Carol Stops a Train

There is no reason for us to get up early or rush this morning. Our train does not leave until 0949 and I bought our tickets in advance on line before we left for the trip. It is a combination train and bus ride to Kraków. We have an hour train to Ostrava and then 30 minutes to catch the bus to Kraków. We get to the station on time after stopping to buy soda and pastries at the store and a sandwich for lunch at the station. This leaves me with 3 CZK left over, about 1.3 cents.
Unfortunately, our train does not arrive on time, and by the time we leave, our 30 minute window is down to 15 minutes. We lose a little more time along the way and when we have about 15 minutes to go, I go to the bathroom as I know there are most likely no stops for the 2 hour and 15 minute bus ride. More information than you may want to know, but pertinent in this situation, I try and sit. I feel the train pull into a station I know is one before ours, and we sit there. When I am done sitting, I get up, and walk back to the train car. Carol is not there, and people are yelling at me and about me. This stop is a suburb of Ostrava and has Ostrava in the name. Apparently, Carol thought we were supposed to get off, and then could not find me. She looked in the wrong bathroom and I was not there, so she argued with the conductor that the train could not leave, she has lost her husband. I find her by the door, pretty hysterical, and tell her we do not get off here. (Note from carol: Charlie always tells me specifically about stops & time etc. We were both a little tired today and he forgot to tell me . I really thought something happened to him. It was a really horrible feeling! He has since made it up to me! Lol)
While I walk through our car to get to her, people are not happy because she delayed our already late train. One lady yells at me, if I miss my train because of you, I will be PISSED! I decide it is best if we stand by the door until the next and last stop. The train starts moving and when we get to Ostrava, we have about 4 minutes to get out of the train station and find our bus. We are not the only ones sprinting with our packs and or luggage. Luckily, there are signs along the way pointing to Cesky Bus Kraków. When we get outside, the signage disappears and we look around to try and figure things out. I see people running towards the edge of the bus area and we start to head that way. I catch a glimpse of another sign and we move a little faster getting to the bus at 1115. Since Carol delayed the train there are about 12 other people getting on huffing like us. The crisis is averted as we board and find our seats. My wife has managed to add excitement to the norm of train travel. She may be on some Czech watch list now so we will have to be careful when we return.
She is still visibly upset and she sits across from me so we can spread out since the bus is not full. The whole thing was kind of humorous to me and I do my best to remain sympathetic. I am just happy that we made our connection.

Kraków at Night

The bus ride is uneventful, I write, and Carol does not lose me. We get to Kraków and walk across the street from the bus station to the train station. We have a few tasks to accomplish here. First, is to buy our tickets to Vienna in 5 days so I get on a fairly long line for that while Carol sits with our stuff. The ticket agent does not speak much English, but I have written down date, time of departure, destination and 2 kasa ( tickets). He confirms as best he can and starts typing away and banging on his touch screen. It is not a modern touch screen and he bangs hard. Then he is putting paper in a printer of old which take sit time typing onto it. More banging and then a blank ticket is put in and printed on, followed by more banging, and another ticket is put in. The whole time he is referring to his ” cheat sheet” before he bangs away. This process takes over 5 minutes. Then he goes over the times, connections, car, and seat, highlighting each on the ticket and I confirm for two people. No, he has done one, so now the process starts all over again for our second ticket. I just smile a lot, happy just to be here. Finally, our tickets are in hand and I put them in my pack. Now I go off to find an ATM which luckily is much more automated than the train ticket system.
Showing Carol, I did not run away, we head out of the station through a very modern mall. We find our way to the apartment reception area, only about a half mile from the station. The girl is very friendly, offering us chocolates while I fill in our information. She runs the credit cards and ask if I want to pay in zlotnys or U.S. Dollars and I tell her zlotnys. She hands me the receipt which has 1250 PLN ( for Polish zlotnys) on it.

Our Studio Apartment

We go up to the studio apartment and are very pleased with it. It has a small balcony and is in a totally enclosed courtyard so city and street noise will not be an issue. They have stocked the fridge with juice, beer, chocolate, cream for coffee, and bottled water. There is a washing machine which always makes Carol happy.
It is only around 1530, but we decide to just relax here for the afternoon and than go out to dinner. We have decided to try a place in the old part of town, that is not too far from our place. It is a nice comfortable evening and we stroll by a park and and then along a main pedestrian thoroughfare where the restaurant is supposed to be. Somehow we pass it by and so we turn around. We see why we passed it by as the name and entrance is hidden by a portal on the main street. We go in and ask for a table but with no reservation, they only have outside in the patio. We accept these terms and are led outside. It is a very nice courtyard so we are happy with our seats.

Dinner in the Courtyard

We order pierogies, Carol gets a chicken dish, and I get wild boar in a draconian pretzel with a gravy. The pierogies are fried and not what we were expecting, but they are good. Carol likes her meal but I think mine is just alright. Nothing to make me go wow, and the meat is just ok. Nothing like the wild boar we had in Italy on our last trip.
After dinner, we walk off our meal, exploring a little and hanging in the town square. We are liking the feel of the city and look forward to exploring it tomorrow. It has been a relaxing day except for the train incident. Carol is on a trouble streak the last two days so I can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!
Expenses
Soda and pastries 33 CZK
2 Sandwiches at Train Station 40 CZK
Train/bus to Krakow 612 CZK
Happy Guest Studio Apartment 250 PLN
Dinner at Miod Malina 120 PLN
Dessert at cafe Mini 16 PLN
Bottle of Wine from Market. 14 PLN
Walked 4 Miles