Everyone who ate here said the service was excellent, the prices reasonable, the food good,
and a classic British atmosphere.
About 6 o'clock Elva and I set out on the #3 Tram to see the city at night.$4for a 24 hour pass seemed like a good deal. We had no trouble finding the stop where we were to change to the #22. It was interesting to watch the trams come and go and how different it is when people are accustomed to using public transportation. Ladies with strollers casually titled them up and on, locked the brakes and took a seat. People carrying several plastic bags from the Albert's grocer didn't seem to notice as the bags were jostled by fellow passengers even though many bags contained glass bottles of water or wine. We waited and waited. After quite some time I overheard two young men. who were carrying such bags, speaking English and asked them if we were in the right place. They said we were except that on Sunday the routes change! They directed us to go up a block to the next tram stop and catch it there. Turns out they were from UGA and studying economics for a semester. I asked if they were learning a lot and if it was very different from what was learned at home. They laughed and said no, they were just in Prague because they wanted to enjoy it.
As we started crossing the street we saw the tram coming and should have realized it was going the wrong way but then we had understood that it would circle the city, so we ran -carefully - through the oncoming traffic, across the double rows of tram tracks and caught it! What luck! we were probably the only two of our group who saw the seamier side of Prague!
The tram got ore and more crowded as we passed the Futbal Stadium and crowds of young men and older guys boarded at several stops. The older men had had a few 'biers' to celebrate and so did the younger who all also sported red and white knit scarves supporting the home team. After several stops and seeing we were not going the right direction, we hesitated to exit the tram as the neighborhood didn't seem particularly well lighted or safe. We knew we were definitely not circling the city when everyone exited the tram including the driver. The end of the line.
Te driver and I struggled to communicate but he understood that we wanted to go back to the where there was a #3. He kept pointing and then walked with us to the rear of the tram and pointed where to get the next return trip. No one, not anyone was at this darkened stop. But we did not feel particularly in danger just particularly dumb! Neither one of us had looked at the street sign where we boarded. I did know that we left the other tram over an hour ago at Karlovy so we were going to watch for that stop. We waited, and waited then we saw a pretty girl in very high box heels come toward the stop with a very tall young man. Slowly others straggled from all directions toward us. Of course the locals know the schedule so have it timed perfectly to arrive.
It was, of course, quite dark now and this particular tram had a different announcement board. We couldn't really totally understand what the driver was saying but I could follow the lighted board. We had figured out what meant the current stop and which was the next stop. we figured eventually we would come to something we recognized. Even if we went past it there would only be a short walk back.
The girl and boy were sitting directly across but one row ahead of us. These trams had only single seats on each side. They were very happy together. Several times the girl and I smiled at each other. Once he reached back and grabbed the bag of potato chips from the Bila grocery bag and she snatched them back. Laughing we think she told him not to open them on the tram but wait until they got where they were going.
After awhile I asked if she spoke English and when she said she did, but as they all do said, 'not very well.' I showed her on the map where we were going and she didn't think the tram went close to there and that the #3 might have stopped for the day. But they were going quite close to where we needed to be so we agreed to follow them when they transferred to the underground. She checked to see did we have a ticket and we knew ours included all transit systems so we were good to go. Leah confirmed what we had been told which was that the 'control' will sometimes check for tickets and mostly not. But it was better to have one so you would not be caught and fined.
Turned out she was from Russia and the Czech boyfriend did not speak English. She was studying economics like the UGA boys. Must be a broad category and good to study here. When I asked what she wanted to do after graduation she was quite animated and blushed a little as she patted the boyfriend's arm. He steadfastly was on his phone the entire time playing a game or whatever. She wants to have a house by the seaside and grow bananas! I asked what she was going to be doing to be able to have that and she side hugged him and pointed and smiled! I think she is studying to obtain the classic degree of MRS.!
We followed them to the train, which when we got down the steps was right arriving. We crossed the platform as the doors closed. When we exited a few stops later and went up to the street we were there. Leah was telling the boyfriend that they would walk us to the hotel but we thanked them and waved goodbye as they passed us on the tram. We knew exactly to cross the street, cut through the little mall, where we ran into Gerard and Norman who shared pictures of they excitement they ran into at the Old Town Market after they left us at Wenceslaus Square. There was a demonstration by the supporters of the two Futbal teams. The march included lots of chanting and was protected by police in SWAT Team or riot gear! So we said farewell to them in case we don't see them at breakfast and crossed to the hotel where we ran into Clare and Rosemary. They had been to dinner and shopping and found some bargains. So we all had exciting evening but in very different ways!
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