The Czech Republic: The quirky customs that baffle the world

 

One of the amazing sites the city of Prague has to offer/Photo credit: 99travetips.com

Every country in the world has specific characteristics that are entirely typical of it, in addition to its history. The habits and customs of the inhabitants of this country, however, may startle and seem unusual for someone of a different nationality who visits, since their lifestyle and customs are so distinct. What is so unique about the Czech that it frequently seems strange to others?

 

The Czech Republic, sometimes referred to as Czechia, is a country in Central Europe that shares borders with Austria to the south, Slovakia to the east, Germany to the west, and Poland to the north. Prague, the nation's capital, is located in the center of the country and is landlocked, meaning it lacks any coastlines. Since 2004, Czechia has been a part of the EU. In the past, some linguists believed that Czech and Slovak were dialects of the same language because of their similarities.

 

The languages, however, continued to evolve independently after Czechoslovakia broke up in 1993, making it increasingly challenging for speakers of the two languages to communicate with one another. The Czech Republic has a well-established educational system that allows foreigners who speak Czech to attend public universities for free and on an equal basis with locals. The capital, Prague, is also home to international corporations and offers a wealth of career opportunities.

 

According to an interesting history of the nation, on May 28, 1618, 27 Czech aristocrats overran the Old Royal Palace in Prague Castle and hurled two imperial governors and their scribe out of a window. The victims landed in a pile of manure, which was a huge embarrassment, but they managed to escape with just minor injuries.

 

This act of defenestration (which means "throwing out of a window" in Latin) set Protestant Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) against the Catholic invader, Austria, and precipitated the Thirty Years' War. The Habsburgs, the governing dynasty, exacted retribution on the Czechs after they lost the war. Germans held every important position in the government.

 

Prague became a dilapidated town after the majority of the Czech nobility and intelligentsia were compelled to flee the nation. Czech was outlawed and subsequently reduced to a dialect, while German was proclaimed the official language. Had it not been for the dolls, it would have vanished entirely.

 

As a matter of fact, the legislation only permitted the use of Czech at street fairs when traveling actors and their puppets performed in Czech. Crowds of people gathered to watch them because they were so popular. It is believed that the puppeteers and their wooden puppets contributed to the language's preservation in this way.

About the Czech people

 

The Czech people take great pride in their national beverage, beer, which is a staple of the local cuisine. Beer is consumed every day by many individuals of both sexes, especially at meals, and in hot weather, multiple times a day. The average Czech, according to some estimates, drinks more beer than their neighbor, Germany, with an annual consumption of about 143 liters. The Czechs are thought to have the highest beer consumption per capita in the world.

 

Like many other Eastern European nations, the Czech Republic has some circumstances where you must say "no" rather than "yes" or do the opposite. For instance, it is considered rude to enter a house with shoes on, even if the host has advised you not to remove them, and it is not customary for locals to accept a gift on the first occasion. When someone asks, "How are you doing?" It's unlikely that you'll say "I'm great!" right away, as that can be perceived as an attempt to impress. Rather, you ought to state that you're doing well while simultaneously admitting that you could do better.

 

Another peculiar aspect of the Czech way of life is their belief that blowing your nose should be done with vigor. For instance, blowing your nose loudly and noisily in public is a common practice in the Czech Republic. The Czechs have no qualms about carrying out these customs in the most unsuitable settings, including theaters, churches, lectures, and even dining establishments. However, sniffing is regarded as being completely wrong.

 

Although fashion is always changing, some habits are hard to break. For instance, during the hot season, some men wear sandals and socks, which surprises tourists. Large travel backpacks are carried by women in dresses, and during the winter, they pair their handbags with athletic jackets. It is important to note, though, that younger and more contemporary Czechs frequently make fun of these "fashions" and work to counter them.

 

The Czechs, who are passionate dog lovers, place a great value on the image of a dog. They take their pet friends with them to restaurants, zoos, cafes, and even places of worship. Additionally, no one looks down on a customer who brings a dog to a restaurant; instead, they all smile and say, "We have a dog too," and every waitress rushes over to pet the shaggy customer, making sure to bring him a bowl of water.

