After a series of delays, the reconstruction of Prague’s main train station (Hlavní nádraží) began on December 14.  The Italian company Grandi Stazioni, which has extensive experience in the renovation of train stations in Italy, won the tender in 2002.  The work, which will be done in stages and could take until 2010, includes adding shops, improving the ticketing areas, restoring the historical section, and adding security around the station.

Czech Business Weekly - 04-Dec-06
Facelift set for main train station

Radio Praha - 29-Jun-06
Prague’s main train station set for extensive renovation in coming years

Prague Post - 12-Apr-06
Hlavní nádraží to spruce up

We would like to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas, a peaceful holiday season and all the best in the New Year! Thank you for following the blog and posting your comments. We hope you will continue to “read us” in 2007!

Veselé Vánoce a šťastný nový rok!

Dana & Jeff

Tubs filled with live carp have been out at many places around Prague since Monday. Carp is the main part of Czech Christmas dinner on December 24 and is usually served with potato salad. The majority of Christmas carp comes from the ponds of Třeboň in Southern Bohemia where it is specially raised.

Some people buy carp live and keep it in the bathtub for a few days to entertain their children. A strange custom, I know.

You probably know that if you want to send a letter to Santa Claus, you need to send it to the North Pole. But what about Ježíšek? Do you know how to address your Christmas wish list letter to make sure it reaches Baby Jesus? If not, don’t despair. We have done the research and found out Ježíšek’s address. All children are welcome to ask for the perfect Christmas presents by sending a letter to:

Vánoční pošta
362 62 Boží Dar
Czech Republic

Boží Dar is a town in the Krušné Hory Mountains. It is the highest located town in Central Europe and its name means “God’s Gift”, so it is only natural that Baby Jesus should chose this place to receive his mail. If you would like to send him a last minute letter, make sure it is delivered by December 22.

You can read more about mailing Ježíšek at Ježíškova pošta (in Czech).

Information about Ježíšek and Czech Christmas can be found on our Czech Christmas page.

There was a dry cleaning place down the street from us, just a block from where we live. It was not one of those 24-hour services. It could take up to a week to get your stuff back, but the convenient location of the place couldn’t be beat. It was tiny in there, just one room really, and it was run by a nice woman who also did alterations. All in all, a great place to have in your neighborhood.

Except that the woman smoked like a chimney. So you brought a brand new, washed shirt in to have the sleeves shortened. You handed it over, got your slip and watched the shirt being hung on the to-be-worked-on rack. Five days and some hundred cigarettes later you’d get your shirt back with the sleeves just the right length, but smelling of cigarette smoke so bad that you might just as well have been sitting in a smoky pub for six hours straight.

The same would happen to your dry cleaning in case you didn’t pick it up on the day it was ready. Because if you didn’t, your cashmere sweater would also end up hanging in the room where the nice woman sewed away on her little sewing machine, smoking cigarette after cigarette. And when you brought your cashmere sweater home, you’d have to hang it on a door handle, open the windows and let it air out for several days until the smell was gone and the sweater could be worn again.

I was always baffled by this and thought, don’t some people have their clothes dry cleaned BECAUSE they smell of cigarette smoke after a night out on the town? Anyway, it no longer matters because the place closed a few days ago. I guess there weren’t enough people who were willing to keep a local smoky dry cleaner in business.