Prague - Day 1 Thursday February 8

We left the house yesterday around 2:15 PM and headed to a long-term parking lot outside the airport. Our British Air flight was scheduled to depart Philadelphia at 6:35 PM and left the gate at 6:29. In addition, the plane was rather empty! So far,so good...

We landed at London Heathrow at 6:40 AM. (FYI: The time in London is five hours ahead of Philadelphia; it will be a six hour difference for the rest of our trip.) Of course it was pouring rain in London when we arrived, but fortunately, for the first time ever, we arrived at a gate and did not have to walk down the slippery metal steps to board a bus to Terminal 5. Of course, we did have to catch a bus to travel from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3, but unlike all of our previous experiences, we were not packed in the bus Iike sardines.

So, how does one fill a 4-hour layover when all one wants to do is sleep? Well, the first hour evaporates with security lines and getting to the next terminal. Then, caffeine. Words of wisdom from Charlie: never expect good coffee in a country that specializes in tea. We did a lot of reading.

Our good fortune ended with our connecting flight, which was delayed for a little over an hour. We finally arrived in Prague at 2:45 PM. Baggage arrived swiftly and we were through the airport in no time. We were grateful that Charlie had booked a private transfer to our hotel (because we had booked our own flights, we did not have AMA transfers to the hotel). We are learning that this little indulgence is well worth it.

We will be staying at the Andaz Prague Hotel. Here is our lovely room.

Here are a few shots from the hotel interior.

Here is an example of the service in this hotel: When we asked one of the bellhops where we could find the closest ATM, he walked us there, made sure we knew how to use our debit card to unlock the door of the bank anteroom, and stayed with us in case we had any questions.

The hotel offers a happy hour beginning at 5 PM that offers one complimentary drink per guest per day. They recently started crafting cocktails based upon a guest's botanical scent preference. The one that I picked led to this tall cocktail with sweet vermouth, an apple liqueur, and tonic water (with a fig garnish). It was light and refreshing.

Charlie had a beer.

We met with Bojan (Bo), our cruise manager at 6 PM for an orientation meeting with a champagne toast. He will be with us for our entire journey. There will be 16 of us on this pre-cruise excursion. They expect 73 guests on AMAMagna, less than half capacity.

Some of us took a very brief walking tour with Bo to orient us to the neighborhood. Fatigue and rain limited our enthusiasm, but enjoy these outdoor shots of Municipal Hall...

...and the Powder Gate, one of the original 13 city gates in Prague. It was designed as a symbolic victory arch through which Czech kings passed on their coronation processions. It also served to store Gun Powder (hence the name) in the very top section, so that the powder would remain dry if the city flooded.

Tonight's parting observation: Beer has a long and illustrious history in the Czech Republic. The first brewery in Prague dates back to the year 993. The Czechs boast that they have the best beer in the world, and you will pay less here for a good beer than for a bottle of water.
Hmmm...maybe this is why Charlie was so happy to return to Prague? They joke that in Prague, a balanced diet is one beer in each hand.

Early to bed tonight.

Photos are tagged Magna and Prague_2024