I miss Prague. For six days I lived and breathed the city, roaming from the old to the new town to the castle to the river, seeking out the haunts of Kafka, the places where Mozart played, the coffee shops (Kavarna) where Vaclav Havel met with friends. I feel rather as if I had an intense fling and now it’s over but still fills my mind and heart.
The funny thing is I wasn’t that keen on going, mainly because it isn’t France or the London, my top two choices for travel. I know now not to refer to the Czech Republic as Eastern Europe, but my preconception was that it was in the “Eastern bloc”. They don’t feel Eastern and, in fact, they are very central to the continent, which has been a cause of a lot of their problems in the past, being gobbled up and overrun by neighbors. On the map, Germany actually looks like a wide-open mouth ready to swallow the Czech Republic.
1) Beer: Pilsner Urkhel is everywhere, but we actually preferred Gambrinus. When we tried The New Town Brewery, their dark beer was our favorite for the whole trip. The Budvar was just okay, but we admired them for standing up to Anhauser Busch! We also tried the local beer in Kutna Hora, which was good, but I didn’t write down the name.
2) Food: We loved Czech food – it’s very hearty and filling so it was hard to eat three meals a day. The best goulash in a bread bowl (and the cheapest meal we had) was at The Mill (Mjilnice?) on Kolva, just off the Old Town Square. Four of us sat there drinking for hours and all had a meal and it came to under $100. I couldn’t drink anymore beer so took a chance on the red wine by the glass. It wasn’t bad. The service was so-so, but the atmosphere is quaint and authentic. We also had a great lunch at Kolkovna near the Spanish Synagogue. Two of our party shared a Mixed Grill for Two, which has slabs of meat hanging on hooks over a flame. I had the roast lamb with creamed spinach and dumplings and literally could not eat again for 24 hours. The goulash wasn’t as good here as at the Mill, but the cabbage pancakes were great at both places. I ended up back aat Kolkovna for cabbage pancakes on the following day! The next night, we met a large group at The Blue Duckling (there are two, this one was just off of Old Town Square, the original is in Mala Strana) but unfortunately I could only eat a salad. They had a decent red wine by the glass as well and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals, especially the duck! They also had a cheese course for dessert. For lunches across the river, I tried a small place off Nerudova. The goulash was not as good as at the Mill, but the service was excellent, especially as I was by myself. Another day, we wasted a lunch at Café Marnice. It looked so quaint with outdoor heaters near tables overlooking the canal, and sheepskins (rather ratty looking up close) on the chairs, but the service was not just indifferent, but rude and the food was mediocre. All that and it was expensive, too. Don’t go there! Two nights we succumbed to the outdoor tables near the clock in the Old Town Square. Now, I can’t remember the names, but there are two places in front of the clock. The one on the far left (facing the clock) was actually not bad – pleasant spot with good service. The other place which is closer to Starbucks was lousy – I think the surly waiter turned the heater off to get rid of us! One of our favorite things after a hard day of sight-seeing was to split a sausage from one of the vendors in Wenceslas Square – they are seemingly open 24/7, they’re cheap and the mustard is soooo good. They also serve beer and hot wine. Our last meal in Prague was perfect. We chose to eat in a gothic bell tower – we couldn’t resist! Zvonice is on the 7th and 8th floors (don’t worry there’s an elevator) with tables nestled among huge old rafters between which the original bell St. Maria circa 1518 can be glimpsed. It was charming and romantic, the service was great and we had a wonderful bottle of Moravian Cabernet Sauvignon. For appetizers, we had a mouth-watering Carpaccio with shaved parmesan and a roasted foie gras. Both were exceptional. One of us had a half-duck with two kinds of cabbage and dumplings, the other had grilled duck breast with a currant sauce. Both were excellent. The only downside was no cheese course.
3) Sights:
a. Old Town (Staromestske namesti): The Square is stunning, the famous clock underwhelms, but has to be seen, the Cappuccinos at the outdoor cafes lining the square are pricey but you’re paying for the architectural gems on display as well as the incomparable people-watching. The “Kafka Trail” begins here as you can visit his birthplace just outside of the Square past the Church of St. Nicholas in what is now Franz Kafka Square. The small exhibit (50Kc) has fascinating photographs following a timeline of his life and poignantly describing the “triple ghetto – social, cultural and linguistic” into which he, as a German Jew, was born. Back across the Square is the well-stocked Kafka Bookstore.
