| Plenty of room at the Hotel Califo...um...Olympik Tristar |
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IYLC could be held in a muddy field with the cows and the pesticides for all I care, but fortunately it won't be a glorified camping trip (people would die). CCI has brokered a deal with Hotel Olymplik Tristar, about 10 minutes from Prague city centre by taxi and very accessible by the metro system and tram lines (trams are great, last time some of us went to a party on a tram - try going round corners while trying to dance and take a swig of your Pilsner - no easy feat I assure you). The hotel is a great venue for the conference. With Nearly 130 participants, staff and facilitators CCI takes up a big portion of the hotel. Each room will have two participants sharing, totally at random (although folks, we have to split the sexes - I know, bummer) in twin rooms with en suite facilities. Bedrooms are for sleeping - if you intend to spend much time there you really should go to another conference. The conference rooms are huge as well, with plenty of space for the eventual 'war room' atmosphere that will develop towards the end of the week. There is wireless in all the conference rooms and some bedrooms have access as well, so if people want to bring laptops they would be of great use for research. There is a hotel bar, but it is very expensive. And now I come to the all important commandment: Thy Shall Come To The Toaster. Every conference has its local bar, with cheap drinks and the whole place taken over by us and some very confused locals wondering what has happened to their nice little drinking establishment. People at the 12th IYLC remember Turtle. The 14th IYLC holds the Greek Taverna as a hallowed baston of good times. We have Cafe Toaster, where one night the barman actually nearly cried at 5am when begging us to leave. It is right across the street from the hotel and it is there that we all get to know each other. As weird as it may sound, sometimes you learn a whole lot more about international politics, law, countries and religion from a few pints and Gold Jeltzin in Toaster than during the daily proceedings at the conference. People will always want to head into Prague each night, but I implore you: you will have a much better time at Toaster with all the international folk you NEED to get to know. 130 people, 50 nations, five days, one bar. Its as simple as spark+wood=fire. |




