The first thing that impressed me about Prague was a launderette. Having just arrived in the Czech capital from a couple of weeks travelling across Europe I desperately needed to get some washing done.
I was not looking forward to watching my Y-fronts spinning round in what I expected to be a grey ex-eastern block laundrette.
But what I found seemed more like a cafe. People sat at coffee tables sipping hot drinks, eating snacks and reading periodicals. The smiling counter assistant sold me some washing powder, a donut and an English language newspaper. There was even a play area for children.
This was one of many imaginatively run small enterprises operating in Prague, I discovered. In addition to adding extra colour to an already resplendent city, they also demonstrate how the creative flair of its inhabitants is finally expressing itself following decades of oppression.
I had my second encounter with the spirit of Bohemian free enterprise the following morning at the Pink Floyd Cafe. It is a shrine to one of the world's longest-serving rock bands, and plays nothing but their music from 7am to midnight.
On my first day in Prague, I went to the heart of Prague's old town, where many of the city's historical attractions are located, including Wenceslas Square, where it is said the Good King Wenceslas, of the popular Christmas carol, looked out on the Feast of Steven.