When you arrive in Prague there are a million people trying to rent you a nice room in their house... capitalism at its finest. I told all of them that I already had a place.... as i got to the subway one burly surly man wouldn't leave me alone and kept after me....he had his other large friend to block my entrance to the subway door. they flashed a badge and wanted to see my subway ticket... they looked at my ticket and confiscated it and said that I had to pay a large fine. They said my ticket was invalid because i didn't pay the extra fee for my baggage!!! If I did not pay the fine--my passport would be taken and i would be hauled off to jail.
They had not stopped anyone else....but because i looked like a tourist they got me. They took my bags and directed me towards the police station...i talked to the police but they said that i either pay now or else. i don't know if the prague jails are like the country club facilities we have back in canada...and i didn't want to find out....so finally i paid. Everyone had big smiles on there face...including me.
ESCALATOR DEATHS
The communists installed some of the fastest and steepest escalators in the world. you have to make a running jump for the steps and have to hold on to dear life as you head down at record speeds at a 80 degree angle. Nothing like culture shock to keep you on you toes!
COMMUNIST TV TOWERS
in both berlin and prague there are these massive communist built TV Towers...they look like something out of "blade runner" or "star wars". These huge towers look like they are ready at any moment to rocket out of the ground headed for some heavily populated area in the US.
BLAME THE TOUR GUIDE FOR MY HISTORICAL MISTAKES
The Tower in Berlin was built by the communists to show off to the west that they were technologically advanced. (it probably gave a good reception for communist TV shows like the "Hammer and Sickle Comedy Hour", "Enemies", and "MacGyver with russian dubbing") unfortunately when they built the Berlin TV Tower they made one flaw. (communism wasn't a big fan of the catholic religion--so they tried to get rid of anything to do with the church) On every sunny day....the top of the TV tower would reflect the light...and it would result in a giant Cross that could be seen for miles. The TV Tower was then renamed by the West Germans as the "Pope's Revenge" A massive embarrassing moment for the good old commies.