WTF snowing and Cesky Krumlov

Trees starting to bloom

Today after a yummy breakfast what a choice you name it they had it, they had something for everyone eggs 3 styles, sausages, cheese, bread, pastry, cereal all sorts if fruit, salad yes salad. 

Bit gloomy when we arrived to large snowflakes

On the tour to Cesky Krumlov with a small group 14 in mini van the driver as telling us Prague tidbits as we headed out of Prague and mentioned being in a working area and started  out singing "working class hero is something to see". being a Beatle and John Lennon fan it was awesome.  He mentioned it snowed this morning  Krumlov and started an evil laugh, the drive was okay for an almost 3 hours drive. I had a front seat behind the guide. A couple from Royal Oaks Michigan were sitting  near me and their daughter told me to take the front seat.

We arrived to cold weather and big snow flakes I was frozen, no gloves. they were back in my room. There was an Australian was wearing just a t-shirt no jacket every time I looked I shivered. Our guide was pointing the different areas we'd walk trough telling where we would meet for the castle tour. Most of the group booked lunch me I'd rather ramble on, by myself. I was cold so went for coffee could not make heads or tails so went with a latte. I then went to pay I had a smaller bill set aside and wanted to cash a larger one the woman at the counter shook her head and reached her hand into my fanny pack And took the smaller one. I was stunned, that she would do that.

I walked around snapping photos trying not to let the cold ruin my visit. It was an interesting town I spotted some dough things being made found out they are called Trdelnik I ordered a cinnamon one and found a bench to sit and enjoy.

Trdelnik

I met up with the tour group again and then toured the Castle and then the long drive back to Prague. I looked around in search of dinner it was getting late and I remembered seeing a Noodle place so I went and found it and had lovely dinner. 

Cesky Krumlov Castle

Cesky Krumlov Castle

My Polish Rail adventure finding my way to Prague

Wroclaw Train Station

 
I had bought my ticket on line through Pol Rail and I paid to have it delivered to my hostel, it was there when I arrived no problem.  When I looked at the ticket I saw a time change and notes written about it. I looked at the ticket instead of leaving at 9.52 am it said 5.57 am and that just didn't make sense that it would be leaving 4 hours earlier but not arriving any sooner, in fact it was later. I went to the train station and managed to find someone working who knew English I couple knew some but not a lot.  I kept trying to get her to check the schedule and see if it was actually  9.57 (as other changes were all just several minutes difference. I could not get across to the woman to check the schedule she kept saying you can not cancel here but on line and I kept saying I am just need to see if this is in error this went on for awhile and then finally said she would check to see if there was a change and sure enough it was 9.57. The she decided to print another schedule out for me. I looked at it later and thought well this is way different with changes.It had me changing trains more than twice which the original print out stated.

I decided to go back early Monday AM to re-check this and the same woman was rude she said you were here 2 days ago and that you were told then and get out. So what could I do. I got on the train when it left made the first 2 changes and then we stopped and a conductor came in and told me I had to get off now and take a bus. He was telling me where to go to get it and then another man who was getting off duty came and showed me the way. It was raining now but I got on the bus and there were others, including a woman who worked for the railway. We rode a bit and then someone yelled to the driver that he went past a stop so he backed up and went to the stop. That turned out to be the stop for most of us and the woman who worked for the railways grabbed my case and helped me to the next train which was a very small train, and only a couple cars. We rode a short distance then she motioned me to get off and then get on another train.

Now I am on the new train and she is gone and along comes the conductor to check my ticket and he keeps looking at it and me and says WRONG train by now I am like  WTF.  I explained to him about the change in schedule, thank goodness he had a pretty good grasp of English. He then asked to see my passport and after checking and rechecking he said you are going to Prague but not the way the ticket says and you are coming from the other direction. He then decided that since I was going to Prague and the train was going he would just let me go.  This was good but then it was time for yet another train change. So now it meant a new conductor who was pretty young and my stomach was sinking about explaining this all over to him he looked at the ticket he looked at me he looked at it again and then just shook his head and walked away.