Best tourist destinations

 

There are many fascinating tourist attractions in the Czech Republic that are well-known for their natural beauty, architecture, and historical significance. Aside from Prague, the capital, which is renowned for its magnificent architecture, including the historic Charles Bridge and the Gothic-style St. Vitus Cathedral. The Astronomical Clock and lively street life may be found in the Old Town Square.

 

The magnificent Český Krumlov Castle and its well-preserved medieval architecture make Český Krumlov a UNESCO World Heritage site. The village offers beautiful views from its location along the Vltava River. Karlovy Vary is well-known for its hot springs and spa culture, and tourists from all over the world come to see it every year for the International Film Festival.

 

The second-largest city, Brno, has a thriving cultural scene with lots of museums and galleries, and is renowned for its modernist architecture, which includes the UNESCO-listed Villa Tugendhat. Another UNESCO World Heritage site is Kutná Hora, which is well-known for the Sedlec Ossuary, commonly called the Bone Church. The town's main attraction is the Gothic St. Barbara's Church.

 

Pilsner Urquell Brewery is open for tours; Pilsen is the birthplace of Pilsner beer. The city is home to the Great Synagogue, one of the biggest in Europe, and lovely squares. Třeboň is renowned for its charming fishponds and lakes that are perfect for outdoor recreation. The town is well-known for its spa services and boasts a picturesque historical core.

 

Beautiful limestone formations, caverns, and gorges can be found in the protected Moravian Karst. A well-liked destination for hiking and exploring is the Macocha Abyss. These locations showcase the Czech Republic's stunning natural surroundings and rich cultural legacy, making for a varied vacation experience.

 

The Czechs' lovely foods

 

There are many filling and tasty dishes in Czech cuisine. These are a few of the most well-liked ones:

 

Svíčková: A marinated beef dish with a creamy sauce made from root vegetables, frequently served with bread dumplings. Usually served with bread or dumplings, goulash is a hearty stew cooked with meat, onions, and spices. Knedlo zelo Vepřo: A mainstay of Czech cuisine, roast pork is eaten with bread dumplings and sauerkraut.

 

Česnečka: A potato-based garlic soup that occasionally has cheese or croutons on top. Knedlíky are flour or potato dumplings that are used as a side dish with a variety of dishes, and kulajda is a creamy dill soup with potatoes, mushrooms, and frequently an egg.

 

Czech food: Knedlo Zelo Vepřo, photo credit: nomadparadise.com

 

Bagels are the Czechs' culinary nemesis: as they say, "a lifetime on the hips, hours in the stomach, and seconds in the mouth." The most popular bakery item in the nation is bagels, which have a dubious flavor. 

The traditional Czechs still prefer their bagels even if stores are now stocked with a wide variety of delectable breads. They purchase packs of ten to fifteen of these oblong white bread rolls, which they eat within a week.

How Overcoming Difficulties Improves The Quality Of Life - The Story Of The Ant

Nelson Mandela, after 27 years in prison, became the president of South Africa.

Life is beautiful, but the different philosophies and ideas of men that keep changing the world make things difficult for us sometimes. Many want to become rich or famous at all costs; therefore, they take the wrong turn in life and pay heavily for their crimes, while those on the right path of perseverance to success often give up because they find it too tough to handle.

I see people who give up in life very easily as weak and lazy. In the early nineties, I was among the few Africans in Rome, Italy. We only eat at the Caritas charity, but there is no place to sleep. Where to lay your head in Rome was one of the toughest issues of being an illegal immigrant in Italy.

Many of my African friends return to Africa. I refused to leave; I stayed behind, sleeping every night at the central train station in Rome. Today, here I am still in Europe and now with documents. 

Why, as a human being, do you have to give up when a small insect, an ant, never gives up in whatever it does?

Here is the story of the ant.

