STEAMPUNK FASHION: DRACULA CLOTHING & ABSINTHE ICE CREAM, PRAGUE. BEST CZECH REPUBLIC GOTH CLUBS, BARS & PARTIES.
When you’re in one of the spookiest cities in the world — Prague — you’ve got to check out the underground Goth culture. And boy, was it ever hardcore.
On Day 2, we descended into the lair of Dracula Clothing, purveyors of dark, Victorian and Steampunk couture. The owners, Truls and Ida, are from Norway but established their showroom in Prague.
We played dress-up. I fell in love the waist-cinching octopus corset. Dracula Clothing generously gave it to me, along with an octopus ring and kitty t-shirt!
What better place to wear a vampire cape than in Prague?
Designer vampire cape: Black Peace Now, from Closet Child Tokyo
Purple dress: Algonquins, from Tokyo
Bonnet: Alice and the Pirates, from Laforet Tokyo
Sara, the always-smiling social media manager at Go With Oh, joined us on our Prague travels. She tried on a top hat with goggles, and got promptly bitten.
Kat of Rock n Roll Bride wears…
Dress: Pepperberry
Florence rose bandeau: Crown & Glory
Boots: Superdry
Look what we found… Absinthe museum and ice cream!
How fitting: it’s located on Franz Kafka Square.
It’s not just the licorice-y taste of absinthe that draws me. I’m fascinated by the Belle Epoque / fin de siècle artist culture that surrounds the drink. No wonder it’s favored by Goths worldwide.
I’ve tried homemade absinthe jelly before, but never ice cream. A real treat; strongly flavored. Kat ordered the absinthe mojito and it’s her new favorite drink.
A wall of absinthe — I’ve never seen so many varieties. Upstairs, there was hallucinogenic art on display.
That evening, we cabbed to the obscure MayDay Club for a Goth event. It was a truly underground experience: no tourist would ever wind up here. Dracula Clothing and other stores sold accessories, surrounded by stone walls painted with flaming, bloody skulls.
Goth fashion and culture caught on relatively recently in Prague. The scene has a 1990s feel (long metal hair, fishnet armbands) as if it’s still getting its legs.
However, the Czechs are rocking it. The crowd headbanged to this progressive metal band, made up of surprisingly talented musicians. (There will be video footage for you to see and hear.)
Legal age? What’s that? At this Goth club, quite a few guests were on the young side…
Remarkable that no matter where you go, and how far underground you wander, you’ll find young people who love Japan.
I still can’t believe I had the chance to experience Prague’s burgeoning Goth scene for myself. Thank you Go With Oh! I hope you’ll keep their apartment rentals in mind if you’re traveling to Europe. Prices are great, and it’s a welcome change from a hotel.
What were your thoughts as you read this post? Would you try absinthe ice cream? Enter a raw, rough-and-tumble Czech Goth club like this?
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GO WITH OH PRAGUE: GOTH TRAVELS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC WITH ROCK N ROLL BRIDE. CHARLES BRIDGE, VAMPIRE ARCHITECTURE.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to visit Prague. And now… it’s happened.
Apartment rental company Go With Oh sent me to the Czech Republic with Rock n Roll Bride — aka pink-haired wedding blogger Kat Williams! We explored the spooky side of the city together, wearing t-shirts with the winning design (see all entries here.)
La Carmina wears…
Skirt: Algonquins, from Tokyo Japan
Bow headband: gifted by And Devour
Black flower clip: provided by Angelica Brigade
Blue shoes: John Fluevog
Kat wears…
Floral-print skirt: Nanette Lepore
Handbag and ballet flats: Vivienne Westwood
Giant hair bow: Crown & Glory
Bangles: from a selection at Henri Bendel NYC
I love to stay in short-term apartment rentals — they let you experience the destination as if you lived there. Oh Prague has over 300 apartments in various parts of the city. They put us in this spacious one: two bathrooms, giant bedroom, kitchen and our very own balcony.
The location was ideal: a 10 minute walk to Charles Bridge, which leads to Old Town. I was floored by the art deco architecture in the hallways.
Photographer Arno captured us as we frolicked around Prague.
My Japanese nail art is by Glam Nail Studio, and the cat ring is from Listen Flavor Harajuku. Kat wears a pink skull ring from Trash and Vaudeville NYC.
Feed me, at Olympia Cafe. We made a toast with slivovice, a Czech plum brandy that’s drunk for longevity.
We continued our walk to Old Town, the district that dates back to Medieval times.
What’s going on here? I have no idea.
Charles Bridge, finished in the 15th century and spanning the Vltava river.
Asian tourists insisted on taking photos with us.
I felt at home amidst the vampiric architecture. Dark, menacing spires and arches.
Couldn’t stop taking photos of the facades. (You can see them on my Instagram, username lacarmina.)
I was surprised to see intriguing modern art among the centuries-old buildings.
Beneath the ultra-Gothic Týn Church, established in the 14th century.
Old Town is a tourist area, so it’s best to avoid eating and drinking here. However, we were immensely satisfied with upscale vegetarian restaurant Maitrea. Prices in the Czech Republic are low, so we spent our crowns on Czech rose wine.
We tried absinthe in an Old Town tourist cafe, and it tasted like mouthwash. A better idea: visit Absinthe Time, a bar that specializes in the green fairy.
Most countries don’t permit absinthe with more than a 35mg/L concentration of thujones (the chemical compound that supposedly causes hallucinations). However, we tasted King of Spirits, containing 100 mg/L! Too bad, no fairies appeared…
We also tried absinthe made from beetles fed on wormwood. You could see these critters in the bottle.
Huge hugs to Go With Oh for this chance of a lifetime to visit Prague with Kat. More photos and video to come of our three-day, absinthe-filled journey.
Have you ever been to Prague? What was your trip like? Which world cities would you most like to visit, and why?
PS: I’m currently on a press trip in Maui, Hawaii! Follow my flower-crown adventures on @lacarmina Twitter.
LA CARMINA
