I think the honking woke Betsy up as she started talking again. To make a long story shorter, while following Betsy's directive I was pulled over by the local Polizei. It turns out Betsy sent me (and several other unsuspecting tourist) down a street reserved for taxis and buses. The young cop didn't speak muchEnglish. When I asked what did I do wrong, he showed me photos of the signs I had ignored on his cell phone/camera. I pointed to Betsy and said "she told me to" he shook his head and once again showed me the photo of the two signs I had ignored. So I asked him, 'what should I do?"
He kept repeating "the minimum fine is 500 czech Kronas, the maximum fine is 2000 czech Kronas".
"So what do you want me to do?"
Finally he blurted it out, "Pay me!"
"Ok, so will you take dollars?"
"No, just Kronas."
"How about plastic?"
"No just Kronas."
"I have no Kronas, I just got here and I'm trying to park."
"Go to teller."
"What teller?"
"That teller?"
"I don't see it."
"Over there, that teller'" and he points across the road.
"I'm not going alone, you have to go with me." silence...tears...he talks to his supervisor in Czech and nods.
"Ok."
"What about the car?"
"It is ok to leave." (Apparently, it is ok to leave the car in the middle of the street, but not ok to drive down a taxi only lane...omg.) So we head off to the teller, me sniffling as loud as I can (for sympathy, and get none, but at least he looks uncomfortable). I withdrew 500 CK from the teller and gave it to him. When I returned to the hotel I grilled the desk clerk on specific, detailed directions to the parking garage. By the time I finished with him he he was two shades paler and wiping sweat from his brow (or did I imaginne that?) We found the garage right where she said, right and right, that is if the road wasn't under construction. By now it was 9 pm, getting dark and theatre goers were leaving the opera. Although the hotel room is relatively cheap 79 Euros, the parking will cost almost as much. The two good things about my Prague experience, a bottle of Chardonnay costs less than a traffic ticket and the wireless internet connection was good and so far "free"
He kept repeating "the minimum fine is 500 czech Kronas, the maximum fine is 2000 czech Kronas".
"So what do you want me to do?"
Finally he blurted it out, "Pay me!"
"Ok, so will you take dollars?"
"No, just Kronas."
"How about plastic?"
"No just Kronas."
"I have no Kronas, I just got here and I'm trying to park."
"Go to teller."
"What teller?"
"That teller?"
"I don't see it."
"Over there, that teller'" and he points across the road.
"I'm not going alone, you have to go with me." silence...tears...he talks to his supervisor in Czech and nods.
"Ok."
"What about the car?"
"It is ok to leave." (Apparently, it is ok to leave the car in the middle of the street, but not ok to drive down a taxi only lane...omg.) So we head off to the teller, me sniffling as loud as I can (for sympathy, and get none, but at least he looks uncomfortable). I withdrew 500 CK from the teller and gave it to him. When I returned to the hotel I grilled the desk clerk on specific, detailed directions to the parking garage. By the time I finished with him he he was two shades paler and wiping sweat from his brow (or did I imaginne that?) We found the garage right where she said, right and right, that is if the road wasn't under construction. By now it was 9 pm, getting dark and theatre goers were leaving the opera. Although the hotel room is relatively cheap 79 Euros, the parking will cost almost as much. The two good things about my Prague experience, a bottle of Chardonnay costs less than a traffic ticket and the wireless internet connection was good and so far "free"
OMG What a terrible experience!!!!
ReplyDeleteI guess you wont be going back there!!!
I guess the cop put the money directly in his pocket!!!
Live and learn????
Miss you all
Margie and Knut