After passage on three different airplanes – from Oslo to London to Zurich and finally to Prague – we arrived in the Czech Republic in the early evening running on mere fumes. We had made our way to the doorstep of eastern Europe to meet up with Kaberi’s Carletonbuddy, Kottom. Our last visit to Prague four years prior for Kottom’s wedding remained a sufficiently-intoxicated blur in our memories that we both made our way out of baggage claims with more than tangential concern for our kidneys.As we entered the arrivals hall, we found Kottom, his wife Petra and their two-year old daughter Ema waiting to welcome us to Prague, although, truth be told, Ema was more captivated by her ice cream cone than by the two weary strangers standing before her. The five of us proceeded to catch a bus and then a subway train into town with Kottom and Petra fearlessly wielding Ema’s stroller on escalators and crowded walkways. After navigating several of Prague’s cobblestoned lanes to drop off our luggage at our downtown apartment rental, we ventured to the nearby Therapy, a folksy local restaurant that supported recovering addicts.
We could not have chosen a better venue for catching up together. One of its most charming features was a children’s playroom in the back, offering infallible proof that the Czechs have figured out that having children does not preclude enjoying nights out on the town. Furthermore, the restaurant’s motto of “Have a drink, save a life” made us only too willing to oblige accordingly. Suffice it to say that three rounds more than paved the way for a night of spirited conversation. With the time seemingly flying by, we soon discovered to our surprise that midnight beckoned. With Ema asleep in her stroller after much time spent in the playroom, the four of us finally called it a night.
The next morning, Kottom (who had taken the day off on our behalf) and Ema picked us up at our apartment for breakfast. After dropping off several weeks of accumulated dirty clothes at a nearby mall dry cleaner (a decision only slightly less financially irresponsible than the oversight of the Big Dig) and subsequently finding a currency exchange center to procure dollars for future visa-on-arrival transactions, we wandered over to Bohemian Bagel, a popular brunch spot teeming with American accents. It started us off on a day of eating and drinking as we walked and talked our way around town, refreshing ourselves at local joint Pricny Rez for a couple of rounds and then meeting up with Petra for a late lunch at Jama before we caught the trolley back to their new condo.
After a full day of walking, we were all thrilled to spend a weeknight just relaxing at home. Kottom and Vik took the dog for a walk and picked up pizza while Kaberi, Petra and Ema hung out at home. Over authentic Italian thin crust and wine, we watched Shrek (Ema’s favorite movie) and chilled out. As midnight approached, we bade our friends farewell and returned downtown. Although our 36 hours in Prague didn’t give us nearly enough time as we would have preferred, we were glad to have had the chance to reconnect with old friends.
