November 12, 2016, Part 1 - I have to leave Vienna, Austria early in the morning at 0400H and I have to wake up early at 0300H to get ready and bade goodbye to this beautiful city. I was saddened but I have to go on with my travels.
Mauro, had visited me that night and we enjoyed each other's company talking at the restaurant at the hotel initially and spent some intimate moments in my hotel room after that. We just talked and talked about crazy stuff trying to get along together and catch up each other, although we were regularly corresponding through emails and WhatsApp.
It was still raining outside when I left the room, went down to the lobby and asked the attendant politely to summon me a taxi. When the taxi arrived, a very handsome young middle eastern guy came out and helped me for my luggage. I was so struck seeing this goodlooking guy and I forget to even brace myself for a 5-hour travel to Praha - aka Prague in the western world.
Leaving Vienna had really made me emotional for it was very beautiful there. As if I don't want to leave. My experiences roving around in the unpredictable Autumnal weather within the city of vivid architectures and beautiful people, I may say that everything was really worth it. It made me a bit nostalgic although I have to continue my travels and pace it well so that it will be worth while.
The guy had dropped me at the bus station which was still close at that time but there were passengers waiting already for their respective early morning bus and trip. I have to wait for another 30-minutes for the Flixbus to arrive. It was funny because I waited at a wrong bus stop. I suddenly realized that it wasn't for the Flixbus after all. I have to transfer right around the corner of the building and there the bus was been waiting for me for a while.
I handed my passport and ticket to the driver and he helped me with my luggage and then let me hop in. It was still raining when I left Vienna and the frigid air emanating from the outside was really felt hard inside despite the heater was on. Eventually, as we travelled it gets warmer and everything was in an acceptable balance again.
The streets were slippery and covered with powdery snow. Some of the passengers were sleeping and were just unperturbed of the boring scenery outside. So far the drive was smooth and uneventful. It was already 0900H when we arrived at Prague and the city had welcomed us with a still drizzly weather. All the people were garbed well for the early coming of the Wintery weather.
The bus terminal was huge and when I alighted from the bus I have to gather myself first trying to think what to do first. I saw the money exchange booth and immediately changed $300 for the koronas (Prague's currency) to be used as my allowance for this trip. Then transferred to the adjacent Travel Info booth to ask for a comprehensive map of the city.
I then went out of the bus terminal and fall in line at the taxi line. When it's my turn I handed the driver the name of the hotel where I'll gonna stay and he told me that I can walk to the hotel which is just across the bus station. Hahaha, my naivete had brought me into a comical character. Well, at least I asked and saved money for the taxi. What an honest driver!
I walked towards the hotel dragging my luggage on a wet pavement because of the slight rain from last night. When I got to the hotel entrance I then proceeded to the reception and handed my reservation which the receptionist had accepted eagerly and helped me after that. After handing me the door keys, he then guided me towards the elevator.
When I got to my room, I studied the map of the city, and I then took a warm shower and napped a little bit. When I woke up, I texted Lynn, the friend of my childhood friend who entrusted me to her to tour me when I get to Prague. I've been communicating with Lynn for a long time before I left the US and we agreed and decided to meet on a weekend because she works during weekdays. Before I left Vienna I also informed her that I am going to Prague and she said that she was very eager to meet me.
We decided to meet at the Dancing House at 1400H. I immediately made myself ready and texted her a selfie of me so that she can take note what I am wearing and what I look like. She also texted me back her selfie and I am very excited to see her.
I walked at the Metro just in front of my hotel and bought a ticket at the machine but apparently the machine only accepts coins and too bad I did not have any. I kept looking for a booth to change my money and alas it took me a while to look for somebaody to change my money to coins. I studied the map first and then went out to the exit near the Dancing House. Instead of making a right I made an abrupt left from the exit and followed the strets with beautiful colorful houses and buildings where I made some selfies with my picture stick.
I kept roaming and roaming but I cannot find the dancing house. It's seems that I had walked endlessly but still no Dancing House. I've been walking for 60-minutes and then I realized I got lost. I was kinda worried already because Lynn was been waiting for me at our meeting place. My phone is on airplane mode and I cannot even call her because of the international charges I will incur had I used it.
I asked around where the Dancing House is located and then walked towards it trailing the course of the river going south. Finally after 120-minutes I found it and I was kinda embarrassed to myself because I let Lynn waited for that so much time. As I come near the building my chest was beating faster anticipating for an earful from Lynn because of making her wait for me for 2 hours.
I saw her standing inside, with her long-silky blond hair and slim statuesque. I knocked on the window in front of her and waved my right hand signaling her that I just arrived. She was surprised when she saw me and then she literally run to me and hugged me upon seeing me in person.
We had a quick introduction and decided to start the tour as the dusk is gradually settling in. We walked towarde St. Charles Bridge and established our plans on what to see for that short time before the sun goes down. It was getting dark already, and the Bridge was been teeming with travelers and revelers alike. Lynn showed me the Ice Pub and the Disco House. She said that we will be dancing later tonight at the Disco House.
We then proceeded to the bridge and feast our eyes with the beauty of the bridge having bronze statues in every post and appreciating the myriad authentic and beautiful buildings around there. I felt so overwhelmed that I really don't know what to see, do, and appreciate because Lynn and I was also having conversations as we walked and my attention was been divided at that time. I know Prague was really beautiful and I was totally struck of everything I saw at that moment. The feeling was synonymous to watching an "O" Show by Cirque de Soliel at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. So much acts to see and you got so overwhelmed. Hahaha.
We continued walking uphill towards the palace square and it was a very tiring and steep climb. I didn't feel anything because of the numbness I felt from being overwhelmed and at the same time Lynn was conversing with me while we walk so I have to pay attention. When we got there, we saw the night panorama view of the whole city at the Starbuck's Patio near the palace square.
After enjoying the nice view, we then went back downhill and located the John Lennon Wall on the other side of the city. There were also a lot of people coming there to see the famous wall. Lynn took some good pictures of me with the wall from my camera. I even had my Tommy Hillfiger black puffer jacket painted from leaning at the wall. I didn't even realized that the paint was newly placed then.
After appreciating the famous wall, we then went to the Carmelite Church of Our Lady of Victorius in Mala Strana part of Prague. Lynn told me that she goes there all the time and was friend of the Carmelite sisters there. There was also a Filipino Grocery Store there in front of the church.
I prayed in the church and enjoyed the sight of the Infant Jesus. I think took some prayer souvebirs and took some pictures of the little statue and his gilded altar. I was so touched upon seeing this little guy. We stayed at the church for a while and then agreed to go home and change for the disco party tonight.
Lynn walked me at the train station where we will be meeting and we had a blast on our first meeting despite of me getting lost at first and the limited time we had before dusk. It was a very enjoyable experience with Lynn!
November 12, 2016, Part 2: When I got to the hotel I immediately charged my camera's battery and then when to sleep because I was super tired from the 5-hour bus trip and also from the non-stop walking and roving we had earlier. I did enjoyed it and I have complaints. It's a from of exercise and also makes us healthy.
I woke up at 2000H, showered and then prepared for our disco night out at Karlovy Lazny Disco House. I took the Metro at Florenc Station and met Lynn at the Andel Station, where we agreed before. I came early because I don't want Lynn to wait for me just like I did that afternoon. Minutes later after I got there Lynn also arrived and we started to walk going to the Disco House.
I noticed Lynn was accustomed to walking so I have to prepare myself for a lot of walking here in Prague. It was more beneficial to me as well so I have no complaints. I really thanked her for doing that to me, to remind me of my sedentary lifestyle. That's why it shows how healthy she is. And I salute her for being so stoical about walking and for inspiring me to keep walking during my travels.
It was 2200H already when we arrived there, so we decided to fall in line going to the disco house. When we got there we realized it ws packed because the coat check line was really long and we have to do it in the fourth floor compared to the first floor. The Disco House was opened in 1999 and until now it was the haven of travelers all over the world, if they wanted to hang out and meet people. It was a very nice ambiance.
Each floor has its own dance floor with different themes music so that the partygoers could have choices of the music and where they can party.
From the fourth floor where we checked our jackets we surveyed the dance floor and we don't like the timid music, the third floor has a young crowd and the music playing were all hip-hop and mixed, the second floor was a small dance floor and there were a band playing soft sentimental music (check minus), the second floor has also a young crowd and they were playing the trance and circuit music, while on the first floor the dance floor was huge and we stayed there because of the 80's and 90's music.
The crowd was very engaging and we danced on the floor, sipped alcohol, talked a lot, met some new friends, took pictures of the people and us dancing, even slightly glancing at the good looking people around us. We had a blast that night.
We met one handsome Italian student named Simone Petrone, a star athlete who kept tailing Lynn all the time. He was very touchy and cuddly to us so we grabbed that as an opportunity to take pictures of him. Hahaha. And then a lot happened there meeting new friends and watching other people dancing.
I was drinking but taking it moderately. Since there's no transportation at that time, Lynn and I decided to go home at 0500H. By that time the Metro will be operating again and that there were much people at the tube. It was a fun night and I really enjoyed it a lot.
We left the disco house at around 0430H and walked towards the Metro. It was exactly 0500H when we got to Andel Station and the two of us separated and decided to see at 1200H after our much needed rest after partying the whole night.
I arrived at the hotel super tired so I waited for a while and then took a warm shower to sooth and relax me. It was a very hectic and crazy day. I love what has been transpired and will be looking forward for more adventures with my new found friend, Lynn.
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