The Prague Post Summer Guide 2014

Seasonal SupplementInsider tips on getting around town, destinations outside Prague,

plus cafes, desserts, concerts, festivals, fashion and more!

http://www.praguepost.com/eguides

The gourmet coffee trend has revived Prague’s café culture

While the first thing that comes to people’sminds when they visit Prague is beer, thecity has long had a café culture. Notablehistorical figures from Kafka to Dvořák wereknown to hang out in various coffee shops.

Cafés in Prague have been reviving, with upscale décor and high-class beans. This is a far cry from those days after the Revolutionwhen coffee pretty much meant “turecko,” or coffee grounds in thebottom of a glass with hot water on top.

The revival is also part of a global trend, but there are lots ofalternatives to foreign-run chains.

You can now find a range of cafés offering using high-quality

beans sourced from around the world. We indulged our caffeineaddiction and found some seriously good coffees I what is becom-ing another city that never sleeps.

DOS MUNDOSDos Mundos is a new kid on the block,

only opening three months ago. Althoughthey’re located in a popular Vinohradystreet their prices are very reasonable.They roast the beans on site after sourc-ing their favorites from around the world,based on their own sample tastings.

This is one of the only places I’ve dis-covered in Prague that offers cold drip

Prague Post’s Top 10Coffees in Prague

CAFÉCULTURETEXT SHAY WARAKER

THE PRAGUE POST SUMMER GUIDE 2014 www.praguepost .com 3

MŮJ ŠÁLEK KÁVY HAS MANY REASONS TO REFRESHABOVE: GRINDING IT UP AT DOS MUNDOS

http://www.praguepost

coffee, perfect for the summer. Mine was served with milk andice cubes using beans from Indonesia. The roasting machine ison display for anyone to look at and the baristas are happy totalk to you about the coffee or their techniques.

Go t here for: cold drip coffee and to try local roasted coffeebeans. Addres s : Korunní 31, Praha 2. Cos t of an es pres s o: 29 Kč

KAVÁRNA PRAŽÍRNAThis not-so-secret coffee hotspot has been around for two

years and, as indicated in the name, roasts their beans on site.Descend into the cellar-style café and choose your preferredstyle of roast for your coffee, including the option of aeropressand dripper specialties.

The vibe is relaxed with wooden floors, bricked walls, black-boards and sunflowers decorating the café. The owners arepassionate about their beans and can provide you with a rec-ommendation. The latte was a little weak despite ordering adouble shot but the aeropress was definitely worthwhile.

Go t here for: Aeropress coffee and to try local roasted coffee beans.Locat ion: Lublaňská 676/50, Praha 2. Cos t of an es pres s o: 35 Kč

MŮJ ŠÁLEK KÁVYThe name literally translates to “my cup of coffee” and this

popular stop prepares coffee as you want it. Můj šálek kávyuses DoubleShot beans and provide descriptions on the fla-

vors of each selection to help you choose the right one foryour palate. The café is decorated with artwork of alternativemusicians and books you can flick through while sipping yourcoffee.

The cappuccino and latte weren’t strong, so if you preferstrong coffee I recommend opting for the iced coffee, espres-so or specialty dripper coffee. For the iced coffee, baristas willask if you want it bitter or sweet. For the specialty filter (cleverdripper) coffees you are spoilt with the choice of Nicaragua,Brazil and Kenya beans. The hot chocolate and tea selection isalso impressive.

Go t here for: Iced coffee and dripper coffee. Locat ion: Křižíkova 105,Praha 8. Cos t of an es pres s o: 40 Kč

CAFÉ JENCafé Jen is a cute café tucked away from the tourist

hotspots, and is clearly loved by the locals. The service isfriendly and the vibe is perfect to unwind with comfortablebench seating and cushions and an outdoor area where thelocals sit with their dogs on a sunny day. There are homemadesweet and savory treats at the counter for anyone needing abite to eat.

This was one of the best macchiattos I have had in Europe,made with the right ratio of milk and espresso and a decora-tive motif on top. Definitely one worth dropping in for if youwant to escape the tourist area.

Go t here for: Macchiatto. Locat ion: Kodaňská 37, Praha 10. Cos t of an

es pres s o: 35 Kč

CAFÉ TRIESTEThis small café doesn’t look like much from the outside,

located on a bus street with commuters walking straight pastit, but the coffee is worth stopping in for. Café Trieste has the


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cheapest coffees of all the places in this list, with an espressosetting you back just 27 Kč and macchiato just 30 Kč. Theyuse Italian beans and serve the coffee with water and a cookie.

My macchiatto was served with a lot of milk froth, but thebeans were tasty and staff was friendly. The dine-in experienceisn’t anything spectacular, but this is a great choice if you’reafter an affordable caffeine hit.

Go t here for: Cheap espresso and macchiatto. Locat ion: Koubková16, Praha 2. Cos t of an es pres s o: 27 Kč

CAFÉ EBELCafé Ebel is located in a tourist area within Old Town, so nat-

urally prices are a little higher. This café has been around since1996 and has developed a reputation for good coffee for peo-ple trying to get away from the crowded restaurants in OldTown. Inside is cozy with bright colors and exotic artwork andthere are plenty of lunchtime food choices.

The latte, typical to Prague cafés, was not strong, but thecappuccino was a good choice for sipping while unwinding.

Go t here for: A central place to escape the crowds - stick with theespresso, macchiato or cappuccino. Locat ion: Řetězová 9, Praha1. Cos t of an es pres s o: 45 Kč

EMA ESPRESSO BARSoy coffee drinkers rejoice — you can find a decent coffee

in Prague, and it’s at EMA Espresso Bar. This café is nearnáměstí Republiky so it is great for anyone looking around thecity center. The interior decoration is minimalist and modern ina studio-style room. This café also offers soy milk options foronly 5 Kč extra and they do it right. I had a soy cappuccinoand was very surprised that, after a number of bad experiencesin other cafés in Prague, it was a great flavor.

EMA uses German beans and is owned by the same ownersas Café Lounge, only opening one year ago specifically to


CAFE EBEL IS ONE OF THE FIRST GOURMET COFFEE EXPERIENCES IN PRAGUE


focus on providing great coffee.

Go t here for: Soy cappuccino. Locat ion: Na Florenci 1420/3, Praha 1.Cos t of an es pres s o: 45 Kč

CAFÉ LOUNGELocated at the foot of Petřín’s Hill, this café has a variety of

coffees to choose from, including aeropress, drip and vacuumpot. I opted for the iced aeropress which was delivered on atray with a cookie.

The coffee was naturally sweet and could easily be con-sumed with or without milk.

The beans were from Hungary and the owners source theirbeans from around Europe based on their samples. CaféLounge was awarded best café lounge by Trip Advisor in 2013and you can understand why, with baristas who are clearlypassionate about coffee.

The tables have placemats with information on the historyof the area and provide some interesting reading while enjoy-ing your coffee. There are also plenty of cakes, lunch andbreakfast options to choose from.

