Travelog
This diary tracks our progress along the Silk Roads, with episodes appearing in date order, most recent first. You can get to earlier entries by turning pages at the bottom of the screen.
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- Written by Ellen Winter
- Category: Travelog
This is only really for all of our friends who have heard of / like New Model Army. You have to click on the link to get the rest of it.
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- Written by Andy Stone
- Category: Travelog
We've been in stir! We spent yesterday night in a hostel in the middle of Prague that used to be the secret police's interrogation HQ - even Vaclav Havel did time there. We had a 'get out of jail free' card though so this morning's break-out was a breeze.
Last night we went to the New Model Army gig and it was splendid. Undersold but the venue was very small so it felt really good. The set was very good with the usual blend of old favorites and stuff from the new album. Today we are off to meet our next HC host, still in Prague, who lives near the castle area which we intend to explore tomorrow.
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- Written by Ellen Winter
- Category: Travelog
- Details
- Written by Andy Stone
- Category: Travelog
Or: A Prague-matic approach to Czech-ing out the city. More tarnished than Munich but certainly no Havel. Stop stop stop!
Prague really does deserve to be described as Magnificent. Certainly central Prague is beautiful and imposing, consisting of score upon score of huge, baroque buildings usually in celebration of the arts. Where Munich was grand, picturesque, conservative and the epitomy of cosmopolitan civility, Prague is much closer to my own spirit: still grand but more decayed, seamy and full-on. Mostly sumptuous and utterly wonderful, there are a few streets around Wenceslas Square whose only function is to fleece the masses of tourists that come here from Spain, England and Germany for stag and hen parties, and the only time I've felt even slightly intimidated was as Saturday turned to dusk and the English boys started doing what English boys do: rove in brainless too-drunk gangs with scant regard for where they are. Even the Americans put us to shame abroad, and that's saying something!
Prague is a city that bulges with music and art, and we hope to catch some this week (including seeing New Model Army on Monday night - woo-hoo!). Everywhere you turn there is a small gallery here, a concert hall there. We are staying with a wonderful lady called Petra and hope today to visit the west-bank castle and maybe the Jewish quarter that has a famous cemetary. We have booked into a hostel for Monday night after the gig and its an interesting place, having been both a convent and a prison in former times - even Vaclav Havel did time here. I knew we'd be in stir at some point on the trip!
We're slowly getting the hand of travelling, knowing what we need to do when and how to maximise our time. Its just brilliant!
- Details
- Written by Ellen Winter
- Category: Travelog
You're right! We should never be let out on our own! Andy and I were having a lovely time cycling on various wild geese chases round odd bits of Munchen, on our way to the Englisher Garten, when we lost each other for no good reason in the crowds between Marienplatz and Karlsplaz. We then spent 2 hours franticly rushing round completely different parts of the city looking for each other. Eventually we both gave up and started on our way home and found each other again - it was like something out of a slushy film. Bah!
Englisher Garten was very nice when we finally got there, we had beer (Andy), bits of pig (Andy), potatoes (Andy), bread and cheese (me) and apfelsaft (me). I really like the concept of beers gardens where you can take your own food or eat theirs, or a bit of both. We both agreed that if there were places in Hyde Park who's sole function was to pour litres of beer and bits of pig into people from morning to night there would soon be trouble on a grand scale. In Germany it is very civilised though - it's a bit worrying really.
Off to Praha next, by the little cheap route. Hmmm.