Pardon me?! :p

It will be great seeing you twice in eight months.

Finally able to clear the calendar and confirm my attendance. Taking the roundabout way to PRG: CMH-YYZ-IAD-FRA-PRG on an award ticket no doubt :rolleyes: Would have been a somewhat decent mileage run.

Now gotta work on da hotel, but OMG the weak dollar is creating some very interesting hotel rates for da Yanks right now :rolleyes: Will most likely take residence at the Sheraton and hope for the Buck to stage a rally in the next few weeks. Plan to join the Bday celebration on Friday, and as always, will be good connecting with old friends and meeting new ones.

I fly into Prague on June 4th (land June 5th) and I'm so excited!

I've at last booked my flights - arriving at 14:15 on Friday 10th and departing at 14:50 on Sunday 12th. Staying at the Hilton. Please move me to confirmed.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Cheers.

Me too!

And a trip to Cafe Angelato is definitely in the works.

I am still coming to the Do but I just cancelled my reservation at the Hilton.

Frankly, it just didn't make economic sense to me.

I found a nice 4 star hotel which is not Hilton quality but does have several advantages:

1. It is in a better location.
2. It gives a breakfast buffet.
3. It has a shuttle bus from the airport.

The main reason that I changed, however, was because of the price/points. It is going to cost me $630 for the 6 nights. The Hilton would have cost me 157,500 points. To buy those points from Hilton would cost $1575. Now I can use them to stay in a city (New York?) where I can not possibly find a decent hotel for $630 for six nights.

A cheap Hilton property in Manhattan (Hampton Inn) would cost me $2154 (or 180,000 points) for 6 nights in December. The Waldorf Astoria would run $3714 or 270,000 points.

I currently have 172,000 points and the refund of the 157,500 brings me to 329,500. That means I could spend six nights at the Hilton New York for 225,000points and still have 104,500 points left over for a three night stay at the Hilton Frankfurt to go to the Frankfurt Advents Do on my way to the States.

the_happiness_store was looking for an inexpensive hotel. You might want to PM him to let him know which hotel you picked as an alternative to the Hilton.

Cheers.

Actually, because he is traveling with his son, I have an even better hotel for him.

Thanks to both of you. I already had rooms booked.
We are scheduled to land at 4:20pm on the 10th but should just need to check in and head out since we will have changed in MUC.

See everybody soon.

Maybe one of these days I'll run into you in Charlotte. Seems I run into you everywhere else in the world!

Quick questions for Prague experts:

1. How much do American cigarettes cost in Prague?

2. I understand they can be bought cheaply at the airport and brought in. Is that only for flights arriving from outside the EU?

3. How much do you tip in restaurants, for taxis, and for bellboys?

I've changed my flight to Friday and have a Thursday night (June 9) res at the Courtyard Prague Airport for CZK$821 (USD$48) all in. Let me know well before Thursday 6pm local time if you need/want it.

Aren't some of you going to be in IST?
Should you have time you can take a day trip to the Dardanelles or canakkale (chaanakale) the Troy of Greek history. I never made the Dardanelles but Troy was something I did that I realized was worthwhile.

Yes - headed to IST as well.. how long of a day trip is that? The other individual headed there might be able to squeeze that in her Itinerary. I'm wanting two good restaurants (G_G recommended one) - and want to see The Whirling Dervishes. Any good gelato there?