My first few hours in the Czech Republic have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. Arriving early and easily finding the way to the centre of Prague was a relief; I’m here with Emma for just three days and I want to make the most of it.

I booked two nights at the Irish Club Hostel. Its website insisted it really was a lovely place to stay and had some great photos to boast. However, I think I’m going to have to start being a bit pickier about where I stay in future: All the doors are locked, there are no lights and no sign of life. On a positive note, there is a small sticker with a telephone number that guests can ring. We’re told to wait 10 minutes…

An hour and several calls later, there’s still no one to help and I’m getting very angry and impatient. A wander around the block doesn’t help as there are no other hotels nearby. Just as I’m ready to catch a taxi to the nearest hotel, a text message tells me that there’s a problem and no one can arrive for a couple of hours. ‘Go get a coffee and come back at 2pm. Very sorry.’ It says.

Fortunately, there’s a cracking pizzeria around the corner and the time flies, with some absurdly cheap pizzas and beers. The hostel is open on our return and I’m too relieved to argue. After dumping our things, we head to the city centre.

Walking through the Letná park and the Jewish area in the old town, I’m already forgetting about the problems at the hostel. The weather is holding up and Prague is not the overcrowded city that I’ve been warned about. We head towards the main square (I’m stopped by a friendly chap asking me how he can turn off his camera flash!) and already I’m ready to climb the Old Town Hall tower There seems to be something magnetic between tall buildings and me – it’s all I ever seem to do when I’m somewhere new!

Unfortunately, the security guard isn’t keen on the idea of my tripod accompanying me up the tower. He wants me to leave it with him. Funnily enough, he doesn’t ask what is in my rucksack. For all he knows, I could have a rifle and I’m paying the 100czk so that I can have some target practice. I guess he thinks it’d be all too easy with a tripod.

Anyway, Emma isn’t a fan of heights so she guards the tripod whilst I go up. The climb itself is pretty impressive and the views are fantastic especially as Prague doesn’t seem to have been ruined by too many modern buildings.

Back at ground level, we decide it’s time for a beer stop – we are in the Czech Republic after all! The pubs are absolutely everywhere, but they are all quite unique and with a selection of interesting looking lagers. Inside one, I’ve got one eye on the choice of beers and another on an old man who is sitting on his own, propped up by one hand and a cigarette in the other. He has a depressed gaze, which doesn’t change at all each time he struggles to take another sip of his beer. I really want to talk to him but Emma is already uncomfortable enough that I’m surreptitiously taking photos.

The day has passed quickly and it’s already dark outside. I’m not a big fan of tours, especially when we’re stretched for time, but the ‘Ghost Walk’ does sound quite appealing. It starts around the corner so we join the small group. The tour guide speaks with a quiet voice, often making jokes to herself that she seems to love. The ghost stories are just as you’d expect and the occasional surprise appearance of a ‘guest ghost’ keeps us all amused, but the best part of the tour is actually the route she takes us. The cobbled streets are narrow and winding. Every building, from private homes to commercial buildings, restaurants and bars, has its own sense of style and you really can’t get bored just walking around.

It’s not particularly late, but we’re starving, so we look around for a restaurant. The choice is massive but we hit the jackpot with a tiny little place with just four tables and a waiter in a tuxedo offering us one of the best meals I’ve had in years. The red wine, from Southern Czech Republic, goes straight to my head and by the time we’re done I feel like I could take on the locals in a drinking competition! However, my legs aren’t up to it and 19 hours after we first woke to head for the airport, the next stop is the hostel.

12th January 2007 – Praha

After a well-needed rest, it’s time to go to Prague’s castle on the west side of the river. The castle is impressive, although once again I’m told off by security. This time it’s an over-enthusiastic guard who doesn’t like me opening the windows to take photos. He’s pretty well armed so I close the window and give him the thumbs up.

Everywhere I go, I’m told not to use flash and I’m constantly reminded that I’m not allowed to use my tripod. I think it’s a bit over the top, especially as one has to pay to get a ‘photo sticker’ allowing you to take photos. Things get even more ridiculous in one area of the castle where I’m told I have to hand in my backpack (with all my camera equipment) before going any further. I refuse and subsequently don’t get to see that part of the castle.

The Lonely Planet guide book says that the Golden Lane is over-rated, but I couldn’t disagree more. The shops are built into the castle wall and are very picturesque. Just next to it is the torture dungeon, with some horrible-looking devices that would have anyone screaming for a lawyer.

After a quick lunch, we head further south towards the Mala Strana area. It seems less touristy than the east side of the river, but I think this is just because it has fewer pubs for the groups of beer-guzzling groups of lads! I particularly like a narrow path we come across, which is so tight that it has its own traffic lights for pedestrians!

