Czech Republic

[Mr Tree]

a Bee visited me here just last week, actually, and we got a round of three beers by the river for £2.24 (according to my currency converter app thingy).

:beer:

you might be aware that Czech beer is bloody marvellous too. what you might now know is that THREE esteemed Brentford fans inhabit the area around Prague, and there is a fourth who keeps threatening to return.

always happy to help Bees fans with tourism tips for the area too!

 

[Mr Tree]

The Lion & Ball in central Prague has been confirmed as the location for the Prague Bees AGM tomorrow.

Three genuine Bees confirmed in attendance, as well as some associates who will be strongarmed into knowing right from wrong. And we plan to make enough noise to attract any bystanders to the cause too.

 

[coconino]

Sadly, my only Czech-dwelling mate lives in Brno and has zero interest in football. On the other hand he is very fond of beer :beer:

 

[Mr Tree]

but of course. it really is bloody gorgeous here

unfortunately there are no pubs showing English football with Czech beer prices
so we will be ripped off the tune of buying not-quite-pints for approx one-pound-fifty each

 

[Downbeat Bee]

Alcohol and public transport appeared to be the two cheap things over there 9 years ago

 

[cromerbee]

a Bee visited me here just last week, actually, and we got a round of three beers by the river for £2.24 (according to my currency converter app thingy).

:beer:

you might be aware that Czech beer is bloody marvellous too. what you might now know is that THREE esteemed Brentford fans inhabit the area around Prague, and there is a fourth who keeps threatening to return.

always happy to help Bees fans with tourism tips for the area too!

Coming to Prague for a few days before Xmas with the family. Any good tips on good places to eat for not too much? Enjoy tomorrow night!!!!

 

[Mr Tree]

Coming to Prague for a few days before Xmas with the family. Any good tips on good places to eat for not too much? Enjoy tomorrow night!!!!

i wish... alas, these days i live outside the city and don't get in too often, the woman won't allow it

basically, in the tourist heartland, the prices can be similar to London, but there might be a cheeky place for locals around the corner with much more reasonable prices. most standard Czech pubs will knock up a good meal. it used to be that you could keep yourself under 30 CZK for a beer but these days in the centre it's more like 40 (i.e. if you're paying more than 40 it's a bit more poncy place). the problem with a standard Czech pub is that it might not have an English menu, and it might be a bit of a dive (this is part of my problem - i have a few places i know for drinking with mates, but as my lady doesn't go out drinking much, i don't know many "classy" places )

let me know where you're staying and i'll have a think about two or three decent places in the area...

 

[Thorne In The Side]

Enjoy your evening. Hope it turns out well.

 

[martyhar]

I was at the Kocour brewery in Varnsdorf for their ale fest recenlty. total quality at brilliant prices. went to see Varnsdorf play the next day. they look like agood side.

 

[cromerbee]

i wish... alas, these days i live outside the city and don't get in too often, the woman won't allow it

basically, in the tourist heartland, the prices can be similar to London, but there might be a cheeky place for locals around the corner with much more reasonable prices. most standard Czech pubs will knock up a good meal. it used to be that you could keep yourself under 30 CZK for a beer but these days in the centre it's more like 40 (i.e. if you're paying more than 40 it's a bit more poncy place). the problem with a standard Czech pub is that it might not have an English menu, and it might be a bit of a dive (this is part of my problem - i have a few places i know for drinking with mates, but as my lady doesn't go out drinking much, i don't know many "classy" places )

let me know where you're staying and i'll have a think about two or three decent places in the area...

Thanks for that. We are staying at the Grandior in Prague 1. Looks nice for a few nights. Any suggestions for food, drink or other entertainment gratefully received.

Can't wait for this evening. Hope you can get to see it! You Beeeees!!!!

 

[Mr Tree]

well, what a fantastic evening. i was beaming from ear to ear, until a slight moment of over-exuberance led me to a central Prague gutter at 2am. i swiftly recovered and ended up on the first train home, getting in at 5am...

the owner of the Lion & Ball came over to me amid the euphoric scenes post-Jota strike and said "is that your team?" - i sobbed back to him "yes, yes, oh yes it is" and he said "here you go mate, VIP card - i recognise you from the previous place - show this and we won't charge the tourist prices"

Thanks for that. We are staying at the Grandior in Prague 1. Looks nice for a few nights. Any suggestions for food, drink or other entertainment gratefully received.

