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Hello everyone!
I’m on a trip to Prague from the 28th of May at 22:30 until the 1st of June at 06:30 with Siclades, a student association. I thought it would be nice to write a bit of a travel log, so here we go!
short disclaimer: picture descriptions are a.i. generated, so might not be 100% acurate. i also can’t double check them myself for obvious reasons :))
It started as all proper travel adventures should — with a 145-minute delay on our train. 😂
Picture description:
Hall of a train station with information boards. At the top hangs an analog clock showing about 22:10. Next to the clock is a digital information board stating that the European Sleeper to Prague (Praha hl.n.) departs at 22:34 from platform 7a. There are also arrows pointing to platforms 7 and 8, and a green sign with an emergency exit symbol. In the foreground, a person is walking away from the camera towards the gates. On the right, there is a closed shop with the red logo “VUCH.” The area is brightly lit with ceiling lights.
We actually left around 00:55.
Nothing much happened during the wait. I guess the most interesting thing happened at the toilets at Amsterdam Central, always the hotspot where all the cool kids come to hang out. 😊
Anyway, I was preparing to pay for the small gates to open and let us in, when a group of guys came out. They started to try and convince me that I should just go under or jump over the gates. They just did it, and nothing apparently went wrong.
So one of them decided to show us how it’s done. He started to prepare for the feat and made the jump. Unfortunately, he landed on the gates, not over. Also, the caretaker just happened to walk by at that exact moment, and they weren’t exactly happy with them, surprise surprise.
Other than that, we just waited for the train. First outside the station next to the water. Later, we went inside to wait on the platform. We sat on a bench, vibing to music by De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig — one of the best Dutch bands out there, in my definitely-not-biased opinion. 😊
When we finally entered the train, I found it quite comfortable, if a bit cramped. The hallways were especially narrow — much tighter than in regular trains.
I actually slept pretty well — about 8 hours. I heard later that others had a much harder time falling asleep, but I was probably very tired, and I’ve slept in worse places. This was actually quite nice.
picture description: a Young man in a train compartment. He is standing in a sleeper compartment with blue beds and a wooden wall. There is a white sheet on the upper bed. The man has short dark hair, a light beard, and is wearing a dark blue T-shirt with a round print of palm trees and the text “RELAX AND ENJOY.” A light strap, probably from a bag, hangs over his shoulder. Through the window, you can see train tracks and another train with blue and white colors. The light is softly coming in, giving the scene a relaxed atmosphere.
We arrived in Prague around 12:00, about an hour later than scheduled. Not bad, considering we boarded with over a two-hour delay.
We could only get the keys to our rented apartments around 14:00, so we decided to get lunch at the station first.
picture description: Man sitting at a table in a modern restaurant. He has short black hair, light skin, and is wearing a dark blue T-shirt with a colorful print of palm trees and the text “RELAX AND ENJOY”. He is smiling at the camera. In front of him on the table is a plastic container with different kinds of food, including white rice, a vegetable dish, a piece of pumpkin, a dessert, and a bottle with a yellow drink (possibly mango lassi or juice). In his right hand he is holding a wooden spoon, in his left hand the bottle. In the background you can see the interior of the restaurant, with people sitting at tables and eating. At the top, there is a lit sign with the name “DHABA BEAS”.
Around 13:35, we headed to the apartments — about a 35-minute walk. Once we arrived, I took an afternoon nap. I was really tired, even though I hadn’t slept badly. Later in the afternoon, we took a nice walk around the city and grabbed a lemonade. It was only about €2 for 0.5L — pretty cheap. After that, we got pizza, grabbed a few more drinks at a bar, and went home around 22:00. I mostly stuck to coffee by then, since I was tired and wanted to stay at least semi-functional and social.
Accessibility-wise, I have mixed feelings. The streets are quite wide and relatively easy to walk side by side on, but the crossings can be quite chaotic. None of the traffic lights made any sounds to indicate whether they were red or green. I’m lucky to be on a group trip with nice people — otherwise, getting around would’ve been very difficult. Also, there aren’t many guiding lines on the ground that I could follow with my cane, and thus nothing clearly indicates crossings or other important landmarks.