In reality, the intelligence of a man is above any animal or insect, but examining the effectiveness of certain insects, such as a bee and an ant, we can’t dispute the fact that the most intelligent insect can rightly be considered an ant, because it is one of the few hard-working social insects.

 

Ants gather in large groups and accept smaller colonies to be slaves. They are intelligent creatures to navigate their environment and the weather.  They go to war against each other and know how to protect and defend themselves by using tactics and strategies.

 

According to a study, the ants know how to heal themselves.  The ant, infected with the spores of the parasite fungus, transfers to the healthy ants a small number of spores, which is not enough for a full infection but strengthens their immune system.

 

The body temperature of ants changes in response to the atmospheric temperature. In winter, their body temperature falls so greatly that their movements inevitably grow sluggish. Therefore, they hibernate restlessly in relatively warm places, such as the soil or under the bark of trees.

 

The hard-working insect ant

Depending on the environmental conditions, there can be several queens in the anthill, polygamy, or monogamy. There may be several ants that act as the queen and often arrange fights among themselves, trying to hit each other with their antennae. 

 

Such fights do not cause significant damage to the females; however, the working ants watching them make their choice in favor of one of them, after which they kill the rest.  

 

Ants can communicate by explaining to each other the path to food; they can count and perform simple arithmetic operations. 

 

For example, when a scout ant finds food in a specially designed maze, they return and explain how to get to it to other ants.  If you remove the pheromone trace at this time, the relatives of the scout will still find food. 

 

In another experiment, a scout searches the labyrinth of many identical branches, and after communication, other insects immediately run to the indicated branch.  

 

Ants communicate using odors because their glands produce pheromones in different concentrations for different messages. 

 

If an ant stumbles upon its own pheromone trail, the insect will walk in a circle until it is completely exhausted; condemned to this fate, its brethren will follow its trail.  This phenomenon is called an ant-hill, the spiral of death, a carousel of death, or ant circles.

 

For the reason that ants communicate with smells, they cannot distinguish between a dead and a living ant.  They understand the difference only when the dead begin to decompose.

 

However, not all ants have a permanent residence.  There are roving ants.  They live in the tropics of Africa, as well as in Central and South America.  Sometimes African roving ants come together in huge colonies of up to twenty million, and usually, they move very fast. 

 

It is very interesting to observe how roving nomadic ants move.  They look like a living river flowing in a direction known only to them. When they meet a large pool, they stick to each other to form a bridge and cross over.

 

Such a column of nomads stretches on average up to one or two meters.  When staying for the night, the queen, together with the larvae, remains in the center, and the remaining ants, clinging to each other with their paws, form a large ball, approximately one meter in diameter.

If such a tiny insect as an ant can work so hard to survive both summer and winter, why would you call it quits if you encounter problems in your life? 

It is not how many times you fall in life but how many times you make efforts to stand on your feet. Never give up as a human being in whatever good thing you want to achieve in your life until the bones are rotten.

WHY DOES CHINA BREED BLACK CHICKENS?

China adds black chicken to the menu.

Regarding food, the Chinese are known to eat almost everything edible on earth, including snake, frog, dog, reptiles, fried pupas, etc. However, the Chinese have added another special breed of chicken to their menu, an unusual breed of domestic bird with black bones and even black internal organs.

The breed called Chinese silky has very soft, fluffy feathers, and inside it differs from other chickens in the sense that it has a skin of a bluish-black shade, dark meat, as well as black bones. 

In the West, Chinese silky chickens are bred as a rule for decorative purposes, but in China and some other eastern countries, their meat is considered a delicacy and is not available to everyone.

The breed has been known since the 7th century, and it is believed that eating these chickens, known in China as gu chi, 'chicken with black bones,' has a beneficial effect on human health. 

For example, Chinese women traditionally eat Chinese silky chickens after childbirth to restore energy. In addition, the Chinese say that black chicken dishes have a positive effect on the blood, lungs, and stomach.

