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Difference between revisions of "Czech Republic"
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The Czech Republic or Czechia is a small landlocked country in Central Europe, situated south-east of Germany and bordering Austria to the south, Poland to the north and Slovakia to the south-east.
The Czech Republic is not a large country but has a rich and eventful history. From time immemorial Czechs, Germans, Jews and Slovaks, as well as Italian stonemasons and stucco workers, French tradesmen and deserters from Napoleon's army have all lived and worked here, all influencing one another. For centuries they jointly cultivated their land, creating works that still command our respect and admiration today. It is thanks to their inventiveness and skill that this small country is graced with hundreds of ancient castles, monasteries and stately mansions, and even entire towns that give the impression of being comprehensive artifacts. The Czech Republic contains a vast of amount of architectural treasure and has beautiful forests and mountains to match.
The Czech region was inhabited by Celtic tribe Boii for the first 4 centuries of the first millennium. The Celts gave way to post-Roman Germanic tribes. Later, Slavs arrived and, in the 9th century they founded the Great Moravian Empire, stretching from Germany to Ukraine. After fall of Great Moravia the Bohemian Kingdom was formed, creating a territorial unit almost identical to the modern Czechia. The rise of the Habsburgs led to Czechia becoming a part of the Austrian Empire, and later Austria-Hungary, and a massive influx of German immigrants.
After the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged together to form the new nation of Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Hungarians. A poor relationship with the German minority (20% of the overall population) was a particular problem that was capitalized on by Hitler and used as "rationale" for the dismemberment of the nation before the outbreak of WWII. The country was annexed and brutally occupied by Germany during the war.
After World War II, Czechoslovakia expelled most of its Germans by force and many of the ethnic Hungarians under direction of the Potsdam Conference. However, the nation was very blessed in the fact that it emerged from the war more or less physically intact as it avoided the fate of the massive air bombardments and invasions that levelled most of the historic neighbouring cities in Germany, Austria, Poland and Belarus. The country fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and remained so by force until 1989.
In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face". Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression and conservatism within the party ranks. In November 1989, the Communist government was deposed in a peaceful Velvet Revolution.
On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO (since 1999) and EU (since 2004), the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities and risks.
The Czech flag (see above) is the same one formerly used by Czechoslovakia, having been readopted in 1993.
Habits and Customs
Historic regions
Although the modern adjective bohemian refers to Bohemia, that usage was based on a broad stereotype and also a poor grasp of geography, so don't expect the Bohemians you meet to be nomadic or anti-conventional artistic/literary bohemians, or to see anything out of Puccini's "La Bohème". And no, Bohemian Rhapsody (its lyrics sprinkled with Italian and Arabic) is not a local anthem!
So the word Bohemia/Bohemian came from the name of the Celtic tribe Boii. The term Bohemian had ended up meaning more or less Czech by the end of the 19th Century with the awakening of Slavic nationalism. However, it was also used to refer to any inhabitant of Bohemia, including the vast number of Germans that used to inhabit the region until the end months of WWII.
Moravia and Czech Silesia
Moravia, along with Bohemia (the other half of the Czech Republic), was among the first regions of continental Europe to undergo the Industrial Revolution; however it did not experience the mass urbanisation of Bohemia. The region is therefore still home to gorgeous vineyards, orchards, fields full of "organic" produce, and filled with scenic mountain vistas and cute little villages. Even the regional capital, Brno, is renowned for its small town charm. There is an extremely extensive rail system, and the region contains historic factories such as Zbrojovka Brno (weapons) and the Baťa factory in Zlín (shoes).
The dialects of Czech spoken in Moravia are slightly different from those spoken in Bohemia, particularly in Prague. Moravians pride themselves on their dialect and learning a few stereotypical regionalisms may go down well (or terribly, depending on just what it is you think you're saying and what you end up saying).
The region's strategic location at the Moravian Gate (a pass through the imposing mountain ranges of Central Europe) has led to a confluence of a great amount of history.
Opava is a former capital of Silesia.
The Czech Republic has 14 political regions which can be grouped in eight historical regions:
These are at least nine interesting cities selected to represent variety of Czech urban areas. For other exciting destinations, see the individual regions.
Other destinations
Get in
Visa requirements
The Czech Republic is a member of the Schengen Agreement.
There are no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented this treaty - the European Union (except Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. But be careful: not all EU members have signed the Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the European Union. This means that there may be spot customs checks but no immigration checks (travelling within Schengen but to/from a non-EU country) or you may have to clear immigration but not customs (travelling within the EU but to/from a non-Schengen country).
Please see the article Travel in the Schengen Zone for more information about how the scheme works and what entry requirements are.
Travel document requirements
For EU, EEA and Swiss nationals, passports and national identity cards only need to be valid for the period of their stay in the Czech Republic.
For all other nationals, passports/travel documents must be valid for a period of at least 90 days beyond the expected length of stay in the Czech Republic/Schengen Area.
EU nationals whose stay in the Czech Republic will exceed 30 days are required to register within 30 days on their arrival in the Czech Republic with the Alien and Border Police; other foreigners must register within 3 working days. In case you stay in a hotel or similar institution, the provider of the accommodation should arrange this registration for you.
Children inscribed in their parents´ passports are allowed to travel with their parents up to the age of 15. Once the child has reached the age of 15, a separate passport is necessary.
Visit this webpage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic for more information on what constitutes a valid and acceptable travel document for the purpose of entering the Czech Republic.
By plane
Vaclav Havel Airport [1] – located about 10 km west of the centre of Prague, (Praha in Czech), is a hub of Czech national carrier – Czech Airlines (ČSA), a SkyTeam member.
Other international airports are in Brno (with flights to London, Moscow, Rome, Bergamo, Eindhoven and Prague), Ostrava (flights to Vienna and Prague), Pardubice, Karlovy Vary (flights to Moscow and Uherské Hradiště).
There are several low-cost airlines going to/from Prague (e.g. EasyJet from Lyon). Ryanair flies to Brno from London and Bergamo. Other nearby airports are Nuremberg (300 km) and Munich (320 km) in Germany, Vienna having a bus shuttle to Brno city (260 km to Prague, 110 km to Brno) in Austria, Wroclaw (200 km) in Poland (might be a good idea if you want to go to the Giant Mountains) and Bratislava (280 km to Prague, only 120 km to Brno) in Slovakia.
Airport transfers
In order to transfer from Ruzyně Airport to the centre of Prague and beyond, you can take:
By bus
International bus service runs from many cities in Europe with direct connections from Germany, Poland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland, Austria etc. Good service is offered by Eurolines bus company [6] and Student Agency [7]. Cheap tickets from Poland are offered by PolskiBus [8].
By train
International train service runs from most points in Europe with direct connections from Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia; in summer also from Romania, Bulgaria and Montenegro.
From Germany
EC trains operate every two hours from Berlin or Hamburg to Prague and Brno. Direct overnight sleeper car serves Cologne, Frankfurt and Karlsruhe. Cheap tickets on these direct trains are available at German Railways website [9], if bought in advance. The price begins at €19–39 for seat and €49 for couchette.
German Railways operate express non-stop buses every two hours between Nuremberg and Prague, fully integrated to German railway tariff. If you have an InterRail or Eurail pass, consider that these buses require compulsory reservation.
There are four daily trains from Munich to Prague (with a followup from Nuremberg), but they are slower than the abovementioned bus, because of slow and curvy (although pictoresque) railway at southwestern Czech border. The cheapest way is a Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket [10], valid up to Pilsen, combined with a Czech domestic ticket (see #Cheap ticket combinations).
If you cross the border in a local train (not EC or EN), consider taking advantage of the Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket [11] or the Sachsen-Böhmen-Ticket [12]. In the vicinity of the Czech-German-Polish three country border, you may profit from the unified fare of the ZVON transport system [13]
From Poland
There is one direct EC train from Warszawa to Prague and other two to Ostrava, continuing towards Břeclav and Vienna. There are also direct sleeper cars from Warszawa and Kraków. The ticket for the daytime train costs €19–29, if bought at least three day in advance. For night trains there are is no such a cheap offer, but you can use a tricky combination, see #Cheap ticket combinations.
Apart from the long-distance trains there are very few local trains. For long-distance travel a semi-fast train from Wroclaw to Pardubice can be useful.
In local trains (not IC or EC), it is possible to buy a special cross-border ticket (Polish: bilet przechodowy) which is valid between the Czech and Polish (or vice versa) border stations and costs only CZK 15 or PLN 2. You can buy it from the conductor on the train (or completely ignore it if the conductor does not emerge before you reach the other border station, which happens) and combine it with domestic tickets of the two countries. In the vicinity of the Czech-German-Polish three country border, you may profit from the unified fare of the ZVON transport system: [14].
From Slovakia
As parts of former Czechoslovakia, the trains between Czechia and Slovakia are frequent. EC trains operates every two hours from Bratislava to Prague and Brno, and from Žilina to Prague and Ostrava. There is one daily train from Banská Bystrica, Zvolen and Košice to Prague and Ostrava. All these cities have also a direct overnight sleeper car connection to Prague.
Regular oneway ticket to Prague costs €27 from Bratislava and €42 from Košice. There is a return discount of (roughly) 30% called CityStar. Slovak railways [15] also offer discounted online SparNight tickets in advance - e.g. the day train from Bratislava to Praha costs €15 and night train including couchette reservation from Košice to Prague €27.
From Austria
EC trains from Vienna to Prague and Brno operate every two hours. From Linz to Prague there are two directs connections and two more connections with change in České Budějovice.
Cheap tickets to Prague, Brno and Ostrava are available at Austrian Railways website [16], if bought at least 3 days in advance. The price begins at €19 for Vienna-Brno, €29 for Vienna-Prague and Linz-Prague.
