I am now on a train at the Central Station in Praha, which is about to depart for Kolin, where I shall take another train to Kutna Hora.
Now, the last two days.
On Thursday, I took the train from Berlin to Praha. A trio, from Australia I think, shared the compartment with me. First we did not converse. But then the lady (I think they were elderly parents and an adult son) asked me if I had a map of Praha because she wanted to look up where their hostel was. They studied my map for quite a while but could not find its exact location. I don't think they were very smart. Then we were about to cross the border. Three groups in uniform boarded the train: German border police, Czech border police and Czech railway staff. My passport was, as usual, not without problem. The German border police found that I did not have a stamp on my visa showing my entry into Germany. It was really not my fault. The staff at Tegal Airport just had not stamped it. Maybe they had thought that mine was an EU passport. Anyway, the real problem now was the train tickets. The Australian trio, despite the additional DM70 something per person they had paid for the journey, was each charged yet an additional amount. They argued, the railway staff explained, but they couldn't agree with each other. But of course they paid at last. I was also asked to pay an additional DM23 on top of the DM12 supplement I had already paid. I paid it without arguing. At the end I had paid much less than the Australians. They were so very annoyed for being charged so much. DM70x3 was more than HKD1,000, not a small sum. Then we chatted a little. When I said that the train from Praha to Budapest, where they planned to go, would go through Slovakia, they were shocked. It seemed that I had dropped a bomb because they didn't have that visa. They thought the train would go through Wien. Poor people. But I think this is a common misunderstanding. I had only found out that just before my trip.
On arrival in Praha, I was so efficient that I exchanged money, bought a phone card and a tourist pass and got to the hotel within an hour. Super. That was the result of experience and planning.
Then I planned to just walk around the place, going nowhere in particular. It seemed to me that almost everywhere here was within walking distance. It was actually quite convenient. I strolled along V. Nam., walked through the old town, got across the Charles Bridge, and saw LEE Wing-tat in the old town. What a small world. The old town was really beautiful. Then I returned to the not-so-comfortable hotel.
I started early the next day. Following the guide of the Lonely Planet, I arrived at the Castle District around 8 am. The streets were quiet. The air was cool. And there was mist down the hill. It was truly beautiful. I took many pictures there.
It was stupid of me to be a little frightened when I went past the two guards into the Castle because it was not yet the opening time. But nothing happened. I had finished walking around the place once before 9 am. Then I bought a ticket and went inside each sight. The St Vitus’ Cathedral was OK. The St George Church was a disappointment. The Old Royal Palace was a scary experience. I was let in and then the door was closed "bang" behind me. In front of me was a big empty hall. No furniture, no paintings, no decoration and nobody in there. Just an ugly, worn-out hall with worn-out wooden floor. Thank God there was sunshine or I would be scared to death. The other parts of the palace were equally scary and unattractive. I kept praying that there would not be any skeletons or tombs or crypts inside. There was hardly anyone in there, just two very quiet Japanese girls other than me. The air was stale and smelly because there were no windows (or they were shut). And when I followed the sign to the exit, I just got in yet another and then another empty room. Scary. When I finally left the place I had cold sweat all over me.
Then I left the Castle and walked to the Lessor Town. The Castle was not as grand as I had expected. But the Lesser Town was truly even less attractive. But I was lucky enough to get into a garden with a beautiful Roman building.
For the rest of the day, I just walked around. I tried to check the bus schedule to Kutna Hora but failed. So instead I bought a train ticket for today. But the time is not good. I'll only have about 2 1/2 hours for the place as I need to rush back to Praha for the 4 pm show of Jesus Christ Superstar. The show is in Czech language but since I have listened to the CDs I think I know the music and the story well enough. I hope I'll like it. I hope I'll be shocked.
Tonight I'm going to take a night train to Budapest. There is only one sort of sleeper compartment which had three beds inside. I have no choice. But as there is the word "Frau" on my ticket, which means female or lady in German, I hope the two other passengers sharing my compartment are ladies. I hope I"ll arrive in Budapest safe and whole. Ha!
