A blooming flax field is not a common sight in the Czech Republic. Here’s a picture of a field of flax growing right in front of my eyes as I type from my summer getaway spot.

And a closeup of the pretty flowers:

I hadn’t been to the Prague Zoo for a few years and didn’t remember it as anything special. It was badly damaged in the 2002 flood and when I was there a year or two later, there was lots of reconstruction and new construction going on. Lots of promise in the air, but a pretty bare place at the moment. When I recently revisited, I was surprised not only by how different the zoo looked and felt, but mainly by the modestly displayed sign listing the top world zoos selected by Forbes Traveler Magazine in November 2007. The Prague Zoo was highlighted at line 7.

What an unbelievable achievement for the small, even intimate ‘garden’ that was hit so hard by disaster only seven years ago! In fact, ‘intimate’ must be one of the factors that put the zoo so high on the list. This is where I studied a gorgeous six foot tiger from six inches away and stared in the face of a disturbingly human looking gorilla lounging some four feet away from me.

Besides feeling intimate, the zoo projects a friendly atmosphere towards its visitors. It is very child oriented with fun little play areas for kids. You can borrow a stroller or cart to push or pull your little ones around. You can even bring your dog with you, and you’ll see plenty of them around.

Another thing that made me feel good at the Prague Zoo is the environment that’s been created there. Gravel paths, wooden boardwalks and lots of greenery make it feel very natural and pleasant to walk around.

If you would like to visit the Prague Zoo, you can find some practical information on the Prague Zoo page of our site or directly on the Zoo Praha website.

And here’s the Forbes Traveler Magazine’s list of The World’s Best Zoos:

1. Animal Kingdom, Orlando
2. Basel Zoo, Switzerland
3. Beauval Zoo, France
4. Berlin Zoological Garden, Germany
5. Bronx Zoo, New York
6. Chester Zoo, U.K.
7. Prague Zoological Garden, Czech Republic
8. National Zoological Gardens of South Africa
9. San Diego Zoo, California
10. Schönbrunner Zoo, Austria
11. Singapore Zoo
12. Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington DC
13. Taronga and Western Plains Zoo, Sydney
14. Toronto Zoo
15. Ueno Zoological Gardens, Tokyo, Japan

Czech student film wins prize at Cannes festival

Congratulations to Zuzana Špidlová!  Her film Bába was awarded the top prize for the best student and youth film at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

Slovak, Czech ForMins want youth to better know the other language

Even though the Czech and Slovak languages are similar, Czech and Slovak children are having a more difficult time understanding each other’s language.

New British star Susan Boyle to record her CD in Prague

Susan Boyle, Britain’s Got Talent runner-up and YouTube video star, will record her CD with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, according to idnes.cz.

George Lucas appeals for Czech filming incentives

Tax incentives have been discussed before.  Will a law be passed to help the Czech film industry compete with European countries that have them?

Are tax incentives for the Czech film industry coming soon?
Radio.cz news
Film production competition heats up in Eastern Europe

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival announces some special guests and program highlights
Czech film greats Forman and Švankmajer among special guests at Karlovy Vary festival this year

The MICHELIN Main Cities of Europe 2009 guide, which contains information and ratings on hotels and restaurants in 20 countries in Europe, is being released tomorrow. The Michelin Guide is famous for its 1 - 2 - 3 star restaurant rating system, with three stars being the highest. Last year, the Prague restaurant Allegro at the Four Seasons Hotel received the first Michelin star ever awarded in the Czech Republic. Gordon Ramsay’s Maze at the Hilton Hotel was awarded a star this year in addition to Allegro. Ramsay previously announced that he was pulling out of Prague. If the restaurant changes name and ownership, then it will lose the Michelin star.

Three Prague restaurants, Aromi, Le Cornichon, and Le Terroir received the Bib Gourmand, which highlights “good food at moderate prices”.

For further reading see:
Another Prague restaurant wins Michelin star
Ramsay Wins 13th Michelin Star as Chef Counts Cost of Expansion
Gordon Ramsay pulls out of Maze Prague

If you are interested in purchasing the guide:
MICHELIN Main Cities of Europe 2009 - from Amazon.co.uk (published on March 18)
MICHELIN Main Cities of Europe 2009 - from Amazon.com (published on May 15)