Navigation lessons

One thing you learn quite quickly when driving through CZ is that many people just don't know where things are. At first I thought it was all language but, after today, I'm convinced that most don't really know where things are on maps or how to point you the correct way. Case in point: we managed to get lost getting in to Prague (my fault by suggesting we make a turn where we shouldn't) and every single person gave us different directions that seemed to go nowhere. One fellow who, when I asked where Malá Straná was seemed genuinely baffled about where I could possibly mean (Malá Straná is a major section of town that sits next to the giant river that cuts through the city). Maybe it's how they have fun with the tourists or maybe it's a genuine issue with map reading - who knows. During the Soviet invasion in '68, the Czechs took down all the street signs in Prague to confuse the invaders. 

This aspect of CZ has perhaps been the most challenging to my mind - trying to figure out where you're going. And maybe the Czechs have the same issues we have - the maps are sometimes a little incorrect or don't reflect construction and the signs aren't always clear. The moment today when I thought I would lose it was as we found ourselves driving down into a shopping mall parking lot, getting a ticket to park and having a fellow who was either security or polizei tell us he had no clue about how to help us. It was fortunately still in the nervous, bordering on hysterics laughter stage when we finally figured it out how to get to the general area of where we wanted to be. 

The one moment of triumph in directions was when Levi asked a woman where Nerudova Street was and she said "here" and when he said "number 27?" she looked behind her and said, "Here." Glory be! The car is now parked and is likely to stay that way until we drive back to the airport. 

I should also say that it was Levi's birthday and got his wish to visit the Unesco Heritage site at Telč. The photo of the callipygian statue is from Telč. 

That's all for this evening. 

Leslie Levenson