The Written Word
for December 15, 1999

Wendy and I just returned from 3 weeks in London - which is not quite right because we spent three days in Prague. And what a city! I have been in some beauties but Prague is in a class by itself.

Prague itself is a very old city much of it going back to the 14th and 15th centuries. All the industrial activity is well outside the city so Prague itself is a genuine medieval city. Wendy and I took a package deal with British Airways which including airfare, a nice two star hotel + breakfast. Our hotel, the Cloisters, as the name suggests, used to be a nunnery. It was taken over by the Communists in 1948 and thereafter was a place political prisoners were detained and questioned. It was rather eerie! The hotel itself is about a ten minute walk to the Old Town Square but Wendy and I never made it in less than 20 because we were always lost! And that was half the fun. Because of the Moldau River there is not that much room to get lost in so you were only really momentarily mislaid!

The architecture is all very old and the streets narrow and windy. There is not a single block that doesn't have you staring in wonderment and delight at the buildings. The Old Town Square is huge - perhaps half again as large as Trafalgar Square in London and is punctuated by two beautiful buildings and a wonderful statue. One of the buildings is the old Town Hall with a wonderful astrological clock which on the hour has moving figures and chimes. The other is the twin spired Church of Our Lady of Tyn which at night it lit by search lights. The massive statue is of the 15th century Czech reformer Jan Hus. The other big square is Wencelaus Square named after the Good King whose Christmas image is a mystery to Czechs because the story has no foundation in Czech history or folklore. It is really a long very wide boulevard leading up to the imposing museum.

Across the river is another enormous cathedral and the palace but, though they are wondrous sights indeed, the real fun is crossing the 15th century Charles Bridge which is restricted to foot traffic only. There must be twenty or more sculptures, mostly religious, on the sides of the bridge and the way is resplendent with artists and their works.

The prices in Prague are astonishing. Wendy and I found it very difficult to spend more than $20 for dinner including wine!

How is the Czech Republic doing? Not too badly. The divorce in the early 90s from Slovakia in the early nineties has hurt especially as the Czech Republic has settled its financial affairs with Slovakia on terms very favourable to the latter. But the Czech Republic is a candidate for membership in the European Union and this has created an air of buoyancy. But make no mistake about it - the country is poor and struggling. There is a movement afoot to throw out all politicians and start afresh. Vaclav Havel, the playwright hero who became president is still personally popular though not as popular as he was before he got re-married in what is seen as indecent haste.

One thing is certain - there is no movement back to communism. The Czechs love their freedom and aren't about to give it up.

A place to visit? Prague is sensational. It's beautiful, medieval and safe. And it's bloody good value for the money.