If you cross the border in a local train (not IC, EC), you can take advantage of discounted return ticket EURegio [17].
Cheap ticket combinations
The full-price international tickets are quite expensive, so if no commercial discount fits your needs, you can combine domestic tickets to save money:
The border point names are:
The Gr. means a border point to distinguish them from stations with the same name.
Get around
IDOS [20] offers an exceptionally useful online timetable, that covers all Czech trains, buses and city transport and many train and bus lines abroad.
By plane
There are domestic flights from Prague to Brno and Ostrava, operated by CSA Czech Airlines [21].
By bus
A cheap and excellent means of travelling between Prague and other major cities are the buses from Student Agency. These buses are usually a bit faster and cost less than the Czech trains (not considering discounts). On some routes (e.g. Prague to Brno) this is marginal, but on others such as Prague to Karlovy Vary or Liberec, there is no direct train connection so the buses are by far the best option. Usually, you do not have to book a seat but if you travel on Fridays or during holidays from or to Prague, it is recommended. You can reserve seats online at the Student Agency website, [22]. Apart from this operator there are many other bus companies that link Prague and other cities and towns, even remote villages, regularly. Most buses leave Prague from the central bus station at Florenc, but other major bus stations can be found at Na Knížecí (metro station Anděl), Černý Most, Zličín and Roztyly, all of which are located next to metro stations.
Local bus travel between small towns and surrounding villages is usually operated by companies named ČSAD (district name), a remnant of the nationwide state-run company Československá Autobusová Doprava from communist times. On local buses you simply tell the driver where you're going and pay him a fare as you get on.
Timetables for both local and long-distance bus travel are available on the IDOS website.
By car
The Czech drivers may seem aggressive sometimes, especially in Prague, but it is far from "madness" as found in some southern Europe countries.
The Czech Republic is a zero tolerance country. It is illegal to drive a motor vehicle under the influence of any amount of alcohol, and violations are heavily punished.
In order to drive on the well-kept motorways, however, you need to purchase a toll sticker. These stickers cost CZK 310 for ten days (for vehicles lighter than 3.5 tonnes, price as of September 2012), but can be purchased for longer periods of time (1 month or a year). If you do not have a toll sticker on your car when you drive on the motorways, the fines can be very steep (CZK 5000 minimum).
Make certain that you purchase the correct toll sticker: there are those for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes in weight and those for vehicles between 3.5 and 12 tonnes. Vehicles larger than 12 tonnes in weight must use an on-board unit ("premid" unit) to pay tolls based on distance.
The condition of many roads is continually improving, but to be economical and fast, drive on the motorways as much as possible, although if you want to get to remote parts of the country you will not avoid side-roads that may be a little bumpy sometimes.
Speed limits in the Czech Republic are usually 130 km/h on motorways, 90 km/h off the motorways, and 50 km/h in towns. Petrol is inexpensive compared to the rest of Europe (CZK 37 / 1,40€), but it is expensive compared to the United States, as it is heavily taxed.
Traffic fines can usually be paid on the spot.
The use of headlights is mandatory at all times. Failure to have your lights on while driving may result in a police fine.
By train
Trains in Czech Republic are operated mostly by state-owned company České Dráhy [23] (Czech Railways, ČD). At Praha–Ostrava line there are two new private operators Regiojet [24] (a subsidiary of Student Agency) and Leo Express [25] with very comfortable and modern trains comparable to European standards.
The trains go even to the most remote locations of the Czech Republic and unlike buses, they usually operate regularly during off-peak hours and during weekends. However, outside the modernized main corridors, the standard of travelling is often the same as it was in the 1970's, and therefore it is quite time consuming to get to the provincial towns or villages, the trains tending to meander around the countryside.
Train categories
The following train categories are recognized and shown in timetables [26] or departure boards [27]:
Train tickets
The normal train ticket price can be discouraging (roughly CZK 1.40 per km), but Czech Railways (ČD) offer plenty of discounts. Return ticket gives you a 5% discount, and a group of travellers (even two travellers are considered as a "group") is treated roughly as "first person pays full price, others pay half price". Therefore ask for "skupinová sleva" (group discount) and/or "zpáteční sleva" (return discount).
For journeys between larger cities you can buy a discounted ticket called Včasná jízdenka Česko [28], which is generally of the same price or even cheaper than bus. The earlier you buy it, the cheaper it is. The ticket isn't bound to particular train, only to a specific day and route. You'll buy it online (it is bound to your name and Passport/ID number) and print it yourself. You can buy these tickets directly at station counters too, but at least one day in advance.
The ČD e-shop offers also international e-tickets called Včasná jízdenka Evropa [29], which are often much cheaper (sometimes more than twice) than tickets purchased at a train station. However there are limitations: only major destinations are subject to this discount, tickets cannot be used to travel to the Czech Republic, but only for one-way or return trips starting in the Czech Republic, they must be stamped by Czech conductor, purchased at least 3 days in advance, bound to the specific train and passenger name, they are non refundable and you must print them before the journey on your own printer.
Regular travellers can use a ČD loyalty card, called In-karta IN25 [30], for CZK 150 (3 months), CZK 550 (1 year) or CZK 990 (3 years). It offers a 25% discount for normal and return train tickets and 5–25% for the Včasná jízdenka Česko. Its price will pay for itself quickly. You have to fill in an application form at the ticket counter and provide a photograph. You will get a temporary paper card immediately and start using the discount. After three weeks you will get a plastic chip card.
The complete list of discounts can be found at the ČD website [31].
Note that if you intend to travel on the RegioJet or Leo Express train, a special ticket is required. The ČD tickets and international tickets (including InterRail) are not valid on these trains. If you combine private and ČD trains, you have to buy two separate tickets. Both private companies offer a comprehensive e-shop and have ticket offices at major stations at Praha–Ostrava route. They have similar ticketing system to airlines, so the earlier you book the ticket, the cheaper it will be.
Travel tips
There is an unofficial English page [32] about Czech train travel tariff, but not quite up to date. And consider a calculator of domestic [33] and international [34] ticket prices. It uses same system as cash desks at train stations, so its interface can be a bit user-unfriendly for a newbie.
If you travel in a group on weekends, you can use a daily pass Skupinová víkendová jízdenka[35] for unlimited travelling on Saturday or Sunday. It is valid for group up to 2 adults and 3 children. The pass is valid in all trains including EC, but in SC you need a compulsory reservation. The whole-network variant costs CZK 600 and regional variant costs CZK 200 to 275. Buying online and printing the ticket yourself gives you a small discount of 3% and you'll avoid the queue at the station.
Although many train stations were repaired and modernized, the rest is still like a trip back in time to the communist era. There is no need to be afraid but try to avoid them in the late night hours. Trains are generally safe (there are regular police guards assigned for fast trains) and very popular mean of transport and they are widely used both by students and commuters. Therefore especially the principal rail axis Praha–Pardubice–Olomouc–Ostrava is crowded during peak times (Friday and Sunday afternoon) and seat reservation is recommended.
Prague has a pretty good network of local trains connecting it with suburbs and surrounding cities called Esko (S-Bahn). The Prague public transport tickets (e.g. CZK 32 for 90 minutes) are valid on these trains (Os and Sp category) for travel within the area of Prague.
Taking bikes or pets on the train
The basic ČD ticket for a bike costs CZK 25 for one train or CZK 50 for whole day. You load and unload your bike by yourself. Trains with such possibility are marked with a bike symbol in the timetable.
Some long-distance trains (with a suitcase symbol in timetable) have a luggage wagon, where the train staff will care of your bike, but the ticket costs CZK 30 for one train or CZK 60 for whole day.
Some trains (with square-framed bike or suitcase symbol in timetable) require compulsory reservation for bikes for CZK 15 at counter or CZK 100 at train staff.
Smaller pets in cages or bags may travel for free. Bigger dogs must have a muzzle and must be on a leash. Price is CZK 15 for one train or CZK 30 for the whole day.
No bikes or bigger dogs are permitted on private trains of RegioJet and LeoExpres.
By bicycle
The Czech Republic is an excellent place for cycling. There are lots of pleasant country lanes, cycling marked paths and picturesque villages along these paths (always with a pub...), it's easy to find the way, and the trains have bicycle racks in the baggage section for when you get tired. Try cycling in South Moravia region (close to Austrian borders) where you can find dozens of well-marked paths that will lead you through beautiful countryside full of vineyards, vine cellars and colourful villages.
Also border mountains (Krkonoše, Šumava, Jeseníky etc.) are more and more popular among mountain-bikers. There are usually no fences along the trails but always keep to the roads or marked cycling paths here as these mountains are National Parks/Reserves and you can be fined if you cycle "off the beaten track".
CzechCycling.info [36] is a non-profit website with cycling information for Prague and surrounding areas. Good source is also Mapy.cz [37] - switch the map (via Změnit mapu - Turistická) to see cycling routes in violet color.
On foot
In addition to walking in the cities, there are a great number of hiking paths and scenery-rich trails going through the Czech Republic's forests and natural areas, and the Czech Tourist Club (Klub českých turistů) [38] has mapped and marked these trails so that walkers can easily locate and navigate thousands of kilometres of scenic paths, in fact it is probably the best maintained system of marking in Europe. You can buy maps of their paths on their website [39], or in the Czech Republic in most bookstores, tobacco shops or museums (green maps, marked with the organization's symbol and the words EDICE TURISTICKÝCH MAP KČT 1:50000 [40] at the top). These maps are based on military maps and very accurate. It's also possible to go by train to a small village at the edge of a forest and find the on-site map of the surrounding area, and four possible paths will be visible, marked in red, yellow, green, and blue nice tourist maps [41]. Nearby such a map will be a set of directing signs, usually posted to a tree, pointing the initial direction on any of the coloured paths. The path's colour will be marked on trees throughout the path: three short horizontal bars, the outer two white and the innermost the colour of the path you're on. This symbol at times will appear as an arrow, indicating a turn. Bus and train stops will also be indicated on signs. You can also register to become a member [42] of the Czech Tourist Club, where you can camp for 30–50 Kč a night in cottages [43] around the Czech Republic.
