MICHELE'S MUSINGS

Czech Republic

Prague, the only city in the C.R. that we visited lived up to our expectations. It proved to be a highlight of our European travel. We took the 6 hour train trip from Munich, noticing the contrast as we crossed into the C.R. Orderly villages gave way to dreary unmaintained looking train stations. Chunky Czech ladies donning babushkas and mismatched polyester outfits boarded....then we arrived in Prague. Prague is an architects dream city; it’s art nouveau and deco buildings are unbelievable. One facade outdoes the next. If this isn’t enough, these “modern” buildings are set adjacent to the medieval walled city of Prague...which sports a castle reachable by crossing a fantastic bridge for pedestrians only. This very old bridge which has built in “cages” to house prisoners as “examples” now is used by artists to work and display their art. We arrived at the train station late on Sunday to find a small group of men offering rooms...I liked the looks of Peter who, being a good businessman, was equip with a map and photos of his room...and it was within walking distance of everything...off we went. The funky loft he offered us was decorated with oriental rugs, and religious art- perfectly Bohemian. Peter is an entrepreneur. He rents several rooms in an apartment building, and then sublets them to travelers that he picks up at the train station. There is not much work here. They say Prague is full of qualified architects driving taxis for a living. We learned about the Czech artist Mucha who brought his work to Paris in the early 1900’s for the world fair; it was ultimately he who was responsible for the birth of the art nouveau movement. I ate hearty goulash (this is a meat and potatoes kind of place) and we drank the best beer in all of Europe here. Prague is a real bargain in every way...food and lodging are reasonable and entertainment is for the most part free (just walk around and take it all in). The city appears to be full of young artists and expats...it feels stylishly Bohemian.

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