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



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The Čertovka and Charles Bridge (Karlův most) in Prague


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View of the road to Mělník and the Mělník Castle


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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)

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?

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?

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)