Prague, day 3

My alarm went off at eight, and I got up to have breakfast. Robin and Andrew were already up, so we were ready to step out the door at about 9 a.m. We retraced their steps from the day before until we got to the entrance to the Mala Strana park. We had a pretty big climb to get to the top, and the boys went clambering up between the paths. I found the most unusual slug I’ve ever seen. I dubbed it Mary.

At the top of Mala Strana, we came across a beautiful rose garden, and a pile of offcuts after pruning. This was a good opportunity for fun. I took a hilarious photo of Robin and Andrew tangoing, adorned with roses, and Andrew arranged some in my hair and then proceeded to take many photos of them.

We found our way easily to the mini Eiffel tower (hoping that people wouldn’t think that we’d stolen the roses off the bushes), and Robin went up it while Andrew and I rested and ate. Robin enjoyed the climb and the view. We moved on in search of the Strahov monastery, but had to concede that we wouldn’t find it and so went in search of St Nicholas church. We arrived back out on a road, and very strangely, found ourselves next to the Strahov monastery. We couldn’t go in, but it was baroque and absolutely beautiful. We didn’t have time to go into the library.

We headed down a hill packed with tourist shops, finding an antique instrument shop on the way that had baroque-style flutes for 8000 crowns, and the first of the marionette shops. At the bottom, we found St Nicholas, but again decided that we didn’t have time to go in. After walking on a bit further in search of the Lennon wall, Sandy came flying at Robin, and the rest of the others followed. They’d just got off a tram on the way to meet Simon at the astronomical clock. I’d been handed a flier that settled the Vltava/Moldau argument and Nik spotted it immediately. I told him about the antique instrument shop, and he couldn’t believe that I hadn’t tried to play one.

We all moved on to the Lennon wall, and I took lots of photos. I was amused to see some Paul McCartney lyrics written on there. Sandy wanted to leave a Bison message on the wall, and so got on Robin’s shoulders to do so. Then he found idiot box number three and climbed into it with Clare. Nik soon joined them. Then Doug, Alex and Robin joined them. Nik insisted that I get in too, and took some photos with my camera.

By now, we were late meeting Simon, and so we went speedily over the Charles Bridge (crowded and overrated I think), and eventually found the clock, and Simon. It was lunch time, so Simon suggested that we go to a restaurant he’d found playing jazz. Everyone agreed, so we made our way there. They had a three-course tourist menu for 300 crowns. Most of us got a half-litre of Budvar, which I enjoyed very much. I had a salad for my starter and everyone else had soup. Most people had goulash for main, but Nik and I had a mixed grill that was very tasty (he finished mine off). Most of us had chocolate pancakes for dessert.

Time was getting on, and I had to leave before the bill came. This was quite disappointing, because I’d wanted to go with them to see the metronome and the Jewish quarter.

Sandy jumped up and hugged me, and then steered me towards everyone else to hug them. It only lasted as far as Simon because I stopped him. Nik hugged me and asked me to let him know when I was home safe. Then Andrew got up, walked up, put his arms around me and picked me up! I shouted in surprise. Then I left.

I walked to Namesti Republiky, walked all around it, but couldn’t find the place where I’d been dropped off from the airport. So I reverted to the knowledge I’d got from Google maps before I’d left, saying that the Hilton was the next block up. I found the Hilton, but unfortunately it was the wrong one. By this time I’d missed the 3 p.m. shuttle, and had to get a taxi to the right Hilton in time for the 3.30 p.m. I was in plenty of time for my flight, in fact I had to wait a while for them to announce the gate. We boarded without incident, and I nodded off a few times on the way home. At Stansted I missed my coach by seconds, and so had to wait for the next one an hour later. I filled in the time looking at my great photos.

Then I was home.