Which country would you live in?

Ben Groundwater (the Backpacker) has a good article today about which country would you live in? I like Spain, the sunshine, the food, and the language is fairly quck to pick up. Prague, I could live in Prague, Prague's cool, but I don't know about winter. New York, I love New York, but in winter? Hawaii is the most similar perhaps in the beach lifestyle of the Eastern coast of Australia. The hard part of course, as Ben points out is you would have to move everyone you care about to the same place.

Gold Coast, QLD

I must admit I've been a terrible travel blogger on this trip. I haven't visited any theme parks or any of the other great attractions South East Queensland have to offer. I have been on the beach everyday though. It's probably because I've been coming here almost twice a year that it's hard to get motivated to write. I'm in holiday mode: waking up late, walking to the coffee shop, then to the beach, eat, and then sleep. It's very relaxing, and hard to break out of the habit.

Tomorrow I'm catching a flight to Sydney and then straight to Uni (university). What I can say is that Queensland is a popular holiday destination for Australians and Japanese for decades. Now, with our dollar finally dropping more and more Australians will come back. This year was their best for years, and I've noticed the increase in tourist numbers.

Having said all that Sydney is still my home, and one of the best cities in the world. The harbour, the beaches, the restaurants, and for the next six months the warm outdoor lifestyle makes it hard to beat. Summer in Sydney is the best time of the year to visit. Sydney is also where you will find a lot of American ex pats who fell in love with Sydney and never go back. Plus, it's the headquarters of many American companies in this region. If you had the choice of locating your Asia Pacific headquarters in Sydney then wouldn't you? Although I like Honkers (Hong Kong) it's not such a sure bet anymore business wise, and Singapore is a little boring (sorry Singapore).

Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast

This is why we come to the Gold Coast, miles of beach and sunny weather. It's been good to stroll around in my flip flops, cargo shorts, and a T shirt, my basic summer attire. I had a bit of a shock coming back from a Prague summer to a cold Australian winter. Now, it's good to get back to what I normally wear for six months of the year.

You might notice that it's easy to get a spot on the beach, but you should swim between the flags where lifeguards keep vigil.

Although Australia has heaps of great beaches, at this time of year, sub tropical QLD has the warmer weather, so many of us fly up to the Goldcoast. I'm not sure whether it's the equivalent of 'Spring Break' or not, but in December school leavers flock up here for the end of year to party.

The Great Barier reef is even further to the North, and you would you have to catch another jet. Australia is a huge country. If you followed my driving trip to the 'Red Centre' or Ayers Rock, you would appreciate how big it is. Most Australians live near the South East Coast between Brisbane and Melbourne. The further inland you go the less and less people you find that's because the centre of Australia is covered by great deserts.

Anyway, as you would expect you can surf at Surfers Paradise, and many people learn to surf at the many surf schools on the beach.

Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is Australia's sixth largest city, and one of the fastest growing. Its just under a 100 km from Brisbane the capital of the State of Queensland.

I flew in from Sydney to Gold Coast Airport a few nights ago. You can also fly direct to the Gold Coast on international flights now. Generally you can get a flight from Sydney from anywhere between $50 and $100. It's only an hour flight. As you can see it's famous for it's long beaches and sunshine.

I'm staying in one of the islands behind the main beach, Surfers Paradise, quieter, but still only five minutes walk to the beach. Most tourists stay at one of the many hotels or high rise apartments.

Because of how dollar due to the Mining Boom many Australians have been holidaying overseas, but with the end of the Mining Boom the dollar is slowly returning to normal and I expect more Australians to return to the Gold Coast.

Apart from the beaches, superb weather, there are many theme parks, not as big as you find in America, but good entertainment nevertheless. The pick for me is probably Sea World, which is also the closest.

In 1925, Brisbane hotelier Jim Cavill opened the Surfers Paradise Hotel. He also opened a zoo next to it. This is why the main drag is called Cavill Avenue. This was the beginning of what would become Surfers Paradise. Out of little things, big things grow. 

Next trip to the Gold Coast, Australia

I arrived back in Sydney to weeks of cold weather,  and rain, which is very un-Sydney like. Winters are generally not that bad. I'm counting the days to Mid Semester break to fly to the Gold Coast in Queensland to get some sun on the beach. Only two and a half weeks to go.

Seriously though, winter in Sydney is not bad at all, for one thing it doesn't snow, except occasionally in the Blue Mountains in the far west of Sydney. We are blessed with long summers of warm weather, beach weather.

Dubai to Sydney

At Dubai airport. I'm thinking that next time I will stay at one of the hotels at the airport, and save the hassle. Then, if you want to see the town you can hire a taxi. Staying at an airport hotel worked well for the departure flight in Sydney.

