Mailbox
Today in Mailbox: where to find Radio Prague frequencies, cycling in Prague and the Czech Republic, a 1930s song featured in the film Tmavomodry svet, plus a fresh new quiz question. Listeners quoted: Henry and Evelyn Holec, Lipa, Mike Bruce.
"We live near Indianapolis, Indiana in the USA. Can your programs be heard at any time of the day or night on some station in this area? What time and station would we have to tune into? Thank you."
For the complete list of shortwave frequencies on which Radio Prague broadcasts can be found, I recommend that you visit our website: http://www.radio.cz/en/frequencies. There you can find the frequencies for different parts of the world in all the six languages Radio Prague broadcasts in. If you scroll down, you can see where to find Radio Prague's satellite transmissions. On top of that, Radio Prague broadcasts can be heard over the internet - both our fresh and archive programmes. Just a reminder, with the beginning of the winter broadcast schedule, the frequencies will be updated. You can send in a request for the new frequency leaflet or look up the list on our website.
"I have been enjoying the articles that you have written about cycling in Prague. Please continue to write about new cycling paths and improvements in Prague. I would especially appreciate some kind of link to a cycling information site and perhaps to a map of current cycling paths in the city. It would be interesting to hear about cycling through the countryside, too. I think these topics need some positive publicity or, as they say, increased awareness. We only hear about dangers and impossibilities."
I'm afraid most of the information on cycling in this country available online is in the Czech language. A map of cycling paths in Prague can be found on the website of the civic association Klub prazskych cyklistu (Prague Cyclists Club). The Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation informs on its webpage about progress in building cycling paths or rather paths for non-motorised transport around the country.
"The reason I wrote was to find out the name of a song. At the very end of the film Tmavomodry svet, when the credits roll, there is a song (which sounds like it might be from the wartime or post-war era) of which the chorus is 'Smiva'. I can't be any more specific than that I am afraid, but am assuming that it is a relatively well known numbers. Would your staff or any of your listeners know the name and artist of this song? We really like it."
I believe the tune is a 1930s song "Svita", with original music written by Jaroslav Jezek and lyrics by Jiri Voskovec and Jan Werich. Here is a taste.
Svita, by Jaroslav Jezek, Jiri Voskovec and Jan Werich.
Today being the last day of the month it is your last chance to send us your answers to our September competition in which we asked you to tell us the name of a child actor who was awarded an Academy Juvenile Award in 1948.
The results of the quiz will be announced next Sunday here on Mailbox but in the meantime you can start sending in your answers to our October competition.
On October 5th, 226 years will have passed since our mystery man was born in Prague. He was a learned man, a Catholic priest but also a mathematician, theologian, philosopher and logician. As a lecturer at Prague University he was known for his antimilitaristic views. His views were seen as too liberal by the authorities and he was dismissed from the university and exiled to the countryside. His works had not been fully published until the middle of the 20th century.
Please tell us the name of the man and whatever interesting facts you may know or find out about him by the end of October. The address is [email protected] or Radio Prague, 12099, Prague, Czech Republic. You can tune into Mailbox next week, same time, same place. Till then, good-bye and thanks for listening.
More information on cycling in the Czech Republic:
www.klubcyklistu.cz
www.greenways.cz
