No Sleep until Ceske Budejovice
We were six in a compartment of six, perfect. The train crawled to Dresden then turned up the Elbe Tal towards Bad Schandau. We would pass through Kurort Rathen, the highlight of Hector and Marg’s Summer Vacation two weeks before. The Chaps got to see the Bastei Bridge, being a Romantic at heart, Hector phoned Marg as we passed by.
The arrival in Praha
The Ibis at Mala Strana was not difficult to locate from the Andel Metro Station. Hector was sharing with Robin for two nights, so No Sleep until Ceske Budejovice.
The Metro took us back over to Karlovo Namesti from where we walked down to Vodickova and the Novomestky Pivovar. Neil was waiting in the large room to the right, the Waiter recognised that we must be the Group joining Neil and escorted us through. This was Neil’s third day already.
Robin joined Neil sampling the Dark Pivo, the rest of us went for the excellent Light. I knew I was on a winner here having tried this on the previous visit. The place was non-smoking, and I had Chicken Wings to look forward to.
Now who said: Yvonne wouldn’t have eaten them like that?
The Waiters looked after us well and brought the mass of Chicken Wings and more Bier. Superb, all were happy, fed and watered. Time to move on.
With umbrellas and jackets deployed I showed them the way to Narodni and hence U Medvidku. We were able to secure the only non-reserved table in the non-smoking room. Initially the Waiter felt all were reserved, his Colleagues advised him otherwise. Throughout our stay people came in, saw the reserved signs and left. How much business was lost?
This is possibly the biggest outlet of Budvar in Prague, another treat.
Remember you’re a Womble!
By this time the Overground Advance Party had entered the Czech Republic and had stopped off at Beroun where Pivo was at rural prices, no we were not going out to join them. We climbed the stairs and found the tables all reserved, but from stated times. We were good for a Bier. The Old Gott Micro-brewery is housed in the Attic (no Anne Frank references…). The Bier was impressive, not too dark, still bitter.
Something happened
A South Korean Chap was wandering around with an over-sized Video Camera, this was not for Holiday shots. His mate was the translator into English, he had one of the Brewery Staff translating into Czech. As we were the biggest group in the Attic with newly charged glasses we had to perform for whatever audience he had in mind. Craig was in the corner and so was filmed and interviewed. Why do we like German and Czech Bier so much? ‘Consistency‘ I offered for Craig to repeat, he did. Ever the Marketing Man. ‘It’s Cheap!‘ was Yvonne’s submission. Shocking, this is not why we are here, though it helps. At not much more than a £1.00 per pint, The Price does aid the wallet.
The Brewer passed us on the way out and took a bow, he seemed very pleased with himself, and why not?
Pivovarsky Dum was where we agreed to rendezvous with Jonathan, [Stan.TB] and Ricky, yes the man from Bradford had been picked up en route to the Hull Ferry Crossing. They were already in situ at the agreed time of 20.30, sitting at a table for six. We were ten in all. Mein Host said he had no seats for us. I asked if I could move chairs to create a larger table, not permitted. The Seven of us nearly walked out when he suddenly offered a table for six. Robin and Hector joined the Overlanders, the rest sat in the raised part of the room. So no seats downstairs or in the room to the rear?
Ricky had been in the company of the man formerly known as Dr Stan for some three days, he was concerned. The Glasgow based Friends of Hector were convinced that Dr Stan was kidnapped by Aliens some two years ago. Ricky is convinced that Big Stan has been cloned, he remains unsure as to which version of the numerous versions has accompanied us on this trip.
Meanwhile the saga of a Pub Manager doing his very best to annoy his customers continued.
When a table for four beside us became available I asked if we could move our friends down, not permitted. What was this guy about? Jonathan had tried to secure a large table on arrival, not permitted. Other groups came in, he tried to sit them two with a couple, three with another. They all left. In the end ten of us walked out after one Bier, he let us go. We left with dignity, but Ricky made a point of telling him why we had left.
The Bier was nothing like as good as it was two weeks previously, it was much thinner and less Citrus. I had convinced Robin that it would rival our favourite Tempest Ale, it came nowhere near.
I do not think we shall be going out of our way to spend an evening at Pivovarsky Dum in the near future.
Wombling On
Somehow I knew that with Ricky in tow, Trams would now feature. Rather than take the Metro back to Andel, Ricky knew the Tram number to cross The Vlatava. Having been to Praha more than twenty times there is an element of trust, but one is always beware of Holden Tours.
Jumping off the Tram a stop or so before Andel, we were marched in Holden-style into a typical Prague Pub, the Jamajka. With many rooms a level below the street this was a popular and very smoky establishment. Craig took one look and bailed, Yvonne went too. It was bedtime for Robin and Mags, Jonathan protested about the smoke then took his seat with [Stan.TC], Neil, Howard, Ricky and Hector.
Unpasteurised Pivo was brought at a price reflecting that this was a locals establishment, it was enjoyable and if it wasn’t Nymburk then someone can advise me as to what it was.
Across the road lay another supplier of Pivo, the Kavarna Jarda Meyer. Again the majority were smokers but we found a table at the open door and basically tried not to block the exit. If only the Chap sitting behind me as thoughtful every time he wanted to go for a P.
The décor was as cheap as I have ever encountered, cardboard boxes adorned the walls. A Big Box stuck out into the room across from us, the piece de resistance?
The Bier was Velen 12, a Wheat Bier, the bananas were not huge. This was my first Czech Weizen, not bad at all. The final Bier of the night was Pater, a classic Czech cold, yellow and fizzy Bier. This was better than average and way better than the too famous Pilsner Urquell.
We called it a halt, tomorrow is a big day, it will be Hector’s Fifth Birthday.
The Micro-breweries and Pubs visited today:
Novomestský pivovar spol. s.r.o., Vodickova 20, 110 00 Praha 1 (Micro)
U Medvidku, Na Perštýne 7, 100 01 Praha 1 (Ground floor Bierhall, upstairs Old Gott Micro)
Pivovarsky Dum, Jecna/Lipova 15, metro Karlova Namesti (Micro)
Nymburk Jamajka – Staropramenna 23, Smichov, Praha 5.
Kavarna Jarda Mayer – Straropramenna , Smichov, Praha 5