By thumb
Hitchhiking is very common and some drivers stop even on places where they shouldn't.
Take care to use very a clear gesture with the thumb pointing upwards. A gesture looking like you are pointing to the ground may be mistaken for prostitution solicitation.
As a word of advice, if you are hitch-hiking through the Czech Republic from the south to the German town of Dresden, never go to or past Prague unless you are in a ride going all the way to Dresden. Prague itself has no major and continuous beltway, so residents of the area must maneuver a ring of major and local roads to get around the city from south to north. Therefore the great majority of traffic you will encounter is going into the city. Past Prague, the previously major highway turns into a two-lane mountain road through local villages, in which again, the great majority of traffic is local and international travelers are hesitant to stop.
Try a letter-sized (A4) piece of paper with the destination written on it so it is clearly visible where you would like to go. See some other Tips for hitchhiking.
By thumb with pet
It is possible to hitch-hike with smaller dog, although "waiting time" will be longer. Expect another dog in the car.
The main language spoken is, not surprisingly, Czech. The Slovak language can also be often heard, as there is a sizable Slovak minority and both languages are mutually intelligible. Czech people are very proud of their language, and thus, even in Prague you will not find many signs written in English (outside of the main tourist areas). Many older people, especially outside the large cities, are also unable to converse in English, so it's good to learn some Czech or Slovak before your arrival. However, most young people speak at least some English, as it has been taught in most schools since 1990.
Most Czechs speak a second and often a third language. English is the most widely known, especially among younger people. German is probably the most widely spoken second language among older people. Russian was taught very extensively under communist rule, so most people born before c. 1975 speak at least some Russian (and often pretty well). However the connection with the communist era and the Soviet led invasion in 1968 (as well as today's Russian-speaking criminal gangs) has given this language some negative connotations. It is also not very useful with younger people, as it is not, despite the common misconception, mutually intelligible with Czech (beyond some similar words and simple sentences). Other languages, like French or Spanish, are also taught in some schools, but you should not count on it. People may also understand some basic words or simple sentences in other Slavic languages (Polish, Serbo-Croatian, etc).
The Czech and Slovak languages are very difficult for English-speakers to grasp, as they, like their sisters, can be tongue-twisting languages to learn (especially Czech) and take time and practice to master, especially if you're not really familiar with the other Slavic languages, including Russian. However, if you can learn the alphabet (and the corresponding letters with accents), then pronunciation is easy as it is always the same - Czechs and Slovaks pronounce every letter of a word, with the stress falling on the first syllable. The combination of consonants in some words may seem mind-bogglingly hard, but it is worth the effort!
The Czech language has many local dialects, especially in Moravia. Some dialects are so different that they can be sometimes misunderstood even by a native Czech speaker from a different region. However all Czech people understand the standard Czech (as spoken in TV, written in newspapers and taught in schools) and should be able to speak it (but some are too proud to stop using their local dialect). Some of them are even unable to speak standard Czech but write it correctly.
Czechs have different writing style, and the Slovak language is softer. The vocabulary is similar, with occasional words not understood. The younger generation born after the dissolvent of Czechoslovakia are growing apart and have problems to understand each other.
See also: Czech phrasebook, Slovak phrasebook
The currency of the Czech republic is the koruna (crown), plural koruny or korun. The currency code CZK is often used internationally, but the local symbol is Kč (for Koruna česká). 1 koruna is made up of 100 haléř (haléřů), abbreviated to hal., but coins are only issued in whole koruna values from October 2008 on.
The exchange rate is approximately 25Kč = €1, 30Kč = £1 GBP, 20Kč = $1 (US), or 16Kč = $1 (Canadian). As of 5 April 2012, €1 = 24,66Kč (Google).
Coins are issued in 1Kč, 2Kč, 5Kč (all stainless steel), 10Kč (copper-colored), 20Kč (brass-colored) and 50 Kč (copper-colored ring, brass-colored center). Notes are issued in
Some major stores (mainly bigger chains) will accept Euros, and it's also fairly common for accommodation providers to quote the price in Euros. At shopping areas along the Austrian border and petrol stations in the whole country change is given in Euros, but supermarkets and similar stores in downtown Prague (and probably other cities) return only Kč, even though they accept €.
Never exchange money on the street. Also, if you're in Prague, don't exchange it in the banks. The "real" exchange rate you should be looking for can be found here [45]. There is no "black market" with better rates, but there is a good chance you'll end up with a roll of worthless paper. Be very careful when you are exchanging money at a small exchange kiosk. They try to use tricks in order to give you a bad exchange rate. Ask for the total amount you will get and recompute it by yourself. Do not trust "0% commission" in big letters signs (often there is an "only when selling CZK" amendment in small letters, and buying CZK still includes a commision). On this [46] website you can get good overview of reliable exchange places and rates.
Generally, exchange offices on the airport, rail stations and main tourist streets do not offer a good rate. Local people exchange money in exchange offices in less frequented areas, such as around the "Politických vězňů", "Opletalova" or "Kaprova" streets. In some cases, one can get a better rate by using ATMs instead of changing cash.
Major stores throughout the country accept Visa and EC/MC, as do all the tourist stores in Prague.
Prague is really very cheap. Compared with other European major cities such as Paris, Rome, London, Munich, Barcelona, Venice, etc. it is the best city in appreciation of historical monuments, great original architecture, culture and art. It is almost half the cost as in the above cities. More about Prague prices here: [47]
Czech Republic has an excellent and sophisticated system of trail blazing, marked trails are about everywhere. Choose an area, buy a hiking map for the area (best brand is "Klub českých turistů", 1:50000 military based maps covering the whole country, available in most large bookstores) and go. Marked trails can also be seen on online maps [49].
Many places in the Czech Republic are great for swimming, and there are many designated public swimming areas (called koupaliště). A list of places suitable for swimming is available here: [50]. However, be aware that in hot weather the quality of the water in some places can fall below EU standard regulations.
Although the Czech Republic is a land-locked country, it does have a lot of nudist/naturist beaches near lakes. A full list is available here: [51]. Full nudity on other beaches is legal, but rare, and usually only happens in non-crowded places.
Tipping is a standard 10%, and is not normally added to the bill. Don't be confused by the percentage figures listed at the bottom of the bill - by Czech law, a receipt must show the VAT paid (20% in most cases) - the VAT is already included in the final amount, and you should add 10% to this. It is normal practice to give the waiter the tip before you leave the table. Tip is not obligatory - if you weren't satisfied with services offered, don't bother tipping.
In a vast majority of better restaurants located in major cities you can pay by credit card (EC/MC, VISA), but don't be surprised if a few will not accept them. Make sure to check the door for respective card logos when entering the restaurant or ask the waiter before ordering. Czechs sometimes use special meal tickets (stravenky) to pay in some restaurants - these are tax-preferred and subsidised by employers. You won't get these tickets unless you get a job in the Czech Republic, just don't be surprised when you see them.
Traditional local food
Traditional Czech food is hearty and suitable after a hard day in the fields. It is heavy and quite fatty, and is excellent in the winter. In the recent time there was a tendency towards more light food with more vegetables, now the traditional heavy and fatty Czech food is usually not eaten everyday and some people avoid it entirely. However nothing goes as well with the excellent Czech beer as some of the best examples of the traditional Czech cuisine, like pork, duck, or goose with knedlíky (dumplings) and sauerkraut.
A traditional main meal of a day (usually lunch) consists of two or three dishes. The first dish is hot soup (polévka). The second dish is the most important part, very often based on some meat and side-dish (both served on the same plate). The third, optional part is either something sweet (and coffee) or small vegetable salad or something similar.
Czech cuisine knows many different kinds of soup (polévka). The most common are bramboračka - potato soup (sometimes with forest mushrooms), hovězí vývar - clear beef soup (sometimes s játrovými knedlíčky - with liver dumplings), gulášovka - thick goulash soup, zelňačka - thick and sour cabbage soup, česnečka (strong garlic soup, very healthy and tasty, but do not eat this before kissing), kulajda - thick soup with forest mushrooms and milk, hrášková polévka made of young green peas, čočková polévka made of lentils, fazolačka made of beans, rajská polévka - tomato soup, and many others. A special case not to everyone's tastes is dršťková polévka (tripe soup). Rybí polévka - thick fish soup made of carps (including its head, some innards, roe and sperm) is the traditional soup of the Christmas Dinner.
Some soups are eaten with bread, sometimes small croutons are put inside the soup just before eating. Soup can be also eaten as the only dish, especially for a smaller dinner.
The second dish (main course, hlavní jídlo) of a meal is (in the traditional cuisine) often the famous heavy and fatty part, very often based on pork, but also beef, chicken, duck, or other meat. Important part of most main courses is side-dish (the whole dish including the side-dish is served on one plate) - usually boiled or baked potatoes, fries, rice, pasta or the most typical side-dish of the Czech cuisine - knedlíky.
Knedlíky (usually translated as dumplings) come in many different kinds. Most kinds are used as side-dish, however some kinds with filling are used as dish by itself. The most common type, always used as side-dish, are houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings). These are boiled in a shape of a cylinder, which is then cut into round slices about 8 cm in diameter remotely resembling white bread. Houskové knedlíky are served with Czech classics such as guláš, similar to Hungarian goulash but with a thinner sauce and less spicy; Svíčková na smetaně, beef sirloin with a creamy root vegetable (carrot, celeriac, parsnip) sauce, served with a tablespoon of cranberry sauce, a slice of orange and whipped cream; Vepřová pečeně se zelím a knedlíkem locally named as Vepřo-knedlo-zelo, the combination of roast pork, knedlíky and sauerkraut. The latter combines very well with the world-famous Czech beer, the major brands being Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, Budvar, Staropramen, Velkopopovický Kozel and Krušovice. If you are lucky enough to enter a pub serving Svijany, you should definitely order it, as it is believed to be one of the most delicious brands worldwide.
