Culture

The Czech population belong to the five least religious nations in the world, it come from the research published by the Gallup company. Religion represents an important part of everyday life only for 21% of CR inhabitants. More unbelieving are only Norse with 20%, Danish with 18% and Swedish with 17% . Religion plays the lowest part in the life of the Estonians, where only 14% of the asked said it is important.

This research brought us the US company Gallup, they carried it out in 143 countries of the world. The most religious countries, on the contrary, are Egypt, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Those numbers are interesting, however from the point of view of an average Czech: If one comes to Moravia, which is the eastern part of the Czech Republic, there still might be some religious people, but in Prague, I personally met only two people who were active Christians in my entire life.

Every Czech drinks beer. Even when this seems to be a cliche, often researches prove that is a true. The recently published research of CVVM in the Czech Republic reveals that almost all men and half of the women drink it. Quite probably it is not going to change by the economic crisis, people just change for cheaper labels. Share of the people who drink Czech beer doesn’t change, reaches about 90% at men population and 50-60% at women population.

Beside the regulars, there is a decent number of opportunities, when Czechs go to have ‘one’. Men during in the most cases four times a week and drink nine 0,5l glasses in total, women go ‘just’ twice a week, having 2,5 beers a week. Other important difference lies in the education. Regular beer consumption based on education in beer/week; Primary school – 12,7, Secondary School – 9,7, Grammar school equivalent – 6,6, University students – 5,8.

Juditin most, is the ancestor of the more southern located Charles Bridge. It was build between 1158 and 1172 and so it became the oldest stone bridge in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest north from Alps. In 1342 the bridge was destroyed by flood.

The bridge stood, similar like Charles Bridge, on round stones connected by iron, cast in lead. The question is, where exactly the pillars stood. Some remains can be found in the building of Křížovnický řád, at the canal under the square and in the basements of houses at the Little Quarter. Juditina tower, which forms the entry to the Charles Bridge from Lesser Quarter was originally the gate to Juditin bridge.

The police scuba-divers continue in their work, first time in the history there is the aim to completely map, where the pillars were. We are going to inform you about the outcome.

If you are going to the Czech Republic to ski, you should take care of warnings that you can see at various places. From the night of 1-2-2009 to 2-2-2009, about 35 cm of snow fell. That makes about 115 cm of snow which is now on the ridges, and that makes … third degree from five of avalanche danger.

Hikes in third degree of avalanche danger require experienced appreciation outreaching common experiences. Possibilities of various hikes are limited, warn the mountain rescue services.

Krkonose historical maximum of avalanche danger is the fourth degree. There is a few tens of them every year, which, however, do not get to populated places. But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be dangerous – in Krkonose the last mortal accident happened to a 36 yo skialpinist last December.

Exposed breasts of nursing mothers do belong to the Internet. Such is the message to the Facebook portal sent by about seventy women, who gathered in Prague Holesovice and let a picture of them be taken – most of them are breastfeeding at the moment.

To the protest against Facebook has recently put all the pictures of breastfeeding mothers away from their servers, stating that such pictures do not belong to the Internet. But the page Babyweb.cz had different opinion.

“We want to demonstrate that feeding the baby belong to the most natural things that are there to do, so also photographers of breastfeeding women on the Internet are not scandalizing, but common. Facebook is very mistaken not to allow these photos on their pages.

It was hard to find a photo of Entropa by David Cerny, which wouldn’t have the typical © on it. Luckily, there is Youtube, and so we can all rejoice at the videos. Entropa was made by David Cerny to decorate the house of European Parliament in Brussels. David Cerny is one of our best, and at the same time one of the most controversial artists which the Czech Republic have. He didn’t disappoint.

Not only he presented a piece of art that won’t be forgotten, he also made fools of the Czech Government, when he promised to make Entropa with 25 artists from the union countries, but he made it himself with his team, because no one from the government bothered to even come and have a look at what is he doing.

He created a puzzle of the union countries, based on stereotypes, and testing the level of democracy. The country which cracked first was Bulgaria, protrayed as a country of Turkish (squat) toilets. They demanded the country will be hidden under a black blanket, by which making their way of doing needs even more pronounced.

On the occasion of this year, which was by the international organization UNESCO and the OSN proclaimed as the year of astronomy, the museum of Johannes Kepler is going to open in Karlova street. The founder of the museum is the Czech Astronomical society, which made an agreement with the flat owner about renting the room, where Johannes Kepler lived and formed his laws about planetary movement.

This year is also 400th anniversary of the fundamental piece by Kepler; the book Astronomia Nova was published in Prague in 1609. The publication is concerned with deduction and formulation of the first two laws of orb movement in the solar system. The museum is going to display historical objects or their copies, information desks about Kepler and his work and laws about planetary movement.

The unusual statue of the nowadays very medially interesting author David Cerny is now in Prague again. It tours the world, hanging out in various cities, where it shock its citizens. Last time it was in in Michigan city of Grand Rapids where it caused a real turmoil. The statue depicts Sigmund Freud in life size, hanging by one hand from a traverse, which is placed at roofs of various buildings. In Michigan, people got scared it is a real self-murderer and called the fire brigade and the police.