* * *
I am now at the railway station at Kutna Hora. My trip here has been a total failure. A horror.
I got on a bus following the others on my arrival here. I asked the driver if the bus went to the old town, showing him my simple map, and he nodded. On the same bus were half a dozen other tourists, all including me going to the centre. But when the bus arrived at its terminus, we were still aboard, not knowing that it was already way past the centre. Some Americans protested and the driver was so kind, strangely, to start the bus again and dropped down all these troublesome tourists at a road leading to the centre.
Then we walked on. I didn't want to follow the others or be followed so I fell out of the way. Without a detailed map, losing my way was only to be expected. Having spent some ten minutes in all those alleys and streets finding my way and reading incomprehensible street names, I decided to leave the town. But it was again difficult to find the way back to the railway station. Plus I had to walk back there. I was not totally sure if I was on the right road. Luckily I met a Czech girl who appeared, to me, to be heading for the station. I asked her the way but could not understand her reply. Since we could not communicate, I just followed her. And she led me back to the station, after about 30 minutes' walk, that is.
Infrequent train connections, inconvenient location and it was a Saturday. These has made this trip a failure. This journey was similar to my previous trips to Leuven (Belgium, it rained so I left at once) and Colmar (France, no map, could not find my way). Having written so much, the train to Kolin, where I'll take another train back to Praha, still will not be here in about 20 minutes. I have wasted a whole morning and part of the afternoon on this futile trip.
31.8.96
30.8.96
30.8.96 (Fri)
It is not yet 6 am and I am of course in the hotel. This Hotel Junior Praha is quite a run down hostel. The furniture is worn out and I don't think the bed sheet, blanket, pillow and towels are very clean. It just does not feel clean. It simply can't be compared with the great big hotel in Berlin. But of course I pay much less here.
My room is on the first floor facing the street. There is an ugly terrace outside but it is shared by another room, so I keep it locked.
When I was in Berlin, I kept thinking of going back to the hotel. Now, I feel like going out very much. This is the difference.
The lady at the reception of this hotel was very business-like. She made me feel that this was after all an ex-communist country. She was stone-faced and spoke only when she absolutely had to. And she took my passport when I checked in here. I must remember to get it back when I leave.
My room is on the first floor facing the street. There is an ugly terrace outside but it is shared by another room, so I keep it locked.
When I was in Berlin, I kept thinking of going back to the hotel. Now, I feel like going out very much. This is the difference.
The lady at the reception of this hotel was very business-like. She made me feel that this was after all an ex-communist country. She was stone-faced and spoke only when she absolutely had to. And she took my passport when I checked in here. I must remember to get it back when I leave.
29.8.96
29.8.96 (Thu)
I am now on the train to Praha. It will arrive there at around 1:30 pm. The weather is fine today. Cool with sunshine.
Yesterday was not a very good day for me. It was cloudy and it finally started raining around 6 pm.
First I went to Charlottenburg Palace. It was quite an ordinary palace. Not really impressive. I did not go in there, which housed several museums now. Instead I took a walk in the garden at the back of the palace. It was big, but not as big as the ones of Versailles or Sansouci. And it was not impressive. Many smaller trees (or maybe bushes) were planted in pots, not in the soil. I don't like them.
Then I took a bus to Bahnhof Zoo and then Bus 100 again. I thought it was a circular route and intended to finish the rest of the route (I jumped off at Alexanderplatz on Tuesday). But it was not a circular route. It took me to the far east end of East Berlin, with ugly apartment buildings and streetcars (trams) that don't run in the west side. I then checked one of my guidebooks and voila : Bahnhof Zoo was the start and end of Bus 100. I had to take another bus back to Bahnhof Zoo again.