b. Castle Area: (Hradcany): The Monastery (Strahovsky Klaster) was well worth seeing for the cases of natural history specimens in the hall. There is a baby dodo bird that amazes as well as a crocodile, an eel and other weird things. The ancient manuscripts on display in the gift shop deserve a look. Most incredible is a contemporary account of Columbus’ voyage with a drawing of one of his ships. I opted to skip the castle interiors in favor of the Lobkowicz Palace (Lobkovicky palac) which tells the tale of Czech history through the eyes of one powerful family. It’s a bit difficult to follow the interconnections of the family with the Hapsburgs and other dynasties, but the excellent audio guide, narrated by family members, helps a lot. In one portrait of a noble lady, a ring is pointed out that the narrator’s Mother still wears today. There is also a picture of one ancestress hiding some wounded “defenestrated” officials in the Palace. (An act of defiant bravery, but in support of corruption and misrule, I fear). A wonderful painting by Brueghal is also on display with an excellent explanation of its significance to Western art. The best part of the tour is the Music Room where original manuscripts by Beethoven and Mozart are on display. While gorgeous music plays in the background, you hear how the Lobkowicz Princes supported Beethoven with much-needed funds and in return had many works dedicated to them, especially the Eroica Symphony originally intended to be dedicated to Napoleon until he betrayed Republican ideals by declaring himself Emperor. They offer daily concerts at 1:00 pm. They also have a nice café with a fabulous panoramic view of the city below. The Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) is great, although it was under construction with half of it fenced off. This made for heavy going on a sunny Sunday afternoon, especially as the crowds gathered by the small band that seemed always to be playing “When the Saints go Marching In.” Many of the statues have unique stories or rumors that would be well worth reading up on before getting to the bridge.
c. In the Jewish Quarter (Josefov), the Pinkasova Synagogue is a must-see for the tribute to the victims of the Holocaust – nearly 80,000 names of the murdered Bohemian and Moravian Jews are printed in endless rows on every wall. Even more moving is the well-presented exhibit of artwork created by children at the Nazi concentration camp Terezin. The pictures are grouped thematically under titles such as “Remembrance of Home.” The dates accompanying the artists’ names are heartbreaking: birth years are all around 1931, and then there is the year they were brought to the camp, usually 1942, and, very soon after that, the year 1943 or 1944 that they died. Very few had the word “survived” printed after the year they came to the camp. The Old Jewish Cemetery (Stary Zidovsky Hrbitov) was the only place that Prague Jews could be buried for around 300 years and is consequently jammed with tombstones crowded together at all angles. It is a melancholy sight on an autumn afternoon. The Maiselova Synagoga presents the history of Czech Jews from the 10th to the 18th century bringing home the fact that for European Jews centuries of oppression and fluctuating fortunes preceded the Nazi atrocities of the 20th century. The Spanish Synagogue has a beautiful interior and continues in a less compelling fashion the history begun at Maiselova. When I was there, I was also able to visit a gallery directly behind the Synagogue which had an exhibit of drawings inspired by Kafka’s work.
d. In the Lesser Town (Mala Strana), just stroll through the crooked streets, somewhat away from the throngs of tourists in the Old Town and Castle area. Each corner brings another charming sight – a park, or an antique bookstore with books in many languages or a glimpse of a waterwheel on the canal. To continue following the “Kafka Trail” bear right immediately after the bridge and stay right until you come to a sign for the Coffee Museum and the Kafka Museum (this is fairly new so may not be in every guidebook). The bizarre fountain featuring two men urinating and the giant “K” will give you a clue that you have found the place. (If you reach Kampa Park restaurant (supposed to be good but pricey), you are at a dead-end, and must retrace your steps back over the canal and continue to the right. Again, do not stop and eat or drink at Café Marnice.) The Kafka Museum is more expensive than most (120Kc), but it is perfectly “Kafkaesque” in that the viewer is somewhat confused at times (the spiral staircase seems to beckon, but on closer inspection is entirely surrounded with plexiglass). While adding to the life story of the author with photographs and quotes, the exhibit delves more into his famous works, placing the reader at the center of the alienation and dislocation described in The Castle through a surreal video. The amazing thing about Kafka is the way he anticipates the deadening oppression of the individual that totalitarian governments would soon bring to the Czech Republic. A walk up Nerudova ulice is interesting and helps undo the effects of beer and cabbage pancakes. At the top of the street off to the left is an inviting path that leads one to the beautiful Petrin Hill. This park is crisscrossed with pathways and affords a moment of solitude along with a beautiful view down to the city. On a drizzly November day, the city floats below in a gray mist and the burnt umber of remaining leaves adds the only touch of color. At the top is a miniature Eiffel Tower (1/5 replica or the original) which can be climbed for an even better view. Then follow signs for the funicular for an enjoyable trundle back down the hill (use metro tickets – there is a machine that takes coins or the attendants will make change if needed). At the bottom, be sure to visit the Monument to the Victims of Communism. Just follow the sidewalk over to the right and take a moment to think of the wasted lives under 40 years of oppression. Walk back up Karmelitska and then plunge down Prokopska, heading for more charming streets and courtyards, only wishing one could eat and drink more as each inviting pub or café appears.
4) Regrets and disappointments: Should have taken the time to see more of the Castle area, especially the interior of St. Vitus Cathedral (the Mucha stained glass is supposed to be exceptional). Shouldn’t have spent a whole day going to Kutna Hora, although it was a fun adventure. Wish I had made it to the Globe Bookstore, had read more about the history before I got there so I could have made a little more sense of all the references to the Hapsburgs, the 30 years war and the Hussites. Wish I had climbed the mini-Eiffel Tower and visited Kampa Park. Wish I had bought more scarves. Didn’t try the strudel. Could have used one more day.
5) Surprises: loved the comforting Czech food, the prices of Pashminas and other scarves was more than reasonable, the Czech (especially Moravian) red wine was pretty good, the Bohemian cheese was excellent, almost everyone in the city spoke some English, it felt really safe to walk around at night.
I miss Prague.