Viselec toured various cities like London, Berlin or Stockholm, and his return to Prague is but a short stop before it will go on; righ now, it is at the corner of Betlemske Namesti and Husova street at the old town. It was made from fibreglass, David Cerny’s favorite material, and it is distinctive by the typical feature of its author – it arouses emotions. As all the art should, if it doesn’t want to disappear from the memory.

Two quite different things, aren’t they? And still, they are united in one aspect – there was hardly more or them (or it) in Prague in the past years.

Prague became a paradise for cormorants, whose lines count up to two thousands, according to the last additions of the Charles University. The ornithologists explain it is because rivers and ponds of the last days were frozen, not so Vltava, and the nutriments there are are very alluring. For most of the Prague citizens the black, exotically looking birds offer a welcomed rarity. Cormorants are intelligent birds, who hunt fish in packs. Normally, only few hundreds of them come to Prague in winter.

Cocaine, in Czech nicknamed ‘koks’ or ‘kokes’ (cockesh) – those words are, according to police, used increasingly often. They also state every third person who like dance parties have experiences with it. ‘Ecstasy is out, cocaine is in’. The increased demand came with increased supply, and prices of the drug went down. Still, Pervitin (metal-amphetamine) is the most widespread drug of this kind in Prague, but Cocaine is no longer the drug of only the rich.

When you come to a sport department in a mall, there are empty shelves in the winter part. They were packed with dozens of ice skates before the Christmas. And because frosts didn’t drop, men, women and children ice-skates disappear from the stores, second-hands and rental services on. “Two chilly days and we sold forty pairs of used ice-skates. We are just astonished and order new goods fast.” states Pavel Fiala, who has two premises selling winter equipment in Prague. “What is sold most fast are the adjustable children and lady ice-skates.”

If you like ice-skating, you don’t have to go outside Prague. At the moment it is still very cold, there is enough ice even at Vltava river cutoffs, but basins and ponds can be even better. The pond at Motol is ready, all you need is to rent some ice-skates there and start off. At park Hvezda, one can even try snow-kitting, which means skiing or snowboarding with a special kite. Weather forecasts promise the weather will stay frosty, at least until the end of January.

The last Christmas and celebration of the New Year are successfully behind, and the winter hit us with full strength, as far as I remember it was at least four or five years since it was so cold and there was so much snow. Kids are happy, they can enjoy winter pleasures, but we are used to less enjoyable problems with streets and pavements. This weather usually causes traffic completely collapses, because the services didn’t manage to clean the snow.

Beginning of this year, however, differs positively – those who care about the streets being rideable did their job well. All the main streets are rideable and the few crashed car plates were mostly the drivers fault. Even when the by-street can’t be treated with salt for the sake of ecology, they are pulled nicely and drivable. I hope that the trend will continue in February, when there will be more snowing.

Prague has the most citizens in its history. That results from the data given by the Czech statistical office, which enclosed the numbers of inhabitants to the first nine months of 2008. The number increased to 1 226 697 people, the report says. The closest to the number was the year 1992, when the lines of Prague citizens were of 9 thousands less numerous.

In the Czech metropolis the number of citizens steadily grows from the 1970’s, until 1992, when the development paused. There were less babies born and the tendency was to get housing outside Prague borders. In 2006 the number fell on the level of 1975. Now the number rises again, not only we had quite a baby boom, but also the flow of migrants from Ukraine, Russia, Vietnam and Slovak Republic intensifies.

The Prague Zoo just blossoms under Petr Fejk’s lead, nobody can doubt that. In 2008, about 1,2 million visitors passed its gates, which lists it among the most visited in zoo parks Europe again. Prague zoo is among the seven best zoos in Europe, according to Forbes magazine. When you enter the zoo, you automatically contribute to protection of wild animals.

Every year, the park gives us something new. In 2008 it was the very expensive and quality pavilion for gavilas, which are not possible to see anywhere in Europe. In 2009 they plan for example the new exposition of sea lions, sweetshop for families with kids or a lookout tower. It is a students, children, retired and dog friendly enterprise, which improves its services every year.

Are you in Prague on 31-1st ? What to do in Prague on New Year’s Eve? Well, you can start your evening by making a stop in a restaurant, and than to pop a champagne outside at midnight. It is ok – even when there are some things you should know. There is public drinking ban at some places like Prague Kampa, but that shouldn’t trouble you on that particular day. The most dangerous things are alcohol, pyrotechnics, and cold. So when you feel like drinking straight vodka (I know, it is cheap and has less calories) which may seem like a good idea, just make sure somebody will transport your unconsciousness body back to the hotel.

Pyrotechnics are a notorious – there are regulations, but cheap pieces from Taiwan flooded the market, making it possible for anyone to buy enough firepower for blowing up … what he wants. Sure that the great fireworks above the Prague Castle are a great spectacle everybody (except for dogs) can enjoy, they became less enjoyable, when somebody at Wenceslas square fires it to the crowd.

