It was 1998, Prague was rising from the shadow of Communism, beer was cheaper than bottled water, and I used to be about to find essentially the most uncommon climate forecast I’d ever seen. Practically three a long time later, individuals nonetheless don’t consider me after I inform this story.
I’ve traveled to greater than 50 international locations through the years, and if there’s one factor I’ve discovered, it’s that essentially the most memorable journey experiences are hardly ever those you intend. Typically they occur whereas wandering down an unfamiliar avenue, hanging up a dialog with a stranger, or, on this specific case, questioning why everybody in a bar all of the sudden decides to go residence.
This story takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, again in 1998, lengthy earlier than I began Mike’s Highway Journey, and at a time when the world, and journey itself, appeared remarkably completely different.
It begins, as so many good journey tales do, with a good friend, a spontaneous determination, and a airplane ticket.
A One-Approach Choice with a Spherical-Journey Ticket
A buddy of mine had met somebody from the Czech Republic whose tales about his homeland have been so charming that he determined he needed to see Prague for himself.
Whereas visiting, he struck up a dialog with a gentleman in a bar who, because it turned out, was concerned on the very highest ranges of TV Nova, a comparatively new business tv community that had shortly turn into the most-watched station within the nation.
This was an enchanting interval in Czech historical past. The Velvet Revolution had peacefully ended Communist rule in 1989, and by 1993, Czechoslovakia had separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. A brand new era was embracing alternatives that had been unimaginable only a decade earlier.
TV Nova was a part of that transformation. Launched in 1994, it had quickly turn into a broadcasting powerhouse, difficult the conventions of state-run tv with an more and more daring strategy to leisure.
In some way, my American good friend made fairly an impression on the gentleman he met. Earlier than lengthy, he was invited to maneuver to Prague and head up programming for the community.
It sounds inconceivable, I do know. However these have been extraordinary occasions, and extraordinary alternatives appeared to emerge from essentially the most sudden encounters.
My good friend took the plunge and moved to Prague.
We stored in contact by means of e mail and occasional telephone calls. This was lengthy earlier than WhatsApp, FaceTime, or the flexibility to speak effortlessly throughout continents. From our conversations, I acquired the impression he was feeling somewhat homesick.
In the meantime, again in the US, I had lately began a job at a radio station that I completely hated.
Someday, I’d merely had sufficient.
I give up my job, discovered a round-trip ticket to Prague for the astonishing worth of $525, and referred to as my buddy to inform him I’d be arriving in lower than per week.
Typically one of the best selections in life are those that make completely no sense on paper.
Prague in 1998: A Metropolis Coming Alive
I want I might adequately describe what Prague was like within the late Nineteen Nineties.
It was electrifying.
Town had emerged from a long time of Communist rule, and whereas its spectacular structure and centuries-old streets remained superbly intact, there was an unmistakable power within the air. New companies have been opening, nightlife was flourishing, and younger individuals appeared wanting to embrace the chances of a altering world.
Prague was actually no secret to European vacationers by then, however worldwide tourism was nonetheless creating in contrast with what it will turn into. People, specifically, appeared to draw consideration wherever we went.
In some way, individuals might all the time inform we have been American.
And quite than avoiding us, they usually needed to strike up conversations. We met a few of the friendliest, most attention-grabbing individuals conceivable.
One factor that stunned me was what number of younger Czechs spoke English. After the autumn of Communism, English quickly changed Russian as a precedence in colleges, and the youthful era was wanting to apply.
For 2 American guys navigating an unfamiliar metropolis, it made for some great encounters.
After which there have been the costs.
Oh, these superb pre-inflation costs.
A pint of beer at a neighborhood pub may set you again simply 25 cents. At a nightclub, maybe 50 cents. A cocktail may very well be had for round $2, and a chic, five-star eating expertise may cost a little $25.
There was somewhat Italian restaurant we frequented the place we might order a bottle of water, a bottle of wine, caprese salad, a margherita pizza, and tiramisu for dessert.
The invoice? Round $6 per particular person.
We ate like kings and spent like faculty college students.
After all, Prague had its costly institutions, however in contrast with costs again residence, the town felt like a unprecedented cut price.
And the nightlife was one thing else completely.
From intimate pubs tucked away alongside cobblestone streets to sprawling nightclubs full of music and dancing, there was all the time someplace new to discover.
Bear in mind, this was earlier than smartphones, Google Maps, Yelp, or TripAdvisor. When you needed to search out a terrific restaurant or the most popular nightclub, you relied on phrase of mouth, suggestions from locals, or old school guidebook.
We stumbled upon a small information written by a younger man who had meticulously documented Prague’s bars, pubs, and nightclubs. It grew to become our nightlife bible.
We carried it in all places.
Each night was a possibility to find one other nook of this exceptional metropolis.
However after a few week, I started noticing one thing peculiar.
The Nice 10:45 Exodus
We’d be sitting in a bar, having fun with just a few beers, conversations flowing, music taking part in, when all of the sudden, round 10:45 p.m., individuals would begin leaving.