The flight to Sydney is about 13 hours, and we arrive after the airport curfew just after 6am. Using the Smart passport machines is the quickest way through Customs. Unlike the United States we don't have the fingerprint scanning system, which I believe Australia needs to have for security reasons, although Australia is very safe. It pays to be vigilant.

If you arriving in Sydney the cheapest way to travel is via the bus. I caught the Airport train that leaves from under the airport. You can also travel to the Domestic Airport also via train.

Sydney is my home town, and one of the best cities in the world, although I am of course biased. The weather, the beaches, the cultural life, employment opportunities, National Parks, Sydney Harbour of course, great food, and our egalitarian Australian culture are the highlights. After years of under investment in infrastructure we are making massive investments in infrastructure in Sydney, so we can move more people and goods more easily around our ever growing city.

Further Reading 

Harcher, Peter, The Sweetspot: How Australia Made It's Own Luck and Could Now Throw It all Away

Prague to Dubai

It was sad packing up; I wish we could stay longer, but I'm back for another semester at Uni on Monday. It's when you pack up that you understand how much stuff you packed that you didn't use. I hope you didn't notice too much, but I just used the Apple IPAD Mini to take photographs, although I did pack the Digital SLR and the big lens and a video camera. Next time I'm just going to bring the Daypack with 5 changes of clothes. Most experienced travellers just take carry on luggage.

We caught the tram to the airport I think that must be the cheapest way to get to the airport, which is about 15km away from the City centre. There's 3 terminals, and I believe Terminal 1 is if you flying out of Europe like we were.

The captain said it was a five hour and twenty four minute flight to Dubai. We arrived around midnight I believe local time, so everything was closed, but it was much cooler than arriving mid afternoon on our flight over.

Dubai airport in a few years will be busier than even Heathrow. There's a train to take you from one terminal to the next. The best thing about Dubai is that it is faster than clearing customs at Heathrow.

Tomorrow or is it today, we have a mid morning flight back to Sydney, which is about 13 hours if memory serves me correctly, which is much better than the 24 hour flights to London Australians traditionally went to Europe. I can definitely say I'm more relaxed and refreshed by the stop over in Dubai.

 In any case it's the future - that's where the future of air travel and the growth will be in Asia. It's also in Asia where the massive economic growth will take place, which makes Europe an ever shrinking, albeit still important, market as a share of global GDP. The bustle of Hong Kong is very different from Prague.

Prague - Never tear us apart

This music video is the reason why I first ended up in Prague - http://youtu.be/_VU9DjQpvMQ

from the Australian band, INXS, which is filmed in Prague. The song is called, 'Never tear us apart'. It sort of could be the theme for the Czech Republic. If they can retain their culture and lifestyle, along with the sustained economic growth then they can have the best of both worlds. It's now more important than ever that Europe remains united and defends the new members of NATO and the EU in light of what is happening in the Ukraine. We can't afford to do what Chamberlain did in 1938 with the annexation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany. That ended with the most destructive war in human history.

We saved the best for last and had dinner at a busy local Czech restaurant and bar. This is the signature Czech dish of Pork Knuckle (Pork Knee) served with horseradish and mustard.

This all that was left after ten minutes.

Generally a hearty meal like this one will cost you less than 200 Crowns ($10) and a half litre of beer about 40 Crowns ($2). In the supermarket beer is actually cheaper than water. It's common for Stag Parties from the UK fly to Prague.

Prague is a great place to base yourself for an extended trip to Europe. As you have seen the cost of living is much cheaper than Australia or the United States. There is a thriving music scene where you can see top entertainment acts for $30-40. It's easy to go North to Dresden or Berlin. To the East is Krakow. South is Bratislava, Vienna or Budapest. It's easy to get into with direct flights from Dubai or London. There are plenty of food options from French, Greek, Vietnamese, German, Hungarian , Italian etc that you have seen on this trip. I can recommend staying in Prague 3 near the Zikov tower where we stayed, as it has a variety of restaurants and you can either walk or catch the tram for about a $1 to the Old Town or airport.

Today was our last day in Prague, because we are flying to Dubai for a one night stopover before continuing onto our home, Sydney.  I hope you enjoyed the trip and will consider Prague and the Czech Republic for your next overseas trip.

I love Prague, it's one of my top five places in the world to visit, and I'll be back again some day. In that way, the song, Never tear us apart, is a good theme to end the trip on.

Travel Info

Accommodation - obtained via the great website AirBnB (see link on right side of screen)that we used for last trip in Spain. Around $90 a night for two bedroom apartment in Prague 3.