As a rule, so that the meat of gu Ji fully manifests its unique properties, it is used to make broth with the addition of ginseng, dried wolfberry, and Chinese dates, and such hens are rarely fried.

In 2011, geneticists discovered that the unusual color of the meat and internal organs of these birds, a phenomenon called fibromelanosis, is associated with the mutation of the endothelin-3 gene, which is responsible for the development of pigment, producing cells, which causes an excessive amount of blackening not only of the skin but also of the bones and internal organs.

However, scientists have confirmed that there are unique healing properties in Chinese silky meat. There is an increased level of carnosine, a peptide, in the chicken, which is sold as a food additive. 

People take carnosine to grow mass muscle, slow aging, diabetes, and even autism, and studies have shown that black chicken meat is one of the richest natural sources of this compound. Would you try it when in China?

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the oldest treatment systems in the world; its history dates back over three thousand years, and many of the treatment principles used by Chinese medicine recognized as effective are being actively introduced into the practice of Western doctors.

THE THREAT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS IN AFRICA

Access to clean drinking water remains a problem in developing Africa.

Environmental problems are not only caused by improper use of nature’s resources but also by unreasonable exploitation, overpopulation of states, low incomes of the population, and unemployment, as the natural environment experiences degradation.

The state of the natural environment of African countries is reflected in the high rates of population reproduction, which are associated with the expansion of acreage and pastures, the growing number of cities, and the excessive and irrational use of natural resources.

The most acute environmental problems of Africa today are reduced soil fertility, accelerated erosion, deforestation, growing water scarcity, deteriorating surface water and air quality, cutting down evergreen forests, and disappearing plant and animal species.

Other causes of environmental problems are the poverty of states and the neglect of environmental consequences. Dirty industries and pollution affect African countries. Environmental degradation also affects food, farming, and livestock.

A typical example of an environmental problem in Africa is that of the Sahel, a vast natural area 400 km wide south of the Sahara from the Atlantic to Ethiopia. The Sahel is a transitional semi-desert zone from deserts to savannas.

The northern boundary of the Sahel is the isoline of the annual precipitation amount of 100–200 mm, and the southern boundary is 600 mm. The average temperature here is + 27 ... + 29 ° С. The humid summer period does not last long, and 80–90% of the precipitation evaporates.

The dry season lasts 8-10 months. The main type of economic activity over the centuries has been nomadic and semi-nomadic cattle breeding. During the wet season, cattle graze in the north of the Sahel, and in the dry season, it is distilled to the south.

This use of land led to a violation of the ecological balance in the twentieth century, which resulted in an increase in the area and the movement of deserts to the south, up to 10 km per year, desertification, and the transformation of arid lands into desert.

The main consequence of this process is an increase in the number of droughts. Some of them went down in history as the 'Sahel tragedy, from 1968 to 1974, and from 1984 to 1985. Africa has 17% of the world's forests. 

Spontaneous deforestation for firewood, valuable trees leads to a reduction of forests. Africa has lost 90% of its evergreen coastal rainforests. In Madagascar, for example, evergreen forests are preserved only in small areas in the east of the island.

A crucial problem in Africa is the shortage of freshwater. To solve it, scientists have proposed various watering projects, for example, in the Sahara. There are projects of diversion of the Congo River to the Sahara and the creation on the site of the ancient lakes of Chad, the Sahara, and Chad.

The presence of rapids on African rivers creates conditions for the irrigation of drylands through the construction of large reservoirs. Reservoirs Kariba on the Zambezi River, Nasser on the Nile River, are examples of the rational use of African surface water.

Poor waste disposal and pollution in Africa an opportunities to invite strange diseases from the developed world to Africa.

National Parks of African countries are taking steps to save wildlife. For these purposes, specially protected areas are created. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the first national parks appeared in Africa: Albert, Virunga, Serengeti, Rwenzori, etc.

After liberation from colonial oppression, 25 new national parks were created at once, and by the beginning of the XXI century, protected areas accounted for more than 7% of its territory. The first place in the number of national parks is Kenya (15% of the area).

