Prague Twin

Friday, November 17, 2006

Transportation

As it turns out, the company needed something urgently picked up from Uvaly, which is about 30 Km (18 miles) due east from the center of Prague. I work in Liberec, about 100 Km (60 miles) to the north east of Prague. So what I did was take a short cut off of the drive to Prague to arrive in Uvaly this evening. I parked the truck and got on I a train. In 28 minutes I will be in the center of Prague. I paid $1.10 for a ticket that will be also valid for the entire public transportation in Prague for another hour and one half when I arrive. The train is clean and quiet, but the rails are a bit bumpy. These tracks share time with the big cargo trains coming in from the east.

I could have driven into Prague and driven back out in the morning, but the drive is demanding and long. In the morning I can make it back out here in about the same time as I would driving from my house. I will save gas, and instead of driving in Prague, I’m writing this with a nice jam rollin’ in the headphones.

The truth be know, when I got to Uvaly I had missed a train by about 15 minutes. As a result I had to wait about 45 minutes. I found a small outdoor/indoor hut where they served beer. I had a half liter of good Czech lager ($0.70) and got to catch the first part of the Czech national football team playing Denmark. I met some nice people and then headed for my train.

There is something about mixing with people and not being confined to the car. It is like you have to practice life all of the time. There is no escaping.

4 Comments:

  • "good Czech lager ($0.70)." You're making me jealous. But when it's on sale (which appears to be half the time) I can get 12 Pilzner Urquells here for $11.00 with tax so not that much more. I'm with you about a train versus car transportation system. Cars are popular here for other reasons, though.

    By Blogger Roger Fraley, at 7:26 PM  

  • Yuk, bottled beer.

    That is about a third of a liter, by the way and a great deal. Czech beer spoils quite quickly and looses it's quality rapidly from the time of bottling however, so be sure to check the date on those sales.

    I can't stand pilzner in a bottle.

    I know the reasons for the cars, I just love the train as you do. It is just a pity that America is so spread out and thus disconnected.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 9:54 AM  

  • I can imagine what you mean. I would probably enjoy every bus ride, if people just started talking. Instead they listen to their headphones and stare out the window for 30 minutes. Sometime they won't even move their stuff so I have to stand. What a waste.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:18 PM  

  • I have to admit I do the same (except I always move my stuff), but there have been a few times when I have met very interesting people on the train.

    I can't say the same for my solo car trips.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 8:35 PM  

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