Transport - Czech trains and trams. Frequent and reliable.
Website - http://czech-transport.com/transport-service

Prague - Olsany Cemetery; a walk amongst history & the price of freedom

Avid readers might remember I went up the Zikov television tower for great views overs Prague. Well, whilst up the tower I looked East and observed this huge green Central Park looking park (pictured above). Not, speaking Czech we went for a stroll over, and quickly realised what I thought was a park was actually a huge cemetery. It was in fact Olsany Cemetery, the largest cemetery in Prague containing over two million burials.

The cemetery begins on the same block as the Atrium shopping centre and extends for kilometres to the East. There is a real atmosphere, it's overgrown in parts, lush and green. It's cooler in here, the trees provide shelter from the hot sun. I can't say I've ever felt anything like it; like your visiting the history of Prague all laid out before you, which you are in a way.

The cemetery has an interesting history it was established in 1680 for victims of the plague. The cemetery is famous for it's Art Nouveau monuments. Jan Palach, fellow history student and hero of the Czech resistance, is buried here who set himself on fire in Wencelas Square to protest the Warsaw Pact invasion to put down the Prague Uprising in 1968.

The headstones and statues are really amazing. It's all very interesting, not to sound too ghoulish.

I'm a curious traveller, that's why I end up in a cemetery, but this was my real find today (pictured above) This curious building next to the cemetery is Radio Free Europe.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Free_Europe/Radio_Liberty.

Remember, in the Cold War,  when the West used to broadcast radio into the countries behind the Iron Curtain? Well, this is Radio Free Europe, now moved to Prague from Munich where it used to be based. Who would have thought that we still broadcast into countries where information is still restricted?

I can't help thinking of the comedy series, - Allo, Allo, with the hapless Rene Artois answering the secret radio with "Allo, 'allo, zis is Night'awk, are you receiving me?" (first episode click here ).

Incidentally, perhaps the most famous radio message was Radio London to the French Resistance, "Blessent mon cœur d'une langueur monotone ("wound my heart with a monotonous languor") indicating the D Day invasion of Normandy would begin in the next 24 hours. The success of Operation Overlord led to the liberation of Western Europe from the Nazis.

By standing up to Communism, the United States and her allies, helped liberate Eastern Europe. Now, I wonder whether Europe have the will to stand strong and stand up for Ukraine. We should have stood strong and not given into Hitler and let him take over Czechoslovakia before WW2. Remember Chamberlain waving the worthless scrap of paper that was the Peace Treaty with Hitler, saying 'Peace in our time'. You saw how that turned out. I also wonder if we still send coded messages to our agents and people 'yearning to breathe free' in totalitarian countries.

It's hard looking back now to remember that in the 1950/60s there was real fear of World War 3 and a nuclear war or maybe not so hard now with the trouble in Ukraine. The history of the Czech Republic of course is intricablly tied up in the history of Communism and the Cold War. Now, the Czech Republic are free, and Prague is the base for our efforts to ensure other people can gain hope in other countries that they may be free too.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velvet_Revolution
The price of freedom, is eternal vigilance, and standing strong with our allies against oppression, to be willing, as JFK so eloquently said, 'to pay any price, bear any burden, support any friend, oppose any foe to ensure the survival and success of liberty."

In 1989, 21 years after Jan Palach's heroic sacrifice, 300,000 Czech people packed Wencelas Square in Prague, and standing together, demanded the end of Communism and in doing so won their freedom.

That's a history lesson worth remembering.

Travel Info 

Radio Free Europe - http://www.rferl.org

Jan Palach, freedom fighter, - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Palach

The Velvet Revolution in Prague -

Cesky Krumlow to Prague by train

We said goodbye to the very cute Cesky Krumlow and caught the bus to Ceske Budejovice to meet up with the train. Although first I will recap on our visit here. Cesky Krumlov is the second most visited place in the Czech Republic. A two night stay is perfectly adequate.

Our complimentary breakfast was at the Grand Hotel on the terrace overlooking the Old Town Square.

The best coffee we had was from Hotel Latran as you first come into the Old Town on the left hand side from where the bus will drop you. Not that I'm an expert on Apple Strudel, but it was the best I've ever had, and yes, they had plenty of fresh cream to got with it. (see strudel scene in Inglorious Basterds - http://youtu.be/EnENQVoi-o)

We couldn't find anything better than the Crepe place also situated on Latran that I mentioned in a previous blog post. It's of course very touristy (is that a word), no repeat business other words, so you may have to settle with simple food done well. That's the Crepe place.

Accommodation wise the Castle View apartments I wouldn't have any problem with recommending. The staff were helpful, the view was as promised, and 'alles ist in ordung' - everything is in order' as the Germans say, even though there are no more Germans in Cesky Krumlov or Czech Republic. Although that is a hot issue between the nations as mentioned yesterday. This area was part of Sudetenland - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudetenland . Many of the TV channels were German on the satellite TV, and Linz a major Austrian city is only about an hour away to the South. In that case it's quicker and easier to go to Linz than Prague. Incidentally, many of the Germans 'forced out' of this part of the Czech Republic moved to Bavaria just over the border to the West.

