My views do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
After walking 12 miles around Prague my first day, I decided to take it easy on my second day (I ended up only walking 6 miles). I felt a little guilty staying in when there was a whole city out there to explore, but then I remembered that I have several days to explore this city and I should take care of myself. That afternoon I decided to visit an old brewery (it might be the oldest brewery in Prague) before going on a little river cruise that I had previously scheduled.
Google Maps guided me to the door and I hesitated for a moment. It had been a while since I’d gone to a restaurant all by myself in a country where I didn’t speak the language. I’ve travelled alone a lot, but when was the last time I was in this position? On ships I usually have someone with me to go out, and on vacation I had travelled to visit friends. It’s been 5 years! No wonder I was a little nervous about asking for a table for one, trying to decipher the menu and figure out how to be and enjoy myself! I ventured in and was swept up in the mayhem. There were long tables where parties were not separated with a little space. I was seated right in the middle. Men came around with trays of beer. Did I want one? Sure! He plopped one right in front of me placed a little slip of paper down next to the beer and drew a tally mark.
I could handle this. There were musicians playing tuba and accordion. The guy next to me wanted a picture together.
He was drunk and from Argentina. When the ladies on the other side of him left, he turned his attention to me and started telling me how he hated Russians. He’d shout at people at other tables. I tried to ignore him and focus on my book. I weighed my options between staying and feeling uncomfortable and leaving. Eventually the management kicked him out, so I ordered some food.
My next table mates were more pleasant and kept to themselves.
I still had some time before my river cruise, so I took a leisurely walk along the river, visiting the little islands and crossing the bridges.
In Amsterdam I did a canal cruise on a little boat and I absolutely loved it. We wove through the canals and sipped wine. I loved being on the water. I made a point to travel this way more often (does working on a cruise ship count?). In Paris I booked a river cruise. It was a bigger boat and a bigger river, and didn’t quite capture the magic I had experienced in Amsterdam. When I went to book a cruise in Prague I was overwhelmed with choices: they were available all times of day from 50 minutes to 3 hours, they came with lunch or dinner buffets, or you could paddle with your feet like a bicycle while drinking beer. I picked a simple sunset cruise for $15.
And there I was on the river looking at the same things I’d walked by earlier.
It was hard to understand the audio tour that was played on the loud speaker in a variety of languages.
This cruise was worth every bit of the $15 I paid for it. Next time I think I’ll opt for a smaller boat for a more intimate experience.