Can't wait for this evening. Hope you can get to see it! You Beeeees!!!!

ah funnily enough an area i know a little - i picked up my girlfriend from there just last night

so in one direction from the main street there is a motorway with a mcdonalds in the underpass, and the other direction is the centre with plenty of good options. and i think you have plenty of options too in the street in front of you and on the block where you are, think there's a classy indian hiding on the other corner though i've not tried it yet myself. i used to go to "Indian by Nature" which is about a 10min walk from you, but to be honest there's not much else around there so might not be worth bothering with.

opposite the McDonalds (on the street nearest to you, the right turn before the motorway) is a hostel / restaurant called A-Plus, that has decent cheap cheerful Czech food and beer. it's one of our spots to go to after cricket matches. it's nothing special, but "fine". on the other side of the motorway, by the tram stop, is a pub called czech lion "U Cesky Lva" (or similar), you go in and go down into the basement - i used to like it a lot but haven't been there for a while, and not sure how much English they'll do (this is a problem with the "places for locals", they tend to resent foreigners).

in the other direction (for more of the centre), you're pretty close to one of the Potrefena Husa pubs, a chain based on the Staropramen brand. they'll do good food etc. might be busy though. http://www.potrefena-husa.eu/en

there's a big classy Pilsner place as you get into town called Celnice or something (on V Celnici street), they should look after you well. and then there are hundreds of places in that central bit. i can recommend this place for a quick stop in the centre: https://www.facebook.com/cakeshopprague?fref=ts - it's run by a friend's family (as is the Thai restaurant next door). if anything else pops into my head around the centre, i'll let you know

 

[Mr Tree]

just remembered some of the Friday night larks...

so, i turned up to this place, which i've only been in briefly before. i used to go the guy's previous sportsbar but hadn't seen the new one yet.

take my place, excited but nervous, then look towards the screen. there is football memorabilia everywhere, including a mock car number plate with "QPR1" on it, slap under the big screen.

went over and explained the situation, and the guy found a sticker or something to put over it - sorted.

except that the only other patrons at the time were 6-7 rowdy lads on a boozy weekender. and after a minute or two one of them goes "hold up, what's gone on there, he's covered the sign up, look!!"

so matey marches over, rips the sticker off, and it gets passed between the boys and put over various other signs in the pub as they all had different allegiances. in the meantime, the QPR one (two actually) start singing Martin bloody Rowlands songs at me.

i joined them for a beer and they soon ****ed off, thank god, but what a start to the evening. recovered my sign and covered the dirt back up, and the rest (as they say) was history. also, i ordered a round of celebratory shots at the end, forced them upon everyone, then opened my empty wallet and forced my relatively-sober Russian friend to buy the drinks. winner :banana:

 

[Mr Tree]

oh and (it's all coming back to me now), we serenaded Leicester Bee a few minutes after full-time lol "Bees Up F*lham Down!"

 

[Mr Tree]

ah, great memories

www.expatsbar.cz is the scene for Brentford-QPHa (hopefully he'll add it to the bloody website soon ) - three Bees confirmed

 

[Mr Tree]

as we continue our odyssey and Prague's finest continue to think they should put "Friday night entertainment" on rather than football, it's off to Hooters tonight

 

[South Acton Bee]

as we continue our odyssey and Prague's finest continue to think they should put "Friday night entertainment" on rather than football, it's off to Hooters tonight

Good man

 

[Mr Tree]

the PBSA's first annual barbeque was graciously hosted by davido_i yesterday

(at least) three bona fide Brentford fans in the picture below



i have informed the wife that hosting rights rotate to our place next year

 

[Leicester Bee]

the PBSA's first annual barbeque was graciously hosted by davido_i yesterday

(at least) three bona fide Brentford fans in the picture below

View attachment 17076

i have informed the wife that hosting rights rotate to our place next year

I spot the guy who first took me to the Bees in that picture. Brilliant stuff.

 

[Mr Tree]

after a flurry of emails this week, the PBSA are now 99% confirmed for their first-ever meeting at their Mecca, Griffin Park. March 11th vs Huddersfield. Location: Ealing Road Terrace. We will have our flags and phrasebooks ready, and I shall be attempting to recover the cost of my match ticket by selling cheap Czechoslovakian cigarettes to anyone interested.

:beer:

 

[Holysmit]

after a flurry of emails this week, the PBSA are now 99% confirmed for their first-ever meeting at their Mecca, Griffin Park. March 11th vs Huddersfield. Location: Ealing Road Terrace. We will have our flags and phrasebooks ready, and I shall be attempting to recover the cost of my match ticket by selling cheap Czechoslovakian cigarettes to anyone interested.

:beer:

Need to get some money on Ryan Woods scoring. He always/only does when we are in the same place!!!

