Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Crowds on Charles Bridge
Right
Taxis lined up at tourist sight
Things to Avoid
Midday on
Charles Bridge
Unless you enjoy being
packed cheek-to-jowl
with fellow travellers,
visit this popular spot
(see pp18-19)
sometime
other than midday. The
mobs start arriving
around 10am, especially
during summer. Early
risers can have the
bridge more or less to
themselves at sunrise.
Non-Stop and
Herna bars
Unfortunately, Prague
has too few reputable
bars and cafés open into
the early hours. The
words “non-stop” and
“herna”
are synonymous
with shady characters;
the latter are filled with
slot machines and
gambling addicts. You'd
be better off getting an
early night, or paying to
get in to a nightclub.
Jewish Museum
(see
p99)
, offer a 50 per cent
discount to Czechs.
Simply letting ticket
sellers know you're
aware of the lower price
helps, but it is still no
real guarantee that you
won't be penalized for
being a foreigner.
Re-routed Trams
In a city as old as
Prague, the infrastructure
needs constant repair. This
means tearing up streets
and, inevitably, re-routing
your tram.
The Prague
Post
contains a weekly
list of route and schedule
changes, so check here
before setting off. To avoid
confusion, timetables for
re-routed trams are yellow
instead of white.
Pickpockets
Tourists are an easy
target for petty thievery.
Avoid any place where
you'll be pressed up
against strangers.
Pickpockets on trams and
metro cars have
numerous routines to
relieve travellers of their
valuables. Have a copy of
your passport and avoid
carrying too much cash.
Skinheads
Owing to 40 years of
Communist isolation,
some Czechs are sadly
unaccustomed to people
who do not look like
them, or dress like them.
Since 1989, the Neo-Nazi
skinhead movement has
grown at a distrurbing
rate. Random, unprovoked
violence against dark-
skinned individuals is not
uncommon, but it is
unlikely to affect you in
the main tourist areas.
Dog Mess
The municipal
authorities gave up many
years ago trying to count
how many canine resi-
dents Prague has. It has
also largely absolved itself
of trying to clean up after
them. Local dog-owners
are also notoriously care-
less, so watch your step.
Unscrupulous
Taxi Drivers
The best way to avoid
being taken for a ride, as
it were, is to phone a
central despatcher
(see
p127)
to send a car to
you. Avoid using cars
marked “transport , and
those without pricing
information posted on
the door and never agree
to “negotiate” a price -
taxis should always have
a meter running.
Food Poisoning
Cases of lethal food
poisoning are very rare,
but mild cases are
common; be familiar with
the symptoms, such as
nausea and diarrhoea.
Stands selling food on
the street are more likely
to cause problems than
proper restaurants, as
the ingredients are
exposed to bacteria and
often not very well
cooked. When in doubt,
avoid fish, eggs and
products including
mayonnaise.
Prostitution
Despite the best
intentions of the law, the
oldest profession still
thrives in a “grey zone”
of the city. Never
assume that prostitution
is legal. Even saints
should avoid prostitutes
of both sexes: they are
often known to supple-
ment their incomes by
picking pockets.
Two-Tiered
Pricing
While it violates the law
to charge tourists more,
many reputable estab-
lishments, including the
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