#SoCS- Murmurings of Czech

Linda G Hill – check/Cheque/Czech

If European cities were a necklace, Prague would be a diamond among the pearls

Anonymous

Czech Republic has been a country I’ve frequently heard about throughout my life. Whether it was my high school project on the Cold War, a Sabrina the Teenage Witch comedic sitcom episode, or one of my many places on my director’s travel wish list, Czech has always struck my curiosity with a peculiar fascination.

Though travel slow right now, I have a travel membership that allows me to daydream a bit in the meantime. They have categories which makes it difficult for me to choose:

• Go Back In Time in Prague and Beyond
• See Picturesque Prague by Land and Water
• Relive Medieval Times in the Czech Countryside

Prague

Here are some snapshots of some areas in Prague I found on the website! The towering Gothic architecture is a sight to behold!

Walking around the Prague is comparable to being in a fairy tale: except for one minor detail: it’s real. 

Lust for the World (1 day in Prague)

Prague; the city so beautiful that it was spared by Hitler… or so the story goes. Prague is a living and breathing enigma; old and dirty but somehow unimaginably graceful.

World of Wanderlust

The ancient splendor and beauty of Prague, a city beyond compare, left an impression on my imagination that will never fade

Richard Wagner

It’s easy to fall in love among the winding cobblestone streets and snow-covered castles of Prague, but is it a good idea?

Dana Newman, Found in Prague

Detinice Castle, Kralovehradecky

Excerpt from Unusual Hotels of the World:

Medieval themed hotel providing magical middle ages experiences in an authentic setting

This property is a fantastic escape from the day to day boredom and way better than any chain hotel for stories to tell your friends about. Step back to a more rustic time and enjoy the authentic and imaginative attention to detail, the quality of entertainment, excellent food, wine and the whole atmosphere to make your trip memorable and truly MEDIEVAL!

Wooden floors, wooden beds, simple and rustic furniture – original pieces, candle lit rooms, unique bathrooms – simple, rough but stylish, wooden faced flushing toilets, etc. Behind the decor, the facilities and service are modern.

Dinners are served in the next door Brewery Tavern – an extravaganza of banqueting, drinking and regular live entertainment medieval style.
Feast on food prepared on a traditional open fire and beer served by tough and tender wenches of the Inn. Be entertained by swordsmen, jugglers and dancers in the candle lit vaults.  But be prepared for medieval mannerisms – keep in check or fall foul of the Innkeeper!!

A part of the Dětenice resort – baroque Chateau, adjacent Medieval Tavern with Brewery and authentic style Medieval hotel.

Eastern Europe has been really trendy. Prague is the best-preserved city in the region … and the best beer in Europe lands on your table there for 50 cents.

Rick Steves

I will end my daydream with a quote unlike the ones shown above. I suppose I need a balanced perspective! 😉

How can you not love a city that has a pub with vinyl cushions on the wall above the gents’ urinal, so you can rest your head while you ‘go’? Where you can order a beer without speaking, simply by placing a beer mat on the table? And where that beer is probably the best in the world?

But it’s not just exquisite ale and a wonderfully relaxed drinking culture that keep bringing me back to Prague. There’s also wit and weirdness in equal measure: a public fountain where two figures pee in a puddle, spelling out literary quotations; a 1950s nuclear bunker hidden beneath a city centre hotel; and a cubist lamppost. Quirky doesn’t even begin to describe it.

-Neil Wilson (Lonely Planet)