It’s burčák season in Prague! Try it, with caution

by Jeffrey White on

This weekend I was in Prague, happy to be reminded, thanks to signs hung in pretty much every bar and cafe window, that it’s once again bur?ák season!

Huh? you say.

From now into November, most drinking holes outside of seedy herna, or gambling, bars will be offering bur?ák, which is barely fermented wine.

If Beaujolais is the French answer to early wine, bur?ák — pronounced, more or less, bore-chuck — is the Czechs’, though you really can’t compare the two. Some describe bur?ák as having a taste much like orange juice. The white version is cloudy in the glass (to me it looks like pear juice), and while I don’t get a lot of orange taste, it definitely reminds one of fruit. It’s sweet, somewhat refreshing, and very drinkable.

That’s why you’ve got to be careful: It’s very easy to overdue it on a drink that taste good and doesn’t appear to be that alcoholic (hey, it’s only partially fermented, right?)

Don’t let bur?ák’s sweet taste and benign appearance fool you. Glasses are still around 5-8 percent alcohol (though fully fermented wine usually hovers around 11-12 percent). And bur?ák is one of those odd drinks (actually, I can’t think of another one like it) that actually gets more alcoholic as it sits on the table. It is fermenting right in front of your eyes. So the pitcher that you gamely order up is going to be more alcoholic by the time you reach the bottom.

But that’s only one reason to be careful. Really, it is not a good idea to have so much of this stuff, uh, fermenting in your stomach. Now, people will tell you that it is a myth that bur?ák continues fermenting in the blood stream. Maybe it is scientifically impossible. But I know what my stomach feels like a few hours after 4-5 good-size glasses of the stuff. It’s unsettled, to put it mildly.

I don’t want to imply that bur?ák is some kind of unique drink; many European countries mark the early grape harvest with their own versions. In Germany, where I live, feder weisen, which is quite similar to bur?ák, is currently in most establishments. But bur?ák does have a unique taste, and if nothing else it’s a reminder of how, in Europe at least, we mark the change in seasons less by meteorological and arboreal observation as by the food and drink that begins showing up in the places where we like to eat and drink.

The stuff is here one day, and gone before you know it.

Prague transportation: Traveling to the Czech capital? Be choosy about how you get around the city

by Jeffrey White on

If you’re heading to Prague this summer, one of the first things you’ll notice when arriving at Ruzyne Airport is the number of car services competing for your business.

Prague’s airport is not serviced by the city’s subway network, though talk is ongoing about eventually extending it. If you go the public transportation route, that means a bus, usually the 119 that takes you to end station on the green, or A, subway line.

But there are other options. Bohemia Prague Airport Transfers is one. The company recently contacted Gadling to tell us a bit about their efforts to corner the market to and from Prague’s airport and train stations. The outfit runs a fleet of cars and vans around the clock and can accommodate one to 16 travelers.

We took a look at the company’s Web site, which is professional looking, with rates clearly shown, and the fact that you can book cars ahead of time does make Bohemia Prague an attractive option.

I’ve used the service once before, for a visiting family member a couple years ago, and it worked fine. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re arriving at the airport and happen to be staying in a location out of the city center.

But Bohemia Prague’s claim to be the official transport to and from the airport and train stations is a little overstated. They’re not the only game in town. And be a little leery of the fact that, as advertised, the company charges a flat rate for anywhere in Prague. That’s usually a sign that you’ll be overcharged if you’re heading to the prime tourist spots.

Their rate from the airport — 550 koruna or $32 — isn’t bad, and perhaps it’s even cheap compared to other European capitals. But you can also hail a yellow AAA taxi — they’re everywhere outside the airport — which use meters and direct routes and will end up costing less than 550 koruna, especially if your destination is the Mala strana side of the river.

And of course, if you have time on your hands or are particularly budget conscious, the public transport connection isn’t really that bad, and will wind up costing you about $3 for a 20-30 minute journey to the Dejvicka metro, which has rapid connections to the rest of the city.

In reviewing Bohemia Prague’s rates, the one thing I’m compelled to say is do not contact them — or any other taxi or car service, for that matter — for transport to and from Prague’s train stations. Folks, Bohemia Prague’s 370 koruna ($21) set price for one way travel is a rip off, especially from Prague’s main train station.The main train station is a money pit for tourists, because they don’t realize how close they are to where they want to go. They hail a taxi or arrange for a driver and wind up paying top dollar to cover a distance they could walk in less than 20 minutes.

