What I did not buy this weekend

http://www.lifeintheshortlane.com/

I am going to a conference later this week, associated with my work. The last session ends in the afternoon, and I needed a place to stay for one night, before catching my coach flight back home.

Don't be too sad followers, I will be in Prague, Czech Republic, city of Golden Spires. And plane fares and hotel costs are a steal.

I DID NOT reserve a room at the The Golden Well (U Zlate Studne) which is the highest rated hotel in Trip Advisor for Prague, and the Czech Republic.

"The Golden Well Hotel is a luxury Prague boutique hotel enjoying one of the best locations in the city. The Golden Well Hotel offers a superb choice of luxury Prague accommodation with 17 rooms and 2 suites all reflecting the building's rich heritage and providing our guests with incomparable views, luxurious accommodation, exceptional service and exclusive amenities. The Golden Well Hotel, our luxury Prague hotel is located below the walls of the Prague Castle and surrounded by the Castle rose gardens in the quaint Mala Strana or the "Little Quarter" of Prague. Close to the Prague Castle and the Czech Parliament we are just a short walk away from some of Prague's most impressive sights, including the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, the Royal Gardens, the St. Nicholas Church and the Old Town Square. Guests of The Golden Well Hotel are privileged in the summer months to use the Emperor's private entrance that leads directly to the gardens of the Prague Castle. Wander up the cobbled, traffic-free streets to The Golden Well, clinging to the wall in the shadow of Prague Castle, and you will uncover one of the city's best kept secrets."

"Our elegant U Zlate Studne restaurant (At the Golden Well) offers guests a choice between the intimate main dining room, which seats 26 guests, or the rooftop terrace which is able to seat 38 people. You can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Prague while relaxing by the classic Czech or innovative international cuisine."

All this would cost me (or you) $277 - $320 a night, this summer. Seriously, not bad for what you get. Maybe on an anniversary trip, it sounds so romantic.

Now where to stay? I'm cheap, but middle-aged, so I don't want to stay in a dump. I also DID NOT reserve a room at the 2-star Hotel Fortuna Luna, which at $53 a night provided some previous travelers with blood stained sheets (see Trip Advisor!)

So, with the advice of a friend I am in a 4 star hotel in the Old Town, near to everything, but on a quiet street - so they say. Trip Advisor members liked it too - the Hotel Paris. At $150 - $190 a night (more for suites etc.) it's 'good value' as my mom would say.

Viridian

What I did not buy this weekend

http://www.lifeintheshortlane.com/

Well, I did not buy a book that might be interesting but has an outrageous price tag.

I like quilts and making quilts. I especially like antique quilts and learning more about the history behind them. I may have most of the State quilt history books - Kentucky quilts (one of the first quilt documentation projects), Indiana quilts, Arizona quilts, Massachusetts quilts (amazing!)... and others, about quilts on the Oregon trail, Amish quilts, Mennonite quilts....

So, when visiting Amazon.com recently, I searched for quilt history books. I actually did buy Massachusetts Quilts - an oversized book with amazing quilts, excellent photos and insightful and historically accurate commentary. And I searched for similar books, and found this one:

A similar book published in 2000 on historical quilts in Rhode Island. "Down by the Old Mill Stream: Quilts in Rhode Island". But the price! $1500!!!! This is for a gently used copy. I suppose not many copies were printed, and someone thinks they can get away with this price. Maybe they can, as there is one copy at Alibris, different seller, for the same price. I wish I had bought this book back in 2000, when I first noticed it listed on Amazon.

viridian