 

[wanderer paul]

The gloryhunter returns :shake:

 

[Mr Tree]

did not consider that this is FA Cup QF weekend. hoping for a home draw then

 

[Mr Tree]

the PBSA had an enjoyable evening at a new location - BUT, the screen cut out as Barbet was crossing the ball in the last minute!!

i checked on my phone, laughed, and passed on what had happened - obviously to great skepticism!

 

[ruislip bee]

the PBSA had an enjoyable evening at a new location - BUT, the screen cut out as Barbet was crossing the ball in the last minute!!

i checked on my phone, laughed, and passed on what had happened - obviously to great skepticism!

Brilliant! Hope you bought a round in. Must have cost at least a fiver there!

 

[Mr Tree]

Brilliant! Hope you bought a round in. Must have cost at least a fiver there!

hey, i hope the sods are reading actually, i ended up paying for their bloody chips

i know the owner and anyway, most of the time it's on a tab. so i was last one there (watching basketball afterwards), and got lumbered with "the rest". paid about 25 quid (cos i was there for about 5 hours and had food myself). tough times.

 

[Alan D]

hey, i hope the sods are reading actually, i ended up paying for their bloody chips

i know the owner and anyway, most of the time it's on a tab. so i was last one there (watching basketball afterwards), and got lumbered with "the rest". paid about 25 quid (cos i was there for about 5 hours and had food myself). tough times.

I should have joined you, as I'm back in Czech for six months or so (maybe longer). Must admit I've missed the place.

 

[Mr Tree]

I should have joined you, as I'm back in Czech for six months or so (maybe longer). Must admit I've missed the place.

excellent news! we have three members now, so you can rejoin as the fourth - record numbers! and we have a bar where we can use the computer at the back to log into ifollow, so we can watch "any" game we want. unfortunately i've pushed my luck with the missus, so we won't gather for the QPHa game next week (i'll just watch at home ), but for next season we should be able to get together maybe once a month or so...

 

[Alan D]

excellent news! we have three members now, so you can rejoin as the fourth - record numbers! and we have a bar where we can use the computer at the back to log into ifollow, so we can watch "any" game we want. unfortunately i've pushed my luck with the missus, so we won't gather for the QPHa game next week (i'll just watch at home ), but for next season we should be able to get together maybe once a month or so...

Sounds good to me. However, if by some chance we defy the odds and reach the play-offs, then you might just have to push your luck a little further for the semi-finals. I'm sure that if we made the Wembley final then I'll most certainly be going back.

 

[Mr Tree]

Sounds good to me. However, if by some chance we defy the odds and reach the play-offs, then you might just have to push your luck a little further for the semi-finals. I'm sure that if we made the Wembley final then I'll most certainly be going back.

we'll see, maybe even the Barnsley or Hull games...

 

[Griffingreen]

I intend to drive to Hungary with wife and kids this summer and plan to stop for 3 nights in Prague and Vienna along the way, so I might be pestering you for a few pointers and ideas.

 

[Downbeat Bee]

Is the Communist era cafe / restaurant in the centre of Prague that was in the guide books still there?
Was great for stadium spotting.

 

[Mr Tree]

Is the Communist era cafe / restaurant in the centre of Prague that was in the guide books still there?
Was great for stadium spotting.

there's more than one cafe/restaurant, so not 100% sure which you'd mean... there's the TV tower (Zizkov tower) that looks like a spaceship, there's a restaurant thing up there with great views over the city... and then Cafe Slavia is the one on the riverbank in the centre that's well-known (i think) - never been there myself.

Strahov stadium is not used (as a proper stadium) any more, but it's up on one of the hills and you can kinda see it from a lot of spots, and there's a smaller stadium behind it that Slavia and the national team were using for a while. Strahov is one of the biggest stadia in the world, 200k+ - they used to big communist displays there, e.g. just found this, wtf is going on here!! lol



anyway i was playing football there regularly, but i guess i've retired now as it's been a while

Slavia moved out to the south-east of the centre... Sparta play just to the north of the centre, there's a park directly south of it and a great beer garden overlooking the city in that park.

the zoo is one of the best in the world, and you can see Dukla's stadium from there (a bit more up in the north). there's Bohemians too, but i don't know where they are, never been... south east i think :shrug:

 

[Mr Tree]

after a record-breaking attendance of FIVE for our last TV match three weeks ago (if we generously count HWB's son who may or may not have been fully engaged), the PBSA is again set to match the previous world record with the addition of two Czech fans who are coming up to capital city especially for the game... (i've not properly met them yet but i've been speaking to one on facebook for a while, i think the story is they're brothers who've spent time in West London so stumbled upon us as a result)

with @davido_i still serving a suspension for various unspeakable crimes, the prospect of further enhancing the personal best in the coming weeks / months / years is on the horizon.

we shall also have a Blackburn fan with us (i used to work with him), as well as an Ipswich fan and a Benfica fan whose primary jobs are to provide herbal remedies to reduce the stress and tension

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

after a record-breaking attendance of FIVE for our last TV match three weeks ago (if we generously count HWB's son who may or may not have been fully engaged), the PBSA is again set to match the previous world record with the addition of two Czech fans who are coming up to capital city especially for the game... (i've not properly met them yet but i've been speaking to one on facebook for a while, i think the story is they're brothers who've spent time in West London so stumbled upon us as a result)

with @davido_i still serving a suspension for various unspeakable crimes, the prospect of further enhancing the personal best in the coming weeks / months / years is on the horizon.

we shall also have a Blackburn fan with us (i used to work with him), as well as an Ipswich fan and a Benfica fan whose primary jobs are to provide herbal remedies to reduce the stress and tension

Terrific effort Tree. I'd hop on a plane but unfortunately have to attend a nephew/godson 21st lunch in Bristol. lol Match will be recorded and I shall be avoiding TV, radio and GPG until later tomorrow evening. Somehow fancy that my daughter's demeanour may be give the result away though.

 

[nick logan]

Terrific effort Tree. I'd hop on a plane but unfortunately have to attend a nephew/godson 21st lunch in Bristol. lol Match will be recorded and I shall be avoiding TV, radio and GPG until later tomorrow evening. Somehow fancy that my daughter's demeanour may be give the result away though.

watch the Likely Lads episode with them trying to avoid the England score tonight to get you in the mood

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

watch the Likely Lads episode with them trying to avoid the England score tonight to get you in the mood

lol Remember that. Postponement would suit me fine! lol

 

[ruislip bee]

watch the Likely Lads episode with them trying to avoid the England score tonight to get you in the mood

Brilliant episode. Their best imo.

 

[badgerbee]

lol Remember that. Postponement would suit me fine! lol

Fog Off!!!
250 mile round trip again for me tomorrow!!!!

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

Fog! Off!!!

Brilliant! :bound:

 

[Mr Tree]

6 bonafide bees watched Saturday's match at Beckett's in Prague - reviewing this thread, that might be the new world record!

 

[readingbee]

6 bonafide bees watched Saturday's match at Beckett's in Prague - reviewing this thread, that might be the new world record!

It will be a record time in the pub, the games on Sunday ?

 

[nocoat]

It will be a record time in the pub, the games on Sunday ?

He was using the past tense for last weekends match

 

[readingbee]

He was using the past tense for last weekends match

Ahh ?

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

6 bonafide bees watched Saturday's match at Beckett's in Prague - reviewing this thread, that might be the new world record!

?

 

[rdc]

I'll be in Prague for the Palace game on the 18th, will Becketts be showing it?

 

[Griffingreen]

What constitutes "bonafide" these days?

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

6 bonafide bees watched Saturday's match at Beckett's in Prague - reviewing this thread, that might be the new world record!

Hope you’re not including Ipswich man! ?

 

[Mr Tree]

What constitutes "bonafide" these days?

Hope you’re not including Ipswich man! ?

Nope - this is 6 guys who have all been going to games regularly at some point

Another 4 at the Down Under today - Beckett's is the best but we had to relocate due to childminding duties ?‍ this pub has a soft-play area, but it wasn't the best way to follow a game - my 2yo rarely gave me a moment's peace. I hear i didn't miss much

 

[Mr Tree]

I'll be in Prague for the Palace game on the 18th, will Becketts be showing it?

Hmm i see that it's one of six games on the Saturday at 3pm. So that'll be tricky. I can ask nearer the time but no guarantee...

The local subscription channel is Canal+ Sport and they show all games, so if a pub says it has that channel, it's worth asking. I don't know of any others off the top of my head but i can have a look. Worst comes to it you can share my login for the afternoon!

 

[StevieSteve]

Hmm i see that it's one of six games on the Saturday at 3pm. So that'll be tricky. I can ask nearer the time but no guarantee...

The local subscription channel is Canal+ Sport and they show all games, so if a pub says it has that channel, it's worth asking. I don't know of any others off the top of my head but i can have a look. Worst comes to it you can share my login for the afternoon!

Londoners on Stepanska had multiple screens and games when I went last year