The city of Prague in the Czech Republic is a gem. My quick overview of the city goes as follows. Any observation of the architecture will make you feel as if you have stepped back in time a couple hundred years. The architecture is a lot more dark and gothic in appearance compared to Vienna. The food is generally pretty good in the city, although one has to be careful in the old town area that they do not go to one of the many subpar touristy restaurants. The pilsner beer is something that everyone should try. A downside is the abundance of tourists, which I was surprised to see in this winter month.
A note that particularly interested me about Prague was the demeanor of the people. My first night in the city, I went into a couple different stores. Within my perspective, I perceived the shop owners demeanor to be rude. I received a couple dirty looks, and was often followed around the store. Sometimes in restaurants my waiter seemed snappy and lacking patience. I also noticed that people don’t say high or look at each other on the street.
At first I thought to myself that these people are just rude. After consulting a fellow student who is a history major, I was introduced to the concept that the city’s communist history had a big influence on the dementor of the people. The many years of oppression contributed to a lack of privacy and a general hard nose demeanor within the people. These people are no longer oppressed, but it did leave a lasting influence on their demeanor and a lust for privacy. They are not intending to be nasty, nor are they perceiving their behavior to be, this is just how they are. This is indeed a theory, not a determined fact. But, it is something that we can use to help us to understand different ways of life. Such is the essence of travel.
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