Go t here for: Iced aeropress. Locat ion: Plaská 615/8, Praha 5.Cos t of an es pres s o: 45 Kč

I NEED COFFEEThis coffee bar is close to Karlovo náměstí and offers limited

seating, but great coffee. They use Casino Mocca beans fromHungary and although they don’t offer a huge variety of cof-fees, they do the basics well.

The bar is small, so this is more of a takeaway coffee estab-lishment. They did not bring water with the macchiatto whenwe chose to dine in and most of the locals grabbed their cof-fee on the run. There are also a range of iced teas to choosefrom for hot days.

Go t here for: Espresso or macchiatto on the run. Locat ion: Na Moráni7, Praha 2. Cos t of an es pres s o: 39 Kč

MONOLOKMonolok has been in Vinohrady for a year and offers a

trendy place to enjoy your experience with coffee. I was rec-ommended the drip cone coffee and I was not disappointed.The café is minimalist with wooden tables, modern couchesand metallic pendant lights.

My coffee was brought over in a jug so I could pour my ownand add milk if I wanted. The beans were sweet so I didn’tneed much milk, and the experience of sitting back and enjoy-ing my coffee at my own pace was ideal.

The beans for the slow drip coffee were from Island Roast


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from the Isle of Wight. The baristas are happy to provide rec-ommendations and talk about their beans if you’re interested.

Go t here for: Dining in with drip cone coffee. Locat ion: Moravská1540/18, Praha 2. Cos t of an es pres s o: 39 Kč

Honorable mentionsCAFÉ COLORELocat ion: Palackého 740/1

This café is larger than most of the others and offers smok-ing and non-smoking dining options as well as a large menu.This is a good choice if you are also looking for lunch. Thebaristas are very skilled, however the beans let them down alittle, opting to use Austrian-roasted Julius Meinl.

AL CAFÉTEROLocat ion: Blanická 1788/24

This café came highly recommended and has received rave reviewsonline, but was closed for the week we were sampling coffees.

CAFÉ ROYALLocat ion: Vinohradská 2165/48

This café was originally a theatre in the 1920s and wasrestored to its former glory and reopened as a café in Junethis year.

MAMA COFFEELocat ion: Londýnská 49, Praha 2

Although this is a chain, the flagship store in Vinohrady has alarge and loyal fan base of locals. They import green beansand roast them themselves, making them the first Czech BioFairtrade coffee roaster. g

- Do you love your coffee? Find out more about the history of coffee

at the Prague Coffee Museum www.coffeemuseum.cz.


MONOLOK IS COFFEE IN A TRADITIONAL WAY

http://www.coffeemuseum.cz


With the tourist season moving alongquickly, the Prague Post set out tomake a key list of things tourist shouldknow while traveling through theCzech capital. Prague really isn’t a

dangerous place; however, some precautions should betaken, just like in any big city.

Some venues that cater to the tourist crowd also try tokeep an eye out for them. The Irish pub Rocky O’Reilly’s,located right off of Wenceslas Square on Štepanská Street,provides their customers with 10 commandments that theybelieve every tourist should follow.

“A huge element about Irish culture is trustworthiness,and that’s what the commandments are about ... It’s not to

scare [tourists], but so they’re aware.” Michelle O’Harte, amanager of the pub, said. Their list mostly warns about pick-pockets, which still plague the city, street money changersand other scams.

Tour guides also have seen their share of what goes on.Carlos del Tronco, a guide at Sandemans tours, handles touristinquiries on the daily. He also loves city. “I always tell people ifthey want to see the cultural life of Prague, get out of OldTown. … I think a lot of tourists are unaware of what’s going onoutside of the city center, like things that really have a charac-ter and a flavor and not just commercialized,” he said.

O’Harte and del Tronco were among the people who gavethe Prague Post some tips and guidelines for not only avoid-ing hassles but also for having a better trip.

Tips for tourists Learning a few dos and don’ts can improve your stay in Prague

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Customs:1. IF YOU CAN’T SPEAK CZECH, THAT’S FINE. But it’s good toknow some key phrases. “Dobrý den” is a polite greeting forentering a store or restaurant and “na shledanou” is the wayto politely say goodbye. The most common toast is “nazdraví,” which many tourists mangle as “nádraží,” meaningstation. Especially outside of the center, people will appreci-ate the small effort.2. MOST PEOPLE ROUND TO THE NEAREST 10 KČ WHEN TIP-

PING. When paying, just say how much you want to becharged. (Example: 85 Kč would be rounded to 90 Kč). Ifservice is exceptional downtown, about 10 percent would bea good tip. 3. PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO GIVE UP THEIR SEATS ON PUB-

LIC TRANSPORTATION TO THE ELDERLY. Some seats near agreen-cross sticker are for the disabled. If someone showsyou a stamped certificate, they are probably trying to tellyou to get out of the seat.4. STAY TO RIGHT ON ESCALATORS if you intend to stand still,as the left half is for people walking up or down.

Food and drink:1. SMOKING IS PERMITTED IN SOME BARS AND RESTAURANTS.

Each one should have a sign explaining whether the venue issmoking, nonsmoking or has separate rooms. Nonsmokingplaces are becoming more common, but are harder to findoutside the center.2. TRY LOOKING DOWN SIDE STREETS FOR RESTAURANTS orgoing one or two metro stops from the center.Neighborhood places often have better prices and nicerservice than those in the most touristy areas. 3. CHECK MENU PRICES BEFORE ORDERING. If it is not clear,ask whether it is in Czech crowns or euros. Beware of anywelcome drinks or other unordered items. Also ask if there isa cover (couvert) charge. 4. BE CAREFUL ORDERING FISH OR ANYTHING SOLD BY WEIGHT.

A favorite trick is to give you a sardine and charge you as if itwas Moby Dick. Confirm the price before you eat it, as once itis gone the restaurant can say whatever weight they caninvent.5. COUNT YOUR CHANGE.

6. IF YOU ARE IN A GROUP, KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY BEERS

YOU ORDER. Billing for phantom beers is a popular trick.7. DON’T MISS OUT ON TRYING CZECH GULAŠ OR SVÍČKOVÁ,

along with a Czech beer of course. A neighborhood pub withoutdoor seating will give you the best experience. Someneighborhood restaurants can be smoky inside.8. THE QUALITY OF FOOD HAS GOTTEN BETTER IN THE LAST

DECADE, but still lags behind that of major food capitals —


SOME VENUES POPULAR WITH THE LOCALS, LIKE JÁMA, GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO HELP VISITORS ORIENTATE

PHOTO JAN MACUCH


although the prices can be the same. Once you have hadenough gulaš and want to try something else, ethnic foodrestaurants are often a better value than upscale places. 9. DEFINITELY TRY SOME MICROBREWS while you’re here. Inrecent years the number of small breweries has grown dra-matically. 10. THE CZECH REPUBLIC HAS BEEN DEVELOPING AMAZING

AWARD-WINNING WHITE AND RED WINES IN THE PAST FEW

YEARS. Prague even has a number of urban vineyards. Winesfrom Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia are also good and fairlyundiscovered.

