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Anonymous
Tell me everything you can about Prague. Personal experiences preferred.

My university only has one study abroad program that has to specifically do with my major (Criminology) and it's in Prague. So now I'm curious.
>> Anonymous
I've only heard it's a great party town especially for young folk. And no, I'm not talking about what I saw in XXX.
>> Anonymous
lol well, i'm not a huge party guy, but I've been known to drink a lot

Actually, I'm going to watch xXx just to see Prague, even though I've heard it's a horrible movie.
>> Anonymous
Stunning architecture with castles and buildings, wonderful Baroque churches and in general more then enough to keep you interested if you're into that kind of thing. The bridge over the river is also a must-see, and it leads directly to... well I don't remember. Castle? Museum? Royal residence? something like that. All I remember is that it was guarded feverishly at the time, even though it was open to the public.
Shopping's good, city centre's rife with all sorts of shops. The big shopping lane with expensive goods is there, of course, but it's also fun to stroll around and see what kind of oddities you can turn up.
There's a specialized candle shop on a steep-climb road which make lovely souvenirs, and I'm generally not one to care about candles.
Even if that doesn't get your hopes up, there's still the vibrant nightlife and the beer is cheap as sin.
>> Anonymous
>>10034

Well that sounds wonderful.

Does everyone there speak Czech? Would I be able to survive there not knowing the language at all?
>> Anonymous
make sure to tell everyone about your experience in prague so that you maximize your ability to look like a fucking jerkoff
>> Anonymous
>>10036

As a tourist, I managed fine with just English and mangled German. The occasional hand gesture helped, too.
I had the feeling I could walk quite a way from the city centre and still get my point across to the people I met, but outside of Prague it can be quite a pain because the chances that someone'll speak English are a lot lower.
>> rick steves
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i've been there just this summer. everywhere you look there are strip clubs and porn shops and gambling places and bars and pubs and shops with things like absinthe and marijuana t-shirt and marijuana caps (but no marijuana). it's not exactly legal but from what i understand they're ok with it and they dont really enforce the anti-marijuana laws. i just dont know where they actually get it cause i wasnt interested. a similar legal situation exists with prostitution ;) but i wouldnt chance it. they're really trying for that 'amsterdam of eastern europe' mantle, but they still have quite a ways to go and quite a few classically eastern european conservative barriers to break through. but you gotta give em credit for trying. but anyway.
prague is awesome, though packed. the main attractions are the prague castle, karluv bridge and old town.
when you're touring the castle make sure you see kafka's house, it's on a tiny little hidden away street in the back of the castle called gold street i believe, and it is an amazing sight (see pic) the houses look as if they were built by and for dwarves. get a map of the castle and ask around to find it.
>> rick steves
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the other thing to see when you're in the castle complex is the cathedral. if you make the long climb to the top you can see the WHOLE fucking city. it's indescribably beautiful.
most everyone you will need to talk to in hotels, restaurants, that kind of thing in the center of town will know english and of course most everyone on the streets will too as the street population in the city center consists of 99% tourists.
i didnt go out of the city center so i couldnt tell you what actual prague, the one that actual czechs live in, is like.
you can get to most everywhere in the city center by foot, though there are trams. they're cheap and they come often so you can do that if you're tired (DO NOT try to ride for free, they will almost certainly catch you).
i dont know anything about party life or night life.
czechs are famous for their beer, and it is all its cracked up to be. my favorite was 'royal brewery krusovice'. try it, you may never want to drink another corona (not their currency, koruny lol) or budweiser (not the czech kind lol. that's right, americans stole that name from the czechs. they're pretty upset about it lol) or any of that piss ever again... on second thought, don't drink it. you may be miserable the rest of your life lol.
join me next time on rick steves' europe
>> Anonymous
Sounds fun, I'd maybe download a quick pimsleur course to deal with Czech? Just so you go there knowing the hellos, goodbyes, etc.?
>> rick steves
>>10061
yeah why not. i personally didn't but if you're gonna be there longer (i was there for only two days) and are planning on venturing outside of the safety zone of the city center it might come in handy.
>> rick steves
>>10061
all i remember is that dobry den is hello (though the literal meaning is good day)
here's a tiny czech phrasebook from wiktionary:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Czech_phrasebook
it's a start