I’m beginning to settle in to living in Prague, but things will continue to surprise me during my stay here, I’m sure. The cost of joining the fitness club down the street (memberships start at $60 a month) made my heart race fast enough that I realized I don’t actually need to join to get an aerobic workout. Then I walked into a restaurant to escape the cold yesterday and saw this vintage (I hope!) advertising placard for Becherovka (a Czech liquer).

One thing that is the opposite of the US is that here you push on a door to enter a place of business and pull on it to exit. (Makes it easy to spot American tourists – they’re the ones pulling on the doors of restaurants, muttering, “I know they’re open, there are people in there…”) In our safety-conscious – and lawsuit-conscious – society, this would be considered a fire hazard, I imagine.

Today I saw a black person at the Novy Smichov mall and realized that I’ve only seen three (count ‘em, 3) blacks since I arrived two weeks ago. I thought the midwest was incredibly white, then I came to Prague. What’s up with that, I wonder?

Another difference that surprises me is the use of baby carriages (what we might have called a “baby buggy” many years back). I have not seen one stroller since I arrived.  Some of these carriages are tricked out with quite a few luxury options and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see one with flames painted on the sides one of these days.

Finally, I've decided that some things are universal...

They're having a sale ("sleva") at the TV Products -- aka "As Seen on TV" store.  Call now, operators are standing by! Or, just go to the store in Prague for your bamboo steamer.

 

Walking around the Old Town Square one day last week, it was hard to miss seeing and hearing the bands that were performing for a festival of some sort. (According to my landlord, there’s always something going on there “for the tourists.”) These were small groups (typically no more than 30 players), heavy on brass and percussion, all dressed in colorful, outlandish costumes. The music leaned toward 50s and 60s rock-and-roll, and although there was more enthusiasm than musical finesse in their playing, the focus was on visual presentation and energy. A couple of the groups had stunning outfits, but even those not on the best-dressed list were welcomed with cheers from the crowd gathered around the bandstand.

 

The second and third pictures are a group dressed in “African” themed costumes, and their leader, who wins the Best Hat award, no contest.

 

After that come photos of  “Rock Me, Amadeus,” and their costumes were elaborate and amazing. With that name, I wondered what sort of music I’d hear. They opened their part of the program with “California Dreamin’…” 

 

Finally, a group that may have been Huns (Visigoths?) that contradicted their fierce appearance with Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.”

 

I’ve arrived in Prague at last and have been getting settled – bank account established, transit ticket (for metro, tram, and bus) purchased, etc. My apartment is about two blocks from the metro station and from a shopping mall (no kidding). Prices here for clothing and shoes are similar to the US, but food is noticeably cheaper. Oddly, a simple clock radio costs the equivalent of $40, but a microwave oven can be had for around $60, so there’s no predicting what things will cost.

The sun is out today! It’s been overcast and drizzly since I arrived, so it’s wonderful to see the sun again. I’ll get out and about to take some non-gray-sky pictures as soon as the temperature gets above 10F.

More to come!

Well, one week from today and I'm off to Prague for my five month Fulbright experience. I'm excited and I think I'm ready (sort of) to go, but the "leaving part" will be difficult. I'm terrible at good-byes. 

Anyway, please do come back here after January 20, or so.  There should be scintillating prose describing my arrival and first days in Prague, along with museum-quality photographs.  In the meantime, I'll post a picture I took on vacation last year. This was taken in Cesky Krumlov, in the southern part of the Czech Republic, with the Vltava River in the foreground. (You can also see the scaffolding where they were doing restoration work on the castle.)