Friday night's post office queue

Here you can clearly see who does taxes at the last moment. February would have ten more days and there will still be a queue of last-timers. On the other hand they all have three more hours to midnight so nothing to worry about. And yes, I stayed in this line today, too. Thanks God for nonstop post office.

Button for stopping the traffic

This is a magical button that will stop the traffic and allow you to cross the road quite safely. But you know, it's always better to look out while crossing the road.

The M sign

I was thinking about the similarity to the Batman sign. But this will hardly save the world in the end.

Special question for all of you from Poland: Do you know Ewa Farna? Is she known in Poland?

Barracks at Dejvice

This is one of my romantically naive imagination of a life in the army. Barracks at Dejvice with their unique genius loci.

Prague's (little) version of Eiffel tower

Petrinska rozhledna/Petrin lookout tower is Prague's so called smaller version of Paris' Eiffel tower. It was build in 1891. When the weather is right you can see places in the Czech republic that are more than 100km far away. There's a grand view on Prague Castle as well :)

The only drawback is that it is on the top of Petrin hill and you have to literally climb up here. But than again, there are those fabulous views on Prague during your climb.

Here's a link to the real Eiffel tower at Paris DP.

This is how winter should not look like

Usually we have freezing weather in February in Prague. Well, it's almost 20 C with a perfectly blue sky without a cloud, people are wearing shorts and short skirts with t-shirts and all parks are crowded.

Oscars night at Palace Cinemas

The ad on the right is for the Oscars night at Palace Cinemas. So if you don't want to watch Oscars alone you can go to see them in the cinema. And it's for free, including free drinks and snacks :)

Unfortunately all 3 cinemas in Prague's Palace Cinemas are already full. Even though the program starts at 10 pm with various tv shows from HBO (e.g. Californication which I love) and the actual Oscars ceremony begins at 2 am.

Thank God they have so comfortable seats for comfortable sleep - I slept through Lord of the rings (twice), second Matrix movie and Billy Elliot here so I can tell :)

Speaking of Oscars. We have our Czech nomination in "Original song" - Falling Slowly from Once by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Here's a link to a Youtube video - tell me what you think.

And I recommend Atonement, too :)

Tram 14

Tram number 14 crossing Zborovska street heading to Palackeho bridge.

Podoli swimming pool

A peek into Podoli swimming pool. You can see a girl on the very top of the diving tower preparing to jump.
They also have two outside swimming pools - bigger (50m) and smaller (25m). The smaller one is opened during the whole year and is very popular even during winter time.

Diggers in Prague

Some hard work need to be done here at Old Town.

Inside Betlemska chapel

Saw that girl at my sister's graduation day inside Betlemska chapel today - my sister is a Master of Architecture now :)
Betlemska chapel is a place where all the graduation days at Czech Technical University happen. And that girl had to be from Britain. Nobody but British have that wonderful accent.

CCM - Centrum Cerny most shopping center

Cerny most shopping center is one of the firsts shopping centers that were build in Prague. As is the cinema multiplex here. And people still like it - otherwise there won't be that much of them.

Sunny city at Zbraslav

Forepart of the "Sunny city" - new part of Zbraslav and albeit the picture doesn't make the justice a nice place to live in Prague.

Stone pit at Zbraslav

Well, we have a stone pit at Zbraslav. It's right at the Vltava river and it's absolutely empty on Sunday :)

Smichovske nadrazi metro station

The girl actually started to run because it is not good to miss a train that close to midnight. I did my running about 30 minutes and 15 stations before.

Entry to the Staropramen brewery

One of many entries to the Staropramen brewery at Smichov. It looks like they own a few blocks here. They really are big.

McDonald's at Smichov

One of a few McDonald's in Prague with Drive-in - which is on the opposite side (as well as the gas station). I worked here for a while. Have a few funny stories, too. And hence I like McDonald's. Isn't it weird? :)

Window in a window in a window

Zborovska street. There was a high school in Zborovska street called Zborovska high school specialized in math and science. It was well known in Prague, their students won a lot of prizes and a lot of my class mates went there after elementary school. They got a new name few years ago and I don't think they are doing as well as they were used to now.

By the way, Czech name for "high school" is "gymnasium" which, of course, means something different in English. Please, be kind if we use it wrong :)

Beads store at Ujezd

If grocery is a shop where you buy groceries do you buy beads in a beadery then? Otherwise I can't find out a good translation for their name Koralkarna (which is actually playfully funny in Czech).

This came up in my mind immediately :)

House that drinks beer

And yes, it's a brew house. Left side as well as the right side. Smichov is known for Staropramen beer. They even have a "beer emergency" here :)

Tickets here - Smichovske nadrazi metro station

Ticket machines at Smichovske nadrazi metro station. In red and yellow.

Theme day: What your city is known for

No surprise here. I think Prague Castle is still the winner of what Prague's about. Now you can check what other 135 cities are known for:
Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA