Ah, now this is a Prague cafe.
Outside of Old Town and the tourist area, no English translations of the food or menu, no employees who speak English, no chair to sit in, just a stand-up table.
A place for the locals.
I love it.
By pointing, I order a latte and a couple of pastries, and then I scan a regional newspaper that is sitting on my table.
Inside, there is a photograph of a crown on a pillow beside a Royal sceptre, an article about the Bohemian Crown Jewels currently on display at the Prague Castle.
A section of the paper is about local theatre and events.
There’s an interview with the actor, Štěpán Kozub, a page listing television programming, an article about gardening, a report of an upcoming festival, the latest sports news with team photographs, and an article about the restoration of various old Bohemian homes.
There is also plenty of advertising, from pizza to real estate to event tickets.
The newspaper has pretty much all the same things one would see in a regional newspaper back in North America.
It’s amazing what one can discern from newspaper articles even when one doesn’t read the language.
I see that this little bakery sells more than just breads, pastries, and sandwiches.
I see cigarettes, yogurt, milk cartons, hats, teapots, and whiskey glasses for sale.
Something for everyone, it seems.
I watch with interest as one of the clerks fills the display cases with freshly-baked goods and I wonder if I could ever work in such a place without getting fat.
I take a bite of my pastry and a sip of my coffee and I think, nope, I couldn’t stay thin working this job.
