Prague Unstable?!?!
 

I mentioned today at work that 3 of us were probably going to Prague, Austria and Germany this next summer and a few people were like.. "it's really unstable in Prague right now..I wouldn't go there."

I was surprised by this because I hadn't seen anything like this on the news and I watch it daily. I normally don't let others determine my travels but it was just strange for more than 1 person to say something about that.

Has anyone else heard that Prague is unstable? We can always just do Austria and Germany if that is the case.
Thanks for any help you can give!
Amy

Maybe they were getting confused with Budapest, which has had a few riots lately.

Are they speaking geologically? Financially? Politically?

Never heard this - and sounds like those people who always find a reason not to go no matter where you're headed.

Yea, one is pretty freaky about travel but the other 2 have been all over. The freaky traveler was like that's close to the war zone. I said not hardly this is above Austria and Hungry. Anyway, I'm not planning on changing our trip based on them but I knew the travel geniuses on this site would have the knowledge I needed.
Thanks guys!
Amy

If you ask Google for State Department notes for travellers, then follow links to Country Warnings, C, Czech, you can have the picture. The US Consul General picks up the problems after trouble, and gives good advice (including to leave your passport and wallet in the hotel safe). There are similar pages from Australia, Britain, and Canada, and (in other languages) France and Germany.

Ben Haines, London
[email protected]

Thanks Ben! I'll check into that.

No, Prague is not unstable. We have tons of friends living there and my husband goes monthly. FWIW, Budapest is fine too.

Lots of nervous nellies out there.

Prague is near the war zone? Is this person thinking the 1940s? Or confusing Prague with Palestine?

The only thing to be concerned about in Prague is hanging on to your wallet -- just like any other tourist destination.

Go and have a great time.

Do I detect a note of envy in your friends? Here is what the US State Department says about the Czech Republic: http://tinyurl.com/vw4yw. A couple of good quotes from the above Consular Information Sheet are: "Civil disorder is rare in the Czech Republic...", and "The Czech Republic generally has a low rate of crime." Where do your friends get their information?

Heimdall--That was my thought when she said that. Maybe a should buy her a world map for Christmas :) She said she heard it on the news but who knows she can be odd about things.

Thanks everyone. Maybe I should copy of the the comments here and let her see them. Like I said, I wasn't going to not go because of her/them. I just thought maybe I missed something.
Later!!!

littlehouse, one time when my daughter was getting ready to fly to Rome a friend of hers stated that it was not safe. My daughter asked her "why" and the woman went into great detail. My daughter took her to their world globe and asked "where are you talking about?" Believe it or not the woman pointed to the Philipine Islands, lol.

The strangest comment I ever received was the first time I was flying to Italy byself. A woman in our family was horrified and said "that is soooo dangerous". When I asked her what she meant she advised me that I would be in danger of having any finger that had a ring on it cut off if I fell asleep.

Somebody should write a book about all the crazy travel comments people hear, you think?

Out of curiousity, I decided to see what some other countries are warning their citizens about travel to the United States.

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade:

"Crime rates are higher in the larger cities, such as New York, Los Angeles and Houston. Tourists are often targeted for petty crimes such as pickpocketing and theft, particularly on public transport."

British Foreign & Commonwealth Office:

"CRIME

You should bear in mind the following:
Do not leave your door open at any time.
Avoid wearing expensive jewellery and carrying valuable items in run down areas.
Do not sleep in your car by the roadside or in rest areas.
Avoid leaving items on display in cars.
Try to stay on main roads and use well-lit car parks.
If hit from behind while driving, indicate to the other driver to follow you to a public place and call 911 for Police help."

Irish Department of Foreign Affairs:

"The US Government remains concerned about continued threats. Since the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, the US government has issued a number of warnings of potential further terrorist attacks in the US."

"Somebody should write a book about all the crazy travel comments people hear, you think?"

Not a bad idea; there are enough misconceptions to fill a book.

Love the story about your relative and the rings. Did she think leaving the rings at home would ensure your safety?

Now this has turned into a fun topic! I wonder if we should start a thread of stupid warnings people have given you before you left on a trip!

Many Swiss won't go to the States as long as President Bush is in office. They find the current political situation too "unstable."

I don't know if many Americans realize that.

huh? I read the Radio Prague News every day, and the Prague Post every week. Went there last summer, and will go again next summer. The only thing that has been unstable is the weather - is that what they mean? Otherwise, I think they have their geography wrong, and must think it's in another country. In which case, I wouldn't listen to them, and certainly wouldn't travel with them!

Just got back from both Prague and Budapest this past Wednesday. No unrest in either ... there were riots in Budapest I believe a couple of months ago, but nothing now. Both cities were FANTASTIC!

Denice

The most wonderful thing happens as you get older....your BS radar gets really fine-tuned and you pick jelousy/BS frequencies so much easier! As a matter of fact, am picking up some just now coming from your "L" friends.

Oh Viajero! You're too much. I needed that laugh!!
Amy

"BS radar gets really fine-tuned and you pick jelousy/BS frequencies so much easier" - I LOVE it!!

