April, 2002
When I was sitting in a café of the Taoyuan airport having my ice coffee, I learned an airplane crash event in Seoul from an evening newspaper. This was not a good sign for a traveler. I bought a business-class ticket with a reduced price to Prague. So, I had to fly first to Hongkong and then transferred to Paris by Air France. With this ticket, I was able to stay at the airport lounges. I did not really sleep on the planes during my whole trip. I arrived at Prague in the afternoon and soon took a taxi to the hotel. I spent almost twenty eight hours for this trip.
I immediately took a shower and then went out to the downtown. Praque is famous for its historic buildings in many different architecture styles. When I got to a Metro station near Staromestske namesti (the Old Town Square), a woman persuaded me to buy a concert ticket. Indeed, I pretty much liked to experience a concert in a church. I followed her and walked through several block-built streets to the St. Martin church. There were twenty some audiences in this Gothic building listening to the performance of the Musica Praga String Quartet. Later I realized that this kind of concerts are held everywhere in the evenings in Prague.
I got up early in the second morning and went out at eight o’clock. It was probably too early so that only a few tourists were in the square of Staromestske namesti. Around there are the famous Astronomical Clock and the Church of Our Lady of Tyn. Because I felt very uncomfortable in such a cold morning, I decided to sit down in a café to have a cup of coffee. Although the seats were outdoor but there were heater aside. Unfortunately, the cappuccino was neither hot nor delicious. I walked down the streets to find the Charles Bridge. Shops for crystal, jewelry and crafts, are everywhere, which indeed attracted me. I looked at everything with interest.
On the Charles Bridge I saw the most beautiful and impressive view of Prague. This swept my depression I had got before. Moreover, the hill at the other side of the Vltava River was covered by the buildings with red roof, and looked like a fairyland. I followed troops of tourists and walked up to the Prague Castle. I visited the Castle gallery, but nothing impressed me. However, in St. Vitus’s cathedral, the rose window viewed from inside looked fantastic, and other windows were also adorned with beautiful mosaic decorations. Although there were still many churches and palaces left unseen in the castle, I felt a little bored at those historical and religious details. Afterwards I just walked back but it took me a long time to reach the old town. I had passed by and sat in a garden for a while. Some flowers were blossoming in this spring time. I also lingered for a moment on the bridge, looking at the old town. This city has so many treasures that need to be preserved.
When the meeting participants went for a guided city tour, I went alone to the National Museum. It was so depressing for almost nothing exhibited in the Museum. It is pity for a city although it has so many beautiful scenes and impressive architectures. I then took subway back right away, and looked around a supermarket nearby the hotel with fun.
The farewell party was held in the St. Anges Convent, which was built in the 13th century. We first looked at the paintings in the building and then listened to a 40-minute concert performed by a string quartet. The convent was huge and nicely remodeled. The buffet supper was then served and people were chatting until 10:30 pm. On my last day in Prague, I got up a little late and packed my luggage. I walked from the National Museum and passed through the Vaclav square to the old town. I had my lunch in a Café at the Staromestske namesti square. I ordered fruit dumplings, a kind of Czech traditional food, and a cup of coffee. The dumplings tested very good and were unforgettable. I walked around the old town thereafter and bought a few pieces of souvenirs as gifts. I went back the hotel and shared a cab with other meeting participants to the airport. I finally bought a necklace of Swarovski in the airport for myself, which was unfortunately lost in a hotel of India.
I flew to Paris where a presidential pre-election was just held and produced an unexpected outcome. However, it appeared that nobody seriously watched the TV news. I noted that the majority of the passengers in the lounges were men, and wondered where woman travelers are. During the flight to Hongkong I ate only a little food. The food service in the business class of Air France was not good at all, which ruined the fame of “France”. When I got to Hongkong, I had only 10 minutes for transfer. I had no time to look at this new airport where I had never been to. I only asked for coffee and cake on China Airlines’ plane. The coffee truly tastes wonderful. Sadly, a month later, a CA plane from Taipei to Hongkong crashed in the sky.
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