East Euro 2012
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                                                 Weather:   78 - Mostly Sunny  City:  Prague, Czech Republic   Hotel:  Marriott Flora   
                                                            Transport:  Train and Metro
  
Events of the Day
German Spa and USSR remnant day.  Departed Stadt Wehlen for a quick 17 minute regional train trip to Bad Schandau - required visit of the Tuscana Thermal spa.  The two hour visit to the pool complex located directly on the Elbe river was an actual vacation rest and recovery.  As always for a German complex, it was full service with restaurant and multiple pool configurations, including an overhead light show and underwater sound system.  Rates were very reasonable (14 Euros/2 hours, 24 Euros/All Day) and included a RF chip wristband for operating the locker and charging any restaurant orders.  Sure was hard to return to the train.
Just 10 minutes from Bad Schandau was the Czech Republic border - Welcome to remnants of the USSR government.  Replacing the German side of national forests were smoke stack factories and concrete based apartment buildings.  After the 1' 45" train ride, we arrived in the main station - in the process of being restored.  The Belle Epoque type building was covered in soot and most of the stain glass has lost it's luster.  However, the potential is ready to shine again.
One of the easy travel segments within Prague is their Metro system - color coded with simple line names:  A, B, C, or D.  Each car has station name displays and was extremely helpful since pronouncement was not an option.   Escalators at the stations were "ludicrous" speed - moving full traffic lines quickly.  Tickets were priced at 90 minutes ($1.85) or short term 30 minutes ($1.10).
The Metro Flora stop is integrated with a new multi story mall - including an IMAX movie theater.  Located across the street from a mall exit was the Marriott Flora.  Checked in, returned to the mall for an outstanding calzone and pizza dinner, and retired for the evening.
                                                          

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