12 Things I Love About Prague
1. Prague is a Cultural Hub
Because Prague is centrally located in Europe, people from all over the world pass through to see what Prague has to offer. I love that on my way to work, I will overhear conversations in not only Czech and English, but also Russian, German, French, Spanish, Ukrainian, Portuguese, Hebrew, and many others. Oh, and let's not forget the wide range of English accents. While walking throughout the city, I eavesdrop as much as I can to try to figure out where people are from. It's deeply satisfying for my inner-linguist. But more importantly, the number of people from different places and cultural backgrounds means I have the wonderful opportunity to meet all kinds of interesting people. I've met people from Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Australia, Sweden, the UK, Israel, Ghana, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, and of course many Americans from all over the States. It feels like the whole world is open to me within this Czech city.
2. People Keep to Themselves in Public
While it's nice to meet new people, sometimes I just don't feel like being social. I know I mentioned in my last post that I miss making eye-contact with strangers and saying hello. However, I think I might prefer the Czech attitude of minding your own business. Czechs generally keep their eyes on where they're going rather than looking up to meet someone's gaze. If this accidentally occurs, they will quickly glance away without so much as a nod. This may seem unfriendly to most Americans, but I've found it quite refreshing. I'm rather introverted (most days) and prefer to be left alone when going about my business. As an introvert, I sometimes find it exhausting to be around crowds of people or doing things like going to the store where I have to have brief interactions with every stranger I come across. Here, I can simply go where I need to go and get done what I need to get done without frivolous small talk.
3. Very Simple and Efficient Transportation System
Don't get me wrong, I miss driving. However, I don't miss paying for gas, city parking, insurance, oil changes, etc. Public transportation in the US is usually poor or non-existent. The MetroLink in St. Louis was ok if you needed to get to and from popular locations, but I never felt like the whole city was available to me through public transportation. Prague has a series of busses, trams, and metro trains that keeps the whole city extremely accessible. It's also very easy to understand. There are three main metro lines that all connect near the center of the city and several trams that typically come every 5-10 minutes. Stations are scattered throughout Prague, and there are even night trams that run after hours (although you're likely to run into some interesting characters/smelly vomit on the night trams). I'm using this transportation at less than $28/month.
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| Red, Green, and Yellow are the 3 Metro Lines and the blue lines are the trams. Everything is pretty much a 5-10 minute walk away from a tram/Metro station. |
4. The Beautiful Architecture
Although I've been here for two months now, I still gawk at the buildings around me like a tourist. The city has this wonderful old town charm mixed with very modern structures. I've met a few students who are in Prague to study architecture, and I can see why they chose to be here. I never mind getting lost here because there's always interesting architecture to see.
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| Found this today. The Dancing House. |
5. The Vltava River
Not only does Prague have beautiful man-made features, it also has some spectacular natural scenery. The Vltava River runs right through the heart of Prague, giving it a serene atmosphere that I can only imagine is even more breathtaking in spring and summer. There are several bridges available to stroll across, many fancy boats to wine and dine aboard, and parks along the river's edge where you can feed swans if you're feeling bold enough to risk a few fingers.
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| Ok, I stole this one from the Internet. I'll take my own when the sun comes out to play. |
6. Cheap Beer
Yes, the rumors are true. Beer is cheaper than water in restaurants here. And it's good. None of that Natty Lite crap. Tap water is rarely free in Czech restaurants, and if you do order water, you must specify that you want it non-carbonated. I always bring my own water bottle out with me, and I'm not above filling it up in the bathroom sink. So asking for water with a meal will likely cost you 40 czk ($2) whereas a pint of beer may be as low as 26 czk ($1.30)! In America, the same beer would be at least $4. $9 if you are at a sporting event. Going to grocery shops is even better. I got 22 oz. bottles of Budweiser (the Czech one, not Anhueser Busch) for 10 czk each (50 cents)! Chtěl bych pivo, prosím!
