The Prague - capital of "beer addicted" country.
Written: Sep 03 '05
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Lots of attractions and cheap stuff, great beer
Cons: Crime, many policeman, pickpockets, and prostitutes
The Bottom Line: Prague is best in summer, because of good weather. With 50$/day, you can get lunch and lot's of souveniers.
|
|
|
| vrana007's Full Review: Prague |
So I went to Prague. Couple of my friends and I booked a bus and paid 280 € for hotel and tickets to several attractions as well several other people and we went. Since I live in Croatia, the drive to Prague lasted aprox. 16 hours, but we've spent several hours sightseeing in Wiena. I traveled with Ferial tourist agency, and we had a great tourgide Zeljko, who got us even cheaper tickets for disco, and drivers, Renato and Ratko who often made us laugh.
Prague is a very large city. Length from one end to another is 42 kilometers! It has a populace of 1,2 millions! The legend says that once was a king that had three daughters. One was a profit and his favorite, Libuska, second was the priest and ... I can't remember what was the third one. When he died, he had no sons, so he chose Libuska to succeed him. But, since she was a woman, she couldn’t rule without husband. So she sent her horse and her servants to find her husband. The man in front of whom the horse stops will be her husband. The horse stopped in front of men that was working in the field. And when she saw him she said that this is her future husband. But, the horse didn't pick him just like that. Libuska was meeting him in secret and they were in love. So, the horse knew exactly where to go.
Maybe you thought that Germans drink most beer per day per person. But, as I, you are wrong! The Czechs drink 1 liter of beer per person per day! You get this if you divide total amount of beer drank per day with number of people that live in Czech Republic (including children and babies)!
So, after 16-hour drive, in 8 PM we got to our hotel. The hotel was called Fortuna Rhea. It used to be an apartment complex, but since the Prague evolved in tourist Meka, it was redesigned into a hotel. The rooms are organized into A and B bedrooms and a shared bathroom. So, you can get a bathroom and 2+2 or 2+3 beds in bedrooms. Upon our arrival in hotel, we had to deposit 10€ just in case that nothing disappears from the rooms. If everything is OK, we would get them back. In hotel we had paid breakfast and dinner. Breakfast was from 7 AM to 10 AM, and the dinner was from 6 PM to 10 PM. The hotel also has a snack bar that works till the midnight and an Internet caffe. You have to pay the snackbar and Internet. 15 minutes on Internet cost 25 czech krunas or less than 1€. I never used the snack bar, so I don't know the prices. Hotel has 20 floors and three small elevators. It can hold aprox. 1000 people. So, if it's full, you can end up waiting 10 or 15 minutes for elevator. My room was on the 9th floor, so I mostly used the stairs. After 10 PM everything has to be quiet.
First, I'll explain the currency. For 1 Euro you can get from 28,5 to 29.5 Czech krunas, and for 1 USD you can get about 24 Czech krunas. But, you have to be careful where you change your money. In center you’ll find sings "change" almost on every corner. Most of them will try to cheat you, meaning that on the outside there is a table that says 1 Euro = 29,66 krunas and inside there is a sign that says 1 € = 22 krunas. So for 20€ you'll lose 153 krunas. If we assume that for one Euro you get 30 krunas, that is 5 Euro. And for 5 Euro you can get a big lunch and a liter of best Czech beer. If you come back and complain, the person that cheated you will pretend that he/she doesn't understand you and it'll call the next customer. The best exchange office I've found gave me the rate of 1€ = 29.6 krunas. I would recommend it, but I don't know the address. You will recognize it by seeing the dark blue, purple sign "CHANGE" and when you get closer you'll find that it is also a souvenir shop that sells Czech crystal.
The hotel is near the supermarket and a tram stop. With tram you can get to center in about 15 or 20 minutes, depends of traffic. During the day, to center and back you can get with tram 11, and after 11 PM there is the "night tram" 55 that has the similar route as 11. The ticket (which you can buy in hotel or in a machine) costs 20 krunas. That ticket is also valid for metro. You can also get a taxi to take you downtown. You shouldn’t pay more that 300 krunas for taxi. So, this is what you should do. Go to the taxi, ask the driver how much is he asking to get you somewhere in Prague (I only took taxi from hotel to the center). If he asks more that 350 krunas or 12€, just slam the door and go to another one util you find the cheapest one. When you enter make sure that the driver starts the taximeter. If he asks for more than you bargained for after the fare is over, just ask him for the recites. If driver doesn't give you one, you can even pay less than in the first place.
There are three metro lines in the city - A, B, C. And with the train you can get from one end to another end of the city in about 20 or less minutes.
The supermarket I've mentioned has very low prices. Example, for 32 krunas (an Euro and 10 or 15 cents) you can buy 2,5 liter of Pepsi cola. For 22 krunas you can buy 0.5 liter of best Czech beer Pilsner.
