Eastern Europe: Orientation Day 1

 

At the entry to the Sternberg Castle, home of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, we’re greeted by Starbucks.  Sure makes you feel at home.

MacDonald's never gave us this feeling.

 

To the left, the ludicrously complex Astronomical Clock which uses revolving discs, celestial symbols and sweeping hands to keep several versions of time.  Photo to  the  right shows the wonderful natural light through the stained glass windows of the Cathedral of St. Victus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prague (Praha) is in most ways a very cosmopolitan city, with the largest use of marijuana in Europe.  (See in photo above you can buy Absinth Ice Cream or Draft Cannabis Beer.) It has the lowest unemployment rate (1.2%) in all of Europe. But it is very backward in one way; they allow smoking in restaurants.

The city has 1.4 million residents but it seems like there are 1 million tourists walking the streets, most of which  are pedestrian only.  Everywhere we walked both last night and today the streets were so crowded you had difficulty walking. The town thrives on tourism; everyone is friendly and intent on their own commerce.  It seems that everyone speaks English and there is always an English menu.  I wonder if this will continue when we get out of the city and into the  country.