Going Out:1. SOME PEOPLE COME TO PRAGUE FOR STAG PARTIES andthey tend to be rowdy and belligerent. If you’re going out,respect the city and the people because you are a guest.Also, drinking while on the street is now illegal in some of thecity center (due to noisy stag parties). Drinking at outdoorseating at a bar is still fine, but carrying an open beer orliquor bottle is no longer OK on many streets. Some havesigns and some don't so it is best to avoid open carry. Loudsinging and other noise is also illegal at night. 2. ORGANIZED PUB CRAWLS ARE A GOOD PLACE TO MEET

OTHER TRAVELERS, but also a good way to find trouble,

especially if you are alone. Find out exactly where the crawlgoes and how it ends. Some leave you far from the city cen-ter late at night. Most offer more alcohol than is sensible todrink. Losing a vacation day to a hangover isn’t a good bar-gain, and losing your wallet and passport is a major pain.3. THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON IN PRAGUE

whether it’s free music or a festival, look these events uponline on the Prague Post website, the City Hall portal(Praha.eu) or the Prague Information Service(www.praguewelcome.cz).4. SOME CLASSICAL MUSIC VENUES HAVE A DRESS CODE,

usually stated on the ticket. It is a bit more lax in the sum-mer, but sometimes shorts and a tank-top don't cut thegrade.5. BE CERTAIN WHAT YOU ARE BUYING TICKETS TO, especiallyif it is from a street vendor in front of a concert hall. Manyclassical shows in the summer, especially generic classicalgreatest hits played by unnamed musicians, are of poor qual-ity. Organized festivals with specific acts are a safer bet.

General:1. PRAGUE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE CITY CENTER.Visit the different areas of Prague and get lost in the windingstreets. There are small lakes, local fairs, old churches,

WATCH OUT FOR THESE GROUPS, THEY THINK THEY OWN THE ROAD

TOURISTTIPSTEXT KATERINA BARTON

10

http://www.praguewelcome.cz

charming cemeteries and forested parks across the city. Andlots of public art from the Baroque era up to modern timescan be found even in the most remote areas.2. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A CHANGE OF PACE, watch thesunset from Vyšehrad (above), Strahov, Riegrovy sady oralong the now-lively waterfront at Naplavka. Small relaxingmoments are what make the trip worthwhile.3. THE PRAGUE ZOO AND THE FATA MORGANA TROPICAL

GREENHOUSE, both near the Troja Chateau, are nice escapesfrom the city center.

Transportation:1. TRAMS AND METROS ARE EASIEST AND BEST WAY TO NAVI-

GATE PRAGUE. Tickets are available (look for the yellow auto-mated machines) near most tram stops and inside all metrostops. You can also buy tickets at most of the little magazinestands and small food stores. You can buy tickets for 30 min-utes, 90 minutes, one day or three days. Month long ticketscan be purchased at station offices. You can buy a ticket on abus (for an added fee) but not on trams.2. STAMP YOUR TICKET IN THE SMALL YELLOW POLE-MOUNTED

BOX before getting on the metro or right as you enter the busor tram. If you don’t know how, watch someone. Ticket inspec-tors seldom cut much leeway. An unstamped ticket is not valid.

3. ALWAYS STAMP A TICKET FOR GOING TO AND FROM THE

AIRPORT ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. It is the most-checked route.4. TAXI DRIVERS ARE KNOWN TO RIP OFF TOURIST. Have anidea how much it will cost you to get where you’re going.Pricing should be according to the meter, but many metersare rigged. Ask the driver how much he thinks the trip willcost. If what he says is out of line, don’t get in. Call one of thereputable firms like AAA Taxi (222 333 222) or the newcomerTick-Tack (14 222).5. THE CITY HAS DESIGNATED SPOTS TO GET A STANDING

TAXI. These have signs guaranteeing a fair price. Avoid taxisat other locations and never hail a moving taxi. 6. THERE ARE NIGHT TRAMS THAT RUN ABOUT EVERY HALF

AND HOUR. The night routes are different than the day ones.If you plan on drinking past midnight, figure out the routehome before you start. All the trams meet a centralchangeover point called Lazarská.

Safety:1. WATCH OUT FOR PICKPOCKETS in crowded tourist areas,especially near street performers. This is where theft occurs.Watch your purse and pockets on crowded trams. Tram 22 isa notorious place for pickpockets. Catching people in tram

THE VIEWS FROM VYŠEHRAD ARE BREATHTAKING



TOURISTTIPSTEXT KATERINA BARTON

12WATCH YOUR WALLET - PRAGUE IS FAMOUS FOR ITS PICKPOCKETS

doors is a favorite trick, as is jostling the crowd near theAstronomical Clock Tower.2. BEWARE OF PEOPLE COMING UP TO YOU WITH STRANGE

QUESTIONS who are trying to make physical contact whilethey talk. It is often a pickpocket trying to find your wallet.3. PICKPOCKETS WORK IN TEAMS. Calling loudly for police willusually make them leave, but they can get violent when con-fronted.4. BEWARE OF ANY SCAM THAT HAS YOU SHOW YOUR WALLET

to prove something, like you don’t have counterfeit money or anyscam that involves handing over your passport for inspection.5. DON’T CHANGE MONEY ON THE STREET. It is illegal and youwill often get invalid money. Exchange money at a well-known bank, or go to reputable exchange booth.

About Money Changers:ALWAYS FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WILL GET

BEFORE YOU HAND OVER YOUR BILLS. Don’t accept “like it iswritten” or “what the sign says” as answers. The sign oftenhas an asterisk and a bumch of exceptions written in Czech.Get an exact figure. The signs usually are for large transac-tions or for the reverse rate. The exchange place at the cor-ner of Kaprova and Maiselova Streets has good rates,according to several sources. g


WATCH THE STREET PERFORMERS - THEY BRING PRAGUE ALIVE

http://www.praguepride.com/


STREETSTYLETEXT ISHA MAGGU AND KATERINA BARTON

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VLAD STUDIES PSYCHOLOGY INLONDON, BUT ISBACK HOME IN

PRAGUE FOR THESUMMER. HE LIKESTO KEEP HIS STYLESIMPLE AND CHIC.

Prague belongs among the top fashion capitals ofthe world - perhaps this is why both tourists andlocals alike are glad to show off their stylish cloth-ing throughout the city's cobblestoned streets . Andas summer starts to heat up, people are breaking

out their warm-weather wardrobes and gearing up for PragueFashion week in September.

We went out to Wenceslas Square and interviewed a few ofthe most intriguingly dressed people, asking them about theirstyle and their summer tips that they could share with our read-ers. Here’s what they told us:

Iryna Zakharova is a Ukrainian student studying photographyat FAMU, Prague’s art school. She is a do-it-yourself kind of girland she even makes her own bags.

WHAT SHE WORE: Mostly DIY. She created her own bag from anold leather jacket, and re-created her sweater by stitching onother materials to it, such as the woolen flowers from an old hat.Her shoes, which she got for 40 Kč, were from a second handshop close to the National Theatre.

Prague’sUNIQUE STYLEPrague’s residents share their summer fashion tips with The Prague Post...


