How to make Czech angry in 5 steps....
Here are just few basic tips on what to avoid doing in Czech Republic. While some are result of harsh past of communist era, other are just hard ingrained customs of our heritage. Naturally, there can always be few exceptions to the rule ....
1. Call us depressed
Okey, you arrive to Prague get out of the train/plane/car and .....nobody is smiling!! Yes, it is perhaps a custom in some other parts of the world to continuously wear smile and thus signal that everything is good and well but here it is NOT. We're more pragmatic.
2. Label of "Eastern European"
WE ARE NOT EASTERN EUROPEANS!!! In fact our capital is further west than Vienna is. It's basic geography. ( If you don't believe it, please, educate yourself: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europe)
3. Think of us as Russians, ....
Watch out! Some Czechs may not react kindly to being labeled as Russian. We CAN'T read Cyrillic letters and we don't fully understand Russian speakers, we also don't care about it at all. Also we are not religious nation , about 66% do not believe in God , whereas Orthodox church is Something big in Russia.
If you need further reassurance about pissing us of, remember that Soviets occupied us with tanks in 1968, and F'ed things up. Please, do think or call us that ever again.
4. Veganism?! What is that?
Being vegan is perfectly acceptable life choice. Recently there have been a growing trend with vegan and vegetarian life styles (check out: Loving Hut or Dhaba Beas that are ONLY in Prague) - but do not expect to taste genuine Czech cuisine.
Our cuisine is heavily based around milk, meat, and bread! There is no other way and no sympathy about such ''pickiness''!
Sorry- not sorry!
5. Order a foreign beer
WHAT?! You are in the central of beer production and you order a foreign beer?!! We like our brews, not to mention the great taste X price comparison for beer. (Reality is that beer is cheaper than water in most of the restaurants.) In addition, the confusion around American and Czech Budweiser is not helping the issue.
Czechs' advice?: try for example of the... Kozel, Svijany, Unětice, Budvar, ...
There are so many good and great local beers, so, don't push your luck with foreign import.
