Getting Cultured in Prague

One of the best things about living in Europe, is well, Europe. There’s just so much of it to explore. So many countries, languages, iconic sights, delicious things to eat and drink. We had a pass for a weekend without kids (a swap arrangement with some friends) and it was incredibly hard to choose where to go. Would it be Venice, or Barcelona, or Amsterdam …skiing in Austria? But for a weekend, sans enfants, romantic Prague it was. In January, during the coldest winter Europe has seen in 30 years. Hmmm.

And it was cold. Biting cold. Ottawa cold. We kept telling ourselves how refreshing it was, as Canadians, to really feel some arctic air, after the wimpy chill in the south of France, they call winter. As for Dave, it was a good excuse to duck into one of the millions of Czech pubs for a Pilsner Urquell.

Between pints of beer we toured Prague Castle, which you can see in the distance behind us. Our young, Czech tourguide, who had the unpromising name of Bore (we think that was his name, but in truth, we had a hard time deciphering anything he said) peppered his commentary with personal embellishments on Czech history. We did take away that St. Wenceslas is the favourite national historical figure (as Bore pointed out, we might know him as “Good King Wenceslas” before treating us to his version of the Christmas carol) and that some other (now sainted) guy got thrown off the Charles Bridge for not revealing the king’s wife’s alleged infidelities. We think.

Trying to augment the Czech cultural experience, after Bore’s entertaining, but underwhelming, history lesson, we bought ticket to the opera for that evening. Prague is renowned for its opera and classical music and so, with seats in the greens, we gambled the $5 each on some Verdi. The building was stunning. Dave laughed at the old guy in the fake beard every time he sang. We left at intermission.