30th June 2005 Prague

I didn�t know where we were going till we checked in for our flight. The flight took 2 hours giving me a chance to read the Prague guide book Andrew had bought for us and decide which parts we really wanted to explore. I love these surprise holidays!
We will stay at the Arcotel Teatrino a lovely Art Deco Hotel which used to be a cinema. The lounge, bar and dining room are in what was the cinema seating area, with a v.i.p. dining gallery in the upper circle.
Our suite has a lovely art deco headboard and the lighting is all in art deco style.
Andrew had booked us a taxi to pick us up at the airport (just as well as it�s raining) and take us to the hotel. On arrival we found that there was a Travesti evening on at the hotel tonight and a Jazz night on Friday.
We discovered that in fact it was a transvestite show, with dinner included. We booked a table in the gallery as we thought that this would be a fun way to spend the evening.
We went out to explore this stunning city, still raining but warm and humid, twenty minutes walk took us to the centre of Prague. We went to Celnice for a late lunch, salad for me and Andrew tried the goulash and knedliky dumplings, both delicious. Shared a wonderful karmel torte with banana salsa, the best banoffee pie we�ve ever tasted, the banana salsa was basically diced banana with sour cream and cinnamon and went so well with the sweet caramel.
I tried the famous Velkopopovicky Kozel beer (one of the finest in the world according to our guide book) yummy if you like Trappiste Roquefort or Old Peculiar type dark rich ales.
Replete we decided to stroll further, found the old town square which is full of exquisite, stunning buildings!
The Jan Hus Memorial sits in the centre apparently a former rector he was burned at the stake on 6th July 1415 for proposing radical church reform. This date is now a national holiday in Prague.
The Church of Our Lady Before Tyne is a 14th century gothic church with incredible spires, it is straight out of a fairytale and my favourite building in the square, if not all of Prague.
The Old Town Hall sits opposite the church and originally built in 1338, the tower was added in 1364 it�s astronomical clock looks stunning. When it strikes the hour little people come out of the doors at the top and dance, a cock crows then the bells chime the hour.
The whole square contains the most exquisite buildings, we spent time here every day. There are little market stalls nearby where we bought some pretty candles. We sat at a cafe for some wine and beer and watched the world go by.
We found a taxi to take us back to the hotel as it�s raining again.
Andrew rang down for coffee while we freshened up, to be answered with �Coffee, why not? come down and fetch a pot� He did as he was told.
Later we went to find the bar and sat opposite our evening entertainers all made up and ready to perform. We had a cocktail before a dinner of potato soup, pork medallions and fresh fruit salad in a toffee basket, all very good with a bottle of local Frankonova wine, while we watched the show. It was fun, if a bit too loud, from Marilyn Munroe through Grease and Dirty Dancing to Marie Antoinette and the dance of the seven veils! Another cocktail in the bar and we were ready for bed, as usual I didn�t sleep a wink last night as we were off to pastures new this morning.