Originally published on Twitter on 24 December 2022. For those who don’t use X/Twitter: a) you’re sensible; b) I’m still knocking these posts out each day on there, but am not so good at putting them on here. However, with only two weeks left until I’ve finished Prague 1, I’m going to transfer everything over the summer, and then start with Prague 4 – simulcast on X and on this website – around the start of September. Just so you know that the website is neglected, but the source material is not!
Uruguayská was built in 1884. Celebrating Christmas today? Your gift from me is that you get to watch me trying to spin this one into a thread.
Until 1931, this was Dobrovského, after Josef Dobrovský (1753-1839), philologist and theologian credited with founding both the modern written Czech language and Slavic linguistics.
It’s been Uruguayská since, except from 1940 to 1945, when it was Hraběte Spee, AKA Maximilian Johannes Maria Hubert Reichsgraf von Spee (1861-1914), a German naval officer killed during the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
So, where to from here?
I know – I can tell you about the Czech Embassy in Uruguay!
No, wait, it’s in Buenos Aires.
OK then – I can tell you about the Uruguayan Embassy in Prague!
No, wait, it’s in Vienna.
So let me tell you about how Uruguay hosted (and won) the first World Cup in 1930, and Czechoslovakia… oh, wait, they didn’t qualify.
Grr.
Even the naming of Uruguayská in 1931 is a bit of a mystery, and it can’t have been because it was an ally in WW1. It wasn’t not one – Uruguay severed ties with Germany – but it never took an active role in the fighting.
No, hang on, wait, I’ve got something awesome.
A Czech couple, Tomáš and Ladislav, opened a cafe called che.co.fee in Montevideo in 2017: https://www.elpais.com.uy/vida-actual/dos-checos-escaparon-de-la-rutina-de-su-pais-abriendo-un-cafe-en-uruguay.
Their producto estrella is el trdelnik (don’t @ me with any ‘but is it Czech’ stuff, thanks), which is made of manteca, canela, nueces, azúcar, leche, huevos, vainilla y levadura. El medovnik gets a good write-up too.
The also host a Czech dinner once a month, as well as Spanish classes and language exchanges.
The fact that it has a 4.8 rating on Google and Instagram followers in the teen-thousands implies that is must be very good, too: https://www.instagram.com/che.co.ffee/?hl=en
So: let me reframe my Christmas present to you: I’ve given you yet more proof that many Czechs are awesome and do awesome things all over the world. Now go and enjoy your carp!
What's in a Prague street name 
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