Ship ahoy! Prague's homeless find safe haven on river boat

Prague: For Jaromir Cervenka, the Hermes boat anchored in Prague and accommodating the Czech capital s homeless has become more than a temporary home....

Prague: For Jaromir Cervenka, the Hermes boat anchored in Prague and accommodating the Czech capital's homeless has become more than a temporary home.

The 49-year-old ended up on the street after a divorce more than two decades ago, sleeping on benches or in dormitories.

He moved to Hermes when it opened in February 2007, and he has recently become its paid captain and maintenance worker with his own cabin.

"It's cool to have a place to stay that is warm and where you can wash," Cervenka, a trained blacksmith, told AFP.

Hermes is one of several safe havens for the growing number of homeless people in Prague.