Prague doesn't let you go
Seventeen years ago against a wintry white sky I stepped off a KLM flight at what was then named the Praha Letiště Ruzyně Airport. Curiosity had led me to Prague, to lift the tatters of the former iron curtain and explore backstage, as only a little over a decade prior to that communism in the Czech Republic had collapsed. My intention was to stay only a few months, but as Franz Kafka, the celebrated author, wrote: “Prague doesn’t let you go...This little mother has claws.” And so seventeen years later in appreciation and acceptance of the truthfulness of his sentiment, I reflect on seventeen of the random changes that I have witnessed here in the Czech Republic over the course of seventeen years.
Entry of the Czech Republic into the European Union and the Schengen Zone
The country's first democratically elected President, Miloš Zeman, in 2013
Legalization of same-sex registered partnerships
Construction of one of the country’s first shopping malls, and all the others that followed
The construction of a new airport terminal and a renaming of the airport to Letiště Václava Havla
One of the most devastating floods to hit the region in centuries
Installation of fast cable Internet, which by 2013 was ranked the world’s seventh fastest connection
Construction of the massive O2 Arena housing Europe’s second-largest ice hockey arena
Construction of Pendolino high speed train line which bisects the Czech Republic from west to east
English becoming a more widely used language in the capital city and more frequently taught in schools throughout the country.
Introduction of a smoking ban in enclosed public spaces like restaurants and bars
Creation of the first private rail and bus companies which increased comfort and convenience for passengers
Introduction of taxi and car services reservable through apps, as well as food and grocery delivery services
A society that has become more obese because of a shift from agriculture and factory work to sedentary office work and also as a result of increasing consumption of fast and processed foods.
The acquisition of Škoda Auto by Volkswagen, which helped elevate the reputation and global visibility of one of the country's most iconic brands
The expansion of two of Prague’s underground Metro lines
Implementation of 112 telephone number for emergency services (like 911 in the US or 999 in the UK) bridging the link between police, fire and ambulance and making accessible emergency services in English
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