Municipal House Prague

I arrived Prague just before 5 pm asked directions to train station worker and he looked up my hotel on his phone he walked me out  the door a bit pointed to the hotel and then asked me for money for helping me because he has no place to live but on the street I gave him some money and he walked away. I was wondering did he really work for the railway or did he somehow get a uniform.

National Museum Prague

I checked into my hotel, Hotel Sovereign Prague which was very nice and then set off to see a bit of Prague and some dinner. I walked to Wenceslas Square  Town Easter market looked at some of the things for sale. I then spotted a booth selling tours and booked a tour on the spur of the moment to Cesky Krumlov for the next day (he bad part was not checking weather first.I headed down to Republic square so I could see where the tour left from it was pretty awesome looking.  I walked back to my hotel and had dinner at a Turkish restaurant across from it had chicken and potato and a yummy bread it was huge.

My Turkish dinner

Palm Sunday Wroclaw

Wroclaw Town Hall

 I went to Mass today thought it would be nice to experience Palm Sunday mass in Poland they buy/make dry flowers instead of palms like in the US.  I was walking from my hostel and I saw this one girl had this huge one and flowers galore she thought she was tough Shit and well she was. I thought she might be going to mass so I followed for several blocks and arrived at Church of Sts. Maurice I decided to get some dried flowers, they were selling out the side church well it was actually a donation. I asked if I could take a photo of the flowers on the table, the kid nodded yes and then he picked up one and did a silly pose so I took his photo. I went in and the mass was on I did not realize it was the end of an earlier mass.  At the end every one took part in  a procession up the aisle behind the priest and the altar boys. I then went and got a seat for the next mass which was totally in Polish the only word the same was AMEN. I also noticed the priest said cheesecake or at least it sounded like it.

inside the church St Maurice

I walked back to town and was in search of several places on my walking guide. I decided to have a chicken kabob plate that I spotted yesterday, plenty of chicken and veggies cheese, salad and a bunch of fries. I found yet another church and went inside it was beautiful. There were a quite a few churches to visit but so many of them had a mass on so I was unable to walk around and take photographs.  I can not believe how many masses there were at each church as many as 10 at some churches totally unreal.

enjoying a meal

Walking around last night had seen this real character rambling around town yelling hello and going on in Polish quite a character with a santa like hat. I had some change today and I showed my camera and I indicated photo I gave him the change and he was quite pleased.

I found the Love Bridge where people put padlocks declaring their love there were at least a 1,000. I found a nice spot and had an ice cream cone and people watched, which is one of my fave things to do on  a trip. I am tired again probably early to bed, like last night I slept 11 hour. 

Bridge of Love Wroclaw

Tumski bridge (Most Tumski in Polish) in Wroclaw, Poland

Cricket and dried flowers

Dwarfland aka Wroclaw Poland

Wroclaw Old Town

I almost missed the plane in Chicago I was sent to the wrong gate  it was quite the haul to get back but I made it, and nearly keeled over trying to get my breath.  I was under the impression I was flying  Lufthansa but it was United. What made it bad I did not get any ticket except out of Buffalo so had no idea of the gate, to go to. The flight was ok slept some but not enough too early in evening. I arrived in Wroclaw and I got a bus to the train station and my hotel was not too far from there maybe 20 minutes walk. I was staying a hostel checked in and opened my rail ticket that was delivered there. I then headed to the train station and when I was done there I walked to the old town.

Hanging with the Dwarfs in Wroclaw Poland they are all over the place you have to look down to spot them, I missed some the first time around Cricket is having a blast standing with them an posing he thinks he is so hot well he is.

(In 2001, to commemorate the Orange Alternative movement, a figurine of a dwarf (the movement’s symbol) was officially placed on Świdnicka Street, where the group’s happenings used to take place. It is probably one of the few cases in the world where such a subversive group has been honoured by the city authorities, who commissioned the placing of a statue of a dwarf in the city centre.)

Dreamland

Arick the traveler

Cricket and a Dwarf

me and Cricket hanging out

Pole dwarf