So, finally I'm seating in my office, trying to do something smart and creative after all that shit I was occupied with on Monday and Tuesday (I mean there was a real flood in my office - the tube which goes through the room there all our servers are situated was cracked and water ran down to the servers!! Fortunately there isn't such a big damage for our infrastructure except a processor's fan which was collapsed by the
circuiting). That two weeks before our domestic apocalypse were quite calm in office: nothing big, no new projects except that one I had to start ...this Monday lol!!!
Anyway I've celebrated my 25th birthday first with my colleagues, my parents and with some of my friends. There are also many little funny details or happiness in my life for this two weeks, but I guess it's much more interesting to write about my European adventures...
I'll try to continue since that moment I finished my last post, just after check-in... So, the boarding was the big surprise for me as my ticket definitely said that Aeroflot is our air company, but we were boarded on CSA plane... well, that's great! The CSA's services are known to be as good as Lufthansa's ones are. We were met by extremely friendly Czech crew and had a save flight to Prague. All passport/customs control procedures were quite standard and the only thing that impress me at the airport was airport itself. It looks very similar as my favorite Pearson international in Toronto, so lovely, with big open spaces, huge glass walls and the glass roof. I'm not sure, but I guess Israeli architect who designed Pearson also worked in Prague :) The Citibank ads everywhere said me exchange problems will not annoy me in Prague. Great job btw! :)
The hotel. We lived in the very nice 3* hotel, called Merlin. The hotel was settled mostly by American teenagers and it was its great advantage - no drank/noisy Russians or Germans. The hotel have a free wireless internet access point (that is extremely important for me, I even could call Mike, my dad and chat with Marina and some other folks) and friendly and helpful staff... ha, it was a funny episode when one girl from reception advised me to join any englishspeaking group on Staramestska square if I would be fed up with my group.
Prague. Actually I'm not going to write how beautiful is it or to describe all that fabulous places I visited, but I want remember some small episodes. So, the first one it's a myth that Czech people live and work in Prague - the majority of salespersons, waitress, drivers, etc. are either Slovak or Ukrainian\Vietnamese\Arabian immigrants. Obviously Czech people exist, but inhabit only in Hrad (Czech government buildings area). :)))
The other myth says that natives don't like Russians, well it's a nonsense ...but only partly. The biggest part of Russians think that everyone in Europe should praise them because they saved Europe from Nazism, but they tend to forget about the year 1968 and other adventures of Red Army during next 50 years... So, if you want peace don't recall that historical issues and don't try to prove that Russians are the greatest and most peaceful nation in the world. The second and most important tip is to be friendly, just smile (not with VVP like smile :)), try to speak Czech - people always like if you show respect to their language and culture. And finally if you're looking for WC in Prague, you should know that it isn't free, usually it costs 10-20 Kz (around $1), the two free WC in Prague-1 which I know are in Starbucks on Staromestska and Narodna (near Vaclavski namesti). There are also a good cheep buffet on Vaclavski namesti (unfortunately I don't remember the name, but it has a dark green signboard).
Vaclavski namesti is one of my favorite places in Prague, it isn't far from all sightseeing places and here you can find all you need: cheep food and drinks, WC, WiFi, excursion office, jezdenki (tickets)... We even found Vladimir Panosovsky near there :))).
Prague. Jezdenki. Be careful when you buy them, here you may save your money or be in trouble. There are different types of ticket which are valid for different period of time. I used to buy 20 min/5 transfers ticket for 18Kz if it takes more than 20 minutes to reach your destination you need to buy more expansive 40min ticket. The nice place to buy it is the subway station on Vaclavski namesti, guys there looks like Dagestanians so it isn't problem to buy ticket even if you don't speak English. And the last tip if you'll travel in June you need go to Charles Bridge not from Staramestska but, by most beautiful Parzhska street or through Jewish city and you may smell stunning Prague's linden-trees while they blow.
Austria. Vienna. What can I write about Vienna? It's absolutely magnificent place, wide streets surrounded by thousands of trees and blowing bushes, seems very powerful (Gabsburg's capital you see!), it also seems very similar to St. Petersburg (Peter addicts I know you understand me!). Also I was so glad to listen "Deutsche sprach" around, yeah my roots... The other cute place I've visited is Vienna fair - I was full with sausages, famous Vienna strudel and so tasty Austrian apple juice and punch. The only trouble was - we hadn't enough time to explore the city and its places of interest. I was trying to find any gift for Masha which is connected with famous lippizian horses, but unfortunately there were no show that day :(
Well, I think it's enough for today, I wanna continue my report later as I still have Germany to describe, but I can't promise...
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