Another common kind is bramborové knedlíky (potato dumplings), the slices are smaller, more yellow in color, and are also always served as a side-dish. A typical combination is roasted meet (pork or lamb for example) with spinach and bramborové knedlíky or duck with sauerkraut and bramborové knedlíky (or combination of bramborové and houskové knedlíky). Less common are chlupaté knedlíky (hairy dumplings, but there are no hairs, don't panic), which are not sliced but boiled in shape of balls. They are also usually served with roasted meat and either sauerkraut or spinach.
Other Czech dishes include pečená kachna, roast duck again served with bread or potato dumplings, and red and white sauerkraut; moravský vrabec, known as 'Moravian Sparrow', but which is in fact pork cooked in garlic and onions; smažený kapr, fried carp breaded and served with a very rich potato salad and eaten on Christmas Eve; pečené vepřové koleno, roast pork knee, served with mustard and fresh horseradish; bramborák, garlicky potato pancakes; smažený sýr, breaded deep-fried edam (the most popular cheese in the Czech Republic) served with boiled potatoes or french fries and tartar sauce; párek v rohlíku, long, thin hot dogs with crusty rolls and mustard or ketchup. If you must, you can always get hranolky - french fries. And of course, the ubiquitous zelí (raw cabbage), which is served with absolutely everything. Game is also very good, and includes dishes such as kančí, wild boar, bažant, pheasant and jelení or daňčí, both types of venison. These are almost always served either with dumplings and red and white cabbage, or as guláš.
Don't expect a wide selection of zelenina, vegetables, unless in the countryside - peppers, tomatoes and cabbage are the most commonly-seen side dishes, often served as a small garnish.
Visitors may be surprised when they find "American potatoes" in the menu. These are actually potato wedges, usually spiced.
Meals You Usually Do Not Get in a Restaurant
Generally, probably the best place to really try the Czech cuisine is to be invited for such a meal to somebody's home. However, it is not so easy, because people today tend to prepare simpler and more international foods. Traditional Czech cuisine is often reserved to Sundays or some holidays or prepared by old grandma when her children visit her. This is not a rule, but it is a common situation. In common restaurants, even the better ones, the traditional Czech food usually does not match what the old grandma serves. This does not mean that the food is bad or not tasty, but it is missing something that the home preparation can provide. In luxurious restaurants specialized in Czech cuisine, the food can be excellent, but the luxurious style and creative improvements by the chef often do not match the style of the traditional folk cuisine. Again, this is not a hard rule. Sometimes you can compliment the food in a restaurant "As if my grandma prepared it."
There are some dishes that are usually not served in any restaurants or pubs, are usually made at home and are worth trying if you have the opportunity. Brambory na loupačku ("potatoes to be peeled") is a cheap and simple meal usually made in the countryside. Whole unpeeled potatoes are boiled in a big pot and put in the pot itself or a bowl on the table. You just take a hot potato from the pot, peel it yourself, put some salt, butter, and/or curd (tvaroh) on it and eat it. Drink it down with lot of cold milk. For such a simply meal it can be incredibly tasty, especially when eaten in the countryside after a day spent outside and chatting over it.
Picking mushrooms in forests is a very popular activity in the Czech Republic. Probably not surprisingly, collected mushrooms are eaten then. In restaurants, usually only cultivated mushrooms are used. If forest mushrooms are served in a restaurant, then usually only as a minor addition to a meal. Homemade mushroom meals are a completely different story. A classic example is Smaženice (the name is based on the verb 'smažit' - to fry), also known as míchanice (to mix) - forest mushrooms, the more kinds the better, are sliced to small pieces, mixed and stewed (with some fat, onion, and caraway). Later, eggs are added to the mixture. Smaženice is served with bread. Smažené bedly are whole caps of parasol mushrooms coated in breadcrumbs and fried. Černý kuba (literally black jimmy) is a traditional Christmas fasting meal made from dried mushrooms and peeled barley. Houbová omáčka (mushroom sauce), served with meat and bread dumplings is also popular. Fresh or dried mushrooms make also a nice addition to bramboračka s houbami (potato soup with mushrooms). Kulajda is a soup from mushrooms and cream. Soups and sauces are the most likely forest mushroom meals to find in a restaurant, because they contain relatively small amount of mushrooms.
If you want to pick mushrooms by yourself, be careful. There are hundreds of species, some of them very tasty, some merely edible, but some poisonous or even deadly. There is also a species used as a hallucinogenic drug. A tasty and edible species may look very similar to a deadly species. If you do not know mushrooms very well, you should be accompanied by an experienced mushroom-picker.
Beer Snacks
Also try traditional beer snacks, often the only food served in some pubs (hospoda, pivnice), and designed to be washed down by a good beer:
If you want a warm, bigger, and more complicated meal which goes excellently with beer, get some of the typical Czech meals based on fatty meat (pork, duck, or goose) with sauerkraut and knedlíky (dumplings). Another excellent option is a whole pork knee with horseradish and bread (ovarové koleno s křenem).
Czechs like sweets but consumer patterns are different compared to France, USA or the UK. As everywhere some traditional treats have become a mass-market production for tourists, others are pretty difficult to find.
On the street
In restaurants
Try also the wide variety of rich cream cakes usually found in a Kavárna (a cafe), or a Cukrárna (a shop which sells all things sweet together with ice cream and drinks, found throughout the Czech Republic and often the only place open in small towns and villages on Sundays). Czech cakes are similar to their Viennese cousins due to the shared history of both countries under the Austro-Hungarian empire. Sample also Vídeňská káva (Viennese coffee), coffee served with a mountain of whipped cream.
Home made
Vegetarian food
Finding a vegetarian meal in the Czech Republic is not as difficult now as it once was. In tourist areas at least, such as Prague and the Bohemian Paradise, most restaurant menus contain a vegetarian meals category (bezmasá jídla or vegetariánská jídla) with 2-3 options. People may have their own interpretation of 'vegetarian' though, and it is not uncommon to find dishes such as "broccoli bacon" or prawns listed under "vegetarian meals". In traditional restaurants the choice in vegetarian food is usually limited to fried cheese, dumplings (knedlíky), omelette, potatoes (boiled, baked, fried or as 'potato pancakes') and sometimes a Greek salad or cooked vegetables. Be advised that vegetables practically always have to be ordered separately, even if they appear to be part of the dish: e.g. the vegetables listed in a menu option called "potato pancakes with vegetables" are most likely a garniture consisting of a few leaves of lettuce and a slice of tomato.
Bigger towns have foreign cuisine restaurants, mostly Italian and Chinese, which can serve you meat-free dishes such as vegetarian pasta.
The Czech Republic is the country where modern beer (pivo in Czech) was invented (in Plzeň). Czechs are the heaviest beer drinkers in the world, drinking about 160 litres of it per capita per year. Going to a cosy Czech pub for dinner and a few beers is a must!
The best-known export brands are Pilsner Urquell (Plzeňský Prazdroj), Budweiser Budvar (Budějovický Budvar) and Staropramen (freely translateable as "Oldspring"). Other major brands which are popular domestically include Gambrinus, Kozel (goat), Bernard (a small traditional brewery, with very high quality beer), Radegast, and Starobrno (made in Brno, the capital of Moravia). Other fantastic beers worth tasting are Svijany and Dobřanská Hvězda. Although many Czechs tend to be very selective about beer brands, tourists usually don't find a significant difference. And remember, real Czech beer is only served on tap – bottled beer is a completely different experience. High-quality beer can almost certainly be found in a hospoda or hostinec, very basic pubs which serve only beer and light snacks. Take a seat and order your drinks when the waiter comes to you - going to the bar to order your drinks is a British custom! But beware, the handling of the beer is even more important than its brand. A bad bartender can completely ruin even excellent beer. Best bet is to ask local beer connoiseurs about a good pub or just join them.
Beers are sometimes listed by their original sugar content, which is measured in degrees Plato (P/°). The difference is generally apparent in the final alcohol content. Normal beer is about 10° (such as Gambrinus and Staropramen, which results in 4% ABV), lager 12° (such as Pilsner Urquell, which results in about 4.75% ABV). The latter is stronger and more expensive, so you should specify which one you want when you order.
Czech lager is nothing like the fizzy lagers found in many other countries. Instead, it has a very strong, hoppy, almost bitter flavour, and goes very well with heavy dishes like duck or pork and dumplings or strong cheeses. It always has a thick head on the top when it is served, but do not be afraid to drink "through" it, it is fun and it slowly disappears anyway, nevertheless do not drink the beer too slowly as the fresh cold taste (especially in hot summers) quickly fades – the "true" Czech connoisseurs do not even finish this "tepid goat," as they call it.
Wine (víno in Czech) is another popular drink, particularly wine from Moravia in the south-eastern part of the country where the climate is more suited to vineyards. White wines tend to be the best as the growing conditions are more favourable for them. For white wines, try Veltlínské zelené (Green Veltliner), Muškát moravský (Moravian Muscatel), Ryzlink rýnský (Rhine Riesling) or Tramín (Traminer), or red wines such as Frankovka (Blaufrankisch), Modrý Portugal (Blue Portugal, named after the grape, not the country), or Svatovavřinecké (Saint Lawrence). Also try ice wine (ledové víno) made when the grapes are harvested after they have frozen on the vines, or straw wine (slámové víno) made by leaving the grapes to ripen on straw) – these wines are more expensive and are similar to dessert wines. Bohemia Sekt is also popular with Czechs, and is an inexpensive sweet, fizzy wine, similar to Lambrusco, and drunk at celebrations. The best places for wine are either a wine bar (vinárna), or a wine shop (vinotéka) which sometimes has a small bar area too.
