On a weekend respite from school in Dresden, Germany, a train chugs me toward Prague. The year is 1997 and the season is summer, a time when almost unceasing rain in parts of Eastern Europe is beginning to cause well-placed concern. Shortly, Poland will suffer a massive flood which will kill 55 people and destroy hundreds of homes and farms. The Czech Republic will not be similarly devastated, but this day it is swimming.
Ahead of me sits someone my age with an English guidebook in hand. As the train slows at Hlavni Nadrazi station he moves to the door and begins to jangle in his hand several Koruny coins. This Czech currency transforms him from just-tourist to almost-local. Perhaps he can tell me where I can exchange my traveler’s checks for cash. The walk is long, he says. He offers me the Koruny in his hand, but I refuse.
Rain riding on frigid air reminiscent of winter follows me as I turn my traveler’s checks in for cash. I am now in search of the Botel Racek, a small ship turned hotel on the Vltava River. Tangles of streets blurred by cold rain dripping into my eyes prompt me to halt when I spot a covered bus stop where a girl with long sable hair sits. Surely she will know where the river lies. I hold out a cigarette, and she smiles and takes it. Cigarettes in exchange for information – a method I’ve learned that can turn shrugs of I don’t know into helpful directions as a stranger and I smoke together. With her final exhale, the girl points me to an underground Metro station, smiles again, and walks into the evening.
The botel has flooded out and is closed, I am told when I arrive finally at the river. For some reason this surprises me. But don’t worry, we have another room for you. A woman directs me to the Botel Albatros where, frustrated and frozen, I settle in for the night. Underneath me the Vltava rocks and roils, swaying my room from side to side and turning my sleep into nauseated seasickness.
Morning dawns with skies sodden grey, muting Prague’s colors and turning its personality to mush. I explore this medieval city with initial fast motion slowed by dwindling hope. Perhaps tomorrow I will at last wander happily through its cobbled streets amongst Gothic architecture. Yet the river again churns madly underneath my room, and I awaken to worsened weather.
Very early, I return to the train station. While waiting, I hand out my remaining Koruny to children used as bait by their beggar parents. Dark eyes staring into mine, they rub one hand on their tummy and extend the other toward me, palm up. My heart has given up on this city but breaks for them.
At last, the doors of the train close behind me, shutting out Prague. Whatever its true character may be disappears behind me, undiscovered to this day.
Thumbnail boat on Vtlava River photo by david.nikonvscanon. Prague photo by Liber.
Wow. Very well-written, Sabina. Do you have any plans to return there someday, to really discover the place?
.-= Gray´s last blog ..Shiny Travel Objects: April 18, 2010 =-.
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Sabina Lohr Reply:
April 23rd, 2010 at 06:18
Thank you, Gray! I might return. It would have to be better the second time around.
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Hah,
Usta trade smokes for info, eh? That’s a technique from way back. Now, I wonder, since you quit the nasty habit, if you still buy a pack every now and then for interrogation purposes only !
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Sabina Lohr Reply:
April 23rd, 2010 at 06:19
I did not know the cigarettes for information exchange was an old technique. I thought I made it up. But I must have just seen it in a movie when I was a kid.
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Europe is wonderful. I love Prague. It is everything here. Romantic trips for two. Delicious food and most importantly great Czech beer. Have a great travel experiences ..
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Sabina Lohr Reply:
April 23rd, 2010 at 06:19
I am sure Prague is great. Everyone loves it. I wish I knew.
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Too bad about your weekend. I experienced that flood, in a way. I lived in the Czech Republic 1996-1997. It got really hot and humid for days before the big rains came, but it didn’t matter much to me because I was about to leave the country on my way back to the U.S. I left and 4 days later the flood came. My apartment was destroyed, friends sent me pics of my former furniture lying in a pile on the sidewalk. It was a sad and hard time for that part of Europe, as your post describes. Did you ever go back?
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Sabina Lohr Reply:
April 23rd, 2010 at 06:21
Oh, wow, so you were pretty much there! I remember it was a really hard time for the regions affected. Even Dresden, just days after I left, got hit hard. No, I haven’t been back to Prague.
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lovely. and i think you did find some of the character, in the kindness (bought or otherwise) of strangers, and the humanity in a child’s eyes.
good luck!
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Sabina Lohr Reply:
April 23rd, 2010 at 06:22
That is an excellent point, Jessie. I wish I’d realized that at the time.
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It’s funny how rains and floods can really make you want to hop on that train back home. Wonderful words here Sabina. Had a similar feeling in Taormina, Sicily. It rained practically every day I was there and there was just something about it i didn’t like. I have never been to Prague though.
.-= Suzy´s last blog ..“Can’t” and Travel Don’t Go Together =-.
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Sabina Lohr Reply:
April 23rd, 2010 at 06:22
Thanks, Suzy. Fortunately I was able to leave when I wanted.
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Sabina – what a beautifully written post!
Thanks for entering our contest! Best of luck!!!
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Sabina Lohr Reply:
April 25th, 2010 at 18:42
Hi, Lara, and thank you. Sorry about the photo. It is a catastrophe. 1997 and digital camera-less, you know.
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Just thought I should let you know that this month Grantourismo is running a new competition with the theme ‘Food and Travel’, so if you have a memorable food experience from your travels please feel free to share it with us. We’d love to hear from you again!
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Wow Sabina, such an unfortunate. Who would have thought a boat hotel will get flooded and closed… I haven’t been there yet, but many that did, told me that it’s one of their most favourite city.
Last month or 2 when I was in the South Island, they had their worst rain (in the year?) as well. Roads and fields were flooded, rivers was spilling out. Many roads were closed (you’ve read that article post). Definitely will be better without the rain mwess, especially with NZ, you want to see the promised magnificent scenery. Clouds, rains, and fogs totally covered them for days. But well, we were granted the finest weather the next week, when we were in more spectacular places!
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Sabina Lohr Reply:
July 19th, 2010 at 01:08
It’s too bad you had such a long spell of rain! I’m glad to hear it cleared up, finally. At least perhaps the floods were somewhat interesting?…
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You can feel prague.
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You must go back Sabina and hope this time around it would be a magnificent trip for you!
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