A flight from Scotland to Turkey for £25.00? Hector could not resist. The first obstacle was that this was the last flight of the season and so there had to be an alternative route back home. The second obstacle was that this Trip had to end this coming Sunday in order to be ready for the forthcoming Bock Tapping at Buttenehim et al.
One night in Marmaris, a Ferry to Rhodes and a flight to Prague on consecutive days was the most cost effective route back to Glasgow. The Sunday night flight back to Glasgow was the only leg which cost serious Cash. Nay problem, until…
Had I applied for my Turkish Visa at the time of booking there would have been no problem. Waiting until a couple of weeks before departure to discover there was not the required – six months – left on the Passport was not the best choice Hector has made. Having paid £££ to come home, I had to get to Prague, fortunately, the Thursday Flight was again at an attractive price, sorted.
Interaction on a favoured Social Medium revealed that Fred Waltman, Bier Guru and celebrated Beer Writer would be in Prague. We first met in 2011 in Bamberg, time to reacquaint ourselves.
Last time, it was a Bus from Vaclav Havel Airport to Dejvicka to pick up the Metro to the Centrum. This has changed to Bus 119 to Nadrazi Veleslavin. It is still Line A which one connects with, but two stops nearer the Airport. One can be in the Centrum within half an hour of exiting the Terminal.
Having checked in to the Ibis Mala Strana, it was back across the Vltava from Andel to Narodni in Staré Mesto. Novometsky Pivovar is a short walk from there, my preferred starting point on any Praha Trip.
Once upon a time, the Piwo here was not to my Palate, how things change. The other attraction is the Chicken Wings, the most simple of Tasty Meals, the Garlic Mayo adding a new dimension.
I was shown upstairs, a first, I have never seen the ground level so full. From my corner table I could see all, however,the first thing I noticed was that Chicken Wings were not on the Menu.
The Light Piwo was presented, I could have sat and had this until bedtime, the Accordion played Rosamunde and Que Sera Sera, Praha feels like a Second Home. The Chicken Wings arrived, if you don’t ask…
Retracing my steps back to Narodni, U Medvidku was found with ease. This has long been another of Hector’s Favourite Bier Houses in Praha since the first visit in 1992. The temptation to go upstairs and drink Old Gott which is brewed here was overcome, let’s stick to the Traditional – Budvar at a very affordable price. As I left I spotted the – Night Bar – in an adjacent doorway. The Unfiltered Budvar is served here, allegedly. One day.
It was time to try one of the new venues which appear on the updated Praha Bier Guides such as Bier-Traveller.com. Pivovar U Dobrenskych was a strategic short walk which could incorporate a night view over the Vltava. Walking down the steps into the Pivovar, I passed the Coppers and the Bar, taking a seat at a high table at the far end of this level. People were smoking. It was not clear if the Lower Level again was set aside as Smoke-free, where Food was being served. As we were only a handful of customers I decided to taste the Piwo and move on.
The Light Bier is Tribulus at an acceptable 14º. Gold in colour, full bodi
ed but a bit on the Sweet side.
This was my first inhalation of other people’s disgusting habit since Athena. Why do individuals feel they have the right?
And so back to the Ibis Mala Strana where my – Courtesy Drink – awaited. Staropramen Lezak was all that was on offer. Sweet, horrendous, a Bier to be avoided at all costs. This fact hammered home even more by the fact that Hector has only ever experienced a hangover twice, both times this was the definite cause.
The Breweries and Hotel visited today:
Novometsky Pivovar Vodickova 20, Praha 1 – Nové Mesto
U Medvidku – Na Perštýne 7, Praha 1 – Staré Mesto
Pivovar U Dobrenskych – U Dobrenských 3, Praha 1 – Staré Mesto
Ibis Mala Strana – Plzenská 14, 150 00 Praha 5-Andel
Link to Day 2 – A Day with Fred Waltman