There was no need to travel. Water, namely very high, somebody said 500-y flood, came to us itself. In 2002. I am not sure, it was an introduction of Sumerian planet Nimiru, but since that year it threats every year.
That year, it was raining, raining and raining. Like this august. It is said 45 years was not so cold August like this. And it is so, I remember my father, working 1960-1961 out of Prague, wrote in his diary, his feet are frosen when he slept. We live near to the Vltava river. Third street from the historical riversides. I say so, because the channel and harbour is no more there. There is somethink like deposit of rabbish. Periphery. And a bit of highway. Then historic island and river main stream, I have experienced one flood in this city quarter. Said, it was 100-y flood. The channel was full, on the main avenue some spills. This time it was different: 3 o'clock came busses to evacuate the whole city quarter [25 T inhabitants]. Said, for one night. But it was like Napoleon's 100 days. Because nobody knew, whether our appartment house would fall or not, for us it was exactly 405 nigths. Unfortunately non 1001 (one should need a new Sheherezada). The water level, as on pictures, was about 5 meters. Up to date, we were unable to reestablish our establishment.
Favourite spots:
Prague is my birthplace. But not the city quarter I have described above. Nevermind, I have lived here for quite a long time. I am not very young. Insted of spot, it would be better to speak about favorite periodes. The best one, are the years oh university studies. There was not only time to taste the city, but the city was also tastable. It was absolutely safe. Day and night. It was not packed with tourists like now. One could really pass the vide small streets and early morning observe the steams filling them around the river. The historical buildings were shabby like in Anvers and not fresh pasted like in Munich. Our, i.e. students', favourite areas were not spots but whole areas. Old City, Mala Strana, but also industrail peripheries.
What's really great:
At present, it is difficult to say. I have to be home and work. Because we have European prices but not so high salaries. I am killing my eyes starring into PC and translating. Or at least reading. Maybe I liked most one remnant of old river bank below the modernized street, with a couple of pople trees and old house over the entry an old small underground channel to the former royal deer park. It was also an excellent place to have a rendex-vous.
Sights:
There are quite many point giving nice sights of the whole city or its bigger parts. One is on south-east corner of the big Sokol stadion on Strahov. The southern part of the city with a few scypescrapers and communist-time housing buildings can be seen therefrom. Another quite nice trip is to go with a railbus from Smichov Railways Station (direction Hostivice). Take places oin the right side of the railbus and you will have nice Vltava valley sight. You can get down in Railway stop Cibulka and take a bus back. Another unknown trace is to go with tram to Modrany and to go on with buth direction Tocna, and go the last part walking. The sight is the confluence of Vltava and Berounka rivers and Berounka valley in the direction west. It is also nice to go with tram to the stop Prazacka and to walk up to Independence memorial, where from you can nicely observe the historical centre. Other places you have certainly in your printed guides.
Accommodations:
In Prague I was never accomodated in a Hotel. But working as interpreter I passed through the most hotels. My best rememberred hotel was not in Prague, but in Kutna Hora, where I was travelling to visit my girl friend, on the main square, where one-bed room costed (without heating) in winter 13.00 CZK, i.e. 0,50 US$. I was reading that time Ibsen's Nora, so that it has been all-right. There is now lot of small private hotels with very good and friendly atmosphere or at least looking so. I think to get a good hotel is a thing of mutual not professionality but sympathy. I think, the best one, as the atmosphere concerns, is in Tiche udoli street, in Roztoky near Prague. Time need not to have a stop, but has it there, being stopped in 1930 or may be even earlier.
Restaurants:
I was very eating very often in Prague restaurants. But in time of communism. Now, it is not for academically educated people. The pubs where we as students were passing our evenings drinking beer or wine are mostly not for us, to order drops of mineral water would be vallet-dangerous. With this went out also the old friendly atmosphere. One preliminary sees in the staff there money-vacuum-cleaners, and they mostly are. They have thrown also old Thonet furniture out and the modern furniture is sometimes too opulent. Mostly you can find copies of Germany namely Bavaria. One of good old gold shabby restaurants is U milosrdnych (i.e. near to franciscan hospital). Try to find it !
Other recommendations:
I should propose you to visit the church of St Norbert. It is in Prague 5 - Smichon, in Holeckova street, with whole complex of pseudo-romanic monastery (with a post museum inside). In the church they are great wall paintings of the french painters working following the old-egyptian canon. The saints depicted are the Czech saints like St Ludmila, St Vojtech [Adalbert], St Vaclav [Venceslas], St Prokop, Sv Anezka [Agnes] etc. You do not need to go to Egypt.
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