Dobry den!
This is the final instalment of my A-Z based on living in
the Czech Republic for the last three years.
W is for…wafers
Honourable mentions: walking,
winter
Amongst the beer and other tacky souvenirs in Vaclav Havel
Airport you’ll find a box with a disc-shaped wafer on it called Kolonada. These
oversized snacks (admittedly you don’t generally eat a whole one on your own in
one go) originate from the spa town of Karlovy Vary.
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| Big Kolonada! |
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| Karlovy Vary |
Before arriving, I would have assumed that Prague would be
the most expensive place in the Czech Republic. However, I now think that
dubious honour goes to Karlovy Vary.
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| The promenade in Karlovy Vary |
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| One thing you don't have to pay for: a pretty view |
It is a place of glamour and splendour, aside from the
horrific tower block that soars up towards the northern end of the town. Part of
Casino Royale was filmed here, lending further credence to its claim to be a
powerhouse of cinema. Its famous film festival has been running for over fifty
years.
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| The hotel in Casino Royale - in the film they say it's Montenegro |
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| 007 pose in front of Casino Royale hotel: check... |
In spite of this, I didn’t get the happiest vibe from
visiting Karlovy Vary. There are more vibrant cities, prettier spa towns and
generally better places to spend your time in the Czech Republic.
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| Karlovy Vary: nice but nothing spectacular |
X is for…Xtreme Rafting
Yes, it’s spelt wrong. Good luck finding a suitable word
beginning with X. For Kazakhstan I used xenodocheionology,
which I still have to look up every time I see it. Anyway, using ‘Xtreme
rafting’ gives me a chance to tell you about the Czech Republic’s crown jewel:
Cesky Krumlov.
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| Cesky Krumlov: picturesque |
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| A view of the historic town centre from the raft |
Rafting – the extreme part is ironic, it was sedate enough
for my parents to enjoy – along the Vltava as it bends through this historic
town’s centre is beyond pleasant. Beers in hand, enjoying the sunshine and the
stunning old buildings – bliss.
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| A booze cruise through Cesky Krumlov was a great way to end the first year of living in the Czech Republic |
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| Enjoying a family rafting trip on the Vltava |
If you visit Prague any time in the future, be sure to
include time – and proper time, not just an in-out flying visit – to visit and
raft through Cesky Krumlov.
Y is for…Yam-Yam
Yam-Yam is a Thai restaurant found in multiple locations
across Prague. I’m not sure if they do it any more, but when we first went
there it had a section called the ‘Hell Menu’. Even my teenage upbringing of a
vindaloo (followed by sticking my head in the freezer) every Saturday night hadn’t
prepared me for the six-chilli effect of this food. I slurped my way through
half of the soup and about a couple of litres of water.
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| Grung Tab Tom Yam - my Kryptonite |
The other food Yam-Yam provide is really nice, and it’s one
of the many restaurants I’ve enjoyed visiting in Prague. You’re spoilt for
choice, here, as I’ve mentioned before. Amongst the plethora of Czech
restaurants you can find anything from Korean to Mexican, and just about any
other country in between.
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| Enjoying high-class food in Sansho |
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| One of many meals in Budvarka, my favourite Czech restaurant |
If you fancy dining in, Prague has an online company called
Dame Jidlo which works in a similar way to Just Eat in the UK. This time last
year, I would have said it is a brilliant scheme. In the last 12 months,
however, we’ve had plenty of problems with them, particularly delivering our
takeaway curry.
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| Curry - much better and reliable when ordered in a restaurant |
Speaking of that cuisine, I’ve been informed that Malawi has
‘the best curry in Africa’. I’ll be the judge of that…
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| Indian food from Pind |
Z is for…Zdeněk
Undoubtedly my favourite Czech name. Pronounced Zden-Yek, it
looks and sounds…ugly. I wanted to give it a better reputation, so when we
rented a small Škoda to drive around the west of the country, Zdeněk the car
was born.
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| The beloved Zdenek, made by Skoda as (probably) 90% of cars are in the Czech Republic |
Driving here will be viewed as easy and a pleasure when
viewed through sepia-tinted eyes as our car runs into problem after problem in
Africa. The roads are good, traffic isn’t too bad (unless you’re trying to
leave Prague on a Friday when many others go to their cottages in the sticks),
the country is small enough for you to drive anywhere in a reasonable amount of
time: what isn’t there to love?
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| The beautiful Czech countryside |
There is certainly a lot to love about living in the Czech
Republic (I really hope they don’t change their name to Czechia). Three years
have flown by and I’ve enjoyed something on every single day. I also think that
living in Prague has brought me back towards preferring a European lifestyle
after the time I’ve spent living in Asia. Perfect time to move to southern
Africa, then…
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| Ready to fly to the next adventure! |
Love you all
Matt
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