7. 80% of the Czech Republic is Non-Religious
Growing up as a gay boy in the Bible-Belt of America was largely an unpleasant experience. While I acknowledge that religion is often helpful and comforting for individual people, my experience has shown me how devastating and harmful religion can be when used to target minorities and sway public opinion as organized religion is so prone to do. That being said, I find it refreshing to be in a country with one of the least religious populations in the world. My impression of Czechs so far is that they are a very pragmatic, no-nonsense kind of people. This gives them a high aptitude for scientific pursuits, so I always look forward to having conversation topics about science in my English classes because they get excited about it. The Big Bang Theory television show is also very popular in the Czech Republic, so it's nice to know I have some like-minded geeks hiding behind the language barrier. I also find it comforting to know that I'm not going to be confronted with pamphlets about Jesus in the streets, the threat of impending hellfire from my "friends", the absurdities of creationism in schools, missionaries ringing my door at 8:00 AM on a Saturday, or condescending "I'll pray for you" remarks. I appreciate that the churches here are widely open for the public to appreciate their beauty and history, not to win converts and propagate political agendas.
8. Prague is Grossly Romantic
This is one of those things that I'm not sure if I hate to love or love to hate, but I'm going to put it on the list. I'll admit, I had two or three romantic walks through Old Town Square and into the heart of Prague, and it was charming as hell. A stroll across the Charles Bridge (over the previously mentioned Vltava River) will reveal hundreds of entwined couples with their hearts all aflutter over the beauty of the city. I've seen a few places near the river where couples will put a padlock on a gate and throw the key in the river as a symbol of their love. There are hundreds of restaurants and cafes that cater perfectly to a vacationing couple, not to mention small boats that drift lazily down the river while you whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears. Prague is the prefect city if you're looking to pop the question.
9. Endless Restaurants, Cafes, and Pubs
Another reason I never worry about getting lost in Prague is that I'm likely to stumble upon a unique place with delicious food and drinks. I love going out to eat, much to the dismay of my wallet. All of the food I have come across here has been delicious, and ordering from a menu written in a bastard language of Czech and English is always a fun gamble. Furthermore, open-air markets will crop up from time to time, and those are always worth a look. I nabbed a delicious slice of coconut blueberry cheesecake from one on Valentine's Day. Cheesecake > Love
10. Expat/TEFL Community
Being the cultural hub that it is, Prague has a large community of immigrants from all over the world. Many are students, several are fellow English teachers, and some are just here for the hell of it. We tend to bond over our ignorance of the Czech language and customs as well as the struggles of being so far from home. The Internet has helped us find each other. Expats.cz acts a directory for housing, jobs, cultural events, language exchanges, healthy living, etc. Facebook has a few groups dedicated to the outsiders of Prague such as "Prague Buy/Sell/Trade" and "Meet in Prague." The Language House also keeps a tight-knit group of alums, so I'm never far from people going through the same struggles as I am.
11. Dogs. Everywhere.
While walking through Prague, I'm likely to have the thought "I want a puppy!" pass through my mind at least a dozen times. People are always walking their dogs around the city. Many don't use leashes, but the pets are happy to trot alongside their masters. I've seen several just waiting outside shop doors for their owners to gather groceries. The poop problem is a bit of an issue. Prague clearly has no laws requiring people to pick up after their dogs, or at least if there is a law, it is not enforced. This is why it is customary to remove your shoes as soon as entering someone's house. However, I love seeing man's best friend all around the city. I'll get one someday, but there's no way I can care for another living thing right now. I don't think I could even take care of a houseplant right now.
12. Prague is Centrally Located for Easy Traveling Opportunities
This is one of the main reasons I chose to come to Prague. I have traveled quite a bit throughout the States, and I've been to Mexico twice on cruises, but I never got a study abroad experience like so many Truman students did. Being in Prague is kind of like being back in Missouri in that I can travel in any direction and end up somewhere interesting. It's as simple as taking a bus or a train. Even plane tickets aren't that expensive within Europe. I've already made a weekend trip to Berlin, and I'll be going to Vienna sometime this month for my visa paperwork. There's been some talk of an Amsterdam trip, and I definitely want to go to Spain. Italy isn't too far away, and Sweden sounds swell. Having Prague as homebase makes traveling throughout Europe feasible, and I feel very lucky to have these kinds of trips available to me.
So there you have it. 12 things I love about Prague. This city is great, and I love living here no matter how much I may miss home. Fellow Praguers, what else would you add? Leave a comment here or on Facebook.
-Anthony
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