In the center, you'll find lots of souvenir shops. There you can buy several different T-shirts and baseball caps with different sings, original Czech crystal (which I don't recommend because it's very expensive). It's better to buy a marionette with different faces (you can even find one with the face of Gorbacov). Also, you'll be able to buy original officer hats of the Red Army. This is a Czech way of making fun of the Red army. If you don't know, in 1968, during the communist regime, the Czech president tried to help his people by providing certain liberties that were normal in the western countries, but not in the eastern part of the iron curtain. This act worried the Soviets, so they sent tanks and soldiers to settle things in Prague. Massive protest against the Red army ended up in with several people dead and hundreds of wounded in 21. August 1968. The Czech president was called to Moscow and there he had to agree to Soviet intervention. As a protest against it, one Czech student set him on fire. On the place where he died is a monument. Few meters further there is a very interesting monument. It' located in Welceslas Square (Václavské náměstí). It's made of concrete and shoes and says something like "what would man kind do without shoes? There would be no wars..." If I am wrong, please write me a comment and correct me.
I've strained from my first topic. So, in souvenir shops, besides lot's of different types of T-shirts that say something like "My brother (or sister) was in Prague and only thing he (or she) brought be is this lousy T-shirt" or "Prague Czech it out" or "They say that I was in Prague, but I can't remember" and near that is a picture of some cartoon character that drinks beer and smokes weed.
Since the hotel didn't serve lunch, I had to go out and eat. And I'm glad I did. I've found this great pub where you can get a large portion of original Czech goulash and one liter of best Czech beer Pilsner just for 5 Euro (5 € = 150 krunas; 99 krunas goulash and 52 krunas a liter of best Czech beer)! The pub is called "U Vejvodu" and I really, reaaally recommend it!! It's not hard to find it. You will see the church with astronomical clock, one of Prague’s main attractions. It has one clock that tells hours, one that tells minutes and the astrological that, I think, time of the year and stades of the moon. When you see it, look for hotel "U Prince". It has a terrace that serves drinks outside. Go parallel with the terrace. If you go like this, you'll enter a narrow street. Just go straight and after several hundreds of meters you'll find it. Only thing about this goulash is that it is a bit spicy, but it is delicious!
The main tourist destination is the Charles Bridge. You just have to visit it. There is the stature of one Czech saint. I don't know how is he called in English (since my primary language is Croatian). This legend is for women. The legend goes like this: there was a king who suspected that his wife, the queen, was cheating him. He found out that she was going to the priest to confession. This priest was very popular among the people, so king captured him when no one could see. He asked him what his wife had confessed him, but the priest wouldn’t tell. Then he tortured him and priest still remained silent. Then he ripped out his tongue and asked him to write down the queen’s confession. Priest denied. After some time, the king had to put the priest out of his misery. He throwed his body secretly into the river, but the river washed the priest on shore where everyone could see it. The people rebelled and the king was thrown. Since then, women rub the body of the priest (this is the small guy on the bridge that is being thrown over) to keep their secrets a secret.
The trip to Prague is incomplete without a visit to Hradcany. The Hradcany is the part of Prague where all the nobleman lived. There is the president’s palace. When I visited this part of the town, I ran into a protest. I don't know what it was about, but there weren't many protesters and police was securing the area. There are also guardhouses where are that guards that must stay still. They aren't dressed like the English soldiers, but still they are an attraction. They change every hour and are a trained professional soldiers, so don't play with them! On Hradcany is a great view and a cathedral that took more than hundreds of years to build. From here you can go to the "grandchild of the Eiffel tower". It has similar look as the famous tower of Paris, but it's only 60 meters high. It's located in the hill. To get to the top, you'll have to "conquer" 299 stairs. When you get on top, you can see whole Prague.
Did I mentioned that in Prague is the largest soccer stadium on the world? It can hold 250 000 people and has the size of three normal stadiums!
The next visit you can do is the to visit the Jewish quarter. Six synagogues and a Jewish graveyard and a legend are worth your time. The entry fee for all the synagogues an the graveyard is, I thing 560 krunas. The graveyard is very interesting. Since the Jewish quarter was isolated from the rest of the town, and for centuries the Jews couldn’t mix with other populace, they had to be creative when they buried their dead. The graveyard holds 100 000 dead now. When they couldn’t bury any more people in there, they would create another layer of dirt. If we do some calculation and we know that the graveyard consists of 12 layers, then we get the number of 8333 people buried in one layer. There is also an interesting legend here. The legend says that there was a Rabin who couldn’t sand to see his wife work so much. So, he made a man from clay and put him a psalm into his mouth and he came to life. He named him Golem. But, one day he rebelled so priest had to lock him up on the attic. The legend say that he remains there even today. You will easily recognize this building where he's locked up - the building is bright, but the roof is dark, almost black.