Before this trip, I read about a wall which has been dedicated to John Lennon. People are allowed to write their messages for the late musician and although the guide book opted to omit it from their things to see in Prague, I really wanted to. However, this holiday has sprung up rather quickly and I completely forgot to find out where it was in Prague. So you can imagine my delight when we took a wrong turn and found it! It was much bigger than I expected and the graffiti ranged from the odd lyric and scribble, to large colourful pictures and even a 3d mould. The only downside is that I had the song Imagine stuck in my head for the rest of the afternoon!

We see the memorial to lives lost to communism and then take the funicular up to the top of Mala Strana (thanks to the very kind couple who gave us spare change, when the funicular staff wouldn’t!) There’s a tall lookout point and a mirror maze that unfortunately are both only open at the weekend. Nonetheless, the view from the hill is superb and we stroll back down towards the Little Quarter. There’s an inviting café with some funky decorations so we have a break and have a round of coffee then beers.

After a day and a half of being in Prague, we finally go towards the Charles Bridge. I’m determined to get a classic shot of the bridge. I’ve seen some very good ones, but most of them are taken in thick fog, or with particular characters on the bridge itself. I’m out of luck since it’s a clear evening and the bridge is absolutely full of drunk tourists on their way to bars.

I think the camera-phone is going to create some kind of step in human evolution, since everyone seems to walk around with their right arm extended, oblivious of anything around them except what’s on their two-inch camera screen.

The surplus water, coffee and beer is taking its toll and we’re both keen to find a toilet. Apart from at the castle, every toilet stop is charged, with rates from a pointless 2kr all the way up to a rather steep10kr (bearing in mind that half a litre of beer costs around 25kr!) Mind you, there’s so much dog piss all over the streets, a few drunks taking a pit stop wouldn’t make much difference!

A woman’s absurdly loud laugh forces an English couple to complain at our next restaurant. It doesn’t bother me though as I plough my way through another meal. Once again, the beer is strong and I boldly claim that I’m going to get up early and walk (half an hour) to the Charles Bridge for a dawn photograph. We jump in a cab (make sure you get an AAA taxi in Prague – we nearly made the mistake of choosing another company at three times the price) and head to the hostel in the hope that an early(ish) night will help me wake at 5am.

13th January 2007 – Praha

6am. Charles Bridge, Prague. I wouldn’t mind if I knew when dawn was going to break. Or if it wasn’t so damn cold. Fortunately, there’s practically no one here. It’s not surprising really…

At 07.12 I take my first photo. Dawn has clearly passed; it’s just that the clouds are so thick it is blocking most of the light. I’m disappointed and yet quite chuffed. The difference between this morning and last night on this famous location is unbelievable. It really lets you appreciate it and although I didn’t get anything near the classic orange horizon I was hoping for, I would have kicked myself if I hadn’t tried. After all, I didn’t come here to sleep!

It also lets you appreciate coffee when you find a bar open and you’re numb from the cold! After a long, slow and warm breakfast, we walk northbound towards the castle. Yesterday, we missed out the Saint Vitus Cathedral and apparently there’s another great tower to climb! And great it is. Nearly 300 non-stop steps but the view is worth every one.

The plan was to head back towards the Petrin tower and the mirror maze, but rather than go down from the castle and then go up the funicular, we take the direct route up the hill. Unfortunately it is so tiring that the prospect of climbing a further 60m up the viewpoint isn’t quite so appealing! We entertain ourselves in the small mirror maze and then decide to head down the hill again. Once again find ourselves in the same coffee bar as yesterday, but it’s a brief stop before entering the St. Nicholas Church. Inside is some impressive ceiling art, but it’s the golden statues that really stick out. However, it’s not too long before I start thinking about food again…

The guide book says there’s a good pizza joint in the new town. Funnily enough, the new town is actually about 700 years old; it’s just that it was named long after the old town had been established! The pizza restaurant is brilliant too; delicious food and once again the strong beer is tastier than anything you’d find in London.

We decide to take the underground back to the hostel, whose platforms remind me of the Russian subway, albeit a little less glamorous. Before we know it we’re back at Prague’s airport and once again I’m cursing the stupidity of those in authority. For some reason, we’re told that our water bottle has to be thrown away before entering the gate (the hand luggage is scanned at the gate). However, anyone who has purchased duty free, is allowed to take it onboard. This seems rather illogical to me, since I would assume that if you have the knowledge and ability to get your hands on liquid explosives, then you probably have the know-how to seal it in a bottle of Tia Maria…