In my humble opinion, it doesn't help to have a monoculture or discriminate against ethnic minorities (not that I'm saying the Czech's do it) in this globalised world. Sydney and Melbourne are multicultural Australian cities and we benefit  tremendously from it; in trade and investment, in having an enriched and varied multi ethnic culture, and not to mention the great food from all around the world. I'm in favour of a 'Big Australia' - increased migration from all around the world, immigration is, after all, responsible for half our economic growth. Money is not everything of course in life. In Spain, it's a monoculture; there is very little of anything but Spanish, which is good, but their economy is not doing so well, and they are ranked #134 in the world on ease of doing business. Having said that I love Spain. Ultimately it's up to every country to choose, and it doesn't matter what I really think anyway, but I think everyone has something to contribute, whether they are of German heritage, Roma (Gypsy) or the Greek family that run this great Greek restaurant in Prague (pictured below), probably the best restaurant in Prague that we have tried, and it is very popular - repeat business from locals. Anyway as I've completely contradicted myself, and acting like an ugly Australian abroad, I will discontinue my rambling.

Anyway we caught the bus to Ceske Budejovice, which cost 69 Crowns for both of us to meet up with the train. The language barrier prevented us figuring out which bus to get to Cesky Krumlov station. However, all was not lost, perusing the Rick Steve's travel guide on the Kindle APP revealed the bus station is opposite the train station above a shopping centre. Who would have thought actually reading the travel guide would actually help?

So far I've learnt to say exactly two words in Czech, 'Hello' and 'Prozim' - Please'. However, in this part of the Czech Republic many people speak German, for instance, they repeat the railway station broadcasts in German. Fortunately, I understand more words in German than Czech. However, most young people under 30 can speak English, because they learn at school. Having said that you should try to learn more of the language when you visit a country otherwise who knows there you might end up?

Travel Info 

- best coffee - Hotel Latran
- best strudel - Hotel Latran
- best restaurant - Crepe place on Latran just before the main bridge (eat in or take away)

Best restaurant in Prague - Taverna Olympus
Kubelikova, Prague 3
http://www.taverna-olympos.eu/en/

Cesky Krumlov Castle

Palaeolithic artefacts found indicate prehistoric people used the position above high cliffs above the river as a fortification prior to the Cesky Krumlov Castle being built. It seems Europe has always been a violent place even back then.

In the now dry moat there are the additional defence of bears! Seriously, the purpose of the moat is to make it more difficult to get close to the walls.

Incidentally, the catapults you see throwing stones at walls in the movies  are not trying to knock down the walls but clear the top of the walls of soldiers sheltering behind the thinner battlements.

When, or if that is successful they can then scale the walls usually on ladders, but also using tall fortified mobile wooden towers (Siege Engines) you may have seen in the film, The Kingdom of Heaven. Not every army had the skill to construct these elaborate siege engines or could afford to maintain a long siege of a castle, hence why castles proliferated through Europe. Castles worked in other words. It also shows you how violent Europe was that such fortification was necessary.

The tour of the living rooms shows the increasing furnishings and opulence, but comfort was only of secondary importance in the Middle Ages. Staying alive and preventing your food supply and valuables getting carried off by raiders was the primary purpose of a castle. Generally, once cannons were more available in the 16th and 17th centuries that could knock down any castle wall they fell into disrepair or were converted into more stately homes. Form follows Function in castle design.

There were two other large towers above the main castle. The only remaining castle tower today is the tower that is now part of the church. The tower of course is more expensive, but is stronger and higher and greatly adds to the defence strength of the castle.

On my last trip you might remember the magnificent Alhambra Castle in Granada, Spain with the beautiful gardens, indoor plumbing, the detailed tiles, which was very advanced at the time. The Moors (Spanish Muslims) were an advanced civilisation that in the Alhambra were able to build a formidable castle in it's own right, but with the comfort of a palace. It was fortunate for Europe that the Arabs preserved the Greek and Roman texts whose rediscovery by European scholars fuelled the Renaissance period. They also taught Europeans the use of the compass (which the Chinese invented), mathematics, and astronomy that enabled Spain and Portugal to discover the New World.

Trade and Western Europe benefitted greatly from discovery of New World, particularly the Spanish, Dutch and the English. Eastern and Central Europe were disadvantaged due to their position away from the Atlantic and didn't benefit as much from the tremendous wealth from the New World. For instance Queen Elizabeth was a financial investor in Sir Francis Drake, which returned 4000% on her investment for his voyage around the world and capture of a treasure laden Spanish galleon.