IRYNA ZAKHAROVA

MOLLY


Molly from California studied abroad here in Prague. Herfavorite accessory is her beaten-up Converse from her junioryear in high school. She enjoys shopping at second handstores and recommends some near Anděl and I.P. Pavlová. SUMMER TIP: Always carry a sweater or umbrella in Praguebecause you never know what the expect from the weatherhere.WHAT SHE WORE: Converse shoes, an H&M skirt, a shirt from agarage sale in the US, and a world market bag.

Pranav and Sukriti Babbar are siblings from Melbourne,Australia. Pranav likes to keep his summer wardrobe classic andsimple while Sukriti likes to go bright with prints and colors. FAVORITE SUMMER ACCESSORIES: Pranav can’t go anywherewithout his boat shoes or his hairspray, and Sukriti loves herbags and wedges.WHAT PRANAV WORE: Zara khakis and vest, H&M shoes and t-shirt, Gold & Gems bracelets (from his own company),Reserved beltWHAT SUKRITI WORE: H&M boots, Zara dress, Tiffany bracelet,Swarovski earrings, bag from MOCHA

Maria Fernanda Leon from Columbia adores fashion andloves to stand out in unique clothing. She prefers not to worryabout brand names and if she likes something and finds itaffordable, she will buy it regardless of it being a well-knownbrand. She also likes to seek out lesser-known shops inColumbia to find different types of clothing. FAVORITE SUMMER ACCESSORY: Hair accessories & sunglasses.WHAT SHE WORE: Forever 21 kimono, Zara black jumpsuit,Kipling Bag, Vintage Ray-Ban sunglasses from her mother

Vlad (Page 14) studies psychology in London, but is backhome in Prague for the summer. He likes to keep his style sim-ple and chic.

ACCESSORIES HE ALWAYS CARRIES: Ray-Ban sunglasses, andhis notebook from MUJI, London

SUMMER TIP: “Try to eat healthy so you feel good in the heat.”HOW TO STAY ON BUDGET: “Go to second hand shops, theyhave great clothes which are always affordable.” He recom-mends Textile Shop in Prague, close to Národní třída. He alsoemphasizes that one should only buy what they need.Another great second hand store is the Prague Thrift Store(www.thriftstore.cz) which now has two locations.WHAT HE WORE: Casio watch, H&M shorts, Rocket (vintage shopin London) T-shirt, American Apparel Socks, Doc Martens boots.

We met Eva, a finance student at VŠE, waiting for her brotherand hiding from the rain by Můstek, sporting a cute polka dot

dress. She emphasizes thatshe likes to keep her style aselegant as she can.

HER FAVORITE ACCESSORY:

Earrings HER SUMMER TIP: “I think thatwhite clothes are very trendythis summer, and they can helpyou keep your style simple andelegant at the same time.”WHAT SHE WORE: From headto toe, Orsay, and a bag fromDeichmann. g


1616

PRANAV AND SUKRITI BABBAR

MARIA FERNANDA LEON

EVA

http://www.thriftstore.cz


PRAGUE’S FREE FASHION WEEKENDS ARE ALWAYS WORTH CHECKING OUTPHOTO LYALKA


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PRAGUE’S TRAMS ARE CLEAN AND MODERN

As car traffic in Prague (especially in the citycenter) is characterized by annoying trafficjams, a never ending Rush Hour and impa-tient drivers, Prague’s public transport is agood alternative. 57 subway stations on

almost 60 kilometers of railway and some 22 tram lines withover 900 trams are only one part of Prague’s efficient andwell-organized system of public transport.

Prague’s major public transport operator is the Dopravnipodnik hlavniho mesta Prahy, or DPP for short. It controls themetro, trams, buses, ferries and the PETŘÍN HILL FUNICULAR

in Prague. The same ticket can be used for all these meansof transport, for a set period of time. They can be bought atmetro stations, newsagents or any Public TransportInformation Center. There is also the possibility of buyingtickets over the mobile phone.

Single tickets, as well as passes for longer durations oftime such as 24 hours, three days or a month can also bepurchased. Passes for 90 and 365 days are also available butrequire an Opencard. Children from 0-9 years may travel forfree, as long as children over 6 years carry a photo ID. Olderchildren between 10-15 years can travel at reduced price butmust carry a photo ID as well.

The subway system in Prague is extremely simple and effi-cient in comparison to the colorful web of metro lines thatone is confronted with in other European cities such as Parisor Berlin. The metro in Prague has been running since 1974.It consists of three lines. Line A, the shortest one, is coloredin green, Line C is red and B, the longest, is yellow.

These lines cross over one another at three interchangepoints, framing the heart of Prague within a triangular shape.

Gettin’AroundThe Prague Post guide to public transport in Prague

TRANSPORTATIONSYSTEMSTEXT ADA VON KAYSER

These interchange stations are called MŮSTEK, MUZEUM andFLORENC.

It is important to note that the Prague metro only operatesuntil midnight and restarts at 5:00 a.m, while some busesand trams run during the entire night. At peak times, themetro runs every two to three minutes and after 7 p.m. everyfour to nine minutes. Tickets have to be validated before get-ting onto the metro, in one of the specified yellow machinesat the entries.

Line A, the green route, runs from the station DEJVICKÁ inthe northwest of the city to Depo Hostivař in the east. It tun-nels under the VLTAVA after MALOSTRANSKÁ and reaches OldTown at STAROMĚSTSKÁ. Subsequently, the interchangepoints MŮSTEK and MUZEUM are reached. Here passengerscan either step out onto WENCESLAS SQUARE, transfer ontoother lines, or travel onwards on the green line towards thePrague quarters VINOHRADY and ŽIŽKOV.

Line B, the yellow route, almost crosses through the entirecity, beginning in the southwest of Prague at ZLIČÍN and end-ing in the northeast at ČERNÝ MOST. The yellow line travelsthrough several neighborhoods in the west of Prague beforereaching SMÍCHOVSKÉ NÁDRAŽÍ further up in the north, whichis an interchange point with the Czech railway system.

It eventually reaches MŮSTEK and FLORENC, two stationsthat allow for changing lines. Afterward the metro passesthrough the quarters KARLÍN and VYSOČANY.

Line C, the red route, begins at Letňany and reachesNÁDRAŽÍ HOLEŠOVICE several stops later. This station con-nects to the Czech railway system. The red route then passesthrough important consecutive stations such as the inter-change point FLORENC, Prague’s main rail station HLAVNÍ


THE NÁRODNÍ TŘÍDA METRO STATION HAS RECENTLY BEEN COMPLETELY REBUILT

THE PETŘÍN HILL FUNICULAR


Praha City Map 2014A ticket for the Prague public transport network permits travel on all tram

for a set period of time. And you can transfer between transportation m

and 24Kč (shorter) tickets are sold at metro stations, newsagents and Publi

Centres. As well as standard single tickets, 1 day, 3 day and 1 month passe

These permit travel on any mode of public transport at any time. The Prague Metro o

midnight. Metro lines run a service every 2-3 minutes during peak hours, and every 4-9

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ms, buses and the metro

odes. The 32Kč (longer)

ic Transport Information

s are worth considering.

operates between 05:00-

9 minutes after 7pm.

http://www.en.skyservice.cz/

http://www.praguepost.com

NÁDRAŽÍ and the interchange stop MUZEUM. It then travels oninto Prague’s New Town and ends in the remote residentialzone at HÁJE.

