After spending a few heady days enjoying gothic erections, goulash and bug-eyed staring at the locals, I have come to the conclusion that it is necessary for post-communist states to speed through the capitalist years they’ve missed out upon.

In the 14 years since the communist government fell and Havel came to power, they seem to have motored through near on 40 years of capitalist excess and are now firmly rooted in the 1980s. Aside from the ultra-hip modern Europhile teens, most of the population seems to be "digging" faded stripey shirts, on-the-side ponytails and grey or brown polyester C&A slacks. Our taxi driver, on the return to airport, was the epitome of eighties style: from his Kajagoogoo haircut to the Def Leppard on the stereo. You could tell he wanted to be in Marty McFly’s DeLorean instead of the sweet black Mercedes fleet car he was driving. He also insisted on driving between 120-140km per hour through the built-up suburbs but thankfully all the kids were inside watching the Ghostbusters cartoon instead of playing in the streets. Possibly because he knocked the legs off them last time he was passing.