So, the Bourgeois Bohemians finally make it to Bohemia.
Faced with the same quandary as last summer, namely where to park ourselves while our dear Pax sits in rain, lightning storms and crushing heat, we decided on Europe once again.
Starting with a few weeks in Prague, Czech Republic. Valerie has been curious about this eastern European city since childhood. And as luck would have it, sister Jody and niece Amanda were able to join us for nearly a week exploring the city.
We rented a one bedroom flat in a perfect location: right near the Vltava River in the Old City, but away from the hordes of tourists that grace Prague’s Castle area, central Square and famous Charles Bridge. We were in a fairly upscale, vibrant neighborhood, with the so-convenient public trams and metro steps from our door. The ground floor Cafe was perfect: excellent food, a chill vibe and coffee brewed with serious decorum in vacuum pots, the latest rage.
Oddly, coffees and espressos in this neck of the woods are always served with an accompanying shot of fizzy water.
Our apartment windows are located, above, right behind the green banner on the building.
An afternoon in one of the City Squares
It’s easy to see why the tourists flock here nowadays. Architecturally, the city is a marvel. The country managed to bend the knee to the nearest dictator, hum idly and stare into space, or otherwise do what it took to avoid being bombed and decimated during countless struggles including two World Wars. So its gothic architecture has survived largely intact through the centuries.
No matter which way you turn, it looks like you are in Fantasyland, with a skyline of fairy castles.
That is, as long as you ignore the graffiti…
It is simply everywhere. In the most upscale corners of town, on the fanciest buildings and on every private home, restaurant and rubbish bin.
Even on post-Communist memorials
Under the communist regime, penalties for defacing property were severe. So ever since, the youth has been going crazy, scrawling happily all over every surface. It’s nothing gang related or hostile, just freedom of expression taken to the nth degree. Most people aren’t happy about it by any means, but the government is very reluctant to enforce against it in a nation still raw from the repression of the prior regime.
After only a day or two of getting oriented, Jody and Amanda arrived in town.
We spent the next 6 days exhausting ourselves, enjoying the sights of Prague and environs.
On the city Tram
A challenge to read the signs quickly, with long names and all those diacritics!
We checked off all the must-see places…
… like Prague’s Castle and St. Vitus’ Cathedral
A guard at the Castle. Not as much pomp as Buckingham Palace, but they do stand stock-still – a wonderment to all children – and change every hour.
Fruit, especially pears like above, grows all over and is free for the taking.
At the end of each day, we’d find some likely spot to sample cocktail hour…
…and enjoy dinner together and a lovely sunset.
Prague’s cuisine was a very pleasant surprise. Traditional Czech dishes are a bit on the heavy side compared to how we normally eat, although well prepared and tasty. Emphasis on sausages (ick from Val, yum from Stan), dumplings and ham. But in contrast to Mexico and Central America, the Czech people are adventuresome with regard to food and there are various ethnic dining choices. They have a particular love affair with Italian food. Their Italian restaurants stack up favorably against any you would find in the urban United States, and at a far better value. Produce in the city greengrocers is varied, abundant and excellent.
The big city can be a challenging place to keep an 11 year old amused, but we found some kid-friendly things to do…
… like paddling up the Vltava river
… making some new friends
… and riding a horse-drawn carriage through the cobbled streets at sunset.
One day, we felt like getting out of the city so we took a train to the medieval fortress of Karlstejn Castle.
A village in the Czech countryside
Karlstejn Castle
Amanda got to hold this huge owl and pose for the camera
We saw Jody and Amanda off to London. Then after a day of resting our geriatric bones, spent the rest of our time getting to know the city, its people and personality. We left thoroughly captivated, vowing to return.
What struck us most was the people. What a surprise! In contrast to, say, the Russian people who seem, as a culture, so bitter and downtrodden, the Czech people are happy and filled with hope. There is a noticeable baby boom going on, in Prague and all over the country. Strollers, babies and toddlers are everywhere. We overheard one young man with his pregnant wife in a cafe telling his friends he thought it just felt like a good time to become a father. Construction, remodeling and repainting are everyplace, from the inner city to the tiny towns. Streets are spanking clean, fresh flowers in every window. Boxy communist barracks-looking housing has been painted in cheerful combinations of bright colors.
The city is relatively casual in style, but sophisticated and with much to offer culturally. An active music scene, especially in jazz and blues; and we’ve already mentioned the restaurants. In an unlikely corner of the city, we found the very best Vietnamese food we’ve eaten, anyplace. It’s on track for a Michelin star, in fact. The Czech white wines are amazing, and a great value. If only I could remember their crazy names!
Stan even managed to get up super early one morning, to capture the Charles Bridge with his tripod in magic-hour light. Normally we’ve been getting up at the crack of 10:30 or 11, so this was an accomplishment.
More soon on our travels in the Czech Republic and beyond.
Stay tuned!
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