Agriculture generally only returned around 3-5% per annum, and every four or five years there was a poor harvest. It's kind of like Australia with our mineral wealth that dwarves even our considerable agricultural sector, and there are droughts every seven years or so when farmers don't make as much money. With the rise of the towns and trade more money could be made in Prague than in Cesky Krumlov, which became a quiet backwater.  However, even Prague wasn't making the money that London, Seville and Amsterdam were making from the Atlantic and global trade.

The countryside may remind you a little of Austria, which is less than one hour drive away. Cesky Krumlov was primarily populated with German people until 1945. The houses look similar to the houses I saw in Germany. The expulsion of the 3 million Germans at the end of WW2 is a delicate issue between Germany and the Czech Republic. Many now live in Bavaria just over the border to the West.

Travel Info 

Cesky Krumlov Castle - http://www.castle.ckrumlov.cz/docs/en/zamek_oinf_sthrza.xml

Recommended Reading 

Davies, Norman, Europe: A History 

Prague to Cesky Krumlov by train - it's like a fairytale

The long awaited trip to Cesky Krumlov was here. We caught an 11.30am train from Prague. The ticket unbelievably cost only $12. Around 2pm we changed at Cesky Budojevice for the one hour trip into the mountains to Cesky Krumlov.

At 3pm we arrived at Cesky Krumlov railway station. It costs 10 Crowns (50c) to catch the bus to the outside of the old town where we get  our  first view of the castle  (pictured above). You could easily walk the 1.3km to the old town, but why bother when the bus is so cheap. Note we did order a taxi to meet us at the trainstation, but the driver was confused about the time we later learnt.

The town is situated on two loops of the river, which is unusual. Like Prague, building in the loop of the river means you are protected by water on three sides meaning another frontal attack. The castle itself is in a naturally formidable position above the cliffs dominating the all important high ground. This is the upper reaches of  the Vltava river,  so the strategic  purpose is to prevent an enemy using the river to attack Prague further downstream.

We are staying at the Castle View apartments, whiich as the name suggests actually provides excellent views of Cesky Krumlov castle from our balcony (pictured above).

The old town is very beautiful, and they have done a good job restoring the place.

Dinner was at Papa's restaurant - the food was terrible, we were saved by the busy Crepes shop nearby.

The crepes were excellent, and it may be our staple food for our two night stay here.

It's often the problem with tourist places you have to look further afield for good food.

Travel info 

- Cesky Krumlov tourist information - http://www.ckrumlov.info/docs/en/kaktualita.xml

- Note you can get a bus from Prague straight to Cesky Krumlov, but travelling by train is more comfortable in my opinion, although you will have to change at Ceske Budojevice.


......................

Prague - Prague's beautiful gardens & the baby Jesus of Prague

Yesterday we visited some of Prague's most beautiful gardens on another terrific sunny day. The British are complaining about a 'heat wave', but this great weather for Europe. Everybody is out and about enjoying the weather in the parks, or like us, visiting the gardens.

These are the famous Wallenstein gardens in Prague next to the Czech Republic's Senate (upper house) in the Prague Castle district. Albrecht Von Wallenstein, was a brilliant general, who played every side off against each other, Protestants and Roman Catholics, and became enormously wealthy during the Thirty Years War of 1618 to 1648. Generals like Wallenstein were important during this period of what historians call the Military Revolution; war had become complex, required professionals to co-ordinate all the men with pikes, muskets, cannon, cavalry, and most importantly, the logistics. Wallenstein became rich through his skill at mastering this complex business of war, and built these magnificent gardens. Now, the Czech people own it, and it's therefore free for you to enter and enjoy.

However, as I studied the Military Revolution and the Thirty Years war this semester at Uni I'll either bore you or you might learn something why this period was so important for Europe. In fact you probably live in a modern Nation State that was constructed at the end of that terrible war.

The greatest problem the European countries had during the Military Revolution was not fighting wars but supplying and managing it's armies, particularly when they were campaigning. Overland transport was difficult and expensive using horse drawn wagons over unpaved roads, and for this reason they tried wherever possible to use water transport. In reality what the armies often did was pillage the civilian population, and this was one reason why the Thirty Years War was so devastating. Martin Van Creveld states, "had it not been for need to wage war, then almost certainly the centralisation  of power in the hands of the great monarchs would have been much harder to bring about." The Thirty Years War and the huge armies equipped with firearms with the need to be supplied for long periods required a huge logistics network supported by a bureaucracy, and most of all taxation.

