The legacy of a troubled nation in evident everywhere in the Czech Republic, from the alarming number of people walking around in ex-army camoflage gear, to eight year olds smoking on street corners, and the lightning bolts etched on the traffic lights at pedestrian crossings that make you think you could be setting off a land mine every time you push the button.

Capitalism, however, is alive and well in Prague, evidenced not least by the McDonalds directly underneath the second floor Museum of Communism. Even worse, the Prague Palace actually has the names of corporate sponsors (Banka Slava and other major companies) built into its stained glass windows.

Our tour of the palace was hosted by Ivan, a Slovakian guide who’d been lured over to Prague by the promise of lucrative tips from American tourists (none of whom tipped him today, which resulted in him miming machine-gunning all of them down as they wandered away).

He was full of stories, though, even about the old well in the palace grounds. It’s said that by tossing a 10 cent piece down the well your return to Prague is ensured, a 20 cent piece results in good luck, a 50 cent piece means you’ll be married within one year and one day, and a 1 euro coin ensures your divorce (for those who so desire it).

‘And if you throw in a 100 euro note,’ Ivan quips, ‘you’ll see something you’ve never seen before - a tour guide jumping in a well.’