When plans don't quite work out, go with the flow!

When I finally got on my way to the first site, it was after 3:30pm.  I had been travelling since 5:30AM that morning.  You would have thought I flew halfway around the world.  That's what happens when you fly with Ryanair, or as I call them now, PainInTheAir. 

I knew from past experience that Ryanair flies to airports outside the main city.  I factored in 2 hours additional to get from the airport to the city when it took me over 3 hours.  I had planned on going on WWII walking tour of the city that departed at 2pm.  That was out the window.  The second day I planned on going on a 3 hour walking tour of the city that started at 11AM.  Ludek calculated that I'd need to be on at least the 12pm bus back to Brno to make my 5pm flight.  So that was also out the window. 

So much for my plans!

I mounted the steep hill that led up to the castle.  I think the way up to the castle is meant for horses more than for human feet.  Its incredibly steep and I had to pause a couple of times on the way up to catch my breath.  (Plug for traveling: travel while your feet still work!). 

Unfortunately, instead of entering the castle, I entered the palace instead.  It was the first ticket window sign I saw and I popped inside, bought a ticket and realized it was the Lobokwich palace.  Another plan frustrated.

Views of Prague's city center from the castle

The inside was room after room of portraits of the noble family.  I was provided with an audio guide, narrative by William Lobkowich.  It was an incredibly nauseating experience for me to listen to William Lobkowich brag about all the money that his family has.  "Look at the portrait of my great grandfather.  You can see the delicate silver woven in his robe.  This is a sign of great wealth". Or "Look at the large emerald ring on my ancestors finger.  On special occasions, my mother still wears that ring today".  Or, "Its a proud thought for me to know that it was my great great grandfather who made it possible for Beethoven to write the 5th symphony".  There was even a section in the museum on their pet dogs which Mr. Lobkowich mother emphasized were "portraits" in that you could tell which dog what which.  Seeing that the Lobkowichs are so rich, why in the world am I paying to go inside their palace?  I'm making them even wealthier.

The coolest part of the room for me was the music room where maybe 20 old violins and flutes were on display.  I thought, how many violins does one person need? 

Eventually I grew tired of the bragging.  I started imagining what life would have been like.  I imagined myself as a young girl, running up and down the palace halls, yelling for my mom or my sisters, looking out the palace windows at the great city views. 

Its one thing I have been disgusted with at being in England and that is seeing how wealthy some people are by mere inheritance.  At least in America the extremely weathly people earned it from enterprenurship and then it stayed in the family.  In England, its seems that the wealthy people were luckly enough hunders of years ago to know the king or be of some noble family.  It can make you angry but then I thought about what I would do all that extra money if I had it.  I may not wear expensive jewerely but how much does that really add to quality of life?  I may not live in a big house but would that really make my life that much better at the end of it?  I've done nearly everything I've wanted to do and I've traveled so much that it really doesn't matter to me if I don't have millions of dollars in a bank account.

After the palace, I walked futher up the hill and finally made it to the castle.  It was much to late to go inside.  I was really upset about not being able to see much that I wanted to find an internet cafe to see if I could get a cheap flight out of Prague later the next day.  I also picked up a brochure for a beer tour and thought that would be a great way to see more of the city and to meet some people.