Prague, the U.S. Can Learn From This City!
Written: Jun 06 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fantastic public transportation
Cons: Most Czechs do not speak English
The Bottom Line: We traveled here in May, after the snow melted and before any sweltering heat set in.
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| remnjava's Full Review: Prague |
Where do I begin to describe this city? Shall I talk about the people? The infrastructure? The transportation?
Our Hotel, Best Western
After leaving Frankfurt on Monday, we drove into Prague or Praha, as it is listed on the Czech Republic maps. We stayed at the Best Western Hotel Selsky Dvurfor 3 days before driving back to Germany. The hotel we stayed at was reminiscent of the 1700s with the heavy wooden doors and the murals on the walls. Dinners were frequently ala carte, with potatoes and vegetables extra. Occasionally tap water was unheard of. If you wanted ice with your beverage, you had to ask for it. The same with bread. And the bread doesn’t automatically come with butter. On the left side of your menu item, was the size it was, such as grams or liters. On the right side of the item, was the price. One ֿ’s” are written with a long forward/upward stroke, resembling 7’s.
During dinner, a piano player would serenade us with song, frequently music we thought of as hits in the United States. One song flowed into the next. It was hard to know when to clap. In appreciation for clapping, he would tinkle the keys on his piano. His music was hand noted above the keys.
Transportation
Going to the city center was easy. The innkeeper told we wanted the 5th stop on the bus that stopped in front of our hotel about every 10 minutes. Our hotel sold transportation tickets that could be used for busses, subways or streetcars. Be prepared to stand and hold onto either a pole or an overhead strap. A pass, good for 75 minutes, was about one Euro. You could get day passes for 4E, as I remember. Perhaps even longer passes are available. Once you get on your bus, or pass before the turnstile, you get your ticket time stamped. We were “close” one day and as we exited the subway, a guard stopped us and wanted to see our ticket. We were probably a couple of minutes over, but he hesitated and let us go.
The Subways
First you take the escalator from the street level to the underground. This might mean one very tall escalator and a series of stairs. One set of escalators in particular that we took was VERY fast, by U.S. standards. It was probably going about 4 mph, a gentle jog. I hesitated about 30-45 seconds before getting up the courage to take on this new challenge in my life. I was not to be outdone by a young mother entering, complete with stroller! My husband said how funny the people looked who were going UP the escalator! It looked like they were leaning! The next time I went up, I looked down at my feet, which were two steps BEHIND me! We WERE leaning!
Arriving on the platform, two trains were available. One went one way, and the other another way. We looked up to a lighted sign. It mentioned the stops, and which train was going where. As well, where we were at, 3 routes crossed each other and you could catch another train, depending what station you were at.
You knew the train was coming when you felt the rush of air! Moments later, a subway train would arrive. A yellow plastic circle enabled you to open the door, but usually someone on the train was ready to make room for you, if only standing room! Poles are available inside the cars to steady yourself. Occasionally graffiti screams out from the interior. Signs on the doors warned to be careful of pickpockets, although we did not encounter any. Neck pouches and fanny packs protected our valuables. Some women wore their purse straps over their heads. One woman we met said a pick pocket in Prague took her cell phone from a deep pocket of a coat she was wearing.
When the subway doors were getting ready to close, a red light would come on and a noise would sound. The last trip we took, I entered while the light was red, and the doors began to close on me, but they opened again. There was enough time for even my husband, 3 people back, to get on. I was amazed at how many people were transported on the busses and subways! Trip after trip, each time we used this transportation, the vehicles were full, not virtually empty, the way the busses tend to be in the Midwest, those who run every hour or two.
Shopping
We shopped at the mall near our hotel. There is a McDonald’s there, along with a variety of stores including a grocery store. We wanted to see what a Prague grocery store would be like. You have to pass through an electronic panel that closes behind you. When you leave, you must pass through another gateway. All the gateways except for the one checking out people are locked. If you do not buy anything, you need to excuse yourself to those checking out. ARG! Some of the same products are there, such as Coke, Coke Light and Coke Lemon. Other products such as Diet Pepsi, are hard to find. Most of the same fruits and vegetables are there, with maybe one or two that I’m not used to. One of the money machines didn’t work, so we went downstairs to find another. There we also found the post office, with a very long line.
We found a cell phone store, but they couldn’t unlock my LG phone that I purchased last fall through Cingular. They tried a SIM chip, but that didn’t work. We were grateful they spoke English. At the time, it seemed that Vodaphone was picking up my cell service. I was able to call home once, at about $2/minute. The country code for the U.S. is 001. 02 (as in water), Vodaphone and T Mobile, I believe, are big there. Probably the best tool we used to make phone calls was a $5 calling card we got at the Frankfurt Airport. The name is “Call Home,” put out by Reise Bank. I made no fewer than 5 calls home, including one pay phone, and still have over 70 minutes to talk. For cell phones, you might invest in a quick battery charger. I didn’t get one before I went, but since I had trouble with power over there, I wish I’d had one. Also, your phone has to be a GSM phone, capable of reading signals from a satellite, even though we don’t use satellite signals for our cell phones here.
Breakfasts
Breakfasts tend to be lunch type meats, cheeses, breads, granola and yogurt. Occasionally you will get a good breakfast including fruit, various baked goods, Nutrella, and a hot hard boiled egg, usually with a brown shell. I quickly got tired of ham and cheese sandwiches for breakfast. The breakfasts at Best Western were primo!
Graffiti
Unfortunately, there is a lot of graffiti in Prague, just as in most inner cities. I wish a group of citizens would take spray cans of their own and spray the cars of those who deface the belongs of others. Maybe then the youth would understand what it feels like to have their property ruined by others.
Language
Some Czechs speak English, mostly the younger people. One innkeeper we stayed with learned some English privately until the fall of Communism in the Czech Republic and English was once again available in the schools. I was surprised how much English infiltrated their culture. Sometimes songs heard on the radio were in English, unlike Czech songs being sung in the U.S.
St. Charles Bridge
It spans the Vltava River. It is about 516 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide,.. Folks stroll along the bridge and take photos of the surrounding scenery. You can also buy various crafts, including jewelry, or get your picture/caricature drawn. If boat rides appeal to you, various types of boats at various prices lie ahead.
Prague Castle
Make sure you approach this landmark from the top and walk DOWN hill, not UP hill, as we did, unless you really want to firm up your legs and hips! We must have walked up 3 blocks of stairs; I kid you not! Beautiful scenery can be seen off to the side. Once you reach the archway, two guards can be seen on either side, much like Buckingham Palace. This building dates back to 870 and is the one of the biggest castles in the world. Hubby had me take a photograph of each and every stained glass window in the church. This area is huge and I would suggest being well rested before venturing out.
All in all, I enjoyed being in the Czech Republic and learning how other developed countries are similar and how they differ.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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