Then I strolled along Kustferstrass, the busy shopping streets. It was OK. Nothing special. I went into the Kadewe Department Store, trying to find something for lunch on the 6th floor, but left soon with an empty stomach because I did not know how to order. I ended up having lunch in Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Then it was the Dahlem Museum. I thought it was in the east at the Museum Island so I took the U-Bahn heading east. But mid-way I found out from the map that it was actually in the west, quite far away from the centre. So I had to change to another U-Bahn line.
The museum was all right. It was quite quiet inside, no crowds, no tourists (except me). I think I visited only one of the many Dahlem Museums. The exhibits inside were not really interesting to me. What makes it even less attractive is that, unlike the Louvre, it is a modern concrete building, like one in a university (and I think it is). I don't think anything can compare to the Louvre. (p.s. But then I've found that there are other excellent museums, like the Ducal Palace in Venezia, the Uffizi in Firenze and the Vatican Museum in Roma.)
After Dahlem, I went back to Alexanderplatz. I tried to buy something for dinner but failed. I was so tired that I got back to the hotel and slept for about an hour. My feet (the blisters) hurt. When I woke up it was already too late for shopping. The only choice was the Burger King downstairs. So I had a salad there and an ice-cream next door. It was good to have a salad. I've been eating too much and too well lately.
Is it not a pity that I don't like Berlin. I spent three days there but still I don't like the place. I can't describe why. The atmosphere was cold (though the weather was not), the city was not beautiful (maybe all the beautiful things had been bombed), and the people were not particularly nice ( the people in Amsterdam and Wien were). But it was a convenient place with easy transport. Nobody ever checked anybody if he had a ticket.
I hope very much I'll like Praha, despite all the difficulties I could imagine. I hope I'll fall in love with the place. Well I always hope that I'll fall in love.
I feel much better on a train. Being on a train makes me feel that I am really travelling. And it feels good.
One more thing. I went to the train station early this morning to validate my Eurailpass. The lady at the counter simply pressed a chop on the pass and did not bother to fill in what was required on it. So I did it myself afterwards, ha ha ha.
Yesterday was not a very good day for me. It was cloudy and it finally started raining around 6 pm.
First I went to Charlottenburg Palace. It was quite an ordinary palace. Not really impressive. I did not go in there, which housed several museums now. Instead I took a walk in the garden at the back of the palace. It was big, but not as big as the ones of Versailles or Sansouci. And it was not impressive. Many smaller trees (or maybe bushes) were planted in pots, not in the soil. I don't like them.
Then I took a bus to Bahnhof Zoo and then Bus 100 again. I thought it was a circular route and intended to finish the rest of the route (I jumped off at Alexanderplatz on Tuesday). But it was not a circular route. It took me to the far east end of East Berlin, with ugly apartment buildings and streetcars (trams) that don't run in the west side. I then checked one of my guidebooks and voila : Bahnhof Zoo was the start and end of Bus 100. I had to take another bus back to Bahnhof Zoo again.
Then I strolled along Kustferstrass, the busy shopping streets. It was OK. Nothing special. I went into the Kadewe Department Store, trying to find something for lunch on the 6th floor, but left soon with an empty stomach because I did not know how to order. I ended up having lunch in Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Then it was the Dahlem Museum. I thought it was in the east at the Museum Island so I took the U-Bahn heading east. But mid-way I found out from the map that it was actually in the west, quite far away from the centre. So I had to change to another U-Bahn line.
The museum was all right. It was quite quiet inside, no crowds, no tourists (except me). I think I visited only one of the many Dahlem Museums. The exhibits inside were not really interesting to me. What makes it even less attractive is that, unlike the Louvre, it is a modern concrete building, like one in a university (and I think it is). I don't think anything can compare to the Louvre. (p.s. But then I've found that there are other excellent museums, like the Ducal Palace in Venezia, the Uffizi in Firenze and the Vatican Museum in Roma.)
After Dahlem, I went back to Alexanderplatz. I tried to buy something for dinner but failed. I was so tired that I got back to the hotel and slept for about an hour. My feet (the blisters) hurt. When I woke up it was already too late for shopping. The only choice was the Burger King downstairs. So I had a salad there and an ice-cream next door. It was good to have a salad. I've been eating too much and too well lately.
