A Word About Hotels

I apologize for not taking photos of my hotel rooms (other than the wacky safe location in the room in Warsaw).  But the room in Warsaw wasn't particularly impressive.  What I hadn't realized is that, on this particular tour, the room quality would improve with each successive city.  With the result that my room here in Prague is better than at least one apartment I've lived in.

Vienna was no slouch either, although, there, we're talking "old world elegance."  My room had a chandelier, for crying out loud.  And, although they were small, five closets.  (I imagine putting one ball gown in each.)  It was all elegance and beautiful mouldings (and, honestly, I've no idea why there was what appeared to be a cup holder next to the bidet, but I'm sure it made perfect sense a hundred years ago).  It was clean, but not pristine -- there was a certain beigeness to all the whites that says "come on, there's years and years of use here; we can just shine up the top layer."  Gorgeous, though -- don't get me wrong.

We drove to Prague today where, upon checking into my room, I declared, "I'm not giving it back; you can't make me."  The hotel is very new -- everything is absolutely pristine, full of totally modern tech I need a Caltech graduate to explain to me.  (The phone has a screen with a menu.  The PHONE.)  And the room is huge -- more like a suite, with bedroom, bathroom, living room, entryway, and kitchenette.  I have two TVs.  There's a chandelier in here too, but it's surrounded by a cylindrical black shade (yes, a shade on a chandelier) which makes it look all cool and modern.

If I wasn't in Prague, I'd never leave the room.

Of course, I am in Prague, and after having had a 90-minute orientation walk (which took two and a quarter hours), I now feel (vaguely) oriented.  (Enough to wander off on my own in the vague direction of the nearest "Laundryland."  Which is not the Disneyland of laundromats.  But at least I found the damn thing.)  I'm confident that I can find Old Town Square all by myself, and I'd put the chances that I can make it from there to the Charles Bridge (via the uncrowded "shortcut" our guide taught us) as high as 75%.  We've got two days of touring ahead of us -- actually, two mornings of touring and two free afternoons (I see shopping in my future, and perhaps a museum or two).

I have Friday to myself.  My parents are taking a tour out to Terezin and I am opting out, due to being (for lack of a more sensitive way of phrasing it) Holocausted-out.  (I'm even opting for an Architectural Tour of Prague rather than a Jewish Heritage Tour on Thursday -- the synagogues are already starting to blend together.)  Which means I've got a day to fill in (or around) Prague.  Anybody got any ideas?