“Dobrý den!” – easy to translate phrase comes across practically at every step in Prague: in public transport, in cafes, in stores. “Dobrý den!” – and you’ve already overcome the language barrier. And those who return from the Czech Republic to their country after a long stay there, out of habit continue to say hello as they enter the bus.
“Why is he taking my picture? Am I a star?” – I can read amazement in the eyes of passersby. But locals don’t mind the attention and are welcoming.
You will always find someone to talk to and when you make a polite request or ask a question, you can get a couple of funny stories and a mini-excursion. And not necessarily about the assortment of stores you dropped in for five minutes and stayed for half an hour.
Your language in Prague, most likely, will not be understood. (Talking about beer doesn’t count.) Unless you’re a generation of 50-somethings and polyglot salespeople. For closer communication stock up on a phrasebook or basic English to get you started.
You should probably throw away your Italian boots after a couple of walks around the city (replace the soles for sure). In Prague there are paving stones under your feet, the smell of paving stones and cobblestones is in the air and the streets rippled with bricks are in front of your eyes. In Gingerbread City, everything is made for pedestrians. That’s why the most comfortable shoes are sneakers.
Recycling? Never heard of it here! In the evening, just after office hours, cars are parked around the neighborhood, while locals take their seats at home or a table at the local brewpub. That’s probably the secret to the townspeople’s year-round peace of mind. And the smell of hops, meat and charcoal wafting through the streets.
The “season” in Prague never ends. The number of tourists coming to the city clearly exceeds its population. But the nice rituals – joint celebration of pagan, Catholic, just city celebrations in a good neighborly spirit, playing and chatting with your friends at your favorite table with a mug of light or dark – and locals find harmony. This harmony keeps the line between the hosts and guests in the city without hurting either side.
The closeness of nature is constantly felt in Prague. You can lose yourself side by side with dog eaters, elderly couples and young (and not so young) mothers in the city’s numerous parks. Or in the quiet side streets off the center, where the thick ivy hides the embassy mansions from prying eyes. Take note: the higher the number in the name of the district, the greener it appears!
Compliment a Prague resident’s lawn and you’ll stay in their heart forever. Love for greenery is a must here. Landscaping and the maintenance of the garden is often an indicator of the well-being of the home.
The only exception to theatrical wear is jeans. And while women in Prague are more color-loving than other Europeans, you’ll only see them fully dressed up on cultural evenings. Dresses for going out, jewelry, abandoning your favorite casual – only for the premiere of a play or concert program. They are in Czech, so you will not find tourists there.
Who gets up early (or goes to bed late), sees Prague without the crowds! You’ll have to get up before 9 am (not all locals get up that early, especially families go out by noon), but the empty Charles Bridge is worth it. And to go to bed after nine, the citizens have already gone to bed by this time.
Do not walk the beaten paths: the arrows on the asphalt in the center are for tourists. But a “clean” asphalt is the key to a happy walk. The entrances to the “secret” streets are like passages, only there, in these unusual places, the citizens of Prague can exhale.