Prague Stories

at Thai restaurant

dorm hallway

After yesterday’s stress of trying to turn in a rough cut of our final film and finishing an Art History paper, today was supposed to be a stress-free day. Well, almost. I woke up late and went to Bohemia Bagel with Molly to finish the paper I had told myself would be finished by Thursday night.

Side note – For all of you who do not know about Bohemia Bagel, you should definitely check it out. It’s probably the ONLY restaurant in Prague that serves American-style food. They even have pancakes! Molly will be saying more about the greatness that is Bohemia Bagel, so I’ll stop talking about it.

Though I love the city of Prague and European culture in general, I’m sort of ready to go home. I don’t think I can handle one more serving of goulash or any more pivo (beer) at two o’clock in the afternoon! Yes, yes – that is Czech culture in a nutshell.

I’m ready to be back in Texas eating a plate of real Mexican food. That reminds me - if you’re ever in Prague and homesick for Mexican food, DON’T (I repeat DON’T) try it here. Molly and I made this mistake a couple of days ago. To say the least, the nachos were on nacho-cheese Dorito-like chips. They weren’t even real Doritos, and, even if they were, that’s just not good.

So, I guess the moral of the story is… if you go to Europe for over a month, be prepared to get REALLY, REALLY homesick for American food, but stay strong! Don’t give in to your cravings (like Mexican food) because they probably won’t be satisfied – except in the case of Bohemia Bagel. Come to think of it, I should probably be getting paid to be their spokesperson right now…

Last Thought – I tried Thai food for the first time tonight with Molly, Chase, Brian, and a Korean girl that Brian met on the Metro. It was a fun experience, although our waitress was the rudest person I’ve probably ever experienced in my life! That didn’t ruin our time though. The Thai food was actually pretty good. So, when in Europe, don’t be scared of trying Asian dishes at Asian restaurants. I would, however, still steer clear of the Mexican food!

writing paper

picture of boys at Thai restaurant

Today and yesterday were a complete adventure. Molly and I took a bus five plus hours to the Moravian spa town of Luhacovice, where some of my family still lives. Once we arrived at the Luhacovice bus stop, Jitka and her daughter, little Jitka, were sitting on a bench, waving and smiling. It had been four years since I had seen them. What to do you know, though; they still looked the same. It was great to see them; however, the greater challenge was just about to begin. None of my family in Moravia speaks ANY English! I couldn’t believe it, but I could actually converse pretty well with them… the Czech classes at UT along with my grandmother always speaking in Czech must have paid off.
The next morning, Jitka took Molly and I to the Holy Farm. My family and I lovingly call it this because it was my great-grandmother’s maiden name, and her father was born and raised here. Once at the farm, I chatted with Frank (in Czech!), who still lives and works on the farm. He walked us through a typical day on the farm. We fed the rabbits, saw the cows from a distance because they were out to pasture, and saw where he makes honey from many ferocious bumblebees. The bumblebee part was the most interesting thing on the farm for Molly and me because thousands of bees were flying in and out of honeycombs that were behind these sort-of boxed bee houses. It’s difficult to explain; that is why there is a picture included. The farm was all in all a great experience because I have never been there without my Czech-speaking American family before. I have always had my grandmother to rely on to communicate with my family. This time, I had to rely on myself, and I think that it was a great experience that I will always remember!

Getting off the Metro

Metro Coming

I had breakfast with Hana today in Malá Strana, or Lesser Town. To get there, I walked through the tranquil park by our dorm (my first picture) to get on the metro at Dejvická. Once underground, I heard the deep, drawn-out sound of the train coming. The sound is really sort of a paradox; at first, it sounds ominous because it’s literally a ton of moving metal coming toward you at super-speed, but then it transforms into a sound of encouragement because you realize that you will soon reach your destination. Inside the train, people talking, the hum of the train on the tracks, and the loud voice announcing the stops, create a melody of sounds, which I personally love.
Once I arrived at Malá Strana, I got lost trying to find Hana’s flat. That is when I encountered the KFC sign (of which I couldn’t resist taking a picture). To me, it was ironic that there were not any well-marked signs except for the one advertising KFC, an American fried chicken chain. Yes, even in the Czech Republic, the fast food industry has made its mark.
After meandering through the winding cobble-stoned streets, I decided that it was time to ask for directions. First, I met a kind American woman who had no idea where she was. That was no help. So, I moved on to a Czech-speaking parking attendant. I was proud of myself because I was able to ask the directions in Czech and then able to understand where he told me to go – that was a feat in itself!
I finally found Nerudová Street, where I met Hana. We walked to a nice little Italian café connected to a quaint hotel. There, we enjoyed cappuccino, orange juice, croissants, and fresh jam. All in all, it was a great breakfast and also a learning experience in discovering Prague.