A final huge breakfast at the guest house - one of the few things they did well - and then we caught a bus to the station and then the 10:01 to Plzen.
Czech trains are like British ones of 25 years ago; bliss! Not quite slam-door, but very nearly; windows that open, and even compartments in some carriages. And nice clickety-click motion, so I don't have to wear seabands.
We arrived in Plzen, left our luggage in the consigne, and picked up a local map in the tourist office, then went out to see what we could see. Which turned out to be a huge Tesco's, so we popped in and I bought myself new sandals - my trusty Clark's have finally demised, more or less - and a very large Sun-hat which gave far more protection than the old one.
Then we bought bus tickets - it was far too hot to walk anywhere and I was wilting after 5 minutes - and caught the next bus to the town square. There was a fabulous cathedral which did have a small entry fee, but we got the senior citizen reduction! And a beautiful town hall. And a very nice restaurant where we ate salad and shared a honey-cake ("a luscious confection of honey and nuts with a feather-bed of whipped cream.").
Soon it was time to head back to the station, by tram this time, and profit from 15 minutes' free wifi in the waiting-room, and the second train, to Marienbad, or Marianske Lasne, as it is now called, with a few accents in odd places.
The hotel meets one at the station, and the place itself is lovely! Room not huge, but adequate, bathroom is huge, and you share a kitchen. But although it has all mod cons, it looks charmingly old-fashioned. We like it!
The rain arrived just as we did, and there were grumbles of thunder all evening. The SW went out for a walk and to try to find a food-shop, but I was too limp from the heat. We had a picnic supper, and I think I was asleep by nine! Awake now, of course, but will go.back to sleep when I have posted this!
No comments:
Post a Comment