Also, you'll have to visit Vysehrad. This is the place where, according, the legend Libuska decided to build the new city. Here is the final resting ground of many famous Czech citizens. You will find the grave of Antoan Dvorak here, too. In front of graveyard is a monument that is called "Devils work". The legend says that there was once a poor peasant who had no job, therefore no money and no food, but a pregnant wife. So, he was thinking how would he survive. Then a hunter approached him and said "I know your problems. Let's make a deal. I'll give you much money to you and your family and lots of happiness if you give me the first thing your wife is holding in her hand." The man didn't know that this was the Devil so he agreed. To get back home, they traveled for a month. When they reached the peasant’s house and opened the door, his wife was holding his firstborn son. The Devil off course knew what will happen. The man, desperate, started to pray to God. He had lots of money and his family was very happy because he didn't tell them what happened. Then, saint Peter told him to sent his son to monastery to become the priest, so the devil won't be able to get his soul if he becomes a priest. Man agreed. So, it was the time for mans son to serve his first mass. He wouldn't became a priest if he didn't do this. Since the saint Peter and the Devil were constantly in the competition for the priest’s soul, when the priest’s first mass started saint Peter suggested Devil a deal: he can use and kind of transportation he knows and has to bring two pillows from the church of saint Peter from Rome to Vysehrad. The Devil agreed and went to Rome. Just to be sure, he took two, not one pillow. Saint Peter has seen that the Devil is going to make it in time, so he struck him down in Venice, where you have the similar legend. There, one pillow was broken. Devil took the whole one and flow back to Vysehrad. As he was closing, the priest was coming to the end with his mass. The Devil then tried desperate move - he throwed the pillow on the priest in the church. The church roof was broken, but the Devil missed and the priest lived. Pillow was broken, and the people carried the part outside, where it remains until today. This of course isn’t true, but it is interesting that no one knows how that monument was created.
The last day of my staying, I've visited the Krizik fountain (Krizikove fontane). I can't describe how I was impressed. This you must see! The fountain is synchronized with music, so it provides the spectacle of music, water and color. The ticket is, I think 6 €. Even if it was 60 € it is still worth seeing it !! So, if you are in Prague, visit this fountain. I can only tell you it's better to sit under the roof, as further to the back as possible. My favorite part was the first "song" - Andrea Bocceli singing "Romanca". The show lasts for 45 minutes, and if I had come here the first day, I would probably be here every night! I don't know when I will return to Prague, maybe in few years, maybe never, but this is something you will never forget!
I don't like to carry a camera. Even if I carry one, I only take several pictures. But, when I visited this fountain, I wished I had a digital camera with 1 GB of memory.
For the nightlife, there are several discos and restaurants. For a disco, I would recommend "Karlovy Lazne". I went there. The tickets sold outside cost 120 krunas, and with that ticket you can go to any floor. The discos has 5 floors and on the each floor is different type of music!
If you want to eat your dinner outside in a restaurant, then I would recommend that you go to the restaurant on the ship. It serves delicious meals and after the dinner you can climb upstairs and enjoy in the nightrider on the river of Vltava.
I think I've told you enough about Pragues places you should visit and Pragues pros. Lets talk about cons and what you shouldn’t do.
First, watch your stuff! There are pickpockets everywhere and they are trained to clean you up. For example, several girls come to you. One of them comes on to you and the others are cleaning your pockets and bags. Our two busdrivers were robbed in a clever way. Two thief’s masked themselves as policeman and came to them and asked for their wallets to check if they carry any drugs. They gave them their wallets and thief’s walked away with 200 Euro, but there were no drugs found.
After 8 or 9 PM you will find cops on every corner in the center. They are clever. They are very tolerant to the prostitutes (since this is illegal). When the prostitute comes to you, she offers her services. If you accept, she takes in the back alley and does you. The cops see this and when you return, you are arrested, spend the night in the jail and you won't get out for some day or until you pay bail. So, it' best to say "no" to these "ladies of the night". Also, there are many of strip bars. In front of every bar is a black guy that offers flyers and says "free entry, tits, pu*sy..." and so on. The police doesn't care about this, so they won't do anything. You come in, sit, order yourself a nice, cold beer and some chick comes and sits on your lap. Then the bill comes up to 50, 60 or more Euro. If you can't afford to pay they take you to some back alley and beat you up.
When I was returning to hotel from disco Karlovy lazne, I ran into a guy who says "marihuana, hashish... and so on".
There is also a park near the river that is called "the Prague Sherwood". During the day this is the gathering ground for pickpockets, and during the night, nobody goes here.
My advice to you is just say no to anything they are offering to you, no matter how tempting it sounds. If you do this, you won't have any problems.
P.S. I claim that Prague is best for students, but also I would recommend it for couples and friends.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Students
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
vrana007
|
|
Location: Near Karlovac, Croatia
Reviews written: 21
Trusted by: 4 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.