Shock and Awe

Touted as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Prague has long been a staple tourist destination for adventure-seekers and aesthetic junkies alike. Boasting no less than 12 Unesco World Heritage Sites within its city walls, comprising extravagant castles and churches, the Czech capital would be an outright paradise for any history buff.

I was hesitant to hop on the bandwagon and blindly worship the glorious city before actually witnessing it myself. The only thing that seemed to surprise my uncultured, simpleton mind at the time was the cheap beer they allegedly offered, compared to the sky-high prices in other European countries.

Upon returning from my short, two-night stay in the City of a Hundred Spires, however, I was forced to eat my own preconceived notions. I had been spellbound by all the culturally significant sites Prague had to offer, and in my brief stay, I only wish it had been stretched out a little longer.

An enchanting, unmatched beauty was showcased in the city's architecture, and an interesting mix of social cues was found in its people, many of whom displayed a happy-go-lucky nature. Elderly locals, although likely hardened from the events of years past, were nevertheless appreciative of a friendly hello from a stranger.

Prague is certainly a mysterious city with a million tales to be told. My contribution is perhaps one of even more vivid impressions than most, told as it is by a Thai man of Indian descent who had never previously travelled to Europe.

CRIPPLING COLD

I travelled to Prague as part of a group tour to Europe which also took in parts of Germany and Poland in a nine-day package.

The Czech capital is home to around 1.3 million residents and almost a further million who commute to and from the city during the day.

Upon arrival I was immediately assailed by a frigid blast of mid-winter wind. The thermometer on the bus we had travelled on from Dresden, Germany, told us it was -3C outside, although inside was perfectly heated, so the icy blast came as brutal surprise, despite being clad in three layers of clothes.

Out of curiosity I asked a local standing nearby how on earth the Czech people could possibly cope with the climate. "That's why we escape to your country during winter," he said with a hearty laugh. I was positive, however, that he was also giggling at my quivering voice from all the uncontrollable shivering.

The rather large, macho-mannered man was actually right about the temperatures in the landlocked country. In fact, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, the coldest temperature clocked in Prague last year was around -18C, while the lowest temperature recorded nationwide was -34.6C, in Breznik, a small municipality about 160km away from Prague.

On the other hand, the country swelters in summer. The hottest temperature recorded in the Czech Republic's history dialled in at 40.4C, in Dobrichovice, about 25km southwest of Prague, in August 2012.

A WARM, BUZZED WELCOME

After dropping our things off at our hotel that night, we were quickly taken out to dinner at an underground restaurant, which I presumed was constructed so as to provide better insulation for arriving customers.

As we were part of a large, all-Thai tour group, I'd imagine we'd be given the full, cheesy, touristy treatment, filled with over-the-top, bloated customs and novelty -- such as what is foisted upon foreigners who travel to Thailand on group packages.

The restaurant did not disappoint, serving us upon arrival, not food, but a straight-up shot of fragrant, herbal bitters. I was told Becherovka is somewhat of an everyman spirit for Czechs.

Often touted as the country's national spirit, the 38% alcohol-by-volume, yellow-green-tinted drink has a gingery, cinnamon-like scent to it. Market prices for the bitters are a modest 180 korunas (about 280 baht) for a 500ml bottle.

Out of curiosity and a somewhat innate sense of hubris -- the waitresses were watching -- down the hatch the Becherovka went.

It was surprisingly pleasant, at least in my mind. Looking left and right, however, my travel companions did not seem to share my enjoyment. Some took sips and instantly denied the pursuit of an empty shot glass, while others refuse outright to drink it at all.

Although good food was duly served, the Becherovka was just the beginning of my introduction to Czech drinking customs that night, as the waitresses repeatedly served us the staple drink of the nation -- beer.

I distinctly recall my tour-mates and I marveling at the cheap prices of beer displayed at the restaurant. The local craft beer cost around 60 korunas, or less than 100 baht. Thai craft beers can cost more than 200 baht per bottle.

Merriment concluded for the night, we headed back to the hotel for a good night's rest. The next morning, I made it my mission to ask our guide why the prices of alcohol here were so cheap, especially considering we were smack-dab in the centre of Europe.

Our guide, Petr, was blunt in his explanation: "We drink lots of beer here. We make a lot of it, and the demand is the highest in the world."