The second important means of public transport in Pragueis the tram. The first electric tram traveled in the city in 1891.The trams allow passengers to watch the cityscape out of

the window, which is not possible in the Metro. Daytimetrams begin operating at 4:30 and end around midnight. Verybusy trams run every 4 minutes during peak times, othertrams run every eight-10 minutes during the week and eight-15 minutes on weekends.

The night trams inPrague run every 30minutes, from mid-night to 4:30 a.m.

There are normally22 day routes inPrague, numberedfrom 1-26, excluding15, 19, 21 and (usual-ly) 23. A few lines,such as 13, stop forthe summer.

There are ninenight routes, num-bered 51-58. Ticketshave to be boughtbefore getting ontothe tram and need tobe validated on thetram.

Stops that aremarked with an “M”connect with a Metrostation. The mostimportant trams forvisitors are number 9and 22. Tram 9 passesseveral theaters, bars,cafés and other note-worthy cultural ven-ues, while tram 22offers beautiful viewsof the city. It passesthe Castle, MALÁ

STRANA and theNational Theater.

Buses also operateall around Pragueduring the day andpartly also during thenight. Day time buses

TRANSPORTATIONSYSTEMSTEXT ADA VON KAYSER

2222

http://www.satpo.cz/

are numbered 100 to 291 and they work from 4:30 a.m. tomidnight. Night buses travel the rest of the time, numbered501 to 513.

Stops marked with an “M” connect with them, and ticketshave to be bought before boarding the bus and validatedimmediately after.Bus 119 travels toand from the airportat the stationDEJVICKÁ, which isalso on the metro lineA and bus 100 con-nects the airport withZLIČÍN metro stationon line B.

The DPP also oper-ates the PETŘÍN HILL

funicular railway.Since 1985, this rail-way allows visitors toenjoy the panoramicview over Praguefrom the hill. On 510meters of track, thereare three stops. Therailway is open from9:00 a.m. to 11:30p.m, operating every10 minutes duringsummer and every 15minutes in winter. Thefirst stop of this rail-way is in MALÁ

STRANA at the tramstop UJEZD, sort ofhidden behind abuilding.

Six ferries are alsopart of Prague’s pub-lic transport, provid-ing transportationacross VLTAVA. Theseare called P1, P2, P3,P4 and P5 to P6. P1travels betweenSEDLEC and ZÁMKY inthe north of Pragueand is especially con-

venient for cyclists. The most useful ferries are P4, whichstarts near the national theater and connects theSTŘELECKÝ, SLOVANSKÝ and DĚTSKÝ (CHILDREN’S) ISLANDS

and P5, which operates from the Dancing House to CÍSAŘSKÁ

LOUKA (EMPEROR’S MEADOW). Both routes provide beautifulviews of Prague. g


http://www.jindrisska16.cz/


RecipesTasty ideas for yourfarmers market haul

CZECHDESSERTSTEXT AND PHOTOS JAN MACUCH

24

MAKING SOMETHINGTASTY FROM FRESH FRUIT IS

EASIER THAN IT LOOKS

The best part about spending summer in Prague isthe abundance and variety of fresh fruit at the farm-ers markets. Here’s a few tips of what to do with theloot you bring home every week:

RØDGRØD MED FLØDE (RED BERRY PUDDING WITH CREAM)

This red berry pudding is a traditional Danish dish. Its base isthe cooked red berries paired with sweeter red fruits of yourchoice. I’ve chosen cherries and red gooseberries for mine. Allthree ingredients are now abundant. For four servings you’llneed the following:

300g red berries250g pitted cherries (or raspberries, black berries200g gooseberries 125g sugar40g starch (if shopping in a Czech supermarket, get Solamyl

or Maizena - the first is from potatoes, second from corn)2 tbsp flaked almonds200g heavy cream or mascarpone

Start by getting the annoying seeds from the berries and pitthe cherries. You can get one of the smart cherry pitters(Tescoma.cz has some for example) or, like me slave for sometime with a chopstick and an empty beer bottle (just place thecherry on top of the bottle and stab it with a medium chop-stick until you hear the pit ping on the glass).

For the other berries it is best to use a fruit juicer machine. Ifyou don’t have one, just cook them until very soft and use astrainer or a fine sieve.

• Cook the cherries in the juice until quite soft, then addsugar.

• Mix the starch with a little water until fully dissolved andpour into the boiling mixture.

• Keep warm on low heat until the pudding starts to thicken.Pour into bowls and immediately decorate with almondsand a little confectioners sugar (it prevents thick crust fromforming). Refrigerate for few hours after it cools down.

Serve with fresh cream dribbled on top, or mix one packageof mascarpone with tablespoon of sugar and tablespoon oflemon juice and use instead of cream. It tastes even better andbecomes Rødgrød med Mascarpone.

BUBLANINA (CHERRY SPONGE)

It can easily happen that you end up with more cherries thatyou planned to buy. If you come to the markets later in theday, the shopkeepers might want to get rid of the leftover fruitby the crate. This delightful sponge will save you from havingto pit all these cherries, since for this recipe you’ll need themwith the stones left in.

½ kg cherries6 eggs


RØDGRØD MED FLØDE IS A POPULAR DANISH DISH

IN CZECH HOUSEHOLDS

BUBLANINA


120g plain flour (Hladká mouka)120 g sugar1 tsp baking powder½ tbsp oil

• Whisk egg yolks and sugar until very light in colour.• Add flour, baking powder and oil.• Beat egg whites until stiff.• Fold the beaten egg whites into the dough, first few spoons

thoroughly to make the dough lighter and easier to workwith, the rest just gently whisk, rather leave the mixtureuneven and fluffy, than even and flat.

• Spread on a baking tray and evenly place cherries on top (orhelp them to sink a bit)

• Bake at 185 °C for 20-25 minutes until the skewer stays drywhen you stick it in.

MERUŇKOVÉ KNEDLÍKY (APRICOT DUMPLINGS)

This is the food that is most missed by expats who used tolive in Prague, so enjoy it while you can. The difficulty of cook-ing this outside central Europe stems from two endemic ingre-dients. Soft and hard quark and „hrubá krupice“, which is avery coarse semolina made from normal wheat, not thedurum one.

FILLING:

500-800g fresh apricots (or cherries, blueberries, raspberries,strawberries, you can even try Toffifee candy, Mozartkugel orliquor filled pralines)

FOR THE DOUGH:

250g Soft quark Full fat (měkký tvaroh)1 egg

4 tbsp coarse flour (hrubá mouka)150g Krupice / semolina (or more, keep adding until the

dough is not sticky)

FOR THE TOPPING:

Choose any or all of these for topping of your choice: Hardquark, brown sugar, butter, hard gingerbread, whipping creamand Crème fraîche.