Is it not a pity that I don't like Berlin. I spent three days there but still I don't like the place. I can't describe why. The atmosphere was cold (though the weather was not), the city was not beautiful (maybe all the beautiful things had been bombed), and the people were not particularly nice ( the people in Amsterdam and Wien were). But it was a convenient place with easy transport. Nobody ever checked anybody if he had a ticket.
I hope very much I'll like Praha, despite all the difficulties I could imagine. I hope I'll fall in love with the place. Well I always hope that I'll fall in love.
I feel much better on a train. Being on a train makes me feel that I am really travelling. And it feels good.
One more thing. I went to the train station early this morning to validate my Eurailpass. The lady at the counter simply pressed a chop on the pass and did not bother to fill in what was required on it. So I did it myself afterwards, ha ha ha.
28.8.96
28.8.96 (Wed)
I am, again, having breakfast now.
My eye is much, much better now. So I guess the inflammation was caused by not enough sleep.
I went to Potsdam early yesterday morning. The map I bought there was difficult to read but I managed to get to the Sansouci Park somehow. The tram stopped at a place near one of the entrances to the Park, but it was not visible. So I had to spend some time to look for the way to get in. The park was huge. I met a man inside who asked me if I knew how to go to the Sansouci Palace. So I was not the only one who found it very difficult to locate the palaces in such a large park. I did not have a map of the park so I just followed the other tourists. Luckily I could find the New Palace, the Orange Palace and the Sansouci Palace.
The big park was quite beautiful. I appreciated the flowers, the lawn and the trees, which were very tall and seemed quite old. I however did not go inside the palaces. I just did not feel like it. Maybe I was tired and had no intention of prolonging the visit. I walked too much. I would not have so much exercise in one whole week if I were in Hong Kong. Well, it turned out that there was a blister on one toe of each foot, and they hurt.
I then visited the zoo. It was OK. Large, with lots of animals, of course. What I liked most was the wild cats. They looked exactly like big cats but had fur like leopards'. And I like the giraffes too. The aquarium however was a disappointment, though the jelly fishes and coral were quite impressive.
I also went to the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. It was like some modern art gallery. I didn't like it much. But I got in without paying the fee because I got in from the exit, not the entrance (without knowing it at the time of course).
I tried to book hotels in Praha and Budapest. The hotels in Praha I chose from the guidebooks were full. I think I had made about four or five calls before I finally found one. It was called Junior Hotel Praha. It costs 1200kcs per night and I hope it is good. It was much easier for Budapest. One call and that was it, though I will have to take a double room.
At night, I went to Brandenburger Tor again, just to take some pictures. Unlike the Arc de Triomph, it was quiet around there. Actually, Unter der Linden was nothing compared to Champs Elysees.
And the TV Tower was another disappointment. I paid the DM8 fee, got in, took the elevator to the panorama terrace and got out in no more than ten minutes. Alas.
My eye is much, much better now. So I guess the inflammation was caused by not enough sleep.
I went to Potsdam early yesterday morning. The map I bought there was difficult to read but I managed to get to the Sansouci Park somehow. The tram stopped at a place near one of the entrances to the Park, but it was not visible. So I had to spend some time to look for the way to get in. The park was huge. I met a man inside who asked me if I knew how to go to the Sansouci Palace. So I was not the only one who found it very difficult to locate the palaces in such a large park. I did not have a map of the park so I just followed the other tourists. Luckily I could find the New Palace, the Orange Palace and the Sansouci Palace.
The big park was quite beautiful. I appreciated the flowers, the lawn and the trees, which were very tall and seemed quite old. I however did not go inside the palaces. I just did not feel like it. Maybe I was tired and had no intention of prolonging the visit. I walked too much. I would not have so much exercise in one whole week if I were in Hong Kong. Well, it turned out that there was a blister on one toe of each foot, and they hurt.