Not only one or two, however a stunning variety of individuals would stand up and head for the door, virtually as if somebody had introduced final name.
Besides nobody had.
The bars weren’t closing. In lots of respects, the evening was simply getting began.
I observed the identical sample at a number of institutions, and finally my curiosity acquired the higher of me.
One night, I turned to my buddy.
“What’s occurring? Why accomplish that many individuals go away round this time?”
He barely appeared up.
“They’re going residence to look at the climate.”
I stared at him.
“The climate?”
“Yeah, the climate forecast.”
I believed he was joking.
Absolutely there was one thing misplaced in translation. Maybe the climate forecast was adopted by a preferred tv present, or possibly some type of nationwide occasion was happening.
However no.
He defined that TV Nova had a nightly climate phase that includes a presenter who appeared on tv fully bare after which progressively acquired dressed based on the following day’s forecast.
I checked out him, ready for the punchline.
He wasn’t laughing.
“You’re telling me individuals are leaving the bars to go residence and watch somebody dress?”
“Yep.”
I couldn’t consider what I used to be listening to.
“Nicely, we’re leaving too. I’ve to see this for myself.”
The Most Uncommon Climate Forecast I’ve Ever Seen
We returned to his flat, switched on the tv, and tuned in to TV Nova.
About ten minutes into the late-night broadcast, the climate phase started.
And there she was.
A lovely Czech lady standing on the tv set, fully bare.
Not carrying a swimsuit. Not strategically hid behind a climate map.
I’m speaking the complete monty.
I used to be completely dumbfounded.
She started presenting the climate in Czech, and whereas I couldn’t perceive a phrase she was saying, the idea shortly grew to become clear.
As she continued the forecast, she began placing on garments.
If the next day referred to as for chilly temperatures, she’d bundle up in further layers. If rain was anticipated, an umbrella may make an look.
The wardrobe was primarily the forecast.
The colder the climate, the extra clothes she wore.
It was half meteorology, half striptease in reverse, and in contrast to something I’d ever witnessed on American tv.
I bear in mind turning to my buddy with an expression that will need to have been priceless.
“Are you kidding me? That is really on common tv?”
He simply laughed.
Apparently, it was completely regular.
What made the entire thing much more amusing was that, based on what I used to be instructed on the time, the ladies dealt with the forecast 5 nights per week, whereas a male presenter took over the opposite two.
Equal-opportunity climate forecasting, Czech fashion.
I couldn’t resolve what was extra astonishing: this system itself or the truth that so many individuals apparently thought-about it price interrupting a night on the pub.
However there I used to be, doing precisely the identical factor.
And I’d be mendacity if I mentioned I didn’t tune in once more.
It Was Referred to as Počasíčko — And Sure, It Actually Existed
For years afterward, this grew to become considered one of my favourite journey tales.
At any time when the dialog turned to uncommon cultural experiences, I’d inform individuals concerning the time I used to be in Prague and found that the climate forecast was virtually appointment tv.
And virtually with out exception, individuals thought I used to be making it up.
I can’t actually blame them.
Think about telling somebody that within the late Nineteen Nineties, a significant nationwide tv community broadcast a unadorned climate presenter who acquired dressed based on the next day’s temperature.
It seems like a sketch from Saturday Night time Dwell.
However this system was very actual.
It was referred to as Počasíčko, a diminutive Czech phrase which means one thing like “Little Climate.”
The present debuted on TV Nova in 1998 and aired late within the night, usually between 10 and 11 p.m. Episodes lasted just a few minutes, however the idea was actually memorable.
The unique format featured ladies who started the forecast with out clothes and progressively dressed based on the anticipated situations. Male presenters have been subsequently launched, reportedly in response to requests from feminine viewers.
And this system wasn’t some obscure underground broadcast. It aired on the nation’s dominant business tv community.
In actual fact, when TV Nova celebrated its twentieth anniversary, the community itself included Počasíčko among the many memorable applications of its early years, describing it as adult-oriented late-night leisure.
The present continued till the early 2000s and even skilled an internet-only revival in 2007, though the later model reversed the idea, with ladies eradicating clothes as an alternative of placing it on.
Apparently, there are solely so some ways to reinvent the climate.
Practically 30 Years Later, I Lastly Discovered the Proof
Not too long ago, I made a decision to analyze the story once more.
After telling it for practically three a long time, I needed to search out one thing concrete that I might present the skeptics.
What I found was even higher than I anticipated.
A Czech tv schedule printed on March 24, 1999, lists Počasíčko airing on TV Nova at 10:33 p.m.
That’s virtually exactly the time I remembered individuals starting to move residence from the bars.
However essentially the most satisfying discovery got here from an American newspaper.
On November 7, 1999, The Washington Put up printed an article concerning the cultural adjustments happening in Central Europe following the collapse of Communism.
Buried within the dialogue of TV Nova’s sensational programming was a reference to its uncommon climate presenters, who appeared bare earlier than dressing appropriately for the next day’s climate.
