Czech Republic

Country Information:

Czech Republic, which gained independence in 1993. The capital is Prague and the official language is Czech. About 10.5 million people live here. The country used to be primarily Christian but since the mid-20th century religion has declined steadily in popularity; today, the Czech Republic is one of the least religious nations in the world.

Jim’s Perspectives:

Went to the Czech Republic with my father in 1997 on a GATE 1 tour, and also with my MBA program at the University of Tennessee. Toured Prague, the Royal Castle at Hradcany, the Charles Bridge, and the Jewish section.

The Czech Republic is incredibly beautiful because it is surrounded by mountains on all sides. It has over 2,000 castles, castle ruins, and fortified towers, called keeps. One of the highlights of visiting the Czech Republic is enjoying one of its many spas where travelers can relax and enjoy.

A fun fact is that it is the number one beer-drinking country in the world, with pilsner-style beers being the most popular.

A view of Prague looking toward the river

Vatican City

At the Vatican with the family, 2017. Jim's Perspectives: Traveling with the family has been the biggest highlight! After 100s of solo journeys around the world it was fun to play tour guide in Germany, Switzerland and Italy and Vatican City. Took sightseeing tours of...

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Hospitality Coin #15 – Owadan Tourism, Turkmenistan

Jabbar Ustad lives in Ashgabat with his wife and two sons and is working as a tour guide for Owadan Tourism in Turkmenistan.He was born in a refugee family in Shibirghan, Afghanistan in 1959.His family was a victim of Stalin's Collectivisation Program of the Soviet...