I then visited the zoo. It was OK. Large, with lots of animals, of course. What I liked most was the wild cats. They looked exactly like big cats but had fur like leopards'. And I like the giraffes too. The aquarium however was a disappointment, though the jelly fishes and coral were quite impressive.
I also went to the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. It was like some modern art gallery. I didn't like it much. But I got in without paying the fee because I got in from the exit, not the entrance (without knowing it at the time of course).
I tried to book hotels in Praha and Budapest. The hotels in Praha I chose from the guidebooks were full. I think I had made about four or five calls before I finally found one. It was called Junior Hotel Praha. It costs 1200kcs per night and I hope it is good. It was much easier for Budapest. One call and that was it, though I will have to take a double room.
At night, I went to Brandenburger Tor again, just to take some pictures. Unlike the Arc de Triomph, it was quiet around there. Actually, Unter der Linden was nothing compared to Champs Elysees.
And the TV Tower was another disappointment. I paid the DM8 fee, got in, took the elevator to the panorama terrace and got out in no more than ten minutes. Alas.
27.8.96
27.8.96 (Tue)
I am now having breakfast in the restaurant of Forum Hotel. This hotel has everything a hotel should have, except air conditioning (I mean cooler). It is comfortable. The hotel is about 37 storeys high and my room is on the 30th floor. Think about it: I have never lived in a place so high. It is modern, using card keys and television sets that combine radio, TV, video and communication functions. But it looks ugly on the outside.
My right eye is feeling better now that I have slept properly for a whole night. In fact, I think I fell asleep about 8 pm last night and did not wake up until about 4 am this morning.
I think I am still not in the mood of travelling. What I want most now is to lie down and sleep. Anyway, today I plan to go to Potsdam. When I am back I may visit the zoo.
OK. About yesterday. The weather was very fine. Hot. I found my way to this hotel quite easily (experience counts, you see). But the S-Bahn here is quite confusing. The route plan does not show the lines clearly. I left my backpack at the hotel (well I could not check in because it was only noon). Then I took the S-Bahn to Bahnhof Zoo, had lunch, exchanged some money, and then got on Bus 100. By that time I was quite tired, partly because of the heat. So when the bus reached Alexanderplatz I just got off and returned to the hotel. I showered and rested for about an hour before I set off again (because I did not feel it right to sleep in the afternoon, especially during a trip).
I walked towards the west to Brandenburger Tor. There must have been many historical buildings/sights on the way but I don't think I saw many of them. I lost my way and went to the Altstadt around the Nicholas Church. It was a bad idea to walk westwards at the time of sunset. The sun almost blinded me and my eye hurt very badly. When I reached Brandenburger Tor I was exhausted (the heat, the walk, the sunshine). I took the S-Bahn to Hauptbahnhof where I made a reservation for a seat to Praha and then returned to the hotel.
The Altstadt is the place I like most. It was cool in there. I just may visit there again.
I took some pictures on the sky in my room this morning because the colours before dawn were beautiful.
Berlin. I don't think I like it or will like it. Sitting here eating my breakfast, I miss Paris, London, Munich, Rothenburg, Heidelburg, Brugge, Bath, and many more places. How I miss them. But not Berlin.
I don't see many differences between East and West Berlin (this hotel is in the East). But maybe I don't see anything at all.
My right eye is feeling better now that I have slept properly for a whole night. In fact, I think I fell asleep about 8 pm last night and did not wake up until about 4 am this morning.
I think I am still not in the mood of travelling. What I want most now is to lie down and sleep. Anyway, today I plan to go to Potsdam. When I am back I may visit the zoo.
OK. About yesterday. The weather was very fine. Hot. I found my way to this hotel quite easily (experience counts, you see). But the S-Bahn here is quite confusing. The route plan does not show the lines clearly. I left my backpack at the hotel (well I could not check in because it was only noon). Then I took the S-Bahn to Bahnhof Zoo, had lunch, exchanged some money, and then got on Bus 100. By that time I was quite tired, partly because of the heat. So when the bus reached Alexanderplatz I just got off and returned to the hotel. I showered and rested for about an hour before I set off again (because I did not feel it right to sleep in the afternoon, especially during a trip).