The ending of the Thirty Years War that had devastated much of Europe culminated in the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 was a watershed moment: It is generally considered as the beginning of the modern sovereign state system. The main point to make is that State was defined by a geographical area and, "within a 'hard shell' of sovereignty - was meant to guarantee non-interference in the internal governmental arrangements or any other domestic affairs of a state." In hindsight what it meant for Europeans was that the State had now become immensely powerful, a 'Leviathan' as Hobbes called it, and together with Nationalism would become an irresistible force that would lead to even more destructive wars in the future like WW1 and WW2. 

Wallenstein came to an unfortunate end, assassinated by one of his own men on behalf of the Roman Catholic Emperor.  

We next visited the Carmalite Church of our Lady Victorious, which you may recognise is unmistakably Roman Catholic. The non interference in sovereign State affairs at the end of the Thirty Years War basically meant that the Nordic countries, Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland and England (or reformed Catholic depending on your definition, but certainly not under the control of the Bishop of Rome) remained largely Protestant, and France, Spain, Portugal and Italy remained Roman Catholic. Today, in the Czech Republic around 10% of the population are Roman Catholic. 

This church is famous for featuring the Infant Jesus of Prague (pictured above) that is supposed to have miraculous powers, particularly for expectant mothers. 

We had lunch at Cafe Paris in the Little Quarter (around the corner from the Lennon Wall). In France it is the custom to have the Special of the Day, which was cold cucumber soup (very refreshing), and French chicken. As I've noted before you can't beat a French chicken. This cafe was a little corner of Prague that will be forever France. The French take their food seriously just like me. Although they wouldn't be typing on a IPAD at lunch; lunch is much too serious a matter. Great coffee too (after lunch of course). 

Travel info: 

Infant Jesus of Prague - http://www.pragjesu.info/en/

Wallenstein Gardens - http://www.prague.net/wallenstein-garden

Prague - the top of the Zikov television tower

Today we went up the Zikov television tower near our apartment (depicted above), where we noticed that there is a whole private garden in the middle of our block. The Zikov tower is unmistakable because it has the crawling baby statues on it, and it's the biggest structure in Prague. As a result you get great views over Prague, and it's probably the best way to orientate youself in the city.

This is the view (pictured above) looking towards the West in the direction of Prague Castle on the rise above the river.  

                                    

This is the view looking towards the East. The distinctive church and park is where the Farmers Market is that I keep raving on about. As you can see Prague is a beautiful city, and just the right size at around 1.3 million people. 

Tonight we are going to see the british musician, Joss Stone. The great thing about Prague is that all the big entertainment acts come here, and you can see them at a fraction of the price back home (about $40). 

Joss Stone was terrific last night, a surprisingly big voice for a small girl. We caught the train home, and for the number of pubs, and the cheapness of beer ($1-2), you would imagine there would be lots of drunken louts. You feel quite safe catching public transport at night, and there's not the problem of alcohol related violence some cities experience. 

We are having a great time here, but tomorrow we are catching the train to Cesky Krumlov for a music festival and see the fairy tale castle in the Bohemian mountains near the border with Germany. We will be staying two nights in the town, and I can't wait because it is supposed to be fantastic.  

Travel Info: 

Zikov tower 

8am to Midnight 

http://www.towerpark.cz/en

Travel Tips 

-  Catch the entertainment acts in Prague at a fraction of the price back home 

-   Don't worry about catching public transport at night as Prague is quite safe. 

Prague - markets & an interpretation of the crawling babies

Saturday is my favourite day in Prague, because it's the farmer's market big day with live music, and the full complement of stalls, including my favourite, the sorbet stand. The best coffee in Prague is from the Hipster's coffee stand. The pastry lady has the best jam dohnuts for 8 Crowns or less than 50 cents. On a beautiful sunny morning it's a perfect way to have breakfast and chill out in the park along with the residents from the neighbourhood.

On the subject of markets, the Czech Republic is a member of the EU, but of course uses it's own currency, the Czech Crown. There are advantages and disadvantages of using the Euro. One is of course, what everybody has found out, is that you can borrow a lot of money. The Czech's have been quite smart and have low government debt of about 26% of GDP, whilst other European countries are 80% to over 100% of GDP.  Their current economic growth is 2.4% much higher than 'old Europe'. They have ridden out the GFC quite well considering.

