20220831 Getting Ready: We leave in a week. Time to angst about this and that. Details. What to bring carryon in case luggage gets lost. What to pack. What not to take along. Medicines…do I have what I might need? Oh, time to settle down. Here is the planned itinerary. Except for Budapest, the rest of the trip is in the Czech Republic:

September 7-8 Flights to Prague

September 8-12 Prague

September 13 Kutna Hora

September 14-15 Cesky Krumlov

September 16 Kyjov

September 17-21 Budapest

September 21 Flights home

20220908 Frankfurt-Prague: I really did not sleep more than a few minutes all night. Tough to get body to think it’s late when STL time was 6 PM while Europe time was 1 AM. And, as I expected, they served breakfast at about 4 AM before we landed in Frankfurt around 6:00.

Per usual, it was a very long walk (is there any other kind?) to get to passport control and another really long walk to get to our gate for Prague. Had an over two-hour layover before scheduled flight. As it was, the plane was delayed on the ground by either a slowdown by people on the ground and baggage handlers or a shortage of people. So, took off almost an hour late.

Short flying time, but bumpy given the rain in the area. Napped on and off, of course. In Prague airport, we got a taxi that could hold all five us since Kevin had joined us on the Frankfurt-Prague flight. Into the city and to our hotel, Hotel Certovka. It’s located right by the Charles Bridge. Rooms were not ready as yet, so we walked a few blocks to Beseda Klub Restaurant for a light lunch followed by gelato at Murano (nothing to write home about, but satisfying). Back through some drizzle and found our rooms were ready.

I am in Room 12 on the second floor, a nice room with two twin beds and lots of space and windows that open to look out at the castle and St. Vitus Cathedral above. Did some basic unpacking.

Around 4:30, we went out for a photo walk. Kevin, Jeff, and I started along roads near the Charles Bridge and then went onto the bridge and were met by Jean and Bonnie, we walked along the bridge taking images of all that surrounded us. Lots of people. The river. The buildings along the river and far away. As the light changed, we had new vistas and colors to capture. Headed back to the hotel a bit after 6:00.

Met in the lobby at 6:45 and walked the short distance to our restaurant for dinner, Kampa Park.This is a terrific restaurant right on the river. Alan Morris’ friend had recommended it. He had joined us as did Mike Graham, who met us at the restaurant. We had reserved a table well in advance on the covered terrace right on the river. So, we had a clear view of the Charles Bridge right alongside the restaurant and the river with its tourist boat traffic. Dinner in all regards was excellent. Everyone loved each dish they had. As we were finishing our meal, the Moon rose right by one of the bridge towers.

Close to 9:00, we went back to the hotel. I took some images of the cathedral on the hill, am writing this, downloaded today’s images. I will shower and shave and go to bed soon. Been a very full day.

20220907 En Route: Got up about 7:00, breakfast, loaded car, and left about 9:00. Yesterday was a bit frustrating trying to check in with United. Bottom line is that the iPhone United app works while their desktop browser version is messed up. But got it solved.

Met Jeff and Bonnie Freeland at the gate. Nice United Express flight to ORD. Arrived early and had to wait for a gate to open up. Then it was a very long walk from that gate to the one where our Frankfurt-bound flight was to depart. Met up with Jean, a friend of Bonnie’s. Boarded Flight 944 and settled in. Now boarding was about 1:45 for a 2:35 takeoff, and we did leave on time.

I am in seat 2A in Polaris Business Class. Jean is a few rows behind me and Bonnie and Jeff are in economy. “Lunch” was served at 4:00 our time. It was a full-size supper meal and very good. They are going to serve us “breakfast” at some horrible hour since we’re expected to land before 6:00 AM. As I am writing this, I am trying to figure out when I should try to go asleep since it’s 5:00 PM “old time” (midnight in Germany) and still light out. Transitioning not only body time clock, but eating time clock. Such problems!

20220909 Prague: Had a pretty good night’s sleep. Only up a few times during the night to potty and walk around the room. Got up this AM around 6:40. Since I had gone to bed around 10:30, pretty happy with this adjusting my body to this time zone.

Breakfast at the hotel is nice. Besides the usual meats, cheeses, breads and pastry, they cook you eggs to order. Afterwards, I went back to my room and worked on putting in keywords for the images I took yesterday.

Donned my photo gear and went down the street next to the hotel, under the Charles Bridge, and found a beautiful park: Kampa Park. Walked around a bit before Jeff joined me. Lots of people and dogs. And we saw several dogs that were not on leashes and that just wandered far and near their owners. Saw this both in the park and on city streets in less-populated areas.

At the end of the park is the Kampa Museum followed by a very long wall along the river with wall art painting much like the ones just done on the riverfront in STL. So, lots of fun things to shoot along with many people, children, dogs, etc. We walked back to the end of the park and into the surrounding streets and alleys. Wandered a bit and then headed back to the hotel to shed some of our layers of clothing since it had become sunny and warm.

Keven, Jean, and Bonnie joined us and we went into the streets near our end of Charles Bridge to find a place for lunch. Beautiful crepes at Pod Vezi Café Creperie. The women left us to go to the art walls along the river described above. Kevin, Jeff, and I went in search of gelato. When we were done, started to rain and went back to hotel to work on images and rest before meeting up with our local guide at 4:00.

Met Tom, our local guide. We headed out uphill. I mean uphill a long way. Passed by several of the embassies. Lots of interesting buildings all over to shoot. Emerged from streets into a park and an UPHILL path going uphill! But the view over the city was worth it. If you have been to Prague, you will understand that we were higher than the palace or St. Vitus cathedral.

Wended our way downhill on another route and ended up for a group supper at Plny Pekac for set course meal around 6:45. Nice meal with our guide and whole group. Back to the hotel around 8:45. Then got wide angle lens and tripod and four of us went back to the main square to take long exposure images of the trams getting nice blurry shots with colors as they passed by.

Back to the hotel for downloading images and keywording. Good Facetime with Marian. Will finish this and take a shower, shave, and go to bed. I am not going out with the 6AM group tomorrow, but will be up, have eaten, and ready to go with the whole group at 9:00.