Report from Prague

It pays to look up in Prague

Years ago when the CA Scotch Couple lived in Belgium, they were lucky enough to explore Europe on the off-season. In the dead of winter, they trotted around countries impervious to the elements and free of the traveling Europeans who flood the cities during the summer months. 

During that year of bliss, they were privileged to visit the Czech Republic and Norway on two successive winter weekends. So, when the opportunity for back-to-back work trips to Norway and then the Czech Republic presented itself, they thought it fitting. They were, however, concerned about whether or not they would be sharing their travels with countless other people.

Those fears were not realized in Norway. The beginning of September was a perfect time to visit Oslo. It was approximately a week before "the season" shut down, so museums, busses and activities were mostly still on their summer schedules, but the CA Scotch Couple pretty much had the place to themselves. Alas, such was not the case for Prague.

The Prague the CA Scotch Couple explored in that winter of years past was their favorite of all the cities they visited that year. It was a magnificent place. Its red roofs, thousand spires, and Art Nouveau architecture have survived the wars and years of communist rule, and they were truly magical covered with a skiff of snow. The CA Scotch Couple eagerly walked its compact streets and branched out on its equally accessible public transportation. And, while the food was not fantastic, it was at least affordable.

Unfortunately, the Prague the CA Scotch Couple visited last week was expensive and plagued by packs of roaming tour groups. The compact streets were clogged with little ladies marching along with red or yellow umbrellas held aloft as beacons for the tourists following them like disorganized groups of dull-eyed ducklings. It was not uncommon to pass a monument with four or five tour guides attempting to shout over each other in various languages. Some even carried portable speakers. This was not just sharing the city with traveling Europeans, students doing their year abroad, or even small groups of individuals. It was a crowd scene reminiscent of Disneyland. For two misanthropic individuals with almost pathological aversions to crowds, it was a bit horrific. 

There was some evidence that it wasn't just the season leading to the different experiences. Prague seems to have been "discovered" since the CA Scotch Couple were there last. Yes, the exchange rates for the dollar are much worse now than they were, but prices were two to three to eight times higher than they had been. The gyros that was 4 dollars was now 8. A sausage that cost 2 dollars now cost 6. The vase they brought home on their last trip for 50 dollars was now almost 400 dollars. Other people seem to have realized what a magnificent city Prague is.

To top off the week, poor CA Scotch Gent picked up a Slavic Supergerm. He spent most of his time trying to shake a racking cough and high fever and resisting CA Scotch Chick's entreaties that he visit a doctor. For the record, Czech pharmacists are extremely nice and helpful. 

The CA Scotch Couple understand that sometimes things just don't work out the way one expects. They know that Prague does not exist purely for their pleasure, and they do not begrudge any benefit that the good people of Prague can gain from this tourist bonanza. Travel is all about making the most of whatever happens. The CA Scotch Couple did this by adjusting their schedules to explore places really early in the day and late in the afternoon if CA Scotch Gent felt up to it, and resting during height of the tourist time. Perhaps some day they will return to see if they can regain some of the magic their favorite city lost on this adventure. Of course, it will be in the dead of winter. Hey, maybe they'll get lucky, and there will even be an ice storm.

Even in a curtailed adventure, there is much to report: another Grand Discovery, a typical Czech Tasty Tidbit, and a fantastic Tasty Treat. So stay tuned all this week, Loyal Scotch Chix fans, for CA Scotch Chick's reports of her trip to Prague.

Not Another Tour Group:

A Sculpture Representing the

Deteriorating Effects of Communism