There it was.
In black and white.
The story I’d been telling all these years, documented in considered one of America’s most revered newspapers.
I additionally found that humorist Dave Barry had written concerning the phenomenon in 1999, after listening to concerning the broadcasts from an American residing within the Czech Republic.
Apparently, I wasn’t the one American who discovered the idea completely astonishing.
What I haven’t been in a position to observe down is an entire authentic broadcast. There are references, articles, and fragments of archival materials, however surprisingly little surviving video available on-line.
Maybe someplace within the Czech Republic, somebody nonetheless has an previous VHS recording tucked away in a closet.
In that case, I’d like to see it.
The Journey Experiences You By no means Overlook
Wanting again on that month in Prague, what strikes me most isn’t merely how cheap every little thing was or how vibrant the nightlife had turn into. It’s how completely different the expertise of touring was earlier than the web put the complete world in our pockets.
There have been no on-line opinions telling us which bars to go to, no social media influencers pointing us towards the most recent points of interest, and no smartphones offering on the spot explanations for the curious issues we encountered.
We explored. We talked to individuals. We adopted suggestions from strangers. We sometimes acquired misplaced. And generally, we stumbled into experiences so peculiar and sudden that they stayed with us for the remainder of our lives.
That spontaneous $525 airplane ticket changed into some of the memorable journeys I’ve ever taken, years earlier than I imagined I’d finally construct a profession round journey storytelling.
I’ve returned to the Czech Republic a number of occasions since that first go to in 1998, together with quite a few journeys to Prague. Over the a long time, I’ve watched this extraordinary metropolis evolve from a comparatively undiscovered European capital into one of many continent’s hottest vacationer locations.
And for good purpose.
Prague is an impressive metropolis. Its Gothic spires, Baroque structure, medieval streets, vibrant leisure scene, exceptional historical past, and great meals make it considered one of Europe’s most charming locations. The Czech Republic stays considered one of my favourite international locations in Europe, and I by no means tire of returning.
However with recognition comes change, and never all of it has been constructive.
Sadly, Prague’s huge tourism success has additionally attracted its share of opportunists. From questionable forex exchanges and inflated taxi fares to elaborate vacationer scams, sure elements of the town have developed an underbelly that jogs my memory of Paris, the place guests have lengthy needed to deal with pickpockets, petty crime, and various schemes designed to separate unsuspecting vacationers from their cash.
I don’t point out this to discourage anybody from visiting. Fairly the other. Prague is completely price experiencing. I simply suppose vacationers ought to arrive with their eyes open.
One useful resource I extremely suggest is the YouTube channel Sincere Information. Run by two Czech locals, Janek and Honza, the channel does a exceptional job of exposing vacationer scams, calling out unscrupulous operators, and serving to guests uncover the genuine aspect of Prague.
I really had the pleasure of assembly these two gents in 2019 at a journey convention in Ostrava, within the jap a part of the nation. I used to be already aware of their work and appreciated their dedication to creating Prague a greater place for guests. When you’re planning a visit, spend a while watching their movies earlier than you go. You’ll be a lot better ready, and possibly save your self some cash and frustration.
I’d additionally encourage vacationers to enterprise past Prague.
One metropolis that deserves much more consideration is Brno, the Czech Republic’s second-largest metropolis. It provides a lot of the architectural magnificence, historical past, energetic café tradition, and great environment that make Prague so interesting, however with fewer vacationers and usually decrease costs. It has a appeal all its personal, and it’s nicely price together with on a Czech itinerary.
Past the cities, there’s a complete nation of picturesque cities, medieval castles, lovely countryside, and engaging cultural traditions ready to be explored. Limiting a go to to Prague alone can be lacking a lot of what makes the Czech Republic so particular.
As for that first go to again in 1998, I’ve since traveled to greater than 50 international locations, skilled extraordinary landscapes, encountered fascinating cultures, and picked up extra tales than I might presumably recount.
But a few of my most vivid journey recollections don’t have anything to do with well-known landmarks or bucket-list experiences.
Typically, they’re born from the straightforward curiosity of questioning why everyone seems to be leaving a bar at 10:45 at evening.
And I don’t suppose I’ll ever neglect sitting in that Prague flat, staring on the tv in utter disbelief, watching a unadorned lady slowly dress whereas explaining the climate forecast in a language I couldn’t perceive.
Practically three a long time later, the reminiscence nonetheless makes me snigger.
And to everybody who ever doubted my story, I can lastly say:
I instructed you so.
Now, if anybody occurs to have an authentic recording of Počasíčko from the late Nineteen Nineties, please get in contact. I’d like to see that individual forecast once more.
As a result of in any case these years, I’ve come to understand one thing about journey: The locations could change, the costs could rise, and the experiences we as soon as took with no consideration could disappear completely.
However one of the best journey tales by no means actually get previous.
And generally, all it takes is somewhat curiosity concerning the climate.