Train from Prague to Germany

The gray and cloudy day improved as the afternoon progressed. We were scheduled to take the 12:30 train from Prague to Bad Schandau, on the German border. Leo had some ideas for sights in Prague that we hadn't yet seen so after breakfast we headed to the Metro and began another morning of walking and gawking. The main attraction was a tower, park and cloister at the top of a very high ridge above the city. It took some walking to get there but we did get to take a tram up the steepest part of the hill. The park at the top was very beautiful.

We did some huffing and puffing to get back into the main part of town and then took a taxi to make it to the train station in time. It felt good to sit down for a couple of hours on the train as the Czech countryside rolled by.

Bad Schandau is a tourist attraction of the sort that brings many visitors on a 3-day spring holiday weekend. That explains a lot of the traffic we have seen. Tomorrow is a German holiday and many have taken the time off. As Lee has said while we have been walking around town: "Remind me that I will NEVER drive a car in this town!" There are just a couple of very narrow streets for all the traffic to drive through. As a pedestrian you take your life in your hands everytime it's necessary to cross the street.

Our hotel is very nice. When we checked in the desk clerk took us out and showed us the two bicycles that have already been delivered for our beginning trek tomorrow. We look forward to a hearty breakfast in the hotel restaurant and then we pack our bags and begin pedaling the 30 miles to Dresden. We have no idea what to expect in the way of weather since there are no English newspapers. But we have been seeing the bike trail the whole way here along the river from the train and we will certainly not have to worry about pedaling uphill.

Off to enjoy some more sunshine.