A Streetcar Named 22

B: .... death.... The opposite is desire. Like that old rattletrap streetcar that bangs up and down the quarter.

S: Haven't you ever ridden on that streetcar?

B: It brought me here!

#22 in the suburbs

#22 at Malostranske Namesti
our stop

My beloved streetcar, tram actually, isn't called “Desire”. In fact it doesn't really even have a name. It is merely number 22, but it clanks and squeals faithfully up and down our quarter and out to the suburbs. It's easy to hop on and off since I bought a 3-month pass. No need to drop coins in a slot or negotiate with the driver for tickets. Just keep the pass in your wallet and ride as often and as far as you want. The pass is also good for the metro and city busses. With those three modes of transport and your own legs you can go pretty much anywhere your heart desires in Prague. A car is entirely unnecessary and would, in fact, be a pain in the derriere since the roads are narrow and cobbled and parking is a nightmare.

The city is a vast spiderweb of trams, the rails like the shimmering threads of a dewey spiderweb backlighted by the early morning sun. The rails share the cobblestone streets with car traffic and from inside tram 22 I am grateful that I don't have to navigate those streets in a car and, heaven forbid, try to find a place to park.

You see odd things on the tram as well as everyday humanity trudging and gliding its way through the day. Just the other day a guy was sitting on the floor of tram 22 playing a guitar and singing. Then his girlfriend (I assume) got up and passed the hat around. Didn't get to me before the door opened and I got off at my neighborhood stop though.

Did I mention that I am madly in love with my tram number 22?