The largest in the area is Tsavo National Park, more than 2 million hectares, where lions, rhinos, giraffes, Kafa buffaloes, and 450 bird species are protected. The park is best known for herding elephants. In South Africa, savannahs and South African fauna are protected.

Timber exports within parentheses in Africa generate large income for many African countries, yet Africa faces threatening challenges, such as deforestation.

Westerners come to the continent for quality wood, so the area of tropical forests has significantly decreased. African leaders must find solutions to save our continent because the continuous cutting down of trees will affect the population and the environment.

A PLATE OF CANCER FIGHTING FOOD

Certain foods that help to fight cancer

Article originally published in Health Mind Bodies.

With today’s way of life, people are more likely to suffer from obesity and be exposed to various diseases or contract some forms of cancer. On the other hand, modern-day medicine has evolved such that people can rely on the latest drugs or devices to treat cancer.

When it comes to treating cancer, prevention and detection are probably the best ways to nip it in its bud. Thus, we should always go for regular health screenings to detect cancer in its early stages and isolate it early. 

On the other hand, we also try to prevent or delay contracting cancer as far as possible by consuming healthy foods, which we have compiled a list of for you. (Do not replace this list with your regular health checkup.)

1.    Cauliflower

Cauliflower contains sulforaphane, a compound that has been shown to have anti-cancer effects. Sulforaphane is released when cauliflower is broken down, so focus on chewing it before swallowing. This compound seeks and destroys certain cancer cells without harming the healthy cells.

There are plenty of recipes available online on how you can add cauliflower to your meals. Cauliflower and broccoli have similar effects, so add broccoli to your list of foods too.

2.    Carrots

Even though carrots are mainly thought to be good for one’s eyesight, researches from the last ten years suggest that they are also good against some types of cancer, one of which is prostate cancer.

A study was done on mice that were fed an increased carrot intake, and the study showed that carrots could stop the growth of prostate cancer. Carrot has many other health benefits too; there is no reason not to eat them!

3.    Avocados

Not many people are fans of this fruit, but avocados as a food are so beneficial, they are almost a must-have item in your kitchen. Avocados have an abundance of nutrients, mostly antioxidants, which have been proven to reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer.

Avocados also have a high amount of healthy monounsaturated fat. This is a high-fat fruit, which is definitely interesting, considering how most of the other fruits are very low in fat or even fat-free, and avocados can actually help you lose weight and not the reverse.

As a food, they are very versatile. You can make guacamole out of it, add slices to a sandwich, or mix it with other fruits to create a juice or smoothie.

4.    Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the best natural cancer fighters against many types of cancer. Colon and bladder cancer are among the top two cancers that can be treated or even prevented when eating broccoli. Find it in whichever form you can, be it fresh, frozen, or pre-cooked, it will still retain most of its nutritional value!

The high fibre levels in broccoli can also help with your digestion, so broccoli is a vegetable that is beneficial for your health to eat often.

5.    Tomatoes

Tomatoes are healthy and tasty at the same time. Cooked tomatoes help your body release more lycopene, a specific phytochemical that provides cancer-fighting benefits. 

Tomatoes also provide you with lots of antioxidants for your body, and are known to be useful in treating or preventing prostate cancer.

There are many ways to eat tomatoes; they can be eaten raw or cooked with dishes, or blended to make juice as well.

STAYING HEALTHY: THE DANGERS OF EATING OUT

Eating at home is healthier than eating out.

If you want to eat better and stay healthy, eat at home. Eating out can eventually take its toll. Here’s how: diners have no control over many aspects of the food they are about to consume. 


For starters, the menu may not be accurate; for example, the menu may say wild-caught salmon, while it was really farm-raised salmon, where conditions are known to be less than ideal for raising fish. 

Or, it could be worse… where the salmon is cloned. Costco and many other major retailers have refused to carry cloned salmon.

Poultry and eggs may be from chickens jammed into crowded pen conditions instead of being free-range chickens. 

