Dracula Tour Report Day 2: Prague and Beyond

Day Two: Prague and Beyond

Here is where the haze begins to settle into my brain, and I will do my best to describe the next few days as we recover from jet lag and settle into a nice Vampire wine induced stupor.  As we sat in Prague on our layover, there was a silence among our crowd.  Charles noted that on the way back it would be very different, with people laughing and having a great time together (and he was correct).  But for now, the long flight, the hot plane, the lack of sleep, and the long since worn out deodorant all added up to the need for a nice hot shower. 

Razvan

As we loaded into the hotel, a new challenge faced us.  A water main had broken, and there would be no water, and no showers, until after dinner.  Radu said that is was not a problem as “we all smelled natural.”  So we checked in and began to explore this beautiful old building that had been built in the 1600’s.  Having once been a convent, a prison, and even a leper colony, this hotel’s history has created a haunting setting, both inside and outside, with rumors of haunts in the dark and moody halls and the even darker basement.

The sounds of wild dogs howling in the distance, and the one well placed dog skull on the walkway, added to the mood that we were now in the land of the children of the night.

Dinner was served, and afterwards we did a round of introductions,  Each person introduced themselves and spoke of their interest in horror or vampires.  After dinner, the water was indeed running, though my room never managed to get any hot water.  And yet, it was still the best feeling (and fastest) shower I have taken in a long time.  A trip to the bar followed the shower, where we began drinking Vampire wine and increasing the bond between friends.

Some of us tried to watch the movie being shown in the theatre, but to no avail.  Dark and comfortable only led to sleep.  A few more drinks, an exploration of the grounds at night, including the courtyard where they used to hold the executions, and finally it was time for bed.  A few hours of sleep before we had to begin our next days bus journey was welcome.

Though most of us slept well, I did hear that at least one person on the trip reported being shaken awake during the middle of the night.  When they looked around, no one was there.  Who woke him and the identity of the mysterious uniformed stranger in the basement would remain an unsolved mystery, at least until we returned on our final night for another chance to explore this creepy hotel and crack open it’s secrets.

Tomorrow I will continue this report.

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