Wednesday 23.-24. June 2021

During lockdown and being a proud Czech, I often talk about the beautiful city of Prague and was hoping to visit this magnificent place with 100 red roof tops whilst in Czech.

My friend Magda loves Prague so was my event organizer.

She booked a hotel by the river Vltava with a view onto Hradcany called the Dancing Hotel – right in the center. I always admired that tall elegant building, but never have imagined I would stay there. 

An early pick up at 4.15 to catch a 5.05 train from Opava took us to Prague, and we arrived for breakfast just before 9am – I would make a lecture if I was starting at 9.30. 

As our first stop, a walk in park Grebovka and visiting my friend’s apartment, who lives in Sri Lanka too and played with her happy daughter while eating pancakes with blueberries. It was the perfect time to check into our hotel afterwards and have tea looking at Hradcany and to begin our afternoon long walk around the town – Charles Bridge (I touched the bronze statue with my left hand and made a wish), Old town square, Kampa, Venceslav’s Square, the shopping mall and Naplavka by the river. I enjoyed my favorite “trdelnik” while Magda ate her favourite ice cream relaxing in a park near Svetozor Arcade and reminiscing. 

Back to our hotel, with dinner in a swanky restaurant on the top floor and our walk to Vysehrad for an outside theatre performance, a comedy about relationships featuring IKEA as a sponsor. We walked home in a not so moonlight lit Prague, but still it was magical.  I can tell you, we each slept like a log after so many kilometers in our feet, not even waking up to the storm outside. 

The next morning was one of my favourite parts of a hotel stay – a buffet breakfast. I loved it and made sure I ate for two like always – we stretched it for 2 hours, just delicious. 

As a special birthday treat, Magda paid for us to have a 15mins  Thai foot massage drinking green tea – wonderful. We walked up to the top of Venceslav’s square in lovely sunshine and enjoyed the not so crowded Prague feeling it differently this time – and I am not sure why. 

I met one of my best friends, Radka, for coffee and we talked for 2 hours solid, catching up on our news while Magda went for a walk on her own. Radka walked with us to the train station and waved us off on our Regio Jet train. We managed to collect an 80 mins delay due to work on rails by the time we reached Opava so we were home at 10pm.  I was full of stories and memories sharing it with mum and the kids. 

I had a lovely time in Prague; how privileged I was to be there. I felt free, just walking down the streets and remembering my past in the present moment – such a strange feeling, but priceless. 

Rennie