For spirits, try Becherovka (herb liqueur, similar to Jagermeister, tastes of a mixtures of cloves and cinnamon, and drunk as a digestive), slivovice (plum brandy, very popular as a pick-me-up), hruškovice (pear brandy, less fiery than Slivovice), and so on. Spirits are made out of almost every kind of fruit (Plums, Peaches, Cherries, Sloes, etc.). Czech unique tuzemský rum (made from sugar beet, not from sugar cane as the Cuban rum, sold under brands like Tuzemák to conform with EU market rules). Be careful as all are about 40% alcohol.
For non-alcoholic drinks, mineral waters are popular, but tend to have a strong mineral taste. Try Mattoni, or Magnesia, both of which taste like normal water and still claim to be good for your health. If you want bubbles, ask for perlivá. If you want it non-carbonated, ask for neperlivá. Sometimes you can see jemně perlivá – it is "lightly bubbled" water. Kofola, a coke-like drink is also very popular, and some Czechs say it is the best thing the communists gave them. Many restaurants don't make any difference between "sparkling water" and "sparkling mineral water".
Restaurants and pubs do not offer water for free. Not surprisingly, as beer is the national drink, it is usually the cheapest drink you can buy, with prices ranging from 15–60 Kč (0,50–2 EUR) per half litre, depending on the attractiveness of the pub to tourists. Drinks are brought to your table, and often each drink is marked on a small slip of paper which is kept on the table in front of you, so you can keep count of what you have had. When you are ready to leave, ask the waiter for the bill – he or she will calculate the bill according to the number of marks on the paper. It is common to share tables in busy pubs and Czech people will ask Je tu volno? (Is this seat free?), before they sit down.
Try also svařák, hot mulled wine served in all pubs, and outdoors at Christmas markets, grog, hot rum and water served with a slice of lemon - add sugar to taste, and medovina, mead, again usually served hot, and particularly good for warming up at a cold winter market. Finally, if you are heading into Moravia, try burčák, a speciality found only around the end of the summer, or early autumn. It is extremely young wine, usually white, and is the cloudy, still fermenting stage in wine production when the wine is very sweet, and very smooth to drink. It continues to ferment in the stomach, so the alcohol content at the time of drinking it is unknown, but it is usually high, creeps up on you, and it is very moreish. Czechs say that it should only be drunk fresh from the vineyard, and many small private wine makers are passionate about it, waiting up into the night for the moment when the wine reaches the "burčák" stage. You can see it at wine festivals around the country, and sometimes in markets or wine bars too.
Stay safe
Stay healthy
Grocery stores do not sell what Americans consider over-the-counter drugs, such as aspirin. You will need to go to a pharmacy (lékárna), which is usually open between 8AM and 7PM, Mondays to Fridays. There are 24-hour pharmacies in the bigger cities, and you should find an address for the closest one to you listed in the window of the nearest pharmacy to you. If you are in Prague, the most central 24-hour one is in Prague 2 - on the corner of Belgická and Rumunská streets - they dispense both prescription and non-prescription drugs from a small window on Rumunská out of hours - ring the bell if there is no-one there.
Tap water is good, especially in Prague although in small towns, the chlorine can be quite strong.
A reputable hospital in Prague is Nemocnice na Homolce, Address: Roentgenova 37/2, Prague 5 (tel 257 272 350). There is a foreigners' clinic (Cizinecké oddělení) there with English-speaking receptionists who can make appointments for you. Most doctors speak some English, and the level of care is of a very high standard.
Central Europe and parts of the Czech Republic have ticks (Ixodes ricinus) which can carry Encephalitis or Lyme Borreliosis. Ticks hide in grass and bushes, so try to stay on trails and inspect exposed areas of skin after a hike. Vaccination against Encephalitis is available and recommended. If you want to bushwhack, make sure you have the vaccination and wear long trousers. A good insect repellent (which contains DEET), might be helpful, too. Ticks like to cling to any soft, warm, well-perfused areas of your body (undersides of knees and elbows, skin around ankles, groins, neck area, behind your ears etc.) and if not removed, they'll suck your blood until they grow about 1 cm big. Never try to scratch a tick off or pull it out, because damaging it can cause you a serious infection. The sooner the tick is removed, the smaller the chance of infection. Either ask a physician to remove a tick for you, or try to remove it by yourself: lubricate your finger with any greasy lotion and gently wag a tick from side to side until it wobbles free. Then flush it down the drain - never crush or burn it to avoid infection. Watch the affected spot: if you see a growing red spot developing there anytime during next several months, immediately visit your physician and tell him about that - you might have contracted Borreliosis. It is dangerous, but it can be easily treated with antibiotics during early stage. Be wary that American vaccination against Borreliosis most probably won't work against European strains (B. afzelii and B. garini). Note that ticks are sometimes present even in city parks, including Prague.
The Czech Republic, along with its neighbours Slovakia, Austria, Poland and Hungary, is part of Central Europe. Often in Western Europe and North America it is incorrectly referred to as an "Eastern-European" country, and most Czechs are very sensitive about this- many will even pre-empt the ignorance of some foreigners by asking "What part of Europe would you say the Czech Republic is in?" Get on their good side by answering "Central Europe", not Eastern!
Czechs don't appreciate when foreigners incorrectly assume that their country was part of the Soviet Union or the Russian Empire – both definitely false – although it was part of the Soviet Bloc and, until 1918, an Austro-Hungarian territory. Commenting about how "everything is quite cheap here" comes across as condescending about the country's economic status.
If you are knowledgable about the Czechoslovakian communist regime following the second world war, bear in mind that this is still a sensitive issue for many and that it is easy to upset people in discussions on the subject.
Czechs are one of the most atheist people in the world. This is true especially in large Bohemian cities. Don't assume that anyone you do not know believes in God or has a passion for Christianity. Respect that and your religion will also be respected.
Always say hello (Dobrý den) and goodbye (Na shledanou) when you enter and leave a small shop, restaurant or pub as it is polite.
While dining at a restaurant with a host's family it is customary for THEM to pick up the bill, the opposite of most Western standards. However don't assume they will - but also don't be surprised if they do.
When entering a Czech household, always remove your shoes. Czechs usually wear slippers or sandals when inside a house and never their outdoor shoes. Depending on how traditional the host family are, they may insist you change immediately into house shoes as a hygiene precaution, though this is rare. At the very least they will offer you some to keep your feet warm.
Never mention the Czech towns and places with their former German names, when asking for directions (e.g. referring to Karlsbad instead of Karlovy Vary etc.) or while chatting with the locals. Czechs will be offended and they will regard it as ignorance and a lack of respect towards themselves.
The vast majority of Moravians will take no offence to being called Czechs, and consider themselves to be both. If you are attempting to speak Czech, beware of the complexities and slight differences between the terms Čechy (Bohemia) and Česko (Czechia). Much like a Welshman would raise an eyebrow over his country being called England, using the term Čechy (Bohemia) to refer to the entire Czech Republic may not be appreciated by a Moravian. Since there are no mainstream separatist movements in Moravia, and there is definitely no ethnic conflict, it is infinitely more likely you'll be showered with kisses and plied with alcohol for simply making an attempt to speak Czech.
There are three main mobile phone operators using the GSM standard, their coverage is very good (except in some remote, mostly uninhabited areas). If you find using roaming with your own operator too expensive or you want to have a Czech phone number, you can buy an anonymous prepaid card from any of the three main operators. However, the pricing schemes are usually quite complicated and some investigation may be necessary to find the ideal solution (even with the prepaid cards, operators offer various schemes including various additional 'packages'). GPRS and EDGE is widely supported, 3G networks support is in its beginnings (O2, Vodafone and T-mobile, mostly in Prague). The fourth operator (U:fon) uses some custom standards and you have to buy special hardware from them.
There are still some telephone boxes available, but they are gradually vanishing since the advent of mobile phones. Some still accept coins, but most of them require special prepaid telephone card.
You can call emergency numbers from any phone for free (even without any card). The universal emergency number 112 is functional and you can use it, however you will reach only a telephone operator who will need to contact the real emergency service for you. To save precious time, it is best to call directly the service you need: 150 for firefighters, 155 for medical emergency, and 158 for state police.
Wifi is available in many restaurants and most cafés, especially in larger cities. In particular, all branches of Starbucks, KFC, Gloria Jeans Coffee and Costa Coffee offer free access. You may need to ask a waiter for the passphrase. There are also some hotspots available on the streets and some city quarters (for example in Prague) offer free wifi coverage for everyone. However such coverage is usually very slow and unreliable and you may need to create an account (using a web browser and the page it is automatically redirected to) to be able to use it. In most larger cities, there are also several internet cafés available.


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MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College softball team (26-12, 10-4 PBC) defeated their fourth ranked opponent of the season Thursday evening when they came away with a 5-4 victory over No.6 University of North Georgia (26-7, 6-2 PBC) in game one. In the second game the two teams were deadlocked 0-0 going into the sixth inning, but the Saints pulled ahead late and won 4-0.
Each team put a run on the board in the first inning of game one. The Bobcats got on the board when Kristen Brooks (Brunswick, Ga.) came into score on a Kelsea Martin (Dacula, Ga.) sacrifice fly.
Dani Gallucci (Orlanda, Fla.) continued her stellar season in the circle, as the senior scattered 10 hits, holding the Saints to four runs.
The Bobcats entered the bottom of the sixth inning trailing 4-3 after the Saints pushed a run across in the top of the inning. Gallucci reached base with two outs on a fielding error. Sophomore Kristen Humphries (Columbus, Ga.) followed Gallucci to the plate and deposited a letter high fastball over the outfield fence.
