Letter from Prague | All stories

Food is one of life's pleasures. People like talking about it, they like watching it prepared on TV and more than anything they love eating it. Some people I know read cook books the way others read a novel or detective story. And one of the most passionate TV debates I ever saw was not about the war on Iraq or the monthly salaries of Czech politicians. It was an argument between a farmer and a vegetarian.

It's been warm and sunny for a few days, with spring in full swing here in this country. Last Monday was Easter Monday but Prague seemed sleepy and uninterested. On my way to wish my mother a happy Easter, I was surprised how few people seemed to care about the holiday. No, I'm not talking about Easter fairs where you can buy all sorts of things, from traditional dyed eggs called "kraslice", to items related to Easter only in the vaguest sense of the word.

On the left bank of the River Vltava, about a kilometre away from Prague Castle, is an area called Smichov. It used to be a grimy, rather sordid neighbourhood, home to smoke-belching factories, the Staropramen brewery and the city's seediest bars. Smichov has never had much to recommend it (or at least not in my opinion), except for one, rather curious landmark. Just as the tram pulls out from the Andel station, you pass a grey, functionalist-looking building, its doors padlocked shut. At first it looks wholly unremarkable, a storeroom or an electricity

Even in the centre of Prague, among the busy traffic and swarms of people, there are patches of greenery and oases of wildlife. I like to take walks through the city and look for them, always wondering why on earth the poor animals have chosen to live in the noisy and dusty city rather than in the wild just a few kilometres away. Apart from the numerous parks, where one can see squirrels, rabbits as well as magpies, jackdaws and jays, there is another whole ecosystem - the river. Although its banks have been tamed between raised and paved embankments,

2003 marks something of a personal milestone for me - a decade since I left the country of my birth, Canada, which I love and will always consider my home, for my adopted country the Czech Republic, which I adore, especially the capital Prague, but also the forests and hills of Sumava, and the medieval city of Cesky Krumlov. Nevertheless, ten years is ten years, so it's probably not surprising lately I've caught myself thinking about what I miss most about Canada, something I was recently able to discuss with Martin Hrobsky, my fellow Canadian

Taking part in space flight simulation is not the only way to overcome gravity while remaining on earth. The other method is more accessible, a lot cheaper and involves getting wet. I'm talking here about the remarkable invention known as a floatation tank, which I recently experienced for the first time in the gorgeous spa town of Karlovy Vary.

Czechs don't smile. Ask anyone who comes to the Czech Republic for the first time what strikes them the most and that is the answer you'll get. Look around on the trams, buses, metros or on the streets of Prague and you'll think that the Czech people are not a happy nation.

Earlier this week, the Czech government survived a vote of confidence in the parliament. Its continuance was eventually confirmed by the narrowest possible margin of one vote. A drama? Well, not really, because the outcome was more or less expected. The ruling coalition demonstrated its unity and the opposition showed how tough they are with the government. Nothing but a political show, many would say.

The Czech Republic may be one of the most secular countries in Europe but when it comes to enjoying the Xmas or Easter holidays Czechs don't miss any of the fun. The Mardi Gras celebrations are another example of this. The festivities are supposed to precede a 40 day fast starting on Ash Wednesday - and although very few Czechs actually observe this religious tradition - they thoroughly enjoy the parades and dances that precede it. The Mardi Gras celebrations culminated at the beginning of this week and - tired of the gray winter months accompanied

In this week's Letter from Prague Martin Hrobsky looks at the "little differences" between the Czech Republic and his homeland Canada.