My Body Catching up to the Abuse 7/17/08

Wallet: Day 11
New Jeans & Sweatshirt Streak: Day 2

I woke up this morning around 9:30 feeling awful. My throat was throbbing and it felt like I had a slight fever. Going out partying on consecutive nights for more than a week has to eventually catch up with you. After a quick breakfast I headed back to bed, I had zero energy. When I woke up at noon I didn't feel much better. I knew I had to get up - it would be such a waste to not take the day to tour around Prague. So I popped an Extra Strength Tylenol I had in my bag and got moving. Those who know me will understand that it was THAT bad, I never take pain killers so I was in really bad shape.

We headed to the camera store to pick me up a new camera. On the map it looked pretty close to our hostel but I was nowhere near on my game and ended up getting pretty lost. The free maps the hostels provide highlight the big cites but getting to them can be a challenge, considering the street names change ever block in the Czech Republic. While we were walking down a random street that we couldn't pronounce the name of, we found the shop. We walked in and saw the store walls were absolutely plastered with thousands of cameras and cell phones. I managed to find the Casios in the clutter and saw my camera, just in red. I didn't even hesitate, I walked over to the lady sitting at the cash register and in my slowest English told her the camera I wanted. After the confusion you might expect when a Czech is trying to understand an over-excited American, we figured it out and I had my camera. It is the exact same model, with the same battery so now I have a European charger and an extra battery. SOLID!

Happy as I was going to get considering my physical state, we headed towards Wenceslas Square and checked out the Czech National Museum. Just as we were leaving the less than impressive museum, the rain drops started to fall. After a quick look at the map we headed towards the Fredand Ginger Dancing Building, which looked like a ginomous blob. It had to be seen. Once we made it there, the building lived up to its image on the map, it looked like they chose the ugliest piece of the Experience Music Project and moved it to Prague. Wierd to say the least.

We then headed across the river towards the Petrin Tower, which looks a lot like the Eiffel Tower when we looked at it on the map. As we started up the hill towards it, it became very clear to me that I was not in any shape to hike up a huge hill so I told Loyd I had to stay back. I sent a few emails on the BlackBerry and the next thing I knew, Loyd was back from his hike. He wasn't too impressed with the tower, good thing I didn't go.

Around the time we left the base of the hill, that initial dose of Tylenol I took started to wear out and my body started to ache again. We stopped into a pharmacy and I picked up some throat lozenges, hoping they would help me get some rest. On our way home, Loyd was feeling hungry so we stopped into the local American Embassy for a quick bite. You know the embassy I am talking about, the one with two yellow arches and the funny red-headed clown mascot? Good ol' McDonalds! They are EVERYWHERE in Europe. Loyd ordered his Big Mac and was asked, as you would expect, if he wanted a meal. He obliged and the tray started to fill up, starting with fries, the burger box, a fountain drink, a water bottle and a mystery box. Loyd handed the kid behind the counter his credit card and the kid gave him a bewildered look. He walked to the back of the restaurant and got his manager. 10 minutes later, no joke - 10 minutes, Loyd was handed back his credit card with a receipt to sign. We walked over to a table and Loyd started to inspect this mystery box. It turned out to be fried shrimp, RANDOM! Then Loyd got an email from Bank of America, as he typically does when he uses that credit card, and told him how much the meal cost. What he expected to be a cheap bite ended up costing 12 dollars! I couldn't stop myself from laughing, it was a needed relief.

We got back to the hostel and I fell asleep again for a few hours. I felt a little better when I woke up but decided that I had to have a chill night unless I wanted to deal with this cold for a while longer. I got back in bed for good at 10:30 and as much as it sucks to go to bed early in such a big city with so much going on, it was a sacrifice I felt I had to make.

So we are heading to Vienna tomorrow to meet up with my friend Meli. Off to Aussie, just not the one with Kangaroos!