I walked towards the west to Brandenburger Tor. There must have been many historical buildings/sights on the way but I don't think I saw many of them. I lost my way and went to the Altstadt around the Nicholas Church. It was a bad idea to walk westwards at the time of sunset. The sun almost blinded me and my eye hurt very badly. When I reached Brandenburger Tor I was exhausted (the heat, the walk, the sunshine). I took the S-Bahn to Hauptbahnhof where I made a reservation for a seat to Praha and then returned to the hotel.
The Altstadt is the place I like most. It was cool in there. I just may visit there again.
I took some pictures on the sky in my room this morning because the colours before dawn were beautiful.
Berlin. I don't think I like it or will like it. Sitting here eating my breakfast, I miss Paris, London, Munich, Rothenburg, Heidelburg, Brugge, Bath, and many more places. How I miss them. But not Berlin.
I don't see many differences between East and West Berlin (this hotel is in the East). But maybe I don't see anything at all.
26.8.96
26.8.96 (Mon)
I am on the plane to London. It will arrive there in 45 minutes. This journey has not been so bad, though it is of course difficult to remain seated for 13 hours.
The first seat I got was all right except that it was too close to the smokers. I tried to change seat about two hours after the flight had taken off but it was already too late. Most vacant seats had already been taken up. This seat I am in now is not very good because the reading light is out of order and the earphone point is not functioning properly. And the kid sleeping beside me kicked me from time to time. But it is still endurable. Sometimes I slept and sometimes I watched the movies/TV. The movies are good. But I have seen them all before.
The food was not bad at all. I think I had a wrong impression about BA's food. The awful food should be that of British Midland.
My right eye hurts quite badly. The eye drop the doctor gave me does not seem useful. I am worried.
I will read about Berlin on the next flight. I feel that I am not well prepared for the trip yet. I hope everything will be fine.
The food at the Hong Kong Airport was very, very expensive. Impossibly expensive. One 500 ml Volvic water was HKD22. An ordinary cup of coke was $19 and a tasteless sandwich something around $35. Awful. No doubt McDonald's runs a good business.
My eye hurts. What should I do?
* * *
Here is what happened on the flight to Berlin. There was an Asian girl who kept talking in German incessantly to a European young man, whom she had just met obviously. They sat in the seats several rows in front of me and the girl blah blah blah all the way. The noise a woman can produce is unbelievable. I think the girl was from Hong Kong. And she spoke in German, English, Cantonese and Putonghua.
The first seat I got was all right except that it was too close to the smokers. I tried to change seat about two hours after the flight had taken off but it was already too late. Most vacant seats had already been taken up. This seat I am in now is not very good because the reading light is out of order and the earphone point is not functioning properly. And the kid sleeping beside me kicked me from time to time. But it is still endurable. Sometimes I slept and sometimes I watched the movies/TV. The movies are good. But I have seen them all before.
The food was not bad at all. I think I had a wrong impression about BA's food. The awful food should be that of British Midland.
My right eye hurts quite badly. The eye drop the doctor gave me does not seem useful. I am worried.
I will read about Berlin on the next flight. I feel that I am not well prepared for the trip yet. I hope everything will be fine.
The food at the Hong Kong Airport was very, very expensive. Impossibly expensive. One 500 ml Volvic water was HKD22. An ordinary cup of coke was $19 and a tasteless sandwich something around $35. Awful. No doubt McDonald's runs a good business.
My eye hurts. What should I do?
* * *
Here is what happened on the flight to Berlin. There was an Asian girl who kept talking in German incessantly to a European young man, whom she had just met obviously. They sat in the seats several rows in front of me and the girl blah blah blah all the way. The noise a woman can produce is unbelievable. I think the girl was from Hong Kong. And she spoke in German, English, Cantonese and Putonghua.
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