I flew out of PHL on the evening of 14/12, and it was surprisingly easy. I only live about an hour away, so my parents were able to drop me off, meaning I didn’t have to pay to leave my car there, which was great. I got to the airport just after 3, with a 6:46 departure. I’m not sure if it’s just pure luck, but in the past 2 times I’ve gone through TSA at PHL, it’s been super fast and I’ll be in and out within 10 minutes. I was up at my gate about 30 minutes after I arrived at the airport, which gave me some time to walk around, get an extremely overpriced bottle of juice, use the bathroom, and fill up my water bottle for the plane. As I watched my future plane get up to the jet bridge, and then the passengers walk past, I felt a new excitement knowing that in just about an hour, I’d be sitting where they had been.
After boarding, takeoff was fairly easy, though we did taxi for about 20 minutes. by 7:25, we had passed over NYC, which was incredible to see A) at night and B) from an aerial view. On the flight, I watched The Muppets Christmas Carol to get in the festive mood and got my cup of apple juice. Just as my first film was finishing, dinner service started and I got the turkey selection as I started The Nightmare Before Christmas. After dinner and the film, I tried to sleep but failed epically. when it reached less than 2 hours, I gave up and decided to just push through till I reached my hotel. Besides, breakfast service came around just after midnight, and there was only an hour left.
As I descended into London, I took notice of just how gray and foggy it was. After landing at LHR right in time at 6:34, I stopped at the bathroom and managed to get a bus to terminal 3 and got through security in about 20 minutes. The gate for Prague wasn’t posted when I got to the shopping/seating area, so I called my brother, texted my mom to make sure my international phone plan was working and got an iced latte and sandwich to help keep me awake (and to make sure my credit card worked internationally). I ended up walking around the terminal a few times, just to get some exercise in and give me some new things to see. I ended up sitting in the luxury area and was incredibly tempted to buy my dream ring from either Tiffany and Co. or Cartier, but restrained.
The gate posted at 9:20, so I scampered over and learned I had to check my bag, so a new fear was unlocked in me. I ended up getting a little rest on the flight, though I was also crying a little. Finally, I landed in Prague, got through passport check, and got my suitcase. Customs wasn’t really a thing, which surprised me because I was under the impression that they were going to do an interview, but they didn’t and seemed surprised by my question.
As if typing this paragraph and the ones above, I’m sitting at the Courtyard Marriott Prague Airport, which is very conveniently right across the way. I’m also crying, as I’m A) exhausted and completely drained, and B) I’m having a panic attack for a very stupid reason (see baggage issue above). Anyhow, I’ll check into the hotel in about half an hour and finally get some rest.
Now in my room, which was actually one of the nicest hotel rooms I’ve ever been in, I called my parents and talked to them about my trip, took a nice shower, and went to bed. The following morning, I got another shower, went back to sleep for a few hours, and headed across the way to the airport to meet everyone else.
On our first day, after getting our rooms and completing orientation, we headed on a walking tour of Prague, which I greatly appreciated, as I’m not sure if I’m going to get the chance to see all the sites again.
For me, dinner was a mess, as in the 5 times I’ve eaten duck, I’ve gotten I’ll after. So, my dinner was a few forkfuls of sauerkraut and a few bites of cheesecake.
So far, the differences between hospitality in the US and Prague haven’t been too noticeable. I will say that the citizens of Prague know that they’re in a tourist city, and seem to be respectful of those who are visiting. The city is also very safe, and I do feel safe walking around, unlike walking in Philly. The car traffic is non-existent in certain parts of the city, which is very nice, especially since those parts tend to be much quieter. The hotel receptionist was very nice, which was also my experience at my first hotel in Prague, and again, I think that’s in part due to them knowing they have a lot of tourists. Most of the people who work in hospitality are somewhat fluent in English, and nearly everyone knows some basics.
Compare that to the US, and only a handful of people speak multiple languages. I know that this is a foreign thing, as English is now a “necessary” language to learn, as so many speak it.
I found both of our tous\rs/activities on 17/12 to be interesting, especially the Augustine. As a huge fan of history, I already knew about the monks and how they got driven out, but I didn’t realize that it was part of the hotel. I loved the 3-tiered suite and if I ever stay at the Augustine, I’ll definitely be in that suite. I found the sustainability aspect very interesting, as they need to go through the government for literally any change due to the building being historical.
The CzechTourism presentation was also very interesting. In class, we’ve learned a lot about DMOs and this one does a really great job. I loved the pamphlets they handed out, as they showed the top tourist attractions in Czechia.
As for what I’m excited to see, I hope to go across the Charles Bridge on Sunday and visit the Church of Our Lady before Týn. We saw both, however we didn’t actually visit the church or walk across the bridge. I was thrilled to see the Prague Astronomical Clock, along with the cathedral we stepped into. We also briefly saw a few different stalls at Christmas markets, and I’m excited to explore them later this week. Overall, once I was with the group, I felt much better and I’m excited to see what else is in store this week.