I looked this up and learned that Petr was not exaggerating. According to the British Daily Telegraph newspaper, the Czechs do indeed drink the most beer in the world, at 142.4 litres per person per year. Second-placed Seychelles clocked in at 114.6 litres.

The Czech Republic is also home to the first-ever Pilsner-type beer, Pilsner Urquell, which originated in the country in 1842. This was a result of the country being under the German-speaking Austrian Empire at the time.

Prague has way more to offer than its cheap alcohol, though. The architecture is ultimately what people come to see, and coincidentally, it was what was directly in store for us next.

AWESOME ARCHITECTURE

Petr guided us towards a tram station. Minutes later, an extremely old-looking tram engine parked in front of us, complete with a conductor dressed head-to-toe in uniform. Bound for Prague Castle Complex, we got on, and the train spirited us away while an old man whimsically played the accordion in one of the carriages.

It was all a bit too novel and immediately I suspected this was not the way locals normally travel.

People from outside the tram looked on and even took pictures as several of them exchanged waves with us as we travelled closer to our destination.

It turned out locals typically take the normal tram network to the complex, which is surrounded by several stations.

But I didn't want to be a buzz-kill, so I smiled at the old man as he played, and said goodbye as I stepped off the tram. He smiled back as I disembarked, and continued playing his accordian as the tram left, even though there were no longer any passengers on board.

The tram and the old man gone, I turned around and was hit with a sense of paralysing awe. There, right in front of me, was Prague Castle and its 70,000 sq m of jaw-dropping beauty.

The famed Prague Castle Complex instantly hit me in the face with its 70,000sqm size and jaw-dropping beauty.

Considered by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest castle complex in the world, it is home to several structures and historically significant artifacts, namely the Old Royal Palace and the St Vitus Cathedral, the latter of which we were to experience first.

Full admission to the entire area costs 350 korunas, although there are options to pay for access to the individual sites located inside the complex.

St Vitus Cathedral engulfed us in its towering shadow. Featuring an astounding gothic design from 1344, with its complicated origins dating back to the 925, the cathedral houses statues of patron saints. The grave of the Czech Republic's main patron saint, St Wenceslas, is also located inside the structure, while Bohemian crown jewels also rest within the cathedral's walls.

I cursed myself for not bringing a better camera with a wider lens, asI could not fit St Vitus Cathedral's entire western facade into the frame. So I quickly soaked up the experience one more time, and moved on.

In a rushed tour of each of the sites, we were shown many beautiful artefacts and bits of architecture. During this time I learned from Petr that Prague Castle was also the official Office of the President of the Czech Republic, a tradition which dates back to the time of Bohemian kings and Holy Roman emperors.

We ventured higher up along the complex's stairways to a prime photo-taking spot, where one could admire Prague's unparalleled cityscape. I had to take off my thick, clunky gloves to take better pictures, and was instantly greeted again by the frigid winds of doom.

At that point I had stopped caring, as I was too mesmerised by the city from such a good height. Petr had to wait for all of us to take photos to our hearts' content, which took about half an hour.

We took the long walk back down and then I stood outside the complex as stared back at what I had just experienced. I'm the kind of person with a busy mind, but this time I reflected in calm silence about the wondrous structures.

MARKET LEADER

After a subsequent walk through the town, visiting the iconic Charles Bridge and Old Town Square along the way, I had completely lost track of time, considering the sun sets at around 4pm during the European winters. We arrived at a market when it coincidentally started to snow. It was the first time I had ever seen snow, and the moment was magical enough to turn this most reserved man into a wide-eyed child again.

Food and drink on sale at the market included hot wine -- a European custom during winter -- freshly grilled ham and several desserts fitting of a time to celebrate.

Cheesy gimmicks were also featured here and there, such as horse carriages and concerts. I could feel the joy and a sense of warmth emanating throughout the market.

Smalll children were seen sitting on their parents' necks to take a full look at the market, while teenagers were laughing and getting a surreptitious buzz off the hot wine. Old timers were sharing good food and meaningful stories.

And the most beautiful part of it all was the variety of languages I heard spoken in the market.

English, German, Spanish, Italian and even Korean were some of the languages shared on this magical night, with each of the speakers enjoying the entire experience.

What I saw was enough to impress anyone, and as a Southeast Asian lad who had never travelled this far, I was awestruck once again.

Prague is a city you should experience for yourself. No picture or meagre bit of prose can ever do it justice.