• Mix the soft cottage cheese with whole egg and add thecoarse flour.

• Start adding the semolina and after the first 140 g keepadding by tablespoon until the dough is not sticky anymore.

• Let the dough rest for few minutes and start boiling waterwith a pinch of salt meanwhile.

• Wrap individual fruits (or spoonfuls of blueberries, but thisrequires some skill) in a layer of though about 0.5-1 cmthick and roll until you get nice ball shaped dumplings.

• Lower the dumplings into a boiling water using a spoon orladle.

Now it’s time to prepare the topping. If using hard quark, pressit with a fork to get small chunks, if hard gingerbread then grateusing very fine grater and melt the butter, whip the cream.

When the dumplings start to float, give them anotherminute and take out of the water (you can test one to checkwhether the apricot is soft to your liking.

Serve on a plate, sprinkle with quark, gingerbread, brownsugar and pour some melted butter on top. If using crèmefraîche or whipped cream, put it a bit farther from the hotdumplings. g

26


MERUŇKOVÉ KNEDLÍKY (APRICOT DUMPLINGS) CAN ALSO BE MADE WITH OTHER FRUITS, LIKE STRAWBERRIES


Telč A hiddengem fora day trip

THE ICONIC STATUEON THE MAIN SQUARE

PHOTO CREDIT: JEFFREE BENET

WWW.INKYBRAIN.COM


The Czech Republic is full of hidden gems, thosesmall towns that lack the fame of the likes ofKarlovy Vary or Český Krumlov, yet have plenty tooffer the visitor. Several hours' journey south-eastof Prague, Telč must rank as one of the most

delightful of those lower-profile destinations.

Its old town center, as impressive as any in the country, maybe included on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage but it is usu-ally was far from being overloaded with tourists.

The main square, with its wealth of elaborately gabled hous-es that belonged to merchants and officials, is the key point ofinterest, and indeed the old town extends little beyond thiswedge-shaped area.

Colored yellow, red, green, brown, orange, pink, blue andcream, these houses date as far back as the 16th century,when a devastating fire destroyed much of the town and ledto its wholesale rebuilding.

Together, the houses create marvellous arcade with one

or two tourist shops along with several cafés. A nicer placeat which to sit and enjoy a coffee or a beer can hardly beimagined.

It is fun to observe how the status-conscious builders ofthese properties created façades that were sometimes largerthan the houses that hid behind. False shuttered windows sug-gest there are rooms behind the whole of the frontages.

Although most of the merchants' houses are in subtle plainpastel hues, visitors should not miss the elaborate decorationon one or two properties, with the images that show biblicalscenes adding to the main square's sense of antiquity. There isan especially well-kept property with sgraffito portraits cover-ing the façade and a delightfully over-the-top gable.

Located at the narrow end of the main square is a finezámek that owes its appearance, both internal and external, toZachariáš of Hradec, a 16th-century figure proudly describedby the Telč authorities as a "Renaissance nobleman" andsomeone credited with reviving the town's economy as well asrebuilding one of its greatest assets.

This beautiful small town is seldom packed with tourists...

OUTSIDEPRAGUETEXT DANIEL BARDSLEY

28

SAVE FOR THE OCCASSIONAL CAR, TELČ HASN'T CHANGED IN CENTURIES.. PHOTO CREDIT: DANIEL BARDSLEY

It is well worth taking one of the guided tours of the castle.Those on “Tour A – The Renaissance Halls” will enjoy seeingthe castle's magnificent ceilings, elaborate tapestries and stun-ning suits of armor – for horses as well as knights.

The inevitable hunting trophies are perhaps less likely toimpress, although the elephant's ear on display is truly remark-able for its vast size. English-speaking visitors are given helpfulwritten notes if taking a tour in another language.

Although the old town of Telč consists largely of the mainsquare and the zámek, there is much more for visitors to enjoy.

Surrounding the town are large lakes, developed for fishing,and these areas of water draw in those looking for a peacefulwalk. The boomerang-shaped lake to the south is particularlynice, being skirted by quiet roads and marked paths, and it isan easy place at which to spot herons and stprks. There arealso beautiful great crested grebes.

Also, the park area to the north-west of the zámek is apleasant, peaceful spot, perfect for those who keen to sit andenjoy the views or simply relax.

While a fair way from Prague, Telč can easily be visited on aday trip from the capital. However, it is worth spending the

night there, not least to enjoy having the marvellous mainsquare to almost to yourself as the evening draws in and thosevisitors the town does attract gradually dwindle in number.

Anyone looking to stay, and keen not to spend too much ona bed, can consider the Hotel Pod Kaštany Telč, which lies afew minutes’ walk from the main square. This reporter paid justseveral hundred crowns for a spacious room with a viewtowards the old town looking over one of the lakes. g


SURROUNDING THE TOWN ARE LARGE LAKES, PERFECT FOR PICNICS PHOTO CREDIT: DANIEL BARDSLEY


SlavoniceAn undiscoveredsecret awaits you

OUTSIDEPRAGUETEXT AND PHOTO DANIEL BARDSLEY

30

TIME STANDS STILL LESSTHAN A MILE FROM THE

AUSTRIAN BORDER

Surrounded by sweeping, unspoiled countryside,the small town of Slavonice in the far south of theCzech Republic is a delightful escape from big-citybustle. But it offers much more than that, because,while it may be pint sized, the town boasts some of

the most stunning merchants' houses in the country and haspreserved its renaissance appearance.

Telč, a short train ride to the north, attracts a fairly modestnumber of tourists, but Slavonice, being smaller and slightly trick-ier to reach, draws in even fewer. Yet no one who visits will leavedisappointed. Slavonice is a remarkable little living museum.

The key attraction is the sgraffito on the buildings in the twomain squares, both of which are stunning. There are countlesshouses with elaborate patterns chiselled into their façades, withthe decorative look completed by delightful Dutch or stepped

gables. Several houses have biblical scenes, one after another,on their façades, like a comic strip. Among the Old Testamentstories depicted is the expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

The town's look largely dates from the time when it was onthe main route between Prague and Vienna about five cen-turies ago. It was during this period that many of the elabo-rately decorated merchants' houses were built.

After that economic high point, Slavonice suffered repeatedblows, among them the 18th-century transfer of the Prague –Vienna route away from the town. Yet such economic setbackshave done nothing to harm Slavonice's charm, quite the oppo-site, since they have ensured that a quiet, unspoiled characterhas been retained to this day. There is some forestry activity,with a timber processing plant on the town's southern edges,but Slavonice largely lacks an industrial base and the popula-tion is less than 3,000.

One house in the center, dating from the late 1500s, hasretained many of the traditional elements inside, and is opento the public for 30-minute visits for 25 Kč per person, with aminimum of four visitors. You can call 605-068-546 for moreinformation. There are also underground passages in the townopen to the public.

