With: Raphaëlle (french), Carlos (Spanish) et Matt (American)

This page is almost as blue as the sky was in Prague. Fine weather, my friends and I had expected it to snow!

At the airport, I get into a little skirmish as I arrive 20 mins before boarding and the check-in counter is already closed. The Air Franc personnel refuse to let me through and I am almost in tears. My friends board and I almost have no choice but to return for the earliest flight the next morning. Then the gallant knight appears in the form of a captain in his still white uniform. He explains that often the newbies at work follow the rules strictly and don't know how to adapt to the circumstances. One day, I might well be a greenhorn too.

We arrive at the Prague airport at 22h30. The case of equipement is duly declared and we head to the information counter. Mini-bus for 360 crowns and a taxi for 600. We opt for the former and we're on our way!

The hotel is fantastic. The address is : Hotel Novotel Praha City: Katerinska 38 12000 Praha 2, Tel +420 (2) 21104 999, Fax: +420 (2) 21104888.

We return to the airport to meet Matt. We wait almost one hour due to delays in baggage claims. Budget informs us that the car has been booked from the next day but we explain that we need it immediately.

Matt is the only one who can drive legally (Did u know that in Europe, you need to have had the licence for 2 years before being authorised to drive?)

At Kolin, we are received by Lenka, a tall, blond Czech national fascinated by France and its culture. She is the quality manager of the factory which manufactures tubes. Bet you didn’t know how Colgate tubes are made?

Once we arrive at the Kolin hotel, the car starts to smoke. The receptionist remarks that I'm the first Singaporean to stay there. 40 winks and we're off to a dinner in a Czech resto near the jewish ghetto. The food is fabulous. The bread dumplings are nice!

We make up half the crowd in the disco. I had tried Budweiser during dinner and I order a Pilsner Urquel, the favourite beer of Matt. I'm certainly not a connaisseur.

We return to Novotel in Prague and we're greeted by the same receptionist as Wed night who speaks fluent french. Raff has an under-equiped room and she gets a corner room as compensation. Guess where we hold our meetings?

The pizza is good, albeit a little salty but I remember my grog (rum +sugar+ apple) better. Supposedly works wonders for the throat. Wish I could have one now (26 Feb 2001, 00:58) to get rid of my sore throat now. I had 3 in all that night, the additional ones in each bar we popped into after the resto.

Old Town and in particular, Prague Castle across the oldest bridge in Prague, Charles Bridge. The climb up to the monastery where "the most romantic restaurant in Prague" is found whets up an appetite. The restaurant is set in a medieval cave but the prices are certainly high! The food is mediocre, someone has gotta to write to Frommer's to let them know!

We catch the end of the change of guard in front of the Prague Castle.

We distribute the articles to write in Raff's room.

That night, we're ready to party, especially Carlos in his neon blue shirt.

Dinner is at "Red Hot & Blues", a restaurant recommended by The Prague Post. The address of the resto: Jakubska 12, Prague 1 (derrière le centre commercial Kotwa) Matt, as usual, leads us there. I try my first margarita. And I decide that I prefer the frozen version. According to Matt, the nachos are not tip-top. Gotta go to the United States to try .

A slow crescendo begins with a bar with a French name nearby, followed by the Banana Café where girls in tight leather dance in the window.

On commence doucement avec un bar tout près du resto, avec un nom français que je ne me rappelle plus. Non, je n'étais pas bourrée.

The disco Roxy has a slightly familiar smell of Amsterdam. We get out of there after 3 mins.

Finally, we arrive at the "biggest disco in Middle Europe". With 4 floors of music and a cloak room, it's certainly of an impressive size. Unfortunately, we still hadn't found the best disco in Middle Europe.

Time for tea at 3 o'clock in the morning. At Pizza Roma's, I try my first tiramisu…

Everyone is tired and we sleep in. Matt and I visit the Jewish cemetery and I learn tons about the history of Jews in Europe.

Work discussion on the articles which we read to each other and exchange ideas on.

A chinese set meal is taken at the Peking Restaurant (Metro: IP Pavlova) near the hotel and recommended by the receptionist. They offer me 2 menus, one adapted to foreigners and other only in Chinese. The price is also different. J Hope I find some place as good as that one in Paris!

1h10 min before departure at the airport, the check-in counter hasn't even opened yet.

I have 700 crowns with me and I spend them on gifts for family and friends.

The departure is heavily delayed but I had a most enjoyable flight home.