A Crash Course in Prague
Another Meaningful Life Experience
Today was a quiet Sunday again. I’m beginning to enjoy the concept of doing little to nothing on Sunday’s. Something that I will surely miss about Prague when I return to the States.
I woke up late as usual, feeling way under the weather. I have a cough and my nose is running down my throat... Sudafed tried to catch it, but failed.
At any rate I spent some time helping Veronika learn tricks with her new Mac. She was kind enough to make me a pot of Lady Grey tea, her favorite, and best. I finished the pot, so at least I was hydrated.
At 5 I made the decision to go to IKEA to find myself a good pillow. My neck has been killing me for the past few mornings, and so a good pillow is a sound place to start.
At least it’s better than starting with the pain meds...
IKEA is at a shopping center that is at the last stop on the Metro. I had to run to catch the number 18 tram that would take me to the underground for the “B” line. I went down the HUGE escalator again, this time I took a picture from the bottom... Most disconcerting.
I ride the metro to the last stop, and catch the free bus that takes you the 2/3 mile or so to the shopping center. And I walk into the giant Swedish phenomena called IKEA.
Begin Meaningful Life Experience.
I wandered up the stairs to the showroom... not realizing it was the showroom.
I followed the giant arrows on the floor that guide you through the store. It’s all in Czech. I am getting better at understanding Czech, yet the endings of the words are all different because they aren’t using the words in the typical sense... Don’t ask. It confuses the hell out of me.
I had procured a pamphlet with a map of the store, all in Czech... 15 minutes of confusing floor plans I arrive at the bedroom sets in the SHOWROOM...
Still not realizing this is the showroom... to think that I’m getting a degree in May...
I muster up the guts to walk up to one of the sales associates and greet him in Czech. I then pointed to the piece of paper that had the name of the pillow I found on the website... the website that was all in Czech. He simply pointed down... and said “downstairs” in Czech. I questioned, “Downstairs” in English. He nodded and repeated, “Downstairs” in English.
This is when I realized that I was in the showroom. I’m a real winner.
I find the section that says “Textil” which obviously translates into something similar to “textiles.” I find the pillows. I’m looking for the Gosa Navak/Karna... Whatever the hell that actually means.
And after 20 plus minutes of looking at pillows I realize that you have to buy them separately. One is the Gosa Nava (filled with 90% goose down, 10% feathers) and the other is the Gosa Karna (the memory foam insert). Notice how the ending of the goose part is different than the original product description.
I now need a pillow case. After figuring out which ones were the pillow cases I realize that they are for decoration, not for sleeping... the ones that are for sleeping come as a set with a duvet cover. I find one with a suitable pattern... in white... and decide that after another 15 minutes of trying to figure out which ones were the softest that I had more than enough IKEA.
I then move to find the checkout... This takes me another 10 minutes of wandering around, blindly following the arrows. I pick a register that seems pretty generic, hoping that it’s not a “cash only” line. After doing a dance to try and figure out which side I was supposed to walk along, the cashier was kind enough to point.
At this point I must have had one of those incredibly distressed looks... After all I have just spent an hour trying to find a pillow and a case. She rings it thru and says something to me in Czech...
The distressed look intensifies.
I respond, “I’m Sorry?” in Czech.
She responds in English. “I’m sorry” and punches in some numbers... either a zip code or a fake phone number, reading the fact that I’m hopelessly lost and confused.
Relief.
She runs my card, and asks me to sign, in Czech, but I know how to do this in any language.
I take the bag that I had to buy to transport my goods (for a whopping 39 kc) and fill it with my pillow pieces, and the duvet cover. Thank the cashier and smile. She thanks me, and smiles in return. Her kindness made the whole experience so much more pleasant in the end... even if the process was painful.
I headed home, and an hour later I was taking the pillow and duvet cover that cost me 1917 kc, and putting them on my bed.
That was the most EXPENSIVE pillow of my life. $112 USD.
But my neck won’t hurt as much tomorrow!
I had dinner at the local pub... It’s affectionally being called “The Ashtray” for the way your clothes smell when you leave. I wouldn’t go there for that reason, but the food is awesome, and the prices are cheap.
But tonight it’s feathery goodness.
On tap this week is a Czech haircut. I’ll have before and after pictures of that snafu.
And I have to figure out “As I Lay Dying” by Faulkner.
And nail down the accommodations for the family...
Among other fun and exciting things.
Oh yeah. Get healthy.