For a fine view of the wedge-shaped main square, and thesmaller rectangular one that leads off it, climb the steps of thetower that is part of the Church of the Virgin. The view fromhere vividly demonstrates how small the town is, with opencountryside beginning in each direction just a few streetsbeyond the main square. Anyone with time to spare when vis-iting Slavonice could do well to take a brief trip across toAustria, as the national border is just 1 kilometer or so fromthe Czech town. Visitors can walk or drive along the 406, themain road south from Slavonice, and soon they come to thenow-abandoned border post. It is fascinating to see thislocked-up relic of an earlier Europe, the offices and waitingareas gathering dust.

In an impressive show of bureaucratic stupidity, the bluesign indicating that drivers from Austria are entering the CzechRepublic is almost completely obscured by a road sign facingthe other direction erected by the Austrians. A little furthersouth from the border post lies Fratres, a pleasant, sleepyAustrian village and a nice place to visit if only to sit on thesmall area of grass in the centre, next to a large pond.

There are direct buses to Slavonice from Prague's Florencstation, taking about 3 hours 15 minutes. It may usually entailat least two changes, and be about one-and-a-half hourslonger, but the train journey is also worth considering, involv-ing as it does a picturesque trip on a smaller branch line. g


THE KEY ATTRACTION IS THE SGRAFFITO ON THE BUILDINGS


Prague residents tend to want to leave the city whenthe weather is nice, and a long list of summer musicfestivals provides some destinations across thecountry and also in Slovakia and Hungary. The

bands cross many genres, from rock to ambient to worldmusic. Some festivals like Trutnov offer a little bit of every-thing, while others like Hip Hop Kemp look for a musical niche.One festival, České hrady, is a bit different in that it moves

Festive FunSummer music festivals Top DJs and big international bands will be playing across the country

SUMMERFESTIVALSTEXT KATERINA BARTON

32

CZECH LEGEND LUCIE BILA

from castle to castle throughout the summer.

ČESKÉ HRADYWhen: July 11–Aug. 30Where: Various castlesWeb: www.ceskehrady.czCzech bands play at a different castle in Bohemia or Moraviaevery weekend. The lineup varies from venue to venue. Thefestival is in its 10th year.

COLOURS OF OSTRAVAWhen: July 17–20, 2014Where: Ostrava, North MoraviaWeb: www.colours.czOne of the best summer festivals in the Czech Republic hadmany you may recognize like Robert Plant, MGMT, Bastille,John Butler Trio, The National, among others.

LEGENDS OF ROCK When: July 18–19, 2014Where: Hořice, East BohemiaWeb: www.thelegendsrockfest.czThe third annual Legends of Rock has Škwor as the headlineact. Dymytry and Arakain are also on the schedule, withfemale rockers The Agony.

BENÁTSKÁ NOCWhen: July 25–27Where: Vesec, North BohemiaWeb: www.benatskanoc.czFinnish rock band HIM is the headliner of this big festival

near Liberec. Unusually, a cover band has third billing:Hungary’s Kiss Forever will do that band’s songs in the tradi-tional makeup. The festival dates to 1993, but has movedlocations as it grew bigger.

SLAVONICE FESTIVALWhen: July 27-31, 2014Where: Slavonice, South BohemiaWeb: www.slavonicefest.czThis festival will host both film screenings and music con-certs. It may not have any big name bands, but they have sixDJs that will play at the after parties.

SÁZAVA FESTWhen: July 31–Aug. 2Where: Světlá nad Sázavou, Central BohemiaWeb: www.sazavafest.cz/Just a bit south a Prague and ever accessible by bike, this festi-val near the Sázava river has Czech acts Lucie Bílá, Dan Bárta &Illustratosphere, Chinaski, Monkey Business and Mňága aŽďorp plus international acts like France’s Bart & Baker.

BESEDA U BIGBÍTU When: Aug. 1-2, 2014Where: Tasov, South Moravia.Web: www.besedaubigbitu.cz/A showcase for independent Czech musicians has a largemusical variety. Some headliners include Tall Shipp, ElektroGuzzi, Wattican Punk Ballet, Kamp!, just to name a few.

OSTROVA V PLAMENECHWhen: Aug. 2, 2014


PRAGUE PRIDE FESTIVAL

http://www.ceskehrady.cz

http://www.colours.cz

http://www.thelegendsrockfest.cz

http://www.benatskanoc.cz

http://www.slavonicefest.cz

http://www.sazavafest.cz/

http://www.besedaubigbitu.cz/


Where: Dolní Vítkovice, North MoraviaWeb: www.ostravavplamenech.czThe name of this ultimate Rock concertcan be translated to “Ostrava inFlames.” Some bands that will performinclude W.A.S.P., Doga, Sonata Arctica,among others.

ONLY OPEN AIR FESTIVAL-CALVIN HARRIS 2014When: Aug 8, 2014Where: near Incheba Arena, PragueWeb: www.celebration.skActs include record producer and DJCalvin Harris along with R3HAB, EvaShaw, and Mark Knight, among other DJs.

SZIGET FESTIVAL 2014When: Aug. 11-18, 2014Where: Budapest, HungaryWeb: www.szigetfestival.comThis is one of the larger festivals inEastern Europe with big band namessuch as Blink-182, Macklemore & RyanLewis, Jimmy Eat World, Skrillex, dead-mou5, and The Kooks. It also seems tohost a large variety of genres.

TRUTNOV OPEN AIR FESTIVALWhen: Aug. 14–17, 2014Where: Trutnov, East BohemiaWeb: www.festivaltrutnov.czPatti Smith headlines this long-runningfestival with a rather eclectic lineup.While Trutnov bills itself as the Czechversion of Woodstock and is dedicatedto the ideals of the Velvet Revolution,this year it also welcomes bands likeCradle of Filth and Kreator.

World music will be represented bySaharan band Tinariwen. Also new this

year, actor Elijah Wood will open thefestival as a DJ.

GRAPE FESTIVAL When: Aug. 15-16, 2014Where: Pieštany Airport, Slovakia.Web: www.grapefestival.skThe festival is located in the west partof Slovakia in the spa city of Pieštany. Ithosts an interesting lineup withBombay Bicycle Club, Editors, La Roux,Palma Violets among other artists.

VIZOVICKÉ TRNKÓBRANÍWhen: Aug. 22–23Where: Rudolf Jelínek distillery area,Vizovice, southern MoraviaWeb: www.vizovicketrnkobrani.czA who’s who of Czech bands includingMiG 21, Monkey Business and Kryštofplay at one of the season’s later festivals.

ROCK FOR CHURCHILLWhen: Aug. 29–30, 2014Where: Areál Myslivn,

SUMMERFESTIVALSTEXT KATERINA BARTON

3434

PATTI SMITH HEADLINES THIS YEAR’S TRUTNOV

FINNISH ROCK BAND HIM HEADLINESBENÁTSKÁ NOC NEAR LIBEREC

http://www.ostravavplamenech.cz

http://www.celebration.sk

http://www.szigetfestival.com

http://www.festivaltrutnov.cz

http://www.grapefestival.sk

http://www.vizovicketrnkobrani.cz

Vroutek, Central BohemiaWeb: www.rfch.czThis international music festival is among Czech Republic’smost popular and interesting music scenes. The lineupincludes The Subways, Dub Pistols and Dreadzone andmusic ranging from ska and dance music to reggae androck music.