The homerun was the sophomore's second on the year and gave the Bobcats a 5-4 lead entering the seventh inning. The Saints would load the bases but fail to score in the top of the seventh as the Bobcats increased their winning streak to eight games.
Humphries knocked in three runs on the day as she also had a sacrifice fly in the fourth. The outfielder finished the day 1-for-2 at the plate.
The second game pitted two star freshmen, Marisa Boyette (Marietta, Ga.) and Courtney Poole, against each other. The two were locked in a 0-0 tie through five full innings.
The Saints got on board in the sixth inning and then three runs on a Kim McMillan homerun in the seventh inning.
Boyette and Poole combined for 17 strikeouts while only allowing eight hits and one earned run as each hurler lasted the full seven innings.
The loss ended the Bobcats eight game winning streak. GC softball has won 15 of the last 18 times they've taken the field. With the loss, Boyette snapped her personal streak of receiving a win in the last five times she appeared in the circle for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats now hold a 5-3 record against ranked opponents in 2013 with the Saints being their first win against a top-10 opponent.
The Bobcats will hit the road for eight straight games starting Saturday, March 23 when they travel to Savannah, Ga. to take on the No. 4 Armstrong Pirates.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.

subset: commoncrawl


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|Crude Protein
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Whole Oats, Wheat, Dehydrated Carrots, Milo, Small Yellow Corn, Barley, Gelatin, Dehydrated Apples, Green Split Peas, Sunflower, Ground Corn, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Sun-cured Alfalfa Meal, Honey, Corn Sugar, Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes, Dried Bananas, Peanuts, Ground Oats, Ground Wheat, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Ground Oat Groats, Dried Cane Molasses, Soy Oil, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Middlings, Ground Oat Hulls, L-Lysine, Ground Flax Seed, Dried Beet Pulp, DL-Methionine, Dried Whole Egg, Wheat Germ Meal, Titanium Dioxide, Whole Cell Algae Meal (source of DHA), Fructooligosaccharide, Brewers Dried Yeast, Vitamin A Supplement, Choline Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Potassium Chloride, Yeast Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Propionic Acid (a preservative), Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of vitamin K activity), Niacin, Rosemary Extract, Citric Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, L-Carnitine, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), Beta-Carotene, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Biotin, Cobalt Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus licheniformis Fermentation Product, Artificial Colors.


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Part of National Museums Liverpool
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Please note that this display has now closed
Sir Steve Redgrave (in white framed sunglasses) during competition, 2000. © Peter Spurrier, Intersport Images
Racing for Gold was a display of three racing craft which reflected the dynamic sailing and rowing scene in north west of England.
Rowing and sailing were introduced at the Paris Olympics in 1900. Since then, teams from Great Britain have enjoyed great success in both sports.
Regional activity provides the foundation for success at national and international level competition, the Olympics being the pinnacle of sporting achievement. Local sailing and rowing clubs are crucial in providing opportunities for future Olympians to develop their skills and experience on the water.
Follow these links to find out more about the three craft that were on display in Racing for Gold, and find out more about sailing and rowing clubs in the UK.
'Olympic Gold'
Sailing and rowing clubs
This display was supported by the UK Border Force National Museum.
A Sporting Celebration, a special display about the role of the UK Border Force during the London 2012 Olympic Games, which accompanied Racing for Gold, was in the Seized! gallery in the basement of the museum from 2 June 2012 until January 2013.
Find out more about sailing and rowing clubs in the UK.
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2pcs 12V 35W H7-6000K Auto Car Headlight HID Single Xenon Bulbs (Black)
Bulb type: H7 HID single Xenon bulb. Color temperature: 6000K. Color of light: super white. Power consumption: 35 watts. Luminous flux: 3200lm. Service Life: up to 2500hrs. Working temperature: -40℃ to +105℃. Rated voltage: 12V. Pair of HID Xenon bulbs included. Simple to install. Your good choice for replacing those old broken Xenon bulbs. Package Details Weight: 172.27 g Size: 1611*5.5 cm Package Includes 1 × Pair of H7 HID Single Xenon Bulbs __


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This product is currently sold out.
You can obtain status and/or reserve this item by contacting us. We can also be reached by calling toll free 1-866-326-9377 (Dialing from outside the US +01 314 772 3566) between 10AM and 6PM CST (-6 GMT).
The James Tudor Button Fly Trunk is made of a luxurious modal fabric that is moisture absorbent, shrink resistant, and light weight. This classic trunk features a functioning button stand, along the pouch, with 3 branded silver buttons and a longer silhouette with a banded leg. The soft, stretch waistband has a distinguished stripe detail along with the James Tudor logo.
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Motorized Madness - 32 Insane 4x4s From SEMA 2013Posted in Events on February 5, 2014
Are you bummed out because you couldn't attend the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas? Don't sweat it, we have you covered. We've collected a huge number of images from the show representing everything from the wildest and wackiest 4x4s to some snaps of celebrity appearances.
What is this thing called the SEMA Show? Well, it's a four-day, industry-only, annual event where companies show off their wares to international and domestic buyers, distributors, and the press. The show can trace its roots back to 1967 and it's hosted by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (better known simply as SEMA). What is SEMA? Glad you asked. SEMA is an important organization that is focused on protecting your rights to drive accessorized, customized, and vintage vehicles. The significance of this organization cannot be stressed enough.
The SEMA Show is no ordinary show and it has no equal. Even by Vegas standards, it's a gigantic event. The 2013 show featured over 2,500 exhibitors, which is the highest in the SEMA Show's history. Add to that the fact that over 130,000 industry professionals attended from more than 130 countries and there were over 2,000 new, cutting-edge automotive products in the New Product Showcase, and the enormity of the show becomes clear. The 2013 SEMA Show featured 12 themed sections including, but not limited to, Tools and Equipment; Mobile Electronics; Wheels and Accessories; and Trucks, SUVs and Off-Road. The point is, every aspect of vehicle modification is represented.
Many manufacturers at the SEMA Show use customized vehicles to show off products or just draw attention. The vehicles vary widely. Its standard fare to see a rig with gritty real-world functionality parked a few feet from an over-the-top showpiece that looks like a Vegas showgirl on wheels.
No matter what kind of 4x4 you like, the SEMA Show probably has it.
Celebrities at SEMA
A number of manufacturers increase their booth traffic at SEMA by bringing in celebrities to sign autographs. In fact, so many manufacturers do this that SEMA publishes a list of celebrity appearances prior to the show. Here are a couple celebrity sightings from this year's show.


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The Apartments are located on the most beautiful canals in the old centre of Delft.
Within easy walking distance of the Apartments are restaurants, cinemas and shops. Delft's Railway station (with direct connections to Amsterdam Airport) is just five minutes on foot.
The city Delft
The historic city centre is beautifully preserved, full of old canals spanned by picturesque bridges and lined by ancient buildings. Delft has many links with the Dutch royal family. William of Orange (William the Silent) was killed in the city's Prinsenhof (now a museum). Since then, all but one of the Netherlands' monarchs have been burried in the church on Delfts market square. Delft was home to the painter Johannes Vermeer. Delft Blue earthenware is admired all over the world. The Technical University of Delft is the oldest technical university in the Netherlands and still a global centre of academic excellence.


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Giant Squid, Architeuthis dux
« Database Home Animalia Mollusca Cephalopoda Oegopsida Architeuthidae Architeuthis dux
Description & Behavior
Giant squid, Architeuthis dux (Steenstrup, 1857), of the family Architeuthidae, are possibly the largest known cephalopod, the largest known mollusk and, likely, the largest invertebrate ever known to exist (except for possibly colossal squids, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni which may have a mantle length nearly twice the size of the giant squid!). These squid have been reported frequently in the media as reaching up to 18 m (~60 feet) in total length, which includes the head, body, arms, and two long feeding tentacles — which are much longer than the rest of their body. The truth though is that giant squids average 3-9 m and reach up to 13 m in total length (see Whale Sharks and Giant Squids: Big or Bu!!$hit?). They can weigh up to 900 kg, but average 455 kg or less.
The giant squid have the largest eyes out of any animal in the world. They can be as large as a dinner plate. They function to detect the small amounts of light in the deep (including bioluminescent light).
They have 2 rows of suckers on the inner surface of their 8 arms and 2 tentacles. The suckers are sub-spherical cups lined with sharp, finely serrated rings of chitin in four longitudinal rows. These tentacular clubs are divided into three distinct regions: carpus, manus and dactylus. The manus of the giant squid has enlarged suckers along two medial rows. The suckers on the tentacles and arms are typically no larger than about 5-5.5 cm. The carpal region has a dense cluster of suckers, in 6-7 irregular, transverse rows.
At the base of the arms, they have a parrot-like beak characteristic of other cephalopods.
The giant squid also has small fins at the rear of the mantle used for locomotion. The gentle, rhythmic pulses of water pushed out of the mantle cavity through the funnel propels the squid through the water; they can also move quickly by expanding the mantle cavity to fill with water then contracting muscles to jet water through the funnel.
Giant squid breathe using 2 large gills that rest inside their mantle cavity.
Like other squid species, giant squid contain dark ink used to deter predators. They have a sophisticated nervous system and complex brain. The circulatory system is closed, which is a distinct characteristic of the squid.
Because of their nervous system and large brain, they are of great interest to scientists, though they have never been observed in their natural habitat until very recently (see the photo above and the National Geographic link under References). Therefore, little is known about their behavior and interaction. They are believed to be solitary hunters; only individual giant squids have been caught in fishing nets.
"In 1965, a Soviet whaler watched a battle between a squid and a 40 ton sperm whale. In the case of this battle, neither was victorious. The strangled whale was found floating in the sea with the squid's tentacles wrapped around the whale's throat. The squid's severed head was found in the whale's stomach.
