We’ve had this trip booked for months and the girls were really looking forward to seeing Madonna. I was more interested in seeing Prague but Madge was an added bonus. I guess we were all disappointed.

Prague itself is brilliant but its over run by Russian & European tour groups so it wasn’t pleasant in the old town really. The city itself is amazing, the astronomical clock is impressed and so are the various buildings around the city. It was a shame that many are also covered up with renovations but overall I would definitely go back. We found a local pub and meat house and after a few visits there I’d say the kg’s on my belly were building - some of the best pork I have ever had - my faith in pork has been revived after going right off it in Kiev.

Dash and I spent time wandering around the parks and things around the royal palace and that was some relief from the throngs. We also took time out drinking Mojito’s watching the crowds go by and also found some spots to rest under the shade of the tree’s next to the Elbe.

We had one day visiting Dresden which Dash was looking forward to as her mum was pregnant with her when she lived there. In a way Dasha was coming home. Highlights were the art gallery - stunning - but the downside were the tourists - 1000’s of them - and souvenir stands. We were surprised by the small size of the old town and it was a shame really that it was overun. Winter is the time to go I think.

Thursday night was Madonna night and we had a tough time. We got out to the venue (outdoor old quarry) at about 6pm - an hour before Paul Oakenfield came on - I was looking forward to that! Unfortunately, they had muppets organising security and logistics so it took 1.5 hrs to get in - we queued, and queued, and queued - and then got really fed up to find it was for nothing. A real shame, because the tickets we had were the best but after standing for so long already we had not a lot of energy by the concert start. What we saw of Paul was great and the stage and light show for Madge was awesome but somehow there was something missing. We left pretty disappointed and tired and the best stage of the night was the bed in the Ibis when we got back.

To cap it off, our flights to Kiev were delayed by 2 hours so we got home at 2.30am - with work at 7. Nice.. but I’d go back to Prague again.

p.s ... and we only ran into any English stags!