Can You Hear Me Now?

I have needed my husband to send my other cushion from home (due to what a beating the cobblestones are doing to my rear) but I haven't had a way to communicate. My iphone didn't seem to have service--even though I bought a package through AT&T before I left home. It felt awful to not be able to talk to him. We emailed but it's not that immediate. I felt so isolated.

So today after my workshop class I went to the Prague Summer Program Office and talked to a helpful young guy. He looked at the settings of my phone and was able to fix it so I could get service. I am told that the Czech's phone service is way better than ours--you get it everwhere. I got to call my honey that afternoon (which was very early your time) and hear his voice. It makes a big difference hearing a loved one's voice. It's been over a week now that I've been here. I'm beginning to get in the swing of things and try to figure out this transportation thing.

I decided to head back into Old Town today. There's so much to see--but mainly I went to find lunch. I wanted to eat at a small outdoor cafe so I could bask in the splendor of this great city. I found one right near the astronomical clock and an ancient old church. (it seems like every thing's ancient here) I had a sandwich and a beer. Beer is actually cheaper than soda or water! I enjoyed a bit of people watching--and boy, are there all kinds of people here. Every nationality you can think of is here and has a camera around their neck--and a bottle of water in their hand. I haven't really had the chance for a tour but might sometime. I'm tempted to take the horse and carriage ride around old town--it looks fun. ( Getting into the carriage, however, is another story!)

The shops are very interesting here. They have many tiny hole-in-the wall souvenir places which generally carry the same things. I just read that all the stores were the same here during their communist times. There are a few things that are popular or famous to purchase here. Garnets, crystal and this yellow type of stone are in every jewelry store. I went into a place and got a pretty hard sell from the guys in the store--(they double teamed me like used car salesmen!) They said they were giving me a "very good price--a discount." I don't know if I got a great deal or not but I saw a nice ring that I liked so I bought it. I think all of the jewelry stores carried the same jewelry--but it's okay. I didn't pay too much and have a beautiful reminder of my trip here. I also went into a bookstore and found a few guidebooks about Prague. They will help me plan my little field trips around the city.

Well....I've got to get to bed early. I have my survival Czech class pretty early in the morning. I am trying it with another teacher--if I don't get it or have more fun with it, I will drop it and get to have more free time. (It's an hour on Tues, and Thurs.) Cau.