In Magazine: a young actress pays the price for giving an officer a hefty kick in the butt, Czechs biggest fashion sin on the runway in Paris, a Slovak nun puts the Skoda Fabia to the test, why do Czechs start their day early and Mr. Bean’s Mini Morris graces Tabor’s Chocolate Museum.
Illustrative photo: Kristýna Maková
A young Czech actress has been sentenced to 120 hours of community work and a 12 thousand crown fine for giving a police officer a hefty kick in the butt. The actress was somewhat the worse for wear following New Year celebrations and was returning home with a group of friends when the incident took place. An actor from the group tried to pull the flag outside Czech Television’s Ostrava headquarters down to half-mast allegedly to express his dislike of the president, and the night watchman, thinking he meant to steal it, called the police. When the officers manhandled the actor his actress friend promptly came to his assistance both verbally and physically. Although the actress told journalists the charges were absurd, she will most likely have to fork out the money – the only alternative being to spend two months in jail.
Illustrative photo: Miloš Turek
Paris Fashion Week has been making headlines around the world – but not all fashion journalists have picked up on the same things. One story that made a big splash in Prague was that carried by the news site novinky.cz reporting on Karl Lagerfeld’s spring collection. The detailed account of next year’s models and accessories was titled Chanel models sport socks in sandals. The headline raised many a smile since wearing socks with sandals is reported to be one of Czechs cardinal fashion sins.
Illustrative photo: CTK
This story is worth telling even if its only tenuous link with the Czech Republic is the Škoda Fabia. A Slovak video posted a few days ago shows the car to its best advantage- whizzing at 160 km per hour down a Slovak highway. The incident was filmed by two young Slovaks after they noticed that the car was being driven by a nun who was clearly enjoying the fast ride and chatting and laughing with her companion, clearly from the same order. “Look at ‘em go, they must be late for mass,” one of the guys says as race alongside the nuns’ blue Fabia. A Slovak tv put an end to the speculation that the recording may have been a hoax video by searching for the said Škoda and finding it in the parking lot of the Bishops Conference in Špišské Podhradí. A spokesman for the order said the nuns greatly regretted having violated road safety laws and were ready to take the blame.
Photo: archive of Radio Prague
Foreigners who come to the Czech Republic are often shocked by how early many Czechs start their work day. Although in recent years some institutions have gradually shifted their work hours to eight or after, many people still have to be at work by 7.30. The tradition goes back to the Astro-Hungarian Empire and Emperor Franz Josef who was reportedly an early riser and wanted the empire on its feet at the crack of dawn. According to historians the emperor would rise at 3.30 am precisely every morning. By five am he was ready to hear the day’s reports from around the monarchy and then sit down to breakfast at 6 am sharp. Institutions around the monarchy started work at 7am precisely and once the telephone was invented they were under even closer scrutiny. Although Franz Josef was not fond of new technical inventions he accepted it in the palace and had his aides use it. So at 7 am clerks around the country were on their toes in the event of an early morning call from the Emperor’s palace in Vienna.
Photo: archive of Chocolate Museum in Tabor
The annual chocolate festival organized by the Chocolate Museum in Tabor is culminating with an exhibition of chocolate cars –sporting chocolate exhibits such as the golden Eggenberg carriage, London and New York taxis, the Velorex, the Tarbant and Mr. Beans Mini Morris. According to the organizers the main theme was chosen as a treat for boys after last year’s exhibition sported a wide selection of chocolate Barbie dolls in historic costumes. Visitors to the museum can also view a chocolate figure of Jaromir Jagr and a chocolate town square which was used in a chocolate ad.
Photo: archive of Radio Prague
Petr Marcinčák, a wine-maker from Moravia produces a select line of lavender wine. The grapes are dried on lavender and then ferment together with lavender flowers. The result is a delicate, sweet wine with a strong lavender aroma. The only place you can taste it is in the Marcinčák “lavender” hotel in Mikulov which has a line of lavender products –such as lavender ice-cream, lavender cheese or lavender marmalade.
