Gloucester High School writers: Andy Alshobaki, Chiara Ciampanelli; editor: Shahrima Hossain
The start line for this adventure is the Czech Republic. The capital (and largest!) city is Prague which is home to about 1.3 million people. This country is located in Central Europe and it borders Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Austria. The Czech Republic covers an area of 78,865 km². Compared to Canada, it’s about 127 times smaller! The official language of Czech Republic is Czech and is spoken by over 10 million people. They are a republic government with a President and Prime Minister. The President is Miloš Zeman and the Prime Minister is Andrej Babiš. The currency of Czech Republic is the Czech koruna and one Koruna equals to 0.058 Canadian dollars. You’re basically rich here! The engineering industry is the largest industry in Czech Republic, specifically, the automotive industry which includes Skoda & Hyundai.
Travel
The rural roads in Czechia may, unfortunately, be uneven, under construction or poorly marked.
There are only six highways, amounting to 726.9 km altogether. Since there are cars, accidents are bound to occur. In 2018, police were called to over 100000 traffic accidents however, only 565 people died in traffic accidents. The speed limit for major highways in Czechia is 130 km/h. For municipal roads which are intended for travelling within a city is 50 km/h. What a difference between the two! Image: https://news.expats.cz/automotive/czech-highways/
Sports and Leisure
Dominik Hašek
He is a former ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and the Ottawa Senators. He earned the nickname “The Dominator” for being one of the league’s finest goaltenders.
Pavel Nedvěd
He is a retired footballer who played as a midfielder. He is described to be one of the best footballers of his generation. He won the Ballon d’Or as European Footballer of the Year in 2003.
Singers and Actors/Actresses
Ewa Farna
She is a Polish-Czech pop-rock singer. She released albums in both Czech and Polish and received platinum and gold certifications for them. Farna is the youngest commercially successful singer in the Czech Republic
Music Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePlBvnIs2Co
Karel Gott
He is a recording artist who is considered the most successful male singer in the former Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. He has also been voted the country’s best male singer in the annual Český slavík (Czech Nightingale) national music award 41 times.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Gott
Music Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lARm56l0GDA
Libuše Šafránková
She is a Czech actress who rose to fame with the film “Three Nuts for Cinderella” in 1972. This movie is considered a Christmas classic in many parts of Europe.
Food and Dining
The endless farmers markets in Prague are a must to go to! One is the Naplavka Farmers Market which is located by the river underneath the Vysehrad fortress. Coffee, pizza, cheese? Czech ( ), czech and czech! They have the tastiest foods made fresh. Other markets include the Dejvice Farmers Market, the Jirak Farmers Market and the Holesovice Market. They have fresh in-season berries, wild local fish and a plethora of meat to choose from. One of the most traditional dishes in Czechia is Vepřo knedlo zelo which is essentially roasted pork served with dumplings and a side of pickled cabbage. Simple yet delicious. Another popular dish is Moravský vrabec (Moravian sparrow), a pork dish served with sides of sauerkraut and dumplings. It is a rich, heavy dish often served with a glass of cold beer.
Challenges and Possible Danger
Pickpocketing, petty thefts, bag snatching and ATM scams are an universal problem. On the way to the city of Prague, travellers should be extra careful as it has the highest density of pickpocketing. Criminals disguise themselves as police officers using forged police ID to check the passports and currency of travellers. Other than that though, Czechia is a great country that you should visit one day!
Team Khanucks - Mongol Charity Rally 