QUEER NOISES AT PRAGUE PRIDE 2014When: Aug. 15-16, 2014Where: Chapeau Rouge, PragueWeb: www.facebook.com/events/1505067769713176/This will be the largest party during the Prague PrideFestival. This year will be the fourth edition of the PraguePride festival and will take place from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17.The schedule is still being completed, but a highlight is aparade followed by an open air concert.

HIP HOP KEMP 2014When: Aug. 21-23, 2014Where: Festivalpark, Hradec Králové, East BohemiaWeb: www.hiphopkemp.czThe festival is one of Europe’s largest hip-hop festivals. Thelineup includes Cee Lo Green, KRS One, Action Bronson,Bilal, among many others g

PRAGUE 6 BREVNOV NEAR LADRu & NloohcserPFMARTS

S TO COME

RONKA PARKyresru

FOXARLY AGE

AND REAP THEDUCATE YO

HE BENEFITS FOR YEAR

PRAGUE 6 - BREVNOV, NEAR LADR

OUR CHILD FROM AN EA

Arts and crafts activities everyday

REFFE OW

Native English speakers all dayFully qualified teachers and lectorsEducation in Czech and English

BIO foodFamily friendly environmentHigh standard of careIndividual approach

All that in English and Czech languag

Summer

from the books together with the main cfrequent trips. We will be introducing We will play, sing, create, do sports a9 week’s full of fun, every week a differe

Smart

.

Camp

elling their program is

e with our characters.each story

and go on ent theme.

parents about what they experiencedsmiling children at the end of a day, teThe main goal of the summer camp p

teachers and native speaking lectors.All that in English and Czech languag

loskavvaokixoffo.ww.wwovaskEmail: info@foxi, 20 777 931 7314+Bř, 6Praha0 9 0162,Loutkářská

zc.akkalskolka.cz

.: Telnovře

CEE LO GREEN WILL BE AT HIP HOP KEMP 2014

http://www.foxikovaskola.cz/

http://www.rfch.cz

http://www.facebook.com/events/1505067769713176/

http://www.hiphopkemp.cz

AROUNDPRAGUETEXT KATERINA BARTON PHOTO JEFFREE BENETWWW.INKYBRAIN.COM

36

THE TOWERITSELF IS OPENTO THE PUBLICAND PEOPLECAN GO TO THETOP WITH ATICKET.

The Prague Astronomical Clock or Pražský Orloj isregularly sighted on blogs and websites as one ofthe most disappointing attractions in Prague.Tourists expect some sort of grand performance atthe top of every hour and are disappointed to see

that it is just an old clock.

In reality, it’s not just any old clock, but a really old clock dat-ing back over 600 years. It’s also the only working astrologicalclock in the entire world. The age and rarity of the clock shouldbe cause for applause on its own.

Prague’s Orloj can be divided into three main parts. The firstpart is made up of two windows from which you can see the pro-cession of the Twelve Apostles every hour in the daytime andanother window where a golden rooster sits and crows after theprocession. The second, and largest part, is the astronomicalclock face. The final part is the calendar.

Other parts of the clock include four figures considered to bethe “bad guys” of the time, Vanity, Death, the Piper and Greed.These stand near the top of the clock and have moving partsduring the procession. The “good guys” are located near the cal-endar. These are the Archangel Michael, the Astronomer, thePhilosopher and the Chronicler.

Even the history of the timepiece is interesting. It was previ-ously thought to be built by Master Hanuš and mounted on OldTown City Hall in the late 15th century. Legend has it that thecity councilors didn’t want Hanuš to build another competingclock so they had him blinded, King Lear style. However, thetruth is that the clock was built in 1410 by Mikuláš Kadaň, aclock maker, and Jan Šindel, an astronomer. Neither was blinded.

This clock has seen some rough times, including being partial-ly burned down by Germans in 1945 during the Prague Uprising.

Shouldn’t tourists at least appreciate the hardships this poor, oldclock has faced?

HOW TO READ THE CLOCK:

One of the most interesting parts of the whole clock tower ismost misunderstood by tourists. Not many people know that theclock shows three different times as well as the position of thesun, moon, and the stars, all indicated by the three differenthands of the clock.

The beautiful colors of the clock are not just there for decora-tion. They indicate different times of the day when the sun iconpasses over them. The orange color on the left and right indi-cates the sunrise and sunset respectively. The blue area symbol-izes day time, while the black circle symbolizes night.

The clock face may seem complicated at first, but each sec-tion shows different types of time. The outer black circle withgolden numerals shows the old Bohemian time, also known asItalian time, and this is on a 24-hour scale. Babylonian time isindicated by the golden curves on the inside of the clock.

The current Czech time is shown by the clock hand with thesun pointing towards the roman numerals on the inside of theclock face. However, this clock does not account for daylightsavings time, so you might be better off using the analog clockat the top of the tower.

The easiest part ofthe clock to read isthe zodiac circle oninner part of the clockand the calendarbelow the clock whichshows the date. g

OrlojKEEPING TIMEPrague’s Most historical (and not disappointing) tourist attraction


THE TOWER WAS BADLY DAMAGED AT THE VERY END OF WW II


On being a BohemeBohemian (see also Beatnik beet`nik)- one who thinks and expresses freelyby rejecting conventions and main-stream standards and thereforethrives on creativity and appreciatesart and beauty.

For any one who has lived in the Czech Republiclong enough and asked "What Is A Bohemian?"Well my friend, a Bohemian is one who doesn'tlet society slow him down. One that doesn'tworry about minor things that most others fret

about all the time.

By eliminating such distractions, Bohemians can allowtheir minds to wander and go in the direction of their indi-vidual souls. So, you see, this uninhibited "mental naked-ness" is what causes the true creativity and expression tosurface and makes one Bohemian appreciate the creativework of others.

Bohemians develop artistic philosophies. They see allsides of thought and discard nothing; be it people, methods,or perspectives because who knows, it could be the rightone. Bohemians are enlightened but misunderstood people;free thought is some times seen as ignorance and theirstarving-artist lifestyle is seen as vagrancy.

"Everybody seems to think I'm lazy. I don't care, I thinktheir crazy. Running everywhere at such a speed. Until theyfind, there's no need." -John Lennon

Creative people are in touch with the earth, nature, andsimplicity. Bohemians are a part of history.

The original members of the Beat Generation like JackKerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and some others, were poets inColumbia University and were in solidarity with theoppressed students in Communist Czechoslovakia.

They came from poor and troubled families, they werebeaten-down by life. During a NY Times interview in 1948,Jack Kerouac used the word beat to describe himself and hisfriends. Their writings and even movies became popular dur-ing the 50s when their followers started to assemble. In1958, the term Beatnik was coined to replace Bohemian andhere we are.

So if you're not Czech, but you feel it, you're boheme. g

http://www.jamagroup.cz/

http://www.amazon.com/The-Prague-Post/dp/B002R5BF50

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Documents

The Prague Post Summer Guide 2014