Prague Changes (and Also Doesn't)

As this year's visit to the Czech Republic draws to a close, I ponder some of what I've noticed this summer. I've spent a lot of time here over the years, including living in Prague for close to two years in 2005-2007. And while, naturally, much remains unknown or unfamiliar to me, I notice some of what has changed in just the last few years.
Some of these things are normal changes or trivial; others may be less so. But here are some things I see, for better or for worse. I list them in no particular order.
The construction at Prague's Národní třída metro station is apparently over and a mall stands atop it next to the Tesco department store. The restoration/renovation of the design museum (UPM) is also finally complete and the painted walls and ceilings are impressive! Work on the National Museum continues, however.
Tourists of South Asian origin have discovered Prague. I don't know how many are actually from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh and how many are from the UK, but in years past one did not see many of them. Since the reviled Roma population also has a South Asian origin (albeit of centuries ago), I do wonder whether South Asian tourists in Western-style dress are ever mistaken for Roma. That wouldn't be very pleasant.
Speaking of the Roma, I have not noticed many of them this year, apart from the inhabitants of a building near the flat I'm renting. I wonder whether Prague has become too expensive for this generally under-employed group.
And yes, Prague becomes increasingly expensive! While the price of books seems fairly stable, the price of restaurant meals is far higher--double or more what it was not that many years ago--and not