Flight from MAN direct to PRG with Jet2. Flight number LS887 Departed 1400(BST) Arrived 1705 (CET)
First beer of the trip was in U Kocoura (The Tomcat) and was a nice unfiltered Bernard 12° and was most welcome. The Tomcat is one of my favourite pubs in Prague as it is proper old school, i.e. 'rough around the edges' if you want euphemisms. It is very smoky and busy in the evenings so you have to squeeze in where you can (people don't mind sharing tables here).
I will add the caveat here that when I was last here I was quite drunk - we'd been to three other places beforehand and I'd already had six half-litres under my belt before even arriving there. And, another caveat is that when I was here last the normal (or should I say regular (regular in the sense that they are the only ones I've seen in there on my visits)) servers weren't there. I say that although I have only been in the place a total of six times in the last three years (since July 2008). Usually there is an older couple working the taps and the tables. However on the last occasion (19 December 2010 after checking) there was a younger fellow working there and he simply could have just have pocketed it. What actually lead me to believe this was the fact that I asked for a Bernard and this was dismissed out of hand with "no Bernard!"; he could have been telling the truth and they could have ran out but I think he was just stringing me along as I was English [Why the hell I would have thought that I don't know!]
One things that always strikes me about this place is that it is in the heart of the tourist zone and it is mainly a locals pub - especially in the evening/night time. On this visit I have noticed how different the owners/workers are when the clientele is mainly Czech. On my first visit here (back in 2008) the bloke serving was noticeably very grumpy and the reason for this was very obvious as my visit progressed. In the hour or so that I was there I noticed about ten tourists coming in just to use the toilets (there is no Doris on duty here!) and the ones that did stay had looks of almost abject horror on their faces at the place that they were in. Is it any surprise that Czech serving staff have a reputation for surliness when face which such behaviour everyday?
On this occasion (early evening visit) I managed to have two half litres of Bernard for only 33Kc each which even at the current piss poo exchange rate [base rate was 27.29Kc to Sterling at the time - probably no more than 26Kc per £ at the currency exchanges] equates to less than £2.50.
After leaving U Kocoura I made my way to Ferdinanda Malostranka which is the Mala Strana outlet of the Ferdinand pub which is near Wenceslas Square. I like the latter place even if the decor isn't really to my liking (far too modern). This outlet is totally different as it is off a courtyard and is in an old vaulted cellar which is much more in keeping with how a Prague pub should look (in my eyes anyway). The good service of the other pub is continued here which is most pleasing. I had a Ferdinand 12° which was 29Kc - approximately £1.20. I thought it was a little warm - I remember having this in December at the New Town pub and it was colder and it did taste better. Still, I'm not complaining, seriously I'm not. [Doesn't sound like it to me!]
After leaving Ferdinanda I start to make my journey to Kolkovna [used to be a favourite place to go and eat, but I've wised up a lot and seen it for what it is - a nice but relatively expensive chain] as I had asked the hotel to book me a table there for 10pm. Originally I planned to call at a small bar called Cafe Bar Fano (for nostalgic reasons) and also to check on the
However, having said that by the time I had walked back to Narodni I felt like I needed another drink and popped in to U Vejodu for one. I stay in there for a bit and have another Pilsner Urquell and it's all okay. The tank pivo in here is 32.90Kc although in the past I have seen them ramp the prices up by 20Kc at the weekend.
Total consumption for today: six half litres.
