Prague after 20 years

I’ve been to Prague for two nights and a day, during the remaining months of President Fidel Ramos’ presidency. I didn’t remember which big hotel we stayed at, all I could recall was it’s huge and modern.

Presidential flight PR 001 brought us to London, Paris, Prague Kuwait, back to Europe in Vienna, then home. Dalawang balik kami. The itinerary could not be that accurate. It’s been two decades. Nalimutan ko na.

The meetings were held at the hotel. There was also a festive gathering of Filipinos living in Vienna and parts of Europe who came to see and greet FVR.

I found an hour during our down time to hail a cab and visit the Infant Jesus of Prague. The taxi driver waited for me while I prayed inside the church. There was no one else inside. I thought maybe because it was midday, no masses. I remembered kneeling down to pray. I also noticed a misalette in Tagalog.

I also managed to do some shopping, proof that I could do speed shopping. I bought two pairs of drinking glasses made in Czehk Republic, a Russian doll and of course, a ref magnet.

I promised to bring my kids here after that trip. I thought the place was charming, and more importantly, to visit the Sto. Nino de Praga.

And now, after two decades, I am back in Prague. Without my kids, but with my sister and my niece.

We left Budapest at 12 noon, arrived in Bratislava at 2 pm, stayed for one hour, then drove to Prague at 3 pm and arrived at exactly 6 pm.
I didn’t even wink the whole 6 hour journey because the driver, Roman, drove like a Ferrari driver. Tailgating the vehicle in front of us, moving like there’s no more tomorrow.
I screamed OHMYGOD! three times but that didn’t stop him from doing it again. He heard my screams, but takbo ulit.
He was not fast, only between 120-130 km / hour but he tailgates and that scared the wits out of me. I figured that’s really the style of driving in this part of the world. Tailgating is when a driver follows the car in front leaving little or no stopping distance especially at high speed (Urban Dictionary).

One of the reasons why I was anxious from the beginning was because I found out that he came from Prague that morning, not from Budapest. Imagine, he left Prague at 6 in the morning, eh di he’s tired already. He drove 5 hours to pick us up and then go back again to Prague. Binabantayan ko sya kung naghihikab o napipikit kaya hindi talaga ako naidlip. Napagod ako. Buti pa ako na lang ang nagdrive.

I paid him in cash when we reached the hotel. Such a nice fellow, except he tailgates.

November 8, 2015