Fighting the crowds in Prague

Prague, Sunday

I must say that the Radisson SAS have really been very kind to help me get over my disappointment of yesterday. Alexandra even visits me at the hotel’s impressive buffet breakfast to ask how I am feeling. While I am sure they have had many guests in the past who have experienced similar problems, I am also certain I will not be the last.
Prague really must clean up its act or the golden goose will stop laying.
Every time I come here, I find the architecture jaw-droppingly amazing. The city has a lovely feel about it and the pavement culture is super. The tram and metro system is frequent and cheap, which is lucky, because a promised transport card from Czech Tourism hasn’t arrived and, being a weekend, can’t be sorted out until after I have left for Warsaw.
But August is not the time to come. The charm of Prague is completely ruined by the impossible scrum of tourists everywhere. Just like Dubrovnik, here is a tourist destination which needs moderation or it will completely spoil the reason people have come here.
I do make a trip up the old town bridge tower but, although it’s not late in the day, you can hardly move for crowds, so I decide to escape across the river to Mala Strana Park, to take the funicular railway to the top of Petrov Hill. There, the 60 metre-high look out tower, a sort of miniature version of the Eiffel, offers outstanding views across the city. But the locals and the tourists are already out in force and it´s quite clear that a long wait in the sunshine will be necessary. I consult my Time Out and revert to plan B, a visit to the National Technical Museum. Promising everything from steam trains to aircraft and even a coal mine, this looks very promising indeed. No tram or metro goes especially close and it´s a long walk up a steep hill to reach the museum. Which is closed. Zavreno. Geschlossen. Until 2010.
I repair to a local hostelry for a most pleasant and inexpensive chicken salad lunch, but, as I descend the hill, advise several other museum-bound tourists of the closure. I see some local supporters of Sparta Prague heading to the football stadium and I am very tempted to join them.
By the time I get back to Old Town the hordes have become more akin to a football crowd leaving a big match. It´s hot and it´s not at all enjoyable. I am wary of pickpockets and clasp my bag, from which I have put almost everything of value in the hotel safe, tightly to my body.
I escape to the backstreets, find some lovely arcades, lots of interesting-looking eateries and happen upon the Havelska market. When I was last here, it was a really nice place to go and buy produce. Now, like most of central Prague, it´s full of tourist tat.
I´m really disappointed with my experience. I like the place a lot. But on this occasion I´ve experienced the seedy side and the greedy side and that has, for sure, soured my view.
The saving grace, undoubtedly, has been the care shown by the staff at the Radisson who have been great. It´s refreshing to find personnel at a big hotel who really care about their clients.
I´m sure they will choose a different taxi firm to take me to the station in the morning.

You can see all the photos from my trip at: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/MDSouter/MikeSEuropeanRailTrip