Europhile: C'est ma vie!

The Story of the Hanging Coffee

There is this cafe in Prague, called "U Zavesenyho Kafe", or, "The Hanging Coffee". It is a small place, tucked into the hill, atop of which sits Prague Castle. It's a touristy street in a touristy city, but at 11 in the morning, it is mostly empty, with a few Czechs in for an early lunch, and blues playing in the background. The food is good, and the beer is cheap, although this morning I will have only coffee. There are several rooms, all tiny, and in the evenings, packed to the brim. Typically, you have to sit at a table filled with strangers. But it's okay, because the food is good, the beer is cheap, and you're in what it quite possibly the most beautiful city in Europe. I am sitting in the garden, and I've learned that I no longer need to ask, when I walk in, "Muzu sedet na zahrady?" because that's how it works here. You just walk in and sit down and they come by to take your order or bring you a beer if they know you well enough. At least, so I suspect. But on to the story.

"Do you know what 'hanging coffee' is?" the menu asks. "You don't? Well ..." You see, a guy comes to a cafe, and drinks a cup of coffee, and he says "I pay for two cups - the one I just had and another one I leave hanging here." Another guy, who is broke, comes in and asks "Would you by any chance have a hanging coffee here?" And if there is one, he drinks it and goes home. And if he is later able to afford it, he comes back and pays for another hanging coffee.

But as we all know, everything changes over time. Now, instead of a hanging coffee, it seems to be a hanging wireless internet hotspot. Not bad. :)

posted by europhile @ 04:22