Initial Impressions

I was surprised to learn that Prague is inhabitated by only one and a quarter million people. It is not the giant primate city, but it does have many of the same characteristics. People from all over the Czech Republic migrate here in search of work and a better life. That said, some eight and a half million people live outside the heart in small-time cities and rural areas. No doubt these proportions are changing quickly as Prague continues to expand.

The Prague Airport gave me a warm, yet brief welcome. I was the first through customs and my bag came out second onto the conveyor belt. This kind of thing never seems to happen. After being met by Emily, we boarded a bus, then the metro, and finally a tram to get to her place. Along the way, it became obvious that Prague is your typical progressing former communist capital city. Foreign multi-nationals have flocked here in search of cheap, yet highly-skilled labour, big box stores are going up everywhere, and the public transportation infrastructure is brand new. In the face of all that, the train station holds true to communist form. It's no Beijing or Leipzig, but it still dominates the landscape.

Ironically, it wasn't the communist, baroque, and gothic architecture that captivated me, but rather the water pressure in the shower, the selection of products at the Tesco, the absence of crowds, and the extensive train system.