The main station is in New Town, a stone’s throw from the national museum. Most tourists in Prague stay in Old Town or New Town, on the east side of the river. Old Town Square is a 15 minute walk from the train station; Wenceslas Square, five minutes or less. No metered taxi should hit 370 koruna dropping you off at your hotel in these locations. And if you’re staying along Wenceslas Square, taking any car — taxi or otherwise — is pretty much throwing money out the window.

We can argue about Holesovice station, since it’s out of the center. A taxi would cost more from here. But it is such a quick connection from Holesovice to Wenceslas Square on the metro (stop: Muzeum), four stops and less than 10 minutes, that paying for a taxi or car seems unnecessary.

In fact, I’d use the metro as often as possible, even if you side with cars and taxis because of the convenience factor. The metro is very convenient, efficient, safe and fast.

Also, if you have a cell phone that works overseas, the best option for a car is City Taxi (+420/602393070). They are honest, use meters and always end up costing less. Send them a text message with a simple “Taxi – [your address]” and they’ll arrive usually between 5-10 minutes, even at the airport.

From the New Europe: The Unbearable Appeal of Being in Prague

by Iva Skoch on

It is still a fairly common cliche in Prague: a backpacker with a beat up copy of Milan Kundera’s 1984 novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being, trying to discover the Prague Kundera once described.

That Prague–desperate amidst the Russian invasion–does not exist anymore. The locals don’t want it to exist. I always sense a little disappointment when tourists find out that Prague is not at all the exotic, gloomy city that Kundera wrote about. It has–like it or not–become free and commerce-driven. No Russian soldiers, no interrogation, just free market capitalism. The literary scene is not great, despite foreign media and guidebooks’ keeping on “selling it” as the city of uber-intellectuals, such as Kundera, Kafka and Havel. Understandably, it is a much more appealing brand than “just another up and coming Eastern European city.”

With that in mind, I found it amusing to read today’s article in the travel section of The New York Times entitled “Milan Kundera’s Prague: Trumping the Unbearable Darkness of History.” Oh no, here we go again, longing for the way Prague felt under communism. Kundera has actually had a very troubled relationship to the post-communist country. He has lived in France for the last few decades and hasn’t even wanted his books to be published in Czech. The idea that his is the Prague being sold to tourists wouldn’t be particularly appealing to him, I don’t think.

As the author of the article pointed out, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is no love letter to Prague. That is an accurate observation. It is a great book, don’t get me wrong. One of my all time favorites. However, to think that it will make you understand the Prague you are seeing today is silly.

There is a lot more to Prague than its communist past. Try looking back longer than 20, 40 years. Prague has a great Gothic and Baroque past that–in the grand scheme of things–is a lot more relevant that its 40 years under communism (20 years ago).

From the New Europe: 106 cars collide in a snow storm

by Iva Skoch on

They don’t call the D1, the major Czech highway, a “death trap” for nothing. Yesterday morning amidst a surprising spring snow storm which brought down as much as one inch of snow within minutes, the D1 turned into a bloody mess. Lucky me, I drove to Prague from Moravia just hours before the accident happened.

It all started with two semi trucks getting stuck mid-hill (summer tires?) about halfway between Prague and Brno and no less than 106 cars couldn’t stop in time and ended up building the most impressive car pile up in the country’s history.

Both directions of the highway, which is a major international artery in this region, were closed the entire day. Twenty thousand people got stranded on the side of the road in the freezing cold. Amazingly enough, nobody was killed, although 8 people were seriously injured.

If you ever want to rent a car here and drive around the country, please remember the D1 is not for the faint of heart.

From the New Europe: Three hemp plants? No problem in the Czech Republic

by Iva Skoch on

On Friday after a hearty Czech meal, my Mom popped the question. She asked me if I could somehow manage to get her a hemp plant or two. At first, I thought it was a trick question. What do you answer? So I said what any good Czech daughter would say. “Sure Mom. I think I can manage that.”

I know she has no intentions of actually using it for “marijuana-smoking purposes,” but her request still surprised me. She explained she wanted to use hemp for medical purposes, because she believes hemp products have magic powers. I don’t know about magic powers, but I do think it is kind of cool to be the daughter of a Czech hemp grower.

Drug possession has been top of mind in the Czech Republic in the last couple of weeks. Historically, the laws here have been very vague. Until now, it was illegal to carry “more than a small amount of drugs.” Yes, you get the point. The definition of a “small amount” varies greatly and opens doors for all kinds of bribery.

Finally, it looks like the Czech Republic will settle on limiting punishment to a fine for growing up to three hemp plants or carrying up to 20 joints, a gram of hashish or 0.5 grams of methamphetamine (pervitin). Any caught exceeding those limits would face criminal prosecution and a possible prison term, the Prague Daily Monitor reports. Soon, I might be the daughter of a woman who had to pay a fine for drug possession.