Traveling is fine if that's your purpose ... you know, going somewhere to see something you think might be nice, but traveling for business leaves a lot to be desired: there's all the dead time in train stations and airports; those silly, senseless security checks; sleeping in strange beds; a steady diet of hotel and restaurant food ... and more, of course. The worst part of business travel is that though you go to exciting and exotic locations (or that's how your co-workers see it), you never really get to see anything. If you're lucky, you arrive or depart during daylight hours and maybe see some of the countryside from through the bus window on the way to the airport, or perhaps the conference organizers have a dinner planned somewhere other than the conference hotel, and you see a small part of the city by night. But, you're anything but a tourist, that's for sure.
No, business travel is simply going to a lot of places you've never been.
Due to an unexpected flight cancellation by my provider airline, I was forced to leave earlier than usual for my last trip. After wrestling with my laptop on the plane and in the hotel lobby till I could check into my room, I managed to have a couple of hours of daylight and even though I had had to get up at 3:30 that morning, I was determined to at least have seen something before I left. And I'm glad I did.
Prague, it turns out, is one of the most absolutely beautiful cities I have ever seen. Oh sure, there are the ugly suburbs, old high-rise apartment complexes in need of a replastering ... the usual. But the old city, which is much larger than many old cities in other places, is still fairly large, and there is no place like Prague if you have even the slightest interest in architecture. I know for many of you the idea of a drop-dead gorgeous building is a bit of a reach, but if you want to experience it, Prague's the place to be.
The old city has a wonderful medieval feel to it. There are narrow winding alleyways, expansive plazas, and all of it is covered in cobblestone. This is nowhere to go if you are unsure of foot. The Charles Bridge, one of the city's most famous landmarks, can only be crossed on foot, but with its double row of statues, impressive view of the palace, and intimate connection to the Vltava will simply hold you fast. It's a long walk over a rather short bridge.
From capital of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire (Charles IV, 14th century) to capital of the Hapsburg Empire (Rudolf II, 16th century), many notable personalities have been born or lived in Prague: native sons include Rainer Maria Rilke, Franz Kafka, Vlaclav Havel; Tycho Brache and Johannes Kepler held positions there, Albert Einstein was professor in the German portion of the Charles University for a short period; and of course, Mozart had some of his greatest successes during his time in Prague. The city simply oozes with culture, learning, and inspiration. I know now why Kafka said the city has claws and keeps drawing you back. I know I'd like to go back ... especially with a little more time on my hands.
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