The chickens may be raised in the US but shipped to China for processing, where the US has little control over sanitary conditions. You wouldn’t think it makes economic sense to ship chicken back and forth across the Pacific Ocean, but it does.

Beef may be from suppliers outside the US, where antibiotics and hormones are routinely used to produce faster-growing and fatter beef.  By the way, the US Congress recently passed a law to allow suppliers to remove the country of origin label (COOL) from beef and pork meats.

Also, China plans on producing hundreds of thousands of cloned beef to make up for food shortages. How will American consumers respond if and when presented with cloned beef?

BELGIUM'S BIOFORM BREAD: A POOR ADVERT YIELDS POOR RESULT

Belgium's bread advert

Producing a quality product may involve processes that cost a lot of money, but the difficult part of it is targeting the right people or consumers for the product. That's where marketing and promotion come in.


Without marketing, one's product can be on the market for ages without progress in sales. It's therefore necessary for a producer to make the right advert to attract customers to buy that product. 

In regard to food, adverts must be done in the interest of consumers generally, because food is a commodity bought by everyone.

On my way to work, I couldn't stop laughing when I saw an advert for 'Bioform Bread' at the bus stop where to catch my bus in Antwerp. The questions in mind are "If the advert was made to generate money, or is the bread for only white people? 

The reason is, the picture of the advert shows three white people, thus telling consumers that the product is made for only white people.

In every country where there are different citizens, adverts should carry the right message for everyone to understand. This bioform bread advert is a flop. 

If they really mean business and want consumers to believe that the bread is for everyone, and also want better sales, then they should do the right thing. After all, Belgium also has great blacks in sports.

THE MOUTH IS LITTLE ON THE BODY BUT CAN GET YOU INTO BIG TROUBLE

The mouth sings and eats, yet it can be very poisonous when angry.

The Oxford dictionary defines the ‘Mouth’ as an opening in the head, through which food is taken in and sounds uttered. Personally, I feel that this definition is incomplete.

The actual definition of the ‘Mouth’ should have been “An opening in the head, through which food is taken in, sounds uttered, and part of the human body that could get one into big trouble.”

The mouth serves man in his speech. He gets satisfaction after eating and drinking water. The beautiful songs or melodious tunes, with words of comfort, come from the mouth, making life worthy and happy to live,  yet the same mouth is something that could bring discomfort, worries, troubles, and even imprisonment to a man.

In 1999, Glenn Hoddle lost his job as manager of the England national team after his comments against disabled people. Glenn Hoddle said, “Disabled people are paying for sins in a previous life”, resulting in his dismissal from work. 

This is a typical example of what the mouth can cause. Total disgrace and embarrassment.

Liam Stacey spent 56 days in jail over his racial tweet against Bolton player Fabrice Muamba. Fabrice collapsed while playing. If Liam wasn’t prepared to wish him a speedy recovery, he shouldn’t have said anything bad against the footballer at the point of death; instead, he posted racial remarks on Twitter, provoking many people around the world.

This is not the first or the last careless talk or speech that has cost people’s jobs or led them to jail. There is trouble brewing in every part of the world, and people’s lives have been turned upside down, all because of what someone said against someone.  

I can say that there are two kinds of people.  Those who think before they speak and those who speak before they think. The latter one is those who are likely to be in trouble over what they say.

In my country, there is a proverb that says, “If you see a stone with a beard, just watch it and go. Don’t speak. This proverb is a warning to people who can’t shut their mouths. 

Many people love to speak about other people. Even at work, many like to report other workers to the boss. In fact, just as some people are addicted to drugs and alcohol, there are people addicted to talking about other people. It’s their hobby, and therefore, they could never stop.

Staying out of trouble is a simple rule to follow, yet many find it difficult to be trouble-free. One of the rules that could keep people out of trouble is the practice of listening rather than speaking. An empty barrel makes a great noise. In life, great people do not speak much.

They learn by listening. It is better to be quiet for people to call you unsociable than to be called a gossiper, talkative, and inquisitive. Proverbs 17:28. 'Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.'