In the 1930's a ship owned by the royal Norwegian Navy called the Brunswick was attacked at least three times by the giant squid. In each case the attack was deliberate as the squid would pull along side of the ship, pace it, then suddenly turn, run into the ship and wrap its tentacles around the hull. The encounters were fatal for the squid as its grip on the ship's steel surface would come loose, and the animal slid off and fell into the ship's propellers."
There are many stories, myths, and mysteries about the giant squid, and it has been called the last great monster of the sea:
"One night during World War II a British Admiralty trawler was lying off the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean. One of the crew, A.G. Starkey, was up on deck, alone, late at night fishing, when he saw something in the water. 'As I gazed, fascinated, a circle of green light glowed in my area of illumination. This green unwinking orb I suddenly realized was an eye. The surface of the water undulated with some strange disturbance. Gradually I realized that I was gazing at almost point-blank range at a huge squid.' Starkey walked the length of the ship finding the tail at one end and the tentacles at the other. The ship was over one hundred and seventy five feet long." - The Museum of UnNatural Mystery
These amusing stories suggest that giant squid may be aggressive animals, but again because few observations have been made, this is unknown (Giant squid caught on film in its natural habitat for the first time).
World Range & Habitat
Giant squid are wide-ranging usually found near continental and island slopes from the North Atlantic Ocean, especially Newfoundland, Norway, northern British Isles and the oceanic islands of the Azores and Madeira to the South Atlantic in southern African waters; the North Pacific around Japan, and the southwestern Pacific around New Zealand and Australia. They are circumglobal in the Southern Ocean. Specimens are rare in tropical and polar latitudes.
Feeding Behavior (Ecology)
Recent studies have shown that giant squid eat deep-sea fishes and other squid species.
Giant squid capture prey using their two feeding tentacles that grip their victims with serrated the saw-like sucker rings at their ends on what are called tentacle clubs. Once their prey is caught, they bring it to their powerful beak, and use their tougue-like radula with its small, file-like teeth to shred their prey before they swallow it.
Sperm whales and sleeper sharks such as Somniosus pacificus are the two known predators of adult giant squid. Juveniles are preyed on by deep sea sharks and fishes.
Life History
Little is known about giant squid reproduction. Females produce large quantities of eggs, in some cases more than 5 kg, that average 0.5-1.4 mm long and 0.3-0.7 mm wide. Females have a single median ovary in the posterior (rear) end of their mantle cavity and paired convoluted oviducts where mature eggs pass exiting through oviducal glands, then through nidamental glands. Like other squid species, these glands produce a gelatinous material used to keep the eggs together once they are laid.
It is thought that giant squids reach sexual maturity at about 3 years; males reach sexual maturity at a smaller size than females. Like other squid, it is thought that the two ventral (lower) arms are modified to transfer spermatophores to the female. As in most other cephalopods, the single, posterior testis produces sperm that move into a complex system of glands that manufacture the spermatophores. These are stored in the elongate sac, or Needham's sac, which terminates in the penis from which they are expelled during mating. The penis is elongate and extends anteriorly beyond the mantle opening. Mating in the giant squid has not been observed, so the exact role of the penis is uncertain; however, some females have been found with spermatangia (sperm-containing sacs of the spermatophore) embedded in the tissue around the bases of their arms and head.
Conservation Status & Comments
Giant squid, Architeuthis dux, could be an essential part of the food web as they are preyed on by deep-diving whales (e.g., sperm whales) or a keystone species in their deep-sea habitats.
References & Further Research
First Live Giant Squid Photographed - James Owen, for National Geographic News, September 27, 2005 (Photograph courtesy T. Kubodera and K. Mori)
Japanese Scientists Capture First-Ever Video of a Live Giant Squid
Kubodera, Tsunemi and Mori, Kyoichi. First-ever observations of a live giant squid in the wild, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Volume 272, Number 1581, December 22, 2005, pp 2583-2586
Antarctic jaws: cephalopod prey of sharks in Kerguelen waters, Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, Volume 51, Issue 1, January 2004, Pages 17-31, Yves Cherel and Guy Duhamel
Architeuthis (Giant Squid) reproduction, with notes on basic anatomy and behavior. TONMO.com article by Steve O'Shea
Architeuthis Buoyancy and Feeding By Dr. Steve O'Shea
Architeuthis - Tree of Life
Forch, E. 1998. The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Cephalopoda: Oegopsida: Architeuthidae (Giant Squid). Wellington: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.
Giant Squid and Colossal Squid Fact Sheet - TONMO.com
Giant squid at the American Museum of Natural History
In Search of Giant Squid - Smithsonian giant squid expeditions
Search for Giant Squid - An Expedition into the Last Frontier, 1999 Smithsonian expedition to New Zealand
Jereb, P.; Roper, C.F.E. (eds) Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cephalopod species known to date. Volume 2. Myopsid and Oegopsid Squids. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 4, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 2010. 605p. 10 colour plates.
Tree of Life: Cephalopoda
Tree of Life Cephalopoda Glossary
Dr. Takashi Okutani's Cuttlefish and Squids of the world 2005
National Resource Center for Cephalopods
Norman, M., Debelius, H. 2000. Cephalopods - A World Guide, Conchbooks, Germany. 319 p.
Research Architeuthis dux » Barcode of Life ~ Taxonomy ~ BioOne ~ Biodiversity Heritage Library ~ CITES ~ Cornell Macaulay Library [audio / video] ~ Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) ~ ESA Online Journals ~ FishBase ~ Florida Museum of Natural History ~ GBIF ~ Google Scholar ~ ITIS ~ IUCN RedList (Threatened Status) ~ Marine Species Identification Portal ~ NCBI (PubMed, GenBank, etc.) ~ Ocean Biogeographic Information System ~ PLOS ~ SIRIS ~ Tree of Life Web Project ~ UNEP-WCMC Species + Database ~ WoRMS
Search for Giant Squid » ARKive ~ Flickr ~ Google ~ Creative Commons search ~ Wikipedia ~ YouTube
Feedback & Citation
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Pupils exhibiting challenging behaviour: risk assessments
Are there risk assessments for pupils with challenging behaviour? This article points to risk assessments, from two local authorities and Teachernet, regarding pupils with challenging behaviour. It also links to our article on risk assessing individual pupils.
- Local authority examples
- Teachernet example
- Assessing individuals
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Seven soul types
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Active Member
Posts: 142
Seven soul types
Jul 03, 2009, 10:44 PM »
The seven soul types were delved into in another post. Could someone elucidate briefly what those types are and the chakras that correlate. If I'm not mistaken this information was not on the original class tapes done in Arizona - ? Or were they...if so, did Wolf not go into the other chakras/types, only mentioned Daemon? At any rate, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
Most Active Member
Posts: 28065
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #1 on:
Jul 08, 2009, 10:14 AM »
Hi Lucius,
The seven Soul types that Wolf talked about are reflected in the actual nature of each of the seven chakras. In other words, each chakra has a total nature that is specific to itself.
Active Member
Posts: 142
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #2 on:
Jul 08, 2009, 07:32 PM »
Thanks Rad,
I do not have a VHS anymore & I didn't take the school while transcripts were part of the deal. I do know that Wolf made correlations between chakras & planets (it seemed oriented to diagnosing health, am I remembering that right?) - does the chakra correlated with Jupiter also correlate with the Daemon archetype? I cannot remember which chakra is 'ruled' by Jupiter - could you, or someone, refresh my memory - ?
Thank you!
Active Member
Posts: 226
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #3 on:
Jul 08, 2009, 08:38 PM »
Hi Lucius,
The sacral chakra correlates with the daemon archetype (jupiter/neptune)
Here are planetary correlations for the 7 primary chakras:
Root: Saturn/Uranus/Pluto
Sacral: Jupiter/Neptune
Solar Plexus: Mars/Pluto
Heart: Venus
Throat: Mercury
Brow/Third Eye: Sun/Moon
Crown: Neptune
Active Member
Posts: 55
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #4 on:
Jul 09, 2009, 10:54 AM »
Hi to all,
The daemon archetype also includes Virgo and Gemini, which are ruled by Mercury, so to my way of thinking, that particular archetype is not exclusively correlated to the sacral plexus chakra. I do know for sure that not all daemon Souls are of the sacral 'Soul structure,' in terms of Soul 'identity.'
Rad or Deva, if you have any more information on this, I've always wanted to know more about this topic as well.
Love and blessings to everyone,
Active Member
Posts: 226
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #5 on:
Jul 09, 2009, 11:52 AM »
Hi Lesley,
Glad you've jumped in! Great points you bring to the table. Indeed the 'totality of nature' is reflected in the natural mutable archetype: gemini, virgo, sagg, pisces...which is clearly intrinsic to the nature of the daemon soul: "fusion of human consciousness with the totality of nature". I wonder if the root of the daemon archetype is contained in sagg....consciousness intrinsically defined by natural law...
My understanding has always been that the daemon archetype has a core linkage to the sacral chakra, so this is an illuminating point you've brought up. Looking forward to Rad and Deva's input!
Thanks for adding this to the discussion. It's great to explore this archetype more in-depth.
Active Member
Posts: 55
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #6 on:
Jul 09, 2009, 01:26 PM »
Hi Stacie!
I hope you're feeling better these days, now that your work life has presented you a light at the end of the tunnel. Please keep us posted on how things progress in your journey. So many of us can relate to the struggles you wrote about in your recent thread: wanting to know and actualize Divine Will amid confusion as to what exactly that is at any given moment. It is still one of the most painful experiences I deal with on a day-to-day basis (...we with the 6th house placements, you know!...).
Oh, yeah -- back to the topic at hand!:...
