Czech-style camaraderie.

My Italian true love had a good idea today. Let’s go to New Prague, she suggested. Of course, that wasn’t like going to Old Prague. But hey, I had no complaints. New Prague is 75 miles. From where we live. In Minnesota. A town of some 7,500 inhabitants. And I’m going to write about the experience. Over the next several days. Another sign. That when traveling, it’s best to get off the beaten track. Away from freeways. Into small towns. Away from big cities.  That’s New Prague. A quiet, leisurely place. Where I got a Czech breakfast. At 2 in the afternoon. With Czech sausage. Fried dumplings. An apple kolacky. My true love and her friend Giovanna went shopping. Along Main Street. Meanwhile, I improvised. By wandering into Bob Hanek’s tiny one-chair barbershop. For an overdue haircut.  Bob is of Czech heritage. But he’s been established in the New Prague area for all of his 74 years. And he’s celebrating his 54th year as a barber. Anyway, think of it. I’d never have met Bob. Without my Italian true love’s sudden yen for us to visit New Prague. I left with a classy haircut and with a feeling of Czech-style camaraderie. Right here in America’s heartland. –Jim Broede