Cold – there is a great help against cold – climb down to Radost FX, Roxy, Mecca or Karlovy Lazne (better to find out whether they still have tickets before going) and start to party, you can be sure it will be so hot you will soon loose the clothes you can, still being hot.

Anyway, Prague is a famous destination for parties, and I know it can be highly enjoyable, if you just book something in the centre, or you just simply go there and enjoy the atmosphere around. Happy new year!

Today, the 09 season of Prague Tour de Ski, ski running competition, starts. Just a few days ago, it seemed the whole competition is threatened by warm weather and lack of snow. But at the night from 25th to 26th December it started to freeze and since the time, the snow cannons are running continuously.

Hundreds of people came to watch the race yesterday. It continues today, and it is expected that the sun is going to pull even more people out of their beds. They didn’t occupied only the tribunes, but also stood by the 650 m long track, going around the whole Prague Exhibition Ground.

The programme wasn’t fun for adults only, there were also performances for kids included. And where is going to go all that mass of snow. Quite probably it is going to end up in neighbour Stromovka, where those in Prague can enjoy it.

Harvest season for tradesman doesn’t stop. The last weekend resembled looked like it was the weekend before Christmas. Clothes are on sale, up to 70% cheaper, so more people went shopping this year. The Businessmen profited also on the fact there was weekend directly after the Christmas eve. Another wave of discounts is possible to expect in the new year.

If you are looking for the lowest prices, the time comes closer. Some shops resembled a war zone with all that shouting and mess, which the customers leave behind. Shelves looked like if a bomb hit it. Now, we can return to normal shopping. Some of us also go to those more expensive shops to enjoy the sales. For example the boutiques and shops at Wenceslas Square are expensive the rest of the year, so now is the time.

The year 2008 was very rich for music experience. Not only for returning stars like Chris Rea, Mark Knopfler, Johnny Winter, John Mayall, Nick Cave and Suzanne Vega, but also some first-time shows like those of Alanis Morissette and Jane Birkin, which were nice, but they only fore-run the real bombs, the strongest which exploded in Prague Congress Centre in form of Bobby Mc Ferrin, who needed only a chair and a microphone to make the greatest evening for his audience, who in return surprised him by perfect first voice in the aria Ave Maria.

Another top of the music year war the energetic concert of legendary songster Bob Dylan in the Ostrava CEZ arena. He was in great shape during the concert and it went really well. He sung and played the mouth organ clearly. In a way, he did a better job than his songress colleague Tom Waits, who was sentenced to play in the communist building of Prague Pakul which clearly didn’t fit him. The difference was in energy.

Speaking about energy, R.E.M. at the Eden football stadium in Vrsovice opened a Pandora box of great music played with real enjoyment. Their new album rocks, like their live performances, which undoubtedly is the first league. The year was rich, and the big jewel in form of Leonard Cohen was the humane experience of the year, arousing many great emotions.

Permanent exposition in Museum Kampa introduces the art pieces of significant Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian and Yugoslavian artists, especially the art from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, but also the contemporary works. Within the permanent collection, every Tuesday and Thursday since 15 commented visits, you just need to buy a ticked. It is opened daily from 10 to 18 hours.

Museum Kampa now offers the so called informer, which means the educated personnel prepared to lead visitors through the object and answer questions. The service is free of charge. The tickets are 120czk, pensioners and students pay only a half.

Meda Mládek is the organizer who became determined to promote contributions of Kupka to the wider public. In the meantime, she managed to acquire an extensive collection of Kupka’s tableaus and relevant drawings – studies for various large-scale paintings.

It has been a long year, during which we have presented approximately 1300 articles on our blog. We tried to map the whole Blob matter, from the beginning, to its bitter end. Also another very closely watched theme is the Radar as a symbol of future development of the CR – with the USA or Russia? Last Christmas, the position of Right-wing government seemed unshakable, now everything is different. We were here and tried to give you all the information you need, and we hope we did good. If the theme is Prague, we inform about it.

Regardless of the world financial crisis, we hopefully stay here until the next Christmas, and so we all here can enjoy the ceremonial evening and to wish you to enjoy it as well. Whether you are in Prague, or at any other place on earth, we wish you peace and calm, and hopefully everything is going to go as planned and wished for. So again – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Czech Christmas celebrations are concentrated to one evening; the Christmas Eve, forgot the American style when you get the gifts on 25th in the morning.

In the Czech Republic (and Slovakia) the day goes like this: If there is snow outside, one should take something out and start sledging the hills. Than home, and turn the TV on. To watch the fairy-tales! But they must be Czech fairy-tales, as they are among the least violent of prolly all the fairy-tales in the world. All who can must join, and enjoy them.

When the evening comes, there is the time for the ceremonial dinner. It should be a carp, or any other fish with potato salad, served with good beer, or vine. Lite up the candles and talk.

The main phase starts after dinner: There are gifts under the tree! Time to unwrap it, slowly and nicely, and finally marvel at all the things your closest ones gave you, and to enjoy the others unwrapping those you gave to them.

When it is all over, you can finally heave a sigh of relief, and go to sleep, with the nice perspective this circus won’t be back until the next year.