As many of you know, my sister Savannah Roberts is in the Czech Republic right now. She has generously supplied all of us with an unbiased report from Prague. Here is her list of the "Top 10 Things You Might Not Known About Prague." This list has proven that Savanah Roberts is THE GREATEST!
Thanks, Nan!
Top 10 Things You Might Not Known About Prague
1. The mullet is by far (we’re talking leaps and bounds) the most popular hairstyle.
2. You have to pay extra for plastic bags in the grocery or corner store, and even then you are never allowed to double up. No matter what you’re carrying.
3. Making out is the national sport. You can be standing mere inches from a couple on the tram and they will be in a full on making out session. It is also not uncommon to be eating dinner in a restaurant and glance over to see two people open mouth kissing, tongues all over the places, hand’s under clothing. Try enjoying your goulash after that.
4. They are quite liberal in the painting of buildings (any building) pink.
5. Laws: These laws are abided by the same amount the laws on jaywalking are in New York or Philly.
Though driving on the right side of the road was introduced during the Nazi era, you would never know it since people obey no sort of traffic laws. Mothers with children dash cars at intersections.
Until recently it was legal to not pick up after your dog and there was dog shit all over the city. In the recent past the law has changed, but the danger has not. Every step you take you are risking the soles of your shoes. (Note to my brother and sister in law- if you come to visit me do not wear clean white sneakers).
6. In any restaurant you go to, a glass of water costs more than a glass of beer.
7. Czechs are only named one of a couple hundred saint’s names. The names are displayed on calendars, a different name on each day. The day your name appears on the calendar is your “name day” (floral shops will advertise what name it is on each day) and people have to buy you an uneven amount of flowers. You only present people with even numbers of flowers after someone dies.)
8. Caraway (the seed in rye bread) is one of the main ingredients in the Czech cuisine.
9. Pictures on products are not purely decoration or suggestions, they are going to be involved in the product somehow.
For instance, a can of tuna fish may have a picture on it of the tuna out of the can, on a plate, with some tomatoes, corn, and olives. As Americans we may think this is a serving suggestion for ways to eat the tuna. Here is Prague, when you open that can of tuna it will be in a ketchup-like tomato paste with corn and olives.
Or –my personal favorite- when you go to the store and treat yourself to the doubled up, extra soft toilet paper with cute pictures of strawberry’s on it, the strawberry’s are just for decoration – like the flowers on the rolls from the week before. Incorrect. The strawberries are what your toilet paper smells like. That’s right, your seemingly normal Charmin toilet paper intentionally smells like cheap, fake, strawberries.
10. This is not specific to Prague, but more just living overseas.
You think you can spot an American by the sounds in their voice, but you can’t. On the tram, you hear some guys laughing and you think, “Oh you’re American.” Then they bust out with some (“fantatitsky” and “shpatnik”) Czech.
I overheard some teenage girls squeaking in the store the other day and thought they had to be American because I know that squeaky tone. But sure enough once I registered the words they were saying, I could not understand a single one. Apparently the giggly teenage girl sounds are universal.
