Sometimes you’re better off not knowing.
I just found out the origin of the term ‘Bohemian’, as it applies to lifestyle. Wikipedia (the indisputable fount of all knowledge) tells me that it’s based on the French word for Gypsy, as the French purportedly used to think that Gypsies came from Bohemia.
All this time I’d imagined Prague at the center of an area with some great history of artistic self-expression. But no. Just a buncha confused medieval French people.
I guess I’ll have to focus my Czech-loving attentions on neighboring Moravia, which does seem to be pretty fascinating, at least the Moravian church and those killer cookies.
Now, I’m sure that Prague is still a fantastic place despite it all and I hope to visit soon. I don’t want to raise the ire of the Czechs.
UPDATE: Nor the gypsies. I’m all over Flamenco.