Determined not to mess up on our train ride, we arrived at the station twenty minutes early and easily found our car and seat assignments. Since the Czech Republic is not part of our Eurail pass, we purchased 2nd class tickets from Dresden to Prague and then from Prague to Vienna to save money. It was a good idea; our seats were completely comfortable and it was a great ride.

We met a woman who was also traveling from Dresden to Prague and she was so kind as to offer some information on the sights whizzing by outside our window. We passed some beautiful Rock formations as we rode alongside the beautiful Elbe River. She pointed out hillside castles and told us when we crossed the border into the Czech Republic. She spoke English haltingly, but it was wonderful to be able to connect with someone along the way.

We arrived in Prague and quickly went to one of the many currency exchange booths and got some money (Korun Ceskych) for our cab ride. We would normally use an ATM, but we didn’t see any. We then took a taxi to our hotel. Please note that Prague is known for its Rip-off cab drivers. To protect yourself, go to the Taxi Fair Place stand. Ask in advance for a price sheet and the price of the trip. Under the Fair Place Taxi program, the driver is obliged to help with luggage, if you request it. Be sure to ask for a receipt.

After checking in, we were off to explore this incredible city. Our hotel, The Holiday Inn Express – City Center, is a 15 minute walk to the Old Town, so we are very happy with the hotel, the location and we were delighted with the weather (mid 70′s and sunny).

We walked and walked through the city and were absolutely stunned by the beauty of the architecture and the charm of old town square. But nothing prepared us for the incredible beauty of the Charles Bridge. This bridge spans the Vltava River and is now a completely pedestrian bridge, lined with artists selling their wares and musicians entertaining the masses of people passing by.
Prague, with a population of 1.1 million people, is easily accessed by Euopeans and is a tourist destination as evidenced by wall to wall people and an abundance of shops and restaurants. We had a great dinner at the Hybernia Restaurant, astounded by the massive quantity of food they served us. And since we are still suffering from Jet lag, we were off to bed by 9:30.

Tomorrow we will take a river cruise and tour the Prague Palace.