As I said last issue, my last two days were not all that noteworthy. I just wandered around town, took a 2nd leisurely trip out to If Castle, gawked at the ocean and the cool sailboats in the harbor, and the beautiful women everywhere, etc. I did do my laundry the day before I left so I’d have a bag full of clean clothes when I got to Prague. I walked over to the north side museum and fort, but just couldn’t bring myself to spend my last few hours in Marseille inside there. Sort of walked around it and then just walked on.
The morning came to take the subway over to the Marseille airport and since my plane didn’t board until 10:45, I had plenty of time. When I did get into the security line, my computer went in one bin, luggage bag in the next, then various other items not usually separated from your bags at other airports in a 3rd bin. They had strict rules (I thought) about what had to be removed from your luggage and placed in separate bins. I had my small can of shave cream confiscated, and when I quietly complained, the agent says I can buy mini cans anywhere. Bullshit. I’d looked in at least 50 stores around Europe by this time in my trip and that simply wasn’t true. BTW, they have a much simpler way to handle the bins at this airport, down below the roller tables were ‘return’ roller pathways where you’d put your empty bin when you reached the end of the line and it would make its own way back to the beginning. No running out of bins like they do in US airports all the time. Eventually we made it through though and soon we’re on the plane.
When I’d arranged this trip, I had found that the Prague Airport is miles outside of town, around 20KM. Way too far for a taxi to be economical. Originally I was planning on taking the bus, but then I found a shuttle service on the internet that would take you right to your door. Nice new vans or cars, uniformed drivers, and quite inexpensive, comparatively. It was still early in the day when I got down to the area in the airport where I was suppose to meet my driver (pre-arranged online). I see a line of 20 drivers from my service, and other services were there as well, holding up signs, but my name was nowhere to be found. So I just hung around and nearby bought some Czech money. The driver was suppose to meet me soon after my flight landed. After an hour, I’m starting to wonder. So I go and ask 2-3 of the drivers still there. Most of the other drivers had picked up their rides. They sort of just shrugged or said they didn’t know or whatever. None of them offered any suggestions or reached for a phone to call their office. Well, crap, something screwed up about this. So I go outside (beautiful weather, shirt sleeve) where the buses and taxis and locals picking up family are. I see a bus I can take but I really don’t know where I’m going so not quite sure the bus idea will work. I’m aware that the taxis from the airport to downtown are very, very expensive and every travel guide I’d read told me to avoid them at all costs. On the other hand, I had the address to my hostel and they could take me right to the front door.
While trying to decide whether to take a taxi or ask different bus drivers if they go anywhere near where I’m going, I see a lone driver from my service having a smoke, so I go and ask him if he’s my driver. No. I ask if he’ll call the office and find out where my driver is…sure. Your driver is delayed, it’ll be 1/2 hour or so. OK. So I wait. Thinking that he’s on his way in his car/van and will pull up right in front of me, or nearby. Nope. What happen was that he’s scheduled to pick up another guy and he’s waiting for him up on the concourse instead of waiting with all the other drivers downstairs. Damnit. Then, after meeting the other guy, he comes down to find me in the general waiting area, but I’m outside the doors. Eventually, I weaken from waiting and wander back inside for a coffee. THERE HE IS! Holding up a sign with my name. The last driver in the building. Jeese. Finally. Around 2 hours after I arrived, we’re finally on our way. These shuttles are very traveler friendly, costing just 20€ (plus tip) for the very long drive we had to take to get me to my hostel. I’d read that taxis often charged 50€ to go downtown. And travelers review sites often grumbled about the rips offs they endured at the hands of unscrupulous taxi drivers here. The other rider was dropped off before I was and the driver got me within 50 feet of the front door (road construction). The name of the service is Prague Airport Transfers. Once they found me, all was forgiven, mainly because the vehicle was nice and comfy. Though I was getting kind of pissed there for a while before he showed up. Why none of the other waiting drivers couldn’t have offered to help me, I’ll never know.
This church was at the end of the block the hostel is on. You can see the road worker next to evidence of the trolley road bed refurbishment.
And here is my hostel. The 360° Lounge Hotel. Right there on the left.
The hostel was called Fusion 360 because it has ‘Europe’s first 360° rotating bar’. When I made my reservation in May of 2014, this place was a hostel with private rooms if you wanted, but most were group rooms. Now, March 2015, it’s a hotel, no longer a hostel, so all the rooms are private, and quite a bit more expense. 
Checked in, took a look at the bar (cool!), found my room, stored my luggage. Claimed a nice single bed over against the wall a little removed from the other bunk beds so I’d have a little privacy.
It was pretty early in the day when I toured the neighborhood with an eye towards finding a unique restaurant for an early dinner. And around 4 PM I found this one. Which just happens to be right across the street from the hostel. Named The Green Tomato. I did spend most of my time outside under the awning. I could see the window of my room in the hostel from there. And I could get online the hostels WiFi. The sun was bright and hot enough in late afternoon that the shade from their awning was appreciated. The hostel does have a buffet style restaurant in the building but it lacked charm. This antique restaurant was just the thing for me this first night in old town Prague. I just ordered their soup though as I wasn’t all that hungry.
And as it turned out, they had a talented honest to goodness chef. The soup was delicious, the bread fresh, the seasoned butter excellent, as was this desert. Good enough that I promised myself to come back for another meal. The hostel didn’t have cooking facilities for the patrons so I’d be eating every meal out. Luckily, I discovered within a few hours of arriving that prices in Prague for most items, including food, were like 25 to 50% less than anywhere else I’d been in Europe. Very cool!
This looks like far too many calories, but like many deserts in Europe, it’s just not as sweet as you’d expect. It’s the Americans that put tons of sugar and salt into everything. All of Europe lightly sweetens their desserts so as to not overpower the delicate tastes. This in turn lowers calories. I wish the US was that way. Just look at the presentation of that desert though. All those crepes’ curled like flowers, others cut to resemble leafs. Very unique. It’s a raspberry thingy with a scoop of French Vanilla ice cream. Drizzled with warm chocolate and two dollops of fresh whipped cream. Yumm. Ate every bit of it. Thought about licking the plate.
After the great meal, headed back to the 360° bar. That picture I posted earlier doesn’t really do the space justice, there’s tables all around the bar, with lots of electrical outlets for our electronics. There’s quiet lounges off the bar area with lots of soft seating. There is a spiral staircase going up two stories and above a patio with seating and tables where you can watch the stars. They even had small private phone rooms where you could make your cell phone calls in the quiet. I did eventually sit at the bar later that afternoon and just after that they turned it on and it started turning. Kind of weird when you’re drinking beers and concentrating on arranging your trip, look up occasionally and everything looks different. Hah! Trippy. While I was sitting there, the tour director girl (all these hostels have them I guess) came over and signed me up for the free walking tour of Prague the next day. Six hour walking tour. Yikes. But naturally, you can leave the tour whenever you want.
Place didn’t really get crowded until very late, and when they turn the music on (too loud of course) I headed up to my room and crashed for the night.
See you tomorrow!