.

From my window I saw some of the little deer that live here, roaming in a herd across a field. I took a photograph, but with the train moving I imagine the image will be blurry. They looked about the right size to have antlers like the ones I purchased a couple days ago in Munich - so cute and tiny, so much smaller than the large white tailed deer we have back home.

My train arrived here in Prague at 10am and I quickly changed a 10 Euro note into the local currency so I could pay the bathroom attendant at the station; she handed me a couple sheets of toilet paper in exchange for my coin as I went in (there seems to be a shortage of the stuff around here).

I took the subway to the tram stop and then lost my way trying to get to the hostel on the trams. After an hour I gave up and got in a cab. The driver put on some heavy metal for me to enjoy during the ride and charged me a fair rate, which was a relief.

Immediately upon my arrival at the hostel I upgraded my room so I would be ALONE with my own BATHROOM. I can not deal with this sleeping with loud, drunken, strange smelling, random men and women thing anymore, at least not for a while. I desperately need a good nights sleep, an honest eight hours in a comfortable bed and a clean bathroom that I dont have to worry about being occupied. And my upgraded room is awesome. It is big enough for three and the shower is impressive. I have a neat little bay window that looks down onto the street and some interesting furniture. It all makes me very happy.

Had an amazing plate of beef and bohemian dumplings for lunch at a little neighborhood place near my hostel. Ive got to find a good cafe to have tea and cake at tomorrow, though. I was exhausted this afternoon so I sat down at a touristy place that overcharged for their mediocre fare, but it was convenient and I needed to sit down and rest my feet.

Im in the old city area right now, the area that one always sees in photographs. It is very cold and the hostel is doing my laundry so I had to wear my short skirt rather than the longer, warmer one. It will be nice to have it clean and ready to wear tomorrow, but damn its cold without it.