What I've noticed is that it's countries on the outside edge of the EU that are doing well; Poland, Czech Republic and Estonia. Even the United Kingdom is growing at a respectable rate. In September the Scots are going to vote on independence, which could go either way. Like I said there are advantages and disadvantages of being a small country. A small country well run can do very well in the global economy; The World is Flat' after all, as Thomas Friedman said in his great book of the same name. What it means is that capital is global, and both money and information can be moved with a tap of the keyboard. instantaneously. I'm writing this now from a cafe in Prague. In this new world many businesses can work from anywhere, and a product can often be made anywhere too. Shipping costs keep getting lower, currenlty about $2,000 to ship a shipping container (TEU) to Asia, but with new giant container ships being built that may drop to $1500. In practical terms that means a flat screen TV costs maybe a few cents to ship. That's presuming you can get your goods to a port, so infrastructure is vital to whether a country can compete in the global economy. One smart thing Australia has done recently  is invest in infrastructure, including a second Sydney airport, so we mave both people and freight efficiently, which means we can compete globally. An additional advantage is being a stable democracy with strong property rights based on English Common Law, and being in the fastest growing region in the world. It is a disadvantage being a landlocked country like the Czech Republic, but Germany is their biggest trading country and it has excellent infrastructure with autobahns, high speed rail, and a modern cotainer ports like Hamburg.

The Czech Republic is still getting considerable Foreign Investment with many companies investing, most recently Bell Helicopters have announced they are setting up a European head office in Prague. By assembling products in the Czech Republic you can get around the EU Tariff of course. It's a good place to set up a business being next to the number one economy in Euope, Germany. There is a large Expat community from all over the world in Prague, and increasingly from the United States. It's not bad gettng posted to Prague, because there is so much to do, although winter may be tough. Living costs are definitely lower, so you can save some money.

Germany, which I visited on Friday (the blog post is going to be long), see themselves as competing globally, which of course they are. German companies like Allianz and Siemans are true multinational companies, and Siemans in particular is building much of the infrastructure in the Asia Pacific region.

In a sense every country and every business has to now compete globally as Friedman strongly argues in The World is Flat. Investment in education, Research and Development, infrastructure, training and modern production techniques like Smart Manufacturing are the drivers of productivity in this new world.  Historians call this time a critical juncture in history, a new Industrial Revolution driven by information technology and globalised trade.

The Czech's are showing the world that it is possible to embrace the opportunities of this new world, whilst protecting and cherishing their own culture at the same time.

That's a good thing.

..................................

I did promise to find out what the crawling babies mean. They are the work of controversial Prague artist, David Cerny, and the meaning is open to interpretation. One interpretation is that the babies symbolise the Czech Republic trapped in perpetual adolesence and held back by totalitarian rule, or that the people are somehow not fully grown. Or it could mean that something completely new, a newly born society in other words, that hasn't found it's own feet in the world. David doesn't really talk about his work, so I guess it's open to the public to make up their mind.

However, my interpretation is that the Czech people have to be like a child and see the world afresh with new eyes, without prejudices and not be slaves to the past, but embrace the opportunities of the present. It's a very Zen interpretation.


Recommended Reading  

Friedman, Thomas, The World is Flat, 

Why Nations Fail: the Origins of Power, Prosperty, and Poverty -   the importance of institutions like independent judiciaries, secure Property Rights, democracy, separation between Church and State, and free enterprise to countries success in the global market place.

Prague - shopping

Shopping for antiques is very popular, considering the popularity of TV shows like Antique Roadshow, and today we visited the Vinohradska Gallerie in Prague 2. They had some really nice pieces for about the price we pay for IKEA back home. I'm sure the antique dealers were some of the first into Central and Eastern Europe when Communism ended. Because you have to remember that Eastern Europe was comparatively wealthy, there was the Polish aristocracy of course, and Budapest was a great trading city, so there are some great antiques still out there. Furniture was passed down through the generations, and usually kept in good condition.

I know what you are thinking - how much will it cost to ship back home? Well, I know you can ship a whole shipping container from Europe to Sydney for around $2,000, so it's going to be a lot less than that. I'm sure my grandad had chairs like these ones (above). Anyway if you like antique shopping then Prague is the place to be or even consider going further east to Poland and Slovakia, because you won't getting anywhere near the price and quality back home for what's on offer. 

On another subject going to the cinema is a relative bargain for about 160 Crowns or $8. Due to declining attendance numbers the cinemas back home are pushing up the prices to maintain profits. Here you have a choice of seeing English films with Czech subtitles or Czech films with English subtitles etc, including on the big IMAX screens. I went to the films and saw Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, but of course the Apes communication was in Czech subtitles, which I didn't actually think of at the time (it's not everyday you get speaking apes). But, any other film that doesn't have speaking Apes you will be just fine! 

Travel Info

Vinohradska Gallerie 

5 Slavikova, Praha 2 

www.. vinohradskagalerie.cz 

Prague - the Czech Army Museum - it's free!

Today's blog post is going to bore you if you are not into history, particularly military history, although as a history major at university this is fun for me. This is the Czech Army Museum in Prague, and the best thing about it is it's absolutely free. Visitors are greeted with a tank out the front - pretty cool huh?

