Bohemian Rhapsody18:42 May 18 2008
Times Read: 699
The Czech Republic, a nation obsessed with mushrooms, where "No" means "Yes", everyone drives a škoda, and you can shout "ahoy!" without sounding like a prat.
With only six days remaining in my sojourn in Prague, I suppose I really should write about what Ive been up to. Ive seen all manner of amazing and beautiful historical things, like Orloj, a 500-600 year old Astronomical clock, Charlies Bridge where I touched the statue of Charles cause its meant to be lucky, visited the National Museum which was easily the most impressive building ive ever seen the inside of, seen a 12th century pub, seen lots of spectacular churches and cathedrals, and took a day trip to Kutná Hora, where I visited Kostnice (the Bone Church), a gothic chapel the inside of which is decorated with 40000 human skeletons! Ive taken somewhere around a zillion photos which I will put up for you all when I can get internet on my laptop. Yesterday I went to a museum of Medieval Torture Instruments which was cool too, and last week visited Karlštejn castle, where Kylie Minogue was apparently visiting the same time I was there, but didnt realise till it was on the news that night! I also went to the Marionette Theatre and saw a puppet opera! But seriously, walking through central Prague is a visual symphony, everywhere you turn theres something beautiful to behold.
Alcohol and being drunk everyday is important to Czech people, and beer and spirits are insanely cheap, and you can even buy cannabis flavoured Absinthe or Vodka. Cigarettes are cheap too, like a pack of twenty will cost you around four dollars. Cheese and salami is cheap and has been pretty much what Ive been living off. The beer is surpringly good, even I like it and that is saying something.
When I say everyone here drives I škoda, Im serious, something like 90% of cars are škodas, but Ive also seen plenty of Ladas, a Russian car fondly known as the worst car ever made, lol.
Before I came here plenty of people told me, "dont worry most people will speak English" which I was right not to expect, because thats bollocks and they dont. People are remarkably rude, particularly at information desks. So Ive taught myself enough Czech to get around, and since I successfully figured out how to order a smažený sýr, Ive been quite happy. Smažený sýr meaning a thick piece of melty cheese in breadcrumbs, which you can buy everywhere, and between bread makes the most delicious but unhealthy burger of all time.
I havent met another New Zealander the whole time Ive been here, Ive met two Aussies, loads of English and American people, but I feel like the only Kiwi for a hundred miles. Its been interesting being here and theres a few things still left for me to see, but the novelty of being here has well and truely worn off and Im greatly anticipating Saturday when Ill be going to London. Rather amazingly Ive had loads of inspiration for my books, and heaps of time to write them. What I love about Prague is the screeds of history, beautiful buildings, cheap food and alcohol. What I dont love is not being able to read or communicate, and much of the outer city is kinda shit. As for the mushroom obsession, thats true too, and I even went mushrooming with my friend Jiří. We picked mushrooms which his dad cooked into eggs the next day, but the perturbing part of this is how they always keep one mushroom in the fridge to show the doctor incase you get poisoned. Another thing is that evil giant killer death bees of doom do exsist. One day in a pub I saw the biggest bee of all time, and Jiří told me to "run like hell" when he noticed it.
Well I think thats all for now, ahoj, nazdar, nashedanou, ciao!
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