There is nothing crazy about this whatsoever, the Czech govt is unstable politically. People shouldn't be making fun of this statement, which is true, instead of discussing political reality. No one has even mentioned the facts and the Czech govt and elections, etc., which no doubt is what the person's friend had heard, at least they are listening or reading the news.

That doesn't have anything to do with something that should make a tourist afraid, though, so that's the problem -- they couldn't remember what was being said, probably. It's about politics, just like one could say the US govt was unstable before the elections, and even now.

The Czech govt. has problems in economy and reforms, the prior govt left a huge deficit, and there are competing parties for power. The prime minister hasn't even been able to put together a stable cabinet (the last one resigned after five weeks) after the election last June. I don't even know what the current situation is, I know the Social Democrats has some deadline for him to work with them for participation and then I'm not sure what will happen. That was just in the last day or two, although he promised a govt. by early Dec. but I don't think there is one.

Anyway, there is nothing crazy about the idea that their is political instability in the CR, but that doesn't mean there are riots or danger or how that is getting translated in thought in this thread. I know there are some budget problems, and it isn't even clear if they will be able to adopt the euro by 2010, as they were planning, because of economic problems. All of this is periodically in the international news and media (eg., Economist, NY Times, etc.) However, all of this is not something to do with things that should both a tourist's vacation there.

I was in Prague in January. Don't miss it. Shrug off all panhandlers in the train station.

"The freaky traveler was like that's close to the war zone."

Cristina, You don't think that's strange?

I agree with you that the person who said "it's unstable" may have been referring to the govt, but she also said "I wouldn't go there." As you pointed out, many governments are unstable, but that has no effect on tourists unless there is violence. If we stayed away from every country that has an "unstable" government (how about England? France?) we wouldn't be traveling much.

I would agree that the US government is quite unstable. I mean Nancy Pelosi is third in line for the Presidency, talk about a sea change if she suddenly became President.

Schuler - I'm intrigued by your comment. Is this just your generalisation or a fact that can be backecd up by something that was printed in a newspaper/man on the street interview on TV/poll? I have cousins from Switzerland that have a house in Ft. Myers and they just returned from Switzerland after being there for a couple of months. Your comment is pretty much plug n' play - i.e. insert any country for "the States" and any leader for "President Bush".

trafaelwyr: It is often claimed here in Europe that Americans don't understand irony.

Hi t:

I've been living in Switzerland for over 20 years. I originally come from the States.

I've had at least five people tell me over the last two years that they won't go to the US until a new president comes in. Before Bush, no one had ever said a comment like that to me before.

By the way, my replies are usually: The US is great to visit, just avoid talking politics.

>>>>>>
Many Swiss won't go to the States as long as President Bush is in office. They find the current political situation too "unstable."
I don't know if many Americans realize that.
>>>>>>

this statement just proves that no one side of the atlantic has a monopoly on ignorance, hysteria, and xenophobia.

but not all of us in europe are afraid to travel to america. some of us actually read the news and realise that the sky is not falling and things are actually quite stable. if it were really unstable, the world would not be investing in america at such a pace.

but it could be being said out of commercial intersts. the world tends to invest more in CH during times of instability so maybe these are bankers talking?

btw, i'm not trying to make any political statements, just putting this statement in context. it IS hysterical and silly. people need to question ignorance no matter which side of the atlantic it comes from.

W: Couldn't have said it better myself.

By the way, the comments were made by friends, students and just every day people.

Just like us.

>...the world tends to invest more in CH during times of instability so maybe these are bankers talking?<

We used to call them "the gnomes of Zurich".

For some reason, Rowling decided that Gringotts Bank would be run by Goblins. :)

((I))

The government in the region of the Czech Rep. has been unstable for hundreds of years. If that is what's scaring away someone from visiting there, I wouldn't bother holding your breath until it gets better! The only thing I would recommend is paying attention to terror threats, and staying away from the Jewish area during periods of high alert, since that is the area that is the most frequently targeted. Also, the metro & the airport. That city is far safer than many other destinations, though, so I wouldn't even bat an eyelash. ;;)

When I told people I was headed to Prague, I got a range of responses, but a majority of them included puzzlement or horror. Maybe it's a measure of the circles I travel in LOL, but lots of people had no idea where Prague is. Then when I explained that it is in the Czech Republic, formerly Czechoslavakia, people would get it confuzed with "Chechen Rebels" and wonder why I would go to such a dangerous place. Not that I'm a geography bee champion or anything, but...!

I don't know if this counts as unstable but last summer when we were in Prague we almost got trampled by the thousands of tourists funnelling through the 'pedestrian only' streets. It felt like we were in Pamplona with no running bull in sight!
There was this sense of panic & danger being caught in the middle of uncontrollably happy and loud tourists marching through Prague as they were lured & misled by the shop owners. My left hand grabbed a hold of my girlfriend to make sure we wouldn't get separated while my right hand made sure that my wallet was secure and remained unseparated. Yeah the danger of hazardous travelling through Prague that so many of us risk.

Todor - were they British?! ;-)