Home  The All New Blog Czech Republic: Not the best start
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Czech Republic: Not the best start |
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Written by Stephen Baines
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Tuesday, 10 October 2006 |
It's a few years since I last visited Prague. A beautiful city and one I thoroughly enjoyed last time I was here.
This week I have returned for work and the flight from Copenhagen to Prague was uneventful, barring my surprise at having to show my passport - something I've not had to do recently whilst in Sweden and visiting to Schengen countries. We landed at Prague some 20 minutes ahead of schedule, and waited patiently for the luggage to arrive. There was lots of tutting when a later flight seemed to get preferential treatment and get their luggage ahead of us - the fact there was only 10 bags on the flight, though, soon settled everyone.
Luggage retrieved it was through customs and into the taxi rank, where I was shepherded into a taxi. I don't know if it's a sign of me getting older (and I'll slap anyone who claims it is!), but the taxi driver didn't look old enough to be driving, let alone be a taxi driver. It wasn't helped by the Jason Donovan circa 1988 haircut and looks... Anyway, the taxi set off for my hotel, and then he asked me where it was - this is a pet peeve of mine; I've just arrived in a country, I get in a taxi because I don't know where to go, and then they ask me where to go. No idea! Why ask me?
Finally we pull up outside the hotel (I shall spare names here for reasons that'll become clear), I go up to reception, and say there is a reservation for me. Puzzled looks. I show them my name written down, assuming there is a problem with my name. Puzzled looks. "There is no reservation for you. What company is it booked with". I tell them. "No, all their bookings are already checked in, there is no booking for you. Are you sure it's not another hotel". I point out I have a letter confirming where I am staying from the company, but it's met with "No, no booking was made for you". I asked what I was meant to do. "You could find another hotel. We're fully booked for the week, we can't fit you in". Yeah, I could also go to the airport and go home.
I was getting more and more frustrated, finally they found me a room for the one night to save me sleeping in a cardboard box on the riverbank. I made my way to the room and sort of settled, knowing there was no point settling as I would have to check out the next morning anyway. I flopped and went to bed in a freezing cold room in the attic.
The following morning I got up, got ready, had breakfast and found myself a hotel for the rest of the week. After working today I shall be making my way to the President Hotel Casino Prague for the rest of my stay. Hopefully the week will pick up. |
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