The Czech military history is quite interesting, because of it's geopolitical situation in Europe, where it has Germany to the West, Poland to the North East, Austria to the South, and Russia further east. The population of the Czech Republic is about 10 million, and Germany 80 million, so you can see a vast difference in resources already. In WW1 this area was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire aligned with Germany, and after it's defeat, Czechoslovakia was created. In WW2 Czechoslovakia was occupied by Germany as part of that dreadful appeasement of Hitler prior to the invasion of Poland. Note, at the time 3 million of the population was ethnically German.Today the Czech Republic is part of NATO and it has served in Afghanistan and the Balkans.

The museum has a quite good WW1 exhibition. The machinegun (pictured above) has been incorrectly blamed for the development of trench warfare. Artillery was the main killer in WW1 with around 70% of casualties caused by the big guns. Initially machine guns were not widely available, expensive, and generals did not have complete faith in them.

Besides the magazine bolt action rifle, like this British Lee Enfield (pictured above), perhaps the best rifle of the war could fire at 15-25 rpm depending on the skill of the user. When the Germans first encountered British riflemen they incorrectly reported it was machine gun fire.

These artillery shells were the real reason trench warfare developed, particularly the shrapnel shell in the middle, where you can see all those metal balls inside. The shrapnel shell, the most common ordance used in the early stages exploded above the heads of troops and shot those balls downwards like a giant shotgun. The only way to stay safe was to dig a trench and dugouts, hence a line of trenches quickly developed from Switzerland to the English Channel.

The exhibition does a good job of explaining what trench warfare was like, and they have an amazing collection of firearms from both WW1 and WW2, some I've only ever read about it. The Czechs are skilled machinists and still manufacture quality firearms in Brno like the CZ75 pistol, and CZ range of rifles. They also invented the Bren gun familar to my British Commonwealth readers.

In WW2 Czechs fought with a number of armies including the British, the French Foreign Legion, the German and Russian armies. They also fought in the Czech Resistance and famously assassinated SS General Reinhard Heydrich, 'The butcher of Prague', in a daring paratroop operation. His boss, Admiral Canaris, head of German Intelligence was secretly working for the British Secret Service, and there were well founded fears that Heydrich was starting to suspect Canaris involvement and would replace him as head of German Intelligence. Canaris and his Deputy along with most of the officers of the German Resistance were subsequently killed in 1944 and 1945 after the failue of the July 20th 1944 bomb plot to kill Hitler. Canaris's wife received a US pension for the rest of her life. The assassination of Heydrich, which cost the Czech para's lives and many in the Czech Resistance had a strategic affect and saved thousands of allied lives, because we were able to keep Canaris and the German Resistance in power and misleading Hitler, particularly about the location and timing of D Day. They are rightly remembered as heroes in the Czech Republic, and we should remember their sacrifice too.

The success of D Day enabled the allies to advance to the Elbe River in East Germany, and Patton's Third Army to Pilsen in the Czech Republic (where Pilsener was developed), and subsequently establish Liberalism in Europe with help from the United States and Marshall Aid that allowed Europe to recover from that terrible conflict. However, Czechoslovakia, remained behind the 'Iron Curtain'  Incidentally General Patton, perhaps the best allied general of WW2, wanted to keep going and liberate all of Eastern Europe from the Soviets. Perhaps he was right? 

I hope I haven't bored you too much with Czech military history and the Czech Army museum. It's well worth visiting if you get the chance, and it's absolutely free. The Czech government have done a good job with the museum and preserving their proud history. That's the best a historian can ever hope to achieve.

Travel Info 

Czech Army Museum
website: http://www.vhu.cz/english-summary/

U Památníku 2, Praha 3 – Žižkov, Phone No: +420 973 204 900, +420 973 204 924. The Army Museum Žižkov is open every day except Monday, from 10.00 AM to 6 PM. Admission is free of charge. To get to the museum, take bus 133, 175 or 207 from the Florenc underground station, stop U Památníku or 10 minutes walk from Florenc station.

Recommended Reading:

Bassett, Richard, Hitler's Spy Chief - details Admiral Canaris, head of German Intelligence, and other officers of German Resistance to Hitler in WW2, including numerous failed assassination attempts including the 20th July bomb as depicted in the film Valkyrie. 

Howard, Michael, War in European History

McNeill, William, The Pursuit of Power: Technology, Armed Force and Society Since A.D. 1000 

Parker, Geoffrey, War and the World and the Fate of Continents, 1450-2000

WW1

Keegan, John, The First World War.

WW2

Von Manstein, Erich. Lost Victories - this book by the German General who planned 'The Blitzkrieg of France' completely changed the way I thought about WW2.

Creveld, Martin van. Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009  - amateurs study tactics, pros study logistics.