THE COUNTRY THAT I FELT IN LOVE
“I have to say that from the moment that the airplane land, I loved the country.” It was the summer of August of 2003. It was my first trip to Easter Europe. Finally, after so many years I was able to travel out of the United States. I really wanted to go to Mexico but, my girlfriend Martha Slovakar insisted in going with her to Czech Republic and know her country.
As soon as we walked out of the airplane, we walk to immigration and customs. My first good surprise was about to stared. The official that stamped my passport was so polite and nice. I was so amazed with the way they treated foreigners. It is totally different from the way you are being treated in the United Stated when you come into the country. You can not compare the respectfulness versus the ruthless and discriminatory way of the U.S. customs officers.
One of the first things I felt in loved was with the girls and people in general. Women are so beautiful and sexy, especially with the light cloth that they were wearing that hot summer. The best of them is that they are so friendly and open. Thus, they just gave me that sexy smile every where we were going. I felt flourish so many times that at some point I really wished to be by my self. Czech girls have a pretty face and spectacular bodies. Most of them have an average body (Latina style). Just the way I like. On top of that, they are very proud of it. It seems that they do not worry and care about unhealthy and ridiculous diets just like the skinny and cheese upper eastside women of Manhattan. The house where we stayed, Martha’s mom, was a two floors house. It was an old baroque stale with white walls from outside with small and narrow windows in the facade. It was looking like coming out of one of those fairy tales. The inside was a brain new renovated house extremely charming with a combination of Louis IV decoration.
Czech Republic is a small country with about 29.677 sq miles, just like the size of South Carolina. Prague the capital was one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen. I thought Manhattan was the best, and it is, but Prague was definitely so different in many ways so historic, so romantic, so medieval.
Prague is divided in the middle with a famous river called Vltava. It is pretty much like the Hudson River. But this one is clean and had a sparkling blue color. Another famous attraction of the city was the Charles Bridge (Karluv most). Historically, this is one of the most old and ancient bridges in the world founded in 1357 by the king of that time Charles IV. The bridge has towers with Baroque statues. The grey color of the statues and bricks gives you a sensation of being in the Medieval times. Plus the castles really amazed me. Most of the people are Catholic. Not that I’m, but I was just comparing that with Mexico. There are churches everywhere with more saints that people. For instance, the church of our Lady Before Tyn has more than 30 saints. Certainly, the church that really impressed me, it was The St Nicholas Church, which according to the guard, it is the most significant and expressive building from the Baroque period in the country.
The food is great, especially if you like meat and potatoes. Perhaps, pork is something that they love. I ate it in some many and different ways, including in desserts like organic pork ice cream sorbet with crispy pork skin crotons on top. Also something that is worth to eat are the hams, sausages and salamis. They are a lit of bit expensive, but delicious. I try to bring some of them in my way back to the States. Unfortunately, the pathetic officer in customs didn’t allow me to. He just said “you can not pass that food through; It hasn’t been evaluate for the F.D.A.”. I was so up said that later on I realized that they ate my delicious sausages. Beers are something out of the world. I really like Dos xx or Negra Modelo (famous Mexican beers) but once I tried the dark beers from there, I was astonish. The quality and test are much better.
The only thing that I didn’t like was the food and the margaritas that we ate at this Mexican restaurant that we found. They were awful. Honestly, I was surprise of being in a Mexican restaurant in Prague. Talking with the bartender I was told that the owner of that place was a Czech guy and he did not have to much knowledge in the cuisine. Of course, I could tell. Fortunately, we didn't pay for the drinks once I told him I was Mexican and I know about margaritas. He was making a lot of money from that place. I could not explain my self how come that restaurant was so busy. I’m pretty sure that it would be a success if some one opens a place there with good food. We have so many pork dishes in Mexico that Czechs would die for them.
After a week, I learn to say “Ahoy, jak se mais”(hello, how are you) “Ja jsem Julian”( I’m Julian) “Tessi krastna”(you are so beautiful). I could have learned to speak more. Unfortunately, I’m a hard head-ed stubborn in learning another language. Until now, I haven’t been able to improve my English, that is also why I can not get an A- in my English class. I have to mention that Czech Republic is relatively cheap, The most expensive thing was the airplane ticket. The U.S Dollar is a very strong currency. The exchange rate for Czech Crowns was very high. The whole trip was amazing. Definitely, I’m going back next summer. I can also say that Czech Republic opens its arms to everybody. Just remember to go by your self and who knows, you may come back married.
B+