February 29, 2008

Friday night's post office queue

Prague - post office queue
Here you can clearly see who does taxes at the last moment. February would have ten more days and there will still be a queue of last-timers. On the other hand they all have three more hours to midnight so nothing to worry about. And yes, I stayed in this line today, too. Thanks God for nonstop post office.
February 28, 2008

Button for stopping the traffic

Prague - button for walkers
This is a magical button that will stop the traffic and allow you to cross the road quite safely. But you know, it's always better to look out while crossing the road.
February 27, 2008

The M sign

Prague - McDonald sign
I was thinking about the similarity to the Batman sign. But this will hardly save the world in the end.

Special question for all of you from Poland: Do you know Ewa Farna? Is she known in Poland?
February 26, 2008

Barracks at Dejvice

Prague - Barracks at Dejvice
This is one of my romantically naive imagination of a life in the army. Barracks at Dejvice with their unique genius loci.
February 25, 2008

Prague's (little) version of Eiffel tower

Petrinska rozhledna - Pragues (little) version of Eiffel tower
Petrinska rozhledna/Petrin lookout tower is Prague's so called smaller version of Paris' Eiffel tower. It was build in 1891. When the weather is right you can see places in the Czech republic that are more than 100km far away. There's a grand view on Prague Castle as well :)

The only drawback is that it is on the top of Petrin hill and you have to literally climb up here. But than again, there are those fabulous views on Prague during your climb.

Here's a link to the real Eiffel tower at Paris DP.
February 24, 2008

This is how winter should not look like

Prague - sunny day, Vltava river
Usually we have freezing weather in February in Prague. Well, it's almost 20 C with a perfectly blue sky without a cloud, people are wearing shorts and short skirts with t-shirts and all parks are crowded.
February 23, 2008

Oscars night at Palace Cinemas

Prague - Oscars night at Palace Cinemas
The ad on the right is for the Oscars night at Palace Cinemas. So if you don't want to watch Oscars alone you can go to see them in the cinema. And it's for free, including free drinks and snacks :)

Unfortunately all 3 cinemas in Prague's Palace Cinemas are already full. Even though the program starts at 10 pm with various tv shows from HBO (e.g. Californication which I love) and the actual Oscars ceremony begins at 2 am.

Thank God they have so comfortable seats for comfortable sleep - I slept through Lord of the rings (twice), second Matrix movie and Billy Elliot here so I can tell :)

Speaking of Oscars. We have our Czech nomination in "Original song" - Falling Slowly from Once by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Here's a link to a Youtube video - tell me what you think.

And I recommend Atonement, too :)
February 22, 2008

Tram 14

Prague - Tram 14
Tram number 14 crossing Zborovska street heading to Palackeho bridge.
February 21, 2008

Podoli swimming pool

Prague - Podoli swimming pool
A peek into Podoli swimming pool. You can see a girl on the very top of the diving tower preparing to jump.
They also have two outside swimming pools - bigger (50m) and smaller (25m). The smaller one is opened during the whole year and is very popular even during winter time.
February 20, 2008

Diggers in Prague


Some hard work need to be done here at Old Town.
February 19, 2008

Inside Betlemska chapel


Saw that girl at my sister's graduation day inside Betlemska chapel today - my sister is a Master of Architecture now :)
Betlemska chapel is a place where all the graduation days at Czech Technical University happen. And that girl had to be from Britain. Nobody but British have that wonderful accent.
February 18, 2008

CCM - Centrum Cerny most shopping center

Prague - Centrum Cerny most
Cerny most shopping center is one of the firsts shopping centers that were build in Prague. As is the cinema multiplex here. And people still like it - otherwise there won't be that much of them.
February 11, 2008

Sunny city at Zbraslav


Forepart of the "Sunny city" - new part of Zbraslav and albeit the picture doesn't make the justice a nice place to live in Prague.
February 10, 2008

Stone pit at Zbraslav

Prague - Stone pit at Zbraslav
Well, we have a stone pit at Zbraslav. It's right at the Vltava river and it's absolutely empty on Sunday :)
February 8, 2008

Smichovske nadrazi metro station

Prague - Smichovske nadrazi
The girl actually started to run because it is not good to miss a train that close to midnight. I did my running about 30 minutes and 15 stations before.
February 7, 2008

Entry to the Staropramen brewery

Prague - Entry to the Staropramen brewery
One of many entries to the Staropramen brewery at Smichov. It looks like they own a few blocks here. They really are big.
February 6, 2008

McDonald's at Smichov

Prague - McDonalds at Smichov
One of a few McDonald's in Prague with Drive-in - which is on the opposite side (as well as the gas station). I worked here for a while. Have a few funny stories, too. And hence I like McDonald's. Isn't it weird? :)
February 5, 2008

Window in a window in a window

Prague - Zborovska street
Zborovska street. There was a high school in Zborovska street called Zborovska high school specialized in math and science. It was well known in Prague, their students won a lot of prizes and a lot of my class mates went there after elementary school. They got a new name few years ago and I don't think they are doing as well as they were used to now.

By the way, Czech name for "high school" is "gymnasium" which, of course, means something different in English. Please, be kind if we use it wrong :)
February 4, 2008

Beads store at Ujezd

Prague - Beads store at Ujezd
If grocery is a shop where you buy groceries do you buy beads in a beadery then? Otherwise I can't find out a good translation for their name Koralkarna (which is actually playfully funny in Czech).

This came up in my mind immediately :)
February 3, 2008

House that drinks beer

Prague - Staropramen Smichov
And yes, it's a brew house. Left side as well as the right side. Smichov is known for Staropramen beer. They even have a "beer emergency" here :)
February 2, 2008

Tickets here - Smichovske nadrazi metro station

Prague - Smichovske nadrazi metro station
Ticket machines at Smichovske nadrazi metro station. In red and yellow.
February 1, 2008

Theme day: What your city is known for


No surprise here. I think Prague Castle is still the winner of what Prague's about. Now you can check what other 135 cities are known for:
Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA