Two days and nights in Prague

Prague was alternately very pretty and rather depressing. The touristy areas are lovely; around them are banks and offices which are much the same as banks and offices anywhere, but between those are scruffy narrow streets inhabited by depressed-looking people smoking cheap cigarettes. Typical city, I suppose.

Easter celebrations were over and the market was being taken down when I arrived, so all I saw was the ribbon-decorated tree. It wasn't full tourist season but there were quite a few, and school groups everywhere.

The hotel was comfortable and the staff very friendly and helpful. Broomstick picked up a drawing-pin and lost all the air from one tyre; I asked at reception if there was a bike-repair place nearby and was told not to worry: the hotel technician would fix it. He did a perfect job, and it's still going.

I saw a direction sign for a museum and followed it, but couldn't find the museum, though I did see plenty of trams and made a surreptitious detour through the archway of interesting old building which looked like an art centre: I was shooed out of it before I could find out what it was (to my shame I hadn't learned more than two words of Czech before getting into the country!). So I went window-shopping and didn't buy anything, mainly because the most interesting things in the shops were crystal and garnets and amber. I love all of those, but the crystal might not have survived the journey and I really don't need any jewellery. Really. Anyway, this trip was already expensive enough, but if/when I go back to Prague I'll get some crystal for my daughter.

There are many small concerts all over the city, and I was slightly tempted, but having spent a week making music I didn't feel a need to sit and listen to other people doing it (of course, if I'd found a session, that would have been different). The jazz band playing next to the vintage cars (for tourist-trips) was too good to pass, though.

As well as vintage cars, there are horse-carriages in which to ride around the city. All those cobbles must be dreadful for the horses: they slip even though they wear special clogs over their shoes. I've never seen horses in high heels before.

Old Prague is beautifully looked after and very full of camera-clicking: I didn't bother taking my camera out, thinking there will be better photos on the web, so the snaps are from the less-good mobile phone. As well as the hordes of young students on school-trips, mainly from Germany, there were some Brits who had planned around the school holidays, and quite a few others, enough to fill the night market. A troupe of football supporters passed by, waving scarves and shouting rather aggressively, followed by an almost equal number of police who were looking relaxed and chatting happily.

My favourite construction was the old Charles Bridge (well of course, it's a bridge!)

I had lunch in the Orloje (clock) cafe which is right next to the clock so it has a good view of what happens on the hour. Not quite as impressive as Rouen, I think, but amusing all the same. And of course there was Cake.