Amazing what a difference a good night’s sleep makes. Woke to hazy sunshine and discovered that my hotel was actually located outside the imposing front entrance of the Berlin Hapthof station, so I needn’t have schlepped round from the back entrance in the rain last night. The Ukrainian refugee centre is also right outside the station entrance.
A steady trickle, rather than a stream, of tired looking families who’d presumably just got off the train was queueing outside.
I just had time for a brisk walk over the river to the Brandenburg Gate and back. The highlight was spotting a red squirrel.
Found the train very seamlessly and even located the right lift so Lottie didn’t have to put her new-found escalator-riding skills into practice. No wagon numbers on the outside but I luckily ended up sitting in my booked seat by sheer accident
The train journey was very comfortable and uneventful. Lottie didn’t get the shakes and I got about four hours’ work done. Passports weren’t checked at the Czech border but the train announcements changed: the one I liked most was “the train is delayed because it was late arriving from abroad”. We have to wear medical grade or nano-fabric masks now. Lottie’s supposed to wear a muzzle but I’m just ignoring that.
Prague main station isn’t well equipped with lifts, but I managed to navigate two massive down and then up escalators to travel 3 stops on the metro. Don’t think I’ll attempt that again without better insurance.
Now sitting in the Old Town Main Square listening to a stirring rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem at a free concert for Ukraine.
My cabbage pancakes with kefir were tasty but almost exactly twice as much as I could actually eat – and I’ve got a big appetite. Lottie is shamelessly making friends as usual
My flat is great. It’s in a courtyard right above a few little bars and has a kitchen and washing machine so I’ll be able to regroup and relax as I’m here for a couple of nights.
Looking forward to a leisurely start tomorrow with no train to catch
2022 and all that 