I was in Prague a few times before the changeover from commie days and you could not find a decent beer in Prague - nor a cup of coffee that was not all mud - the only food on the street stands were watermelons being sold in piles - all over the city.

At the camping I was staying in the mainly 20s crowd from all over Eastern Europe lined up at the camp cafe for a half-filled with foam plastic cup and waited hours literally to get their max of 2-half-filled with foam cups of some kind of low-quality beer.

What a change!

PalenQ
Wow, thanks forthe info, sounds like there's been a big change!

Huge change - you could not imagine how hard it was to get anything decent to eat or drink while walking around - and then swill for beer. go into a grocery store and see shelves mainly empty and gruff no nonsense women brusquely serving you after a long wait in line.

To me this was the biggest failure of communist regimes (I saw the same in Poland,Hungary, Romania and the Soviet Union itself) - making daily things such a hassle - the consumer came last and heavy industry first - folks had money but nothing to spend it on.

You'll find a completely changed environment with little hint at the old days.

Prost!