Prague, part 1

I arrived in Prague on a kind of professional project in the middle of April and landed in an out-of-the-way, cheap hotel in this street, near the railway station, which was, however, situated at a very ample place to travel around this charming city easily. And, business done, this is what I did.

I have to warn the unsuspecting visitor, though, that there are booby-traps in this city, however friendly, quiet and cheep it looks. For one, don’t trust the official exchange rates. The Czech krone, officially around 25 to 1 Euro, brought me less than 24 at banks, minus 2% commission. However, this was in my neighbourhood. In the city centre, ridiculous commissions apply: 19% was most prevalent, but I saw rates up to 25% with exchange rates below 23 to one. My best exchange was right on arrival, at the airport terminal, where one can cash kronen from any foreign card. Best option.

Compared to this outdated commission system, hotels felt rather cheap even at more central places. I found transport rather cheap with a half-hour ticket at 24 Kr and 1,5 hour tickets at 35 Kr, which are valid with changing among any means of public transport. One can use one of he latter even to get to the Eastern side of the city from the airport far out on the Western side with one change, so any other options seemed orbital in comparison.

Food is not very cheap but not very expensive either. Sometimes, however, quality punches you in the stomach: downtown, not far from the very touristy places, I sat into a fairly expensive restaurant on this corner, chose something the waitress said was one of their fav specialities and was given this. I’m not one to get worked up about stuff especially because I was hungry but please notice the colour difference of a piece of ‘knedla’ on the left from the other ones: it was brown with age. And it felt so old as it looked too. Outrageous. As to the beer to accompany a restaurant meal, it’s strangely cheaper (usually around 35-40 Kr) than a bottle in most shops. Perhaps watered up …

Now, any world-roving traveller is familiar with pictures of the famous sights in Prague: the castle, probably the largest one on earth, Charles bridge with crowds ogling old saints or artefacts on display or sitting for a portret, and of course taking selfies in front of ages-old sculptures,  any one of the towers

and the Old Square with the astronomical clock  near this amazing building  which, however, almost nobody cares to look at, just like this fabulous detailed gate right next to the clock.Then there is the Old Square itself with the beautiful buildings and the church behind them. However, there are other beautiful towers around the city and other churches with even more beautiful interior than the Church of Our Lady above.

 

What I found most charming about Prague, however, was that one can find beautiful, well-restored old buildings almost everywhere around. Just look into a side street, you’ll see them, not only near the Old Square or near Charles bridge (Karluv most)or along the river Vltava but further away from the beaten track as well.The buildings of and the areas around theatres and the opera house are especially nice Near here it was that I first met the first vendor of Trdelník, brashly advertized as “The Old Bohemian Speciality”… As I asked him whether he knew this is actually a delicacy from Hungary and Transylvania called “kürtős kalács”, he opened his arms saying, yeah, well, but he has to trade here … High fives! He obviously runs a far better business about it than the real original vendors in Hungary. One can only smile along with this strange figure nearby  Here come a few more photos about theatre neighbourhoods. 

The National Theatre (Národní Divadlo) near the Most Legii Now that we are back to the river, we should not miss the Smetana museum (on the right side here)  Next time we shall cross this beautiful bridge to the west of the river, to the castle district. Now I’m returning to the Old Square to say good bye. 

by P.S.