June 2010

Although summer is about to start soon, the weather is only slowly becoming warmer after the long winter and rainy days. At any rate, it is high time we drew ourselves into shape and made a spring cleanup. No need to spend hours in the gym or stop eating: little is required for a good shape. Take the bicycle, for example. I have always wondered why Czechs, being a sporty people, use it so little. After all, cycling is the ideal form of natural exercise in clean air. Whenever I venture outside Prague, I am pleased to see families on bikes, setting out to do some nature spotting. Nevertheless, it is a fact that conditions on the roads are not ideal for family outings at the moment, and neither is Prague traffic. I have always been irritated by the arrogance of drivers who act as if the whole road was theirs to take. Cycling in Prague is thus sometimes suicidal. Not only do you have to dismount frequently to take your bike up some stairs, but passing drivers remind you of their superiority all the time, hooting their horns and driving hazardously. That would put off everyone, even the greatest enthusiasts.

Each of us can work on their shape, but the circumstances need be on our side. So I hope that building cycle paths and cycle lanes will be one of the priorities of the capital’s development. It is high time Prague caught up with the modern ecological cities of Western Europe. After all, getting on a bike in the morning and stretching those muscles while pedalling to work is the ideal way to achieve a satisfactory shape and good mood. You can read more about exercise and healthy diet in the articles on the healthy lifestyle that ESTATE magazine June issue brings you.

Have a pleasant reading!