I do totally understand how the sacral plexus, given its planetary rulerships, can be linked with the daemon archetype. I myself wonder if the daemon archetype sort of 'pre-exists,' relative to the 7 Soul structures/chakras, with one particular (of the 7) Soul structures/chakras becoming a mere 'overlay' for each individual daemon Soul, allowing the daemon archetype to manifest in many different ways: diversity itself being a Natural Law. (Does that make sense? I know what I want to say but can't find better words!)
I love to ponder these kinds of things...I too hope we can learn more with this thread.
Love and blessings to you, dear friend,
Active Member
Posts: 142
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #7 on:
Jul 09, 2009, 09:54 PM »
I am confused myself on what precisely it means that there is a 'correlation' - so much so I can't even express what that confusion is!
At any rate, it is interesting that the sound that correlates (this I do understand!) with the chakra is a flute. The most famous flute player (aside from Krishna..and here in the southwest 'kokopelli') would be Pan - the half-goat half-man nature god roaming the forest with his pan-flute. And, indeed, I have heard those flutes once in the forest! Pan not only is a wisdom bearing figure in general, but quite specifically has a connection to the transformative aspects of sexuality, sexuality as a vehicle for spiritual fruition. Pan, basically, would represent the spiritual laws & techniques hidden in the laws of nature itself. The sign Sag itself has a satyr as it's archetype & it's easy enough to see the plain symbol of the arrow as being phallic/sexual.
From what I understand the root of Daemon is indeed, astrologically speaking, Sag - but, to correlate a soul with the possibility of it being a Daemon soul the astrologer would take into account the mutable angles, I'm assuming because of the natural aspects being made (and mutable houses, of course). I may have misunderstood that though.
I do hope we can get some illumination on these thoughts! Thanks for your replies Lesley & Stacie!
Active Member
Posts: 55
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #8 on:
Jul 10, 2009, 08:48 AM »
Hi Lucius,
Yes, you're right that Sag is indeed the lead symbol for the dameon archetype, though the archetype itself does correspond to all mutable signs. (A correlation = a correspondence or connection between things.) It is not possible to know if one is a daemon Soul by using the birthchart alone; each individual Soul must be directly observed. Not all birthcharts with heavily emphasized mutable houses/signs will reflect a daemon Soul, but when the observed characteristics of any Soul are those of the daemon archetype, the 'mutability' will always be reflected in the birthchart through placements, rulerships, aspects, etc.
If you don't mind my asking you, where in the Southwest are you? I lived in southern Nevada for 17 years, and recently returned from an absolutely incredible, magical trip to Sedona, Arizona. Kokopelli is such a beloved symbol to me...few things bring me as much joy as simply contemplating him!
Love and blessings to you,
Active Member
Posts: 142
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #9 on:
Jul 10, 2009, 09:09 AM »
Thanks for you reply - what you said is what I meant! LOL! I have balsamic mercury conjunct Pluto in the 9th - forgive me - I need to work on expressing myself clearer, clearly! It seemed you & Stacie were wondering about the astrological archetype of Daemon & how it relates to the other mutable signs....and I think the other signs are involved via aspect, if that makes sense. What I thought I'd expressed is, indeed, if you observe someones reality that seems to correlate to Daemon & the mutable archetypes are stressed in the chart there is a good chance that the soul-structure is Daemon.
If Jupiter rules sacral (along with Neptune) and Sag correlates with Daemon, then I would assume that Mercury rulerships of chakras would not be specifically correlated to the Daemon archetype - you said that other chakras may correlate, but, I'm guessing not (Rad, Devaor anyone know??) However, it's interesting that Jupiter used to also rule Pisces - so, I do wonder about the correlation with the crown chakra - but, even if you could argue Jupiter may have an ancient correlation with the crown chakra I imagine it would still be the Pisces side of Jupiter rather than Sag.....hmmm - hope this makes sense!? Examining the sacral chakra it makes sense that it correlates with the Daemon archetype to me. But, we all are made 0f & experience the vibrational realities of the chakras and can have them activated or emphasized - in between my past live experiences, my chart & aura, etc. my throat chakra is certainly activated, for instance, entirely aside from my soul-structure. Anyway, I'm looking forward to Rad or Deva's input here.
I'm in Taos in northern New Mexico. I think Kokipelli correlates in the same archetypal fashion as does Pan (and for that matter Cerrunos & Pashupati).
Active Member
Posts: 99
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #10 on:
Jul 16, 2009, 11:23 AM »
Hi Lucius et al,
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (i.e., many years ago before Wolf retired and before I got sick), the correlations of the soul types (and paths to the Divine) with the chakras came to me, and then Wolf helped "tweaking" them. The info kind of remained right "there," so to speak, due much to circumstantial reality, and I'm still awaiting the next "download."
(I got a little pre-occupied with breathing - LITerally
) In the meantime, though, here's at least the correlations, along with the known yogic terms:
Root physical (body)/asanas - Hatha Yoga
Sacral sexuality - Daemon - Tantra
Navel warrior - natural need to lead/leadership
Heart Devotion - Bhakti
Throat prayer/chanting (Mantra/Chanting) + service to others/healers (Karma)
Medulla/Ajna wisdom - teacher types - Jyana
Crown avatar, guru - Raja
The soul types also correlate to the seven pathways to God. Since Neptune/Pisces represents the totality, the Universal, God, Goddess, etc., all paths, of course, astrologically speaking lead to Neptune/Pisces and in some way will involve the mutable grand cross of Gemini/Virgo/Sagitarrius/Pisces. There can also be kind of a "sub-type," or secondary soul type, i.e., one primary LEADING to the secondary. As with the Daemon soul, all the other soul types can only be known thru observation and correlation and then be backed up and/or revealed through the birth chart. For example, we can use my chart, which you can find in the thread for chart practice - Adina (and I'll repost the data here: Dec. 3, 1947; 4:10pm; Alliance, OH). I am a Bhakti soul - follow the path of devotion - with Jyana as the secondary type... i.e., devotion leading to wisdom.
Hope this helps a little for now.
Active Member
Posts: 142
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #11 on:
Jul 16, 2009, 02:04 PM »
Thank you Adina! That does help. Certain things are 'clicking' with me & your post gave my thoughts a nudge in the right direction. I've been thinking a lot about the Daemon/sacral/tantra/flute archetypal qualities, etc.
It's interesting, astrologically, Lucifer (bearer of light in this case, I need to keep my intentions straight) is just about to exactly conjunct my natal Mars in Gemini, which opposes Neptune, squares the sun & trines pluto/mercury - also, transiting Pholus is on my Neptune (of course activating the previously mentioned t-square) - perfect timing, as always in astro land. Thanks again.
(I'd post a chart, but I'm using apple & can't figure it out....)
Active Member
Posts: 55
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #12 on:
Jul 16, 2009, 02:16 PM »
Namaste Adina! Thank you so much for this information.
With regard to revealing the Soul structure through the birthchart, can you explain what it is in your chart that reveals you are a Bhakti Soul, with Jnana as your secondary characteristic? In my own observation, Bhakti often correlates with 4th house/Cancer types, and I see your Pluto/Saturn/Moon/Mars all there. The Jnana path could be represented with the SNode conj Mercury in 6th (interesting, as their ruler falls back in the 4th!).
Is it then appropriate to correlate houses, planets, and signs to the 7 Soul types? The Throat chakra, for example, through ruler Mercury, correlates to Karma yoga because of Mercury's rulership of Virgo, yes? So, in addition to direct observation, a chart with a heavy 6th house can reflect the Karma yoga path as a primary or secondary Soul structure...
I am so glad you mention the "secondary" thing, as I've always felt I'm more like two of the chakra types. Wolf once said that each of the 7 Soul structures have archetypes, the Amazon correlating with the Navel chakra, for instance...have you ever linked any specific archetypes to the 7 chakras?
I don't mean to overwhelm you with questions, I know you are deeply embedded in Spirit as you prepare for your transition. No need to reply if you are unable...as always, I send you all of my love, and wishes for sweet, happy days always.
Love and blessings to you,
Active Member
Posts: 55
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #13 on:
Jul 16, 2009, 03:44 PM »
Hello again, Adina and all,
My little Virgo brain (Moon/SNode conj in 6th/Virgo, & Pluto rx in 6th/Virgo!) is gnawing away at this, and now I'm confused. The Heart chakra/Bhakti is ruled by Venus. So, perhaps Adina's Bhakti nature is seen in the Taurus ascendant, the Sun and its ruler in the 7th.
This question is for anyone with any ideas, opinions, or input: which path of yoga is assigned to the Navel chakra? It is the only one of the 7 without a correlation to a Yogic path.
This question, too, is open to anyone who would like to share or opine: although on one level it makes sense to me that the Daemon archetype is one of the specific 7 Soul structures, I have known Daemon souls who correlate with one of the other chakras besides the Sacral...I've seen Daemon Soul manifested in the Heart or the Navel chakra types, for example. The underlying identity in these cases was/is the Daemon archetype, but the Souls' nature(s) or characteristics have not always reflected the Sacral chakra and its nature/characteristics, even as a secondary influence.
Maybe I'm overthinking it...I just wonder if anyone else is, too?
Love and blessings to all,
Active Member
Posts: 124
Re: Seven soul types
Reply #14 on:
Jul 16, 2009, 04:00 PM »
Hi all,
Hello to you dear adina, my hope is that you are well in your deep, deep process... big hug to you...!!
yes im with you, I have to say I am a tad confused as how to differenciate these too? My intuition says that you are insightful in terms of the daemon archetype being related to many chakras. My knowledge of chakras come from different systems, specifically hindu/tantric so if possible could anyone expand on how to see these in relationship to a EA chart reading etc? I know my reationship to chakras has a totally different take than EA......
thank you,
Last Edit: Jul 16, 2009, 05:42 PM by PamS
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