In the spectrum of touristic paranoia, I rate pretty high. I'm suspicious of cloaked figures in dark alleys (I don't care if he *was* a puppeteer!), and avoid speculative investment in famous bridge infrastructure. In short, I may have just fallen off the apple cart, but I'm armed (if only with apples).
But my Thursday in Prague chaps my hide like a sandpaper thong attached to a jackhammer in an earthquake zone.
Upon arrival at the Prague h.nh. train station, my mother was seized by the need to have an apple turnover and a peach iced tea. I should mention also, that this main train station is under construction . . . and all normal signage is obscured by scaffolding, plastic, and graffitti (immer!).
To be a complete drama queen, I should also, also, mention that I am carrying six weeks of clothes in a suitcase that is so heavy, the wheels keep popping off. -- Can you feel my pain yet?
So I'm off my game, I'm chasing my Mom with my bag, a laptop computer and my carry-on. After she got her turnover, sated, she relented to finding a taxi. This took nearly 20 minutes, and when we finally found the taxi queue, there were no taxi's there. We waited another ten minutes . . . until two cars finally came into the queue. The first was a black station wagon marked "Transport Vehicle", the second a conventional taxi cab.
I had been warned about Prague taxi drivers (See also thieves and crooks). So I avoided the unmarked car and went for the taxi. The taxi driver, second in line, said that no, I had to go in the unmarked car ahead of him. Nearby there were two policemen. I (stupidly) assumed that if two policemen, and another taxi driver would have no reason to refer a tourist to an unsafe situation. I would be wrong. But I would also be tired, and distracted.
To make a long story short - we paid 980 for a taxi ride that shoul have cost 300 Krones. There is drama and comedy in the story . . . as we should have suspected we were being robbed, when between the two of us, we did not have enough money to pay the scam fare.
Upon entering the hotel, we were told we had no reservation (but they took us in anyway).
Now without any cash, in a foreign city, we went to change our traveler's checks. (You will have to read my separate rant: American Express is worthless.) The American Express bureau moot, we went to a bank, that refused to change money for us. Finally we ended up at a tourism rip-off Bureau de Change paying an exhorbatant rate on top of the worst Exchange rate in the last 30 years.
Today, we went to see Prague Castle. It is a government run attraction and national icon. Entrance to the compound is free, as is entrance to the Cathedral. But to see the palace the art galleries and the other chapels on premise . . . $50. This does not include the cost of the audio-guide in English . . . ANOTHER $50.
So, I'm standing there blinking - just having lost $100 to see a castle . . . only to discover that the palace is empty - no furniture, no decor - empty rooms. And that the audio tour does not explain the art, and function of most of the compound. Rooms were closed, and facades were covered during restoration . . . So, I'm standing there blinking - realizing that I did not pay $100 to see Versaille, or Vaux Le Vicompte, Chambord, the Forbidden City, the Tower of London, Neuschwanstein, the Vanderbilt Mansion . . . etc. And they were all in mint condition!!
We all know what it is to pay too much for something. We all go to the movie theatre and complain about a cola that costs $4, and a hot dog that costs $8. Imagine if everywhere you went, everything was priced ridiculously expensive. If you were asked to pay $7 for a glass of water, or if the ketchup and butter that was brought to your table cost $2 each on your bill.
If you can imagine this, then you will begin to understand what it is to get by in Prague. Everything everywhere is competing to be the most expensive, instead of the least. Every bureau de Change is coordinated to worsen your exchange rate. And there is no alternative, except to not change money, not to shop, not to eat. In the end Prague loses, because their customers decide to spend less and leave earlier.
What are the Praguites thinking? Karlovy Vary and Cesky Krumlov made such a beautiful and positive impressions . . . it's not the Czech people. There is some evil afoot in Prague that is punishing English speakers for being here.
I'm here to convey the message loud and clear. No matter how beautiful the gothic spires are . . . do not bother coming to Prague unless you just want to burn money on C-quality attractions.
Sad but true. Someone has stolen the soul of the Czech Nation . . . working in the name of Western Capitalism.
industrial development followed by 20 years of recession can spoil even the loveliest of places. Despite the smokestacks and weedy sidewalks, lower Ontario is lovely. The vineyards East of Hamilton lead up the ridge to tidy white barns and silos set on broad green pastures. If someone discovers what to do with cracked sidewalks and telephone poles, Hamilton will be rich beyond their dreams. Until then, it needs a coat of paint and an economic renaissance.
industrial development followed by 20 years of recession can spoil even the loveliest of places. Despite the smokestacks and weedy sidewalks, lower Ontario is lovely. The vineyards East of Hamilton lead up the ridge to tidy white barns and silos set on broad green pastures. If someone discovers what to do with cracked sidewalks and telephone poles, Hamilton will be rich beyond their dreams. Until then, it needs a coat of paint and an economic renaissance.