That was basically my first day. I hope you enjoyed the read!
Here are some more pictures to enjoy
picture description: A man sitting on a white wooden bench in a garden. He has taned skin, short dark hair, and a short beard. He is wearing a black padded jacket, a dark T-shirt with a colorful print of a sunset and palm trees, blue jeans, and brown hiking shoes. His hands are resting on his thighs and he is smiling broadly while looking slightly upwards. Behind him, a climbing rose with green leaves and pink flowers forms an arch above the bench. There are some fallen rose petals on the ground and on the bench. The garden is sunny and green.
picture description: Street scene in a European city with cobblestone pavement. On the left side, there are tall, old buildings with ornate facades in light colors. Cars are parked along the street. On the right, there is a sidewalk with mosaic tiles, where two people are walking: a man in a dark blue sweater and a woman in a beige coat. Above the sidewalk hangs a round sign with the text “RESTAURACE U STARÉ”. The sky is partly cloudy with large white clouds and patches of blue sky. The overall atmosphere is calm and typical of a historic city center.
picture description: Three young people posing together outside for a selfie. On the left is a woman with light curly hair, wearing a black Nike hoodie and a big smile. In the middle is a man with short dark hair, a light beard, and a strikingly light right eye color; he is wearing a dark t-shirt and a black jacket. On the right is a woman with long dark hair, a white top, and a light blue shoulder bag, also smiling. In the background, you can see a tall, classic building facade and a blue sky with white clouds.
picture description: Cityscape with river. In the foreground, you see a stone bridge railing. In the center of the photo, a striking pink and white boat is sailing on the water. On the other side of the river, there are historic buildings with red and gray roofs, surrounded by many green trees. There are a few smaller boats on the water as well. The sky is bright blue with many large, white clouds. In the upper right corner, part of an ornate street lamp is visible. The whole scene has a summery, lively atmosphere.
picture description: River with bridge and city in the background. In the foreground, you see a wide river with calm water. On the left side, there are many green trees along the riverbank. In the middle of the photo, there is a long stone bridge with several arches, which people or vehicles can cross. On the right side, across the river, you see part of a city with historic buildings and towers, some with red roofs. The sky is mostly blue with many large, white clouds. The whole scene looks like a sunny day with some shade from the clouds.
picture description: Street scene in a European city. In the foreground, there is a wide sidewalk with a railing on the left side, probably along a river. Three people are walking on the sidewalk: a man and a woman together, and a man walking alone away from the camera. To the right of the sidewalk, a modern red-and-white tram is driving, with a row of cars next to it. There are several traffic lights and street lamps. On the right side, you see classic, light-colored buildings with many windows and a flag. The sky is partly cloudy with large white clouds, but it is sunny. The atmosphere is lively and urban.
picture description: Street corner with a classic, light-colored multi-story building. On the ground floor, there are green awnings with the text “KAVÁRNA SLAVIA” underneath, indicating a café or restaurant. There are large windows and ornate details on the facade. On the sidewalk, a few people are visible, including someone sitting on a bench and someone leaning against a pole. On the left side of the photo, a red and white tram is partially visible. There are also a few electric scooters parked near a traffic pole. In the foreground, there are tram tracks and a pedestrian crossing, with the words “POZOR TRAM” painted on the asphalt. It is sunny, with a blue sky and some clouds.
picture description: Street corner with tram tracks, pedestrians, and a traffic light. In the foreground, there is a bald man wearing sunglasses and a light sweater, walking across the tram tracks. On the right side of the image, part of a black backpack is visible, likely worn by someone close to the camera. In the background, several people can be seen, some walking, others waiting. There is a cyclist in the middle of the photo. The pedestrian traffic light is green. The street is paved with gray stones and there are multiple tram tracks. Further back, you see trees, a river, and on the hills across, there are buildings and a tower. The sky is blue with many white clouds.