The Trip To Prague and Prague

Ahoy! (Ahoy is how you say "hello" in Czech)

When last you left your intrepid traveller, he was about to board a large plane to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Here is his story. No names or places have been changed to protect the innocent, for there are no innocent.

The plane ride was actually pretty uneventful. I got about 30 minutes of sleep while on the 10-hour flight. I had an open seat next to me, so I had room to stretch out. I placed my laptop bag on the floor next to me. I love flying with an open seat next to me. I also always try to choose a seat where I can lean back and not feel bad. On this flight, I had what I call the "perfect seat." It was a good time.

One thing that really bugs me about flying is people that grab other peoples seats to move around the cabin. Some old lady grabbed the back of my seat one time right as I was dozing off. The old guy that was across the aisle from me used my seat to help him get up, I thought he was going to pull my chair off the floor and flip me on my side. Just a little common courtesy here, please.

I watched "Swing Vote" on the plane. If you have not seen it, it is worth seeing, but I did not really enjoy it. This movie has Kevin Costner in the role of slacker father that gets to recast his vote for President and decide the whole thing. There was some funny parts, and other parts the revealed probably a little to closely to what politics is really like. I give this movie 2.5 out of 5 stars. It is a good election-time movie though. Check it out next time you are on your way to Prague!

The second movie was something called "The Visitor." I did not watch it. I watched "Batman Begins" on my iPod. This was awesome. I love my iPod. I am a gadget freak - and the iPod Touch is the ultimate gadget. By the way, I give Batman Begins 5 out of 5 stars. After Batman, I read a little in one of the two books I brought to Prague, "The Host." This book is a little weird and I don't know how much I like it. My wife says to keep reading and it comes together. We will see.

As we started our decent in to Prague, I turned on "Good Will Hunting," another of my all-time favorite movies. I did not finish this movie, but I should have time over the next couple of days and nights to get this in.

The plane finally landed (I did not get out of my seat for the entire trip). Ivan and I walked to the Passport line and I won. Ivan's line was so slow that I gave up waiting for him and I went and got my bag. This also gave me time to look at a map and find an ATM. My bag was waiting for me when I got to the carousel and I pushed a couple old ladys out of the way to get it. Actually, just one old lady. OK, not really, it was an old guy.

I waited for Ivan, he got his luggage and we were on our way. We stopped at the very conveinient ATM and walked out to the car. We rode to Prague and I took many pictures (which you will see in an upcoming post). Once at the hotel I got my room (on the first floor, I am awesome) and took a shower.

After the shower I upoacked and then headed down to the office. Once I got down to the office it was time for lunch and we went to the Bistro Cafe in the hotel. Everyone (KBeard, Captain Karl, and me)except Ivan got Ham and Cheese sandwiches with fries. Ivan got pumpkin ravioli. Ivan did not choose wisely. He was jonesing for a ham and cheese all through lunch. Captain Karl gave Ivan half his sandwich. None of us with ham and cheese finished our lunch, so we have a snack for later/tomorrow.

Now it is working time and we stuff all the badges and prepare bags for stuffing as well as prepare hospitality suites, get signage ready, get the printer ready (the photo cyan blew up in travel), and do some general unpacking of the shipment. By the time we get all this done it is around 5:00PM and time for dinner. We get the name and a reservation to a nice place. We all go to our rooms quickly to freshen up.

Off to dinner, this was a place not to far from the hotel. It was very nice. First we went in the French part of the restaurant, but our reservation was for the Czech part of the restaurant (the lower level). We headed down and had a good dinner. I should note that Chet has now joined is. Chet took the SLC to Paris direct and then Paris to Prague. He said it was a good flight. If you are heading to Prague this way you can contact Chet for travelling tips.

At dinner, Captain Karl, KBeard and I all get the Roast Beef in Cream with Potato things. When you think Roast Beef in cream you think it might be some kind of sauce, but no, there was whipped cream right on my roast beef. It was not bad. Ivan and Chet got the Pork Knee. Ivan is trying to eat all the joints of a pig (he had pork knuckle in Munich a couple years ago), next is Pork Wrist or Elbow - do pigs have elbows?

It was a good dinner and we got back around 8:00PM. I called the wife and spent some time talking to her and the kids. Sure do miss them. After the call I got on the computer and have been going through emails and sending myself photos so I can post them on the blog.

Now my Blackberry is freaking out and I will have to get the rest of the quotes and the pictures tomorrow because it is now 10:11PM and I am getting tired. Tomorrow is a full day of work and I have plenty of Catalyst as well as regular job work to get done.