Checking In With Prague

What’s More Exciting than a Beer Bath

A bubbling tub is relaxing. One where a pitcher of hops and barley poured into is special. Adding to the fun is that half of the vat is beer. Adjacent to it are two taps with two beer mugs.

That was the end of our first day back in Prague. Back to the beer bath. During the hour, if the hot tub where the beer flowed like wine was too much, you could hit the hay. Literally. A wooden bed full of hay sat next to the beer sauna. Nadine jumped in the bed. I relaxed in the tub of beer close to the tap. Better choice? Physically she had a hard time getting up out of the compressed hay mattress. Did hops play a role? You decide.

St. Charles Bridge

The White Family in Prague

Prague – A Quarter of a Century Later

Roughly a quarter century was the last time we’d been in Prague. The Czech Republic was an European backpacking stop in 2000 after graduating from the University of Tulsa. There was a repeat visit the next year with Nadine after her graduation. Back then, it called itself the Czech Republic. Not anymore. Now it’s Czechia and this trip to Prague marked the start of spring break.

Not unexpectedly, life had changed a bit in the last 25 years. Who knew the Simpsons would predict world events during that time. No longer was Budweiser the Czech King of Beers and long gone were the feasts of meat and bread for $3. But the premise of life revolving around friends and the consumption of beer and meat remained in Czechia.

The visit to Prague was to visit the Voakes Family, friends from our time in Qatar. Our Annabelle and their Anabelle had been really good friends in Doha. Now, the Voakes live in District 6, the complete opposite of hot Qatar. A local farmers market, full of vendors selling pastries, meats, beer, and even Peruvian food (a man from Ica), runs on Saturdays between March until December. The best was a breakfast sandwich layered with eggs, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and a special English sauce.

As is custom in Prague, two large beers accompanied breakfast at 9:30 a.m. A fact that I had long forgotten until Rusty mentioned it. Czechs drink more beer per capita than anyone else in the world. I pondered that fact as an elderly woman handled a massive pint of pivo a table away. This was a great environment to start our spring break.

I Choo Choo Choose You Hamburger

A Food Tour

Our Prague weekend revolved around a lot of food. Schnitzel, tornado pastries, bacon, breakfast sandwiches, kolachi, sausage, and Pilsen. Výtopna Railway Restaurant was one restaurant that combined train tracks and food to create a unique experience right next to St. Wenceslaus Square. A mini train carried out every hamburger or golden pint of Pilsen out on a metal caboose with a metal structure holding them in place. These prices clearly indicate that it was no longer 2000 Prague prices.

Oh Man, What Piques Your Interest

Experts designate the sights that people should while traveling. In Prague, one of these places is the Astronomical clock on the Old Main Plaza that rings every hour with the twelve Apostles briefly making an appearance crossing a door. Impressive enough, it was originally built in 1410 and still works like “clockwork”. The guidebooks, social media influencers, and guides say you shouldn’t miss it, but in the beauty of youth, Monica had other ideas. Her interest wasn’t towards the heavens. The ground piqued her attention, the designs of Prague adorn the manhole covers. While hordes of people gathered to check off another touristic duty, Momo sat on the ground and sketched the manhole cover. It’s a moment like this that reminds us to find aspect of life that interest us.