My Czech Republic Blog » Czech Republic

Google Maps for the Czech Republic – Street View and Usability Updates

Jeff — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:54:06 +0000

Google Street View for the Czech Republic went live earlier this month. Prague and some nearby cities such as Mělník and Poděbrady are included, in addition to the D1 freeway to Brno. However, it looks like Brno is not yet available. I have linked to the original Google announcement and show the coverage map and some selected street views. You can scroll around on the embedded street views or click for a larger version.

There were other updates to Google maps this month that affected the Czech Republic. There were changes to the look and feel of the maps that improved the readability of such items as street names and roads. The latest update added more businesses to the map with an icon to get detailed information. It looks like this data covers the country.

Evolving the look of Google Maps

More, more, more real estate in Google Maps

Google Street View announcement on the Google LatLong Blog
A gold medal-worthy Street View update

Google Street View Coverage Map of the Czech Republic (highlighted in blue)

Municiapl House (Obecní dům) in Prague

View Larger Map

The Čertovka and Charles Bridge (Karlův most) in Prague

View Larger Map

View of the road to Mělník and the Mělník Castle

View Larger Map

Trains to Safety

Jeff — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:40:16 +0000

This month there were two anniversaries to celebrate train rides to freedom. On September 4, a train from Prague arrived in London to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the “Winton Trains”, which carried 669 mostly Jewish Czechoslovak children to safety in the United Kingdom and Sweden in the months preceding World War II.

One last trip for Winton Train (Prague Post)
Czech evacuees thank their saviour (BBC News)

Today, September 30, marked the 20th anniversary of the announcement that enabled thousands of East Germans who were staying in a makeshift camp at the West German Embassy in Prague to leave for the West.

Freedom Train recalls East Germans flight to West via Prague (ČTK)
September 30 marks 20th anniversary of dramatic announcement that East German refugees in Prague could emigrate to West (Radio.cz)

Prague Train Station Getting a Major Facelift

Dana — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:58:50 +0000

The Prague main train station (hlavní nádraží) is finally starting to look like a train station. A nice one I mean. One that a city like Prague deserves. A clean one. Bright and airy. Organized. With ways for passengers with strollers, bikes and heavy luggage to get to their platforms without having to drag their strollers, bikes and luggage up stairs and non-working escalators. With wide hallways and civilized looking public toilets (still paid, but oh well…). The repulsive, dreary, smelly basement luggage locker area is gone! It magically disappeared into thin air and was replaced by an open, modern ticket window and information center that doesn’t smell of urine. Boutiques, bakeries, fast food restaurants, regular restaurants, flower shops, and a really nice bookstore are now in place of the handful of tired looking newsstands and plastic wrapped sandwich stands that were once your only “entertainment” and “refreshment” options at the station.

The restoration of the Prague central station is far from finished, but the city no longer has to be ashamed of the pathetic welcome it offered its train traveling visitors until recent months. The work is currently estimated to be finished by 2012. Let’s see what other surprises the Italian investor has in store for us for the coming years.

Here’s just a little personal request: Would it be at all possible to put benches on the platforms? Please?

Flax Field in June

Dana — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:17:06 +0000

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:

Prague Zoo Ranked as the 7th World’s Best Zoo

Dana — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:49:24 +0000

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 Roundup 31-May-09

Jeff — Sun, 31 May 2009 21:05:38 +0000

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?

Czech Roundup 30-Apr-09

Jeff — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:56:29 +0000

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

Czech Roundup 01-Feb-09

Jeff — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:56:03 +0000

Czech Lion film award shortlist revealed
Official awards website
Up for the best picture award are The Karamazovs (Karamazovi), Tobruk and Country Teacher (Venkovský učitel). The Czech Lion (Český lev) awards will take place on March 3.

Danish experts ask to open astronomer Tycho Brahe’s grave
Tycho Brahe, who was the imperial astronomer under Rudolf II (Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia) starting around the year 1600, is buried in Prague’s Týn Church. A team of Danish scientists want to determine if Tycho Brahe was murdered.

SkyEurope fleet shrinks as new airline hits Prague
Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air is adding a new base in Prague with flights to Brussels, Eindhoven, London, Milan, Paris, and Rome.

Prague approves skyscrapers despite UNESCO
More high-rise buildings are going up in the Pankrác district of Prague.

Happy 2009!

Dana — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:06:04 +0000

We would like to thank all of you who followed our blog last year and we wish you a very happy and healthy 2009! We hope you continue to read our posts and leave your comments.

Šťastný nový rok!
Jeff and Dana

It’s Mikuláš Night Again!

Dana — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:59:29 +0000

Today is December 5th, the eve of St. Nicholas Day or Mikuláš in Czech. We have written about our experience spending a fun Mikuláš evening on Prague’s Old Town Square. This year, we decided to visit a smaller Prague square away from the center. We went to Náměstí Míru in Prague 2. You rarely run into foreign tourists here and the area has quite a local feel. The Christmas market that is put up on the square every year is a small, rather intimate affair and you’ll mostly find Czechs here, shopping for Christmas gifts on their way from work, showing their kids the lights or enjoying a cup of mulled wine and a klobása purchased at one of the stands. Before we headed out this evening, we had expected some commotion on the square, some families with kids and a few Mikuláš-Devil-Angel groups. We got there a little after five and were surprised to find the square literally packed with people. So packed you could hardly move amidst the crowd. People dodged each other, looked for each other, stood in lines to buy sweets, beer, hot dogs… They carried their children in their arms and on their shoulders, or tried to make their way through the crowd pushing strollers. A number of Mikuláš and Devil characters clad in elaborate costumes handed out candy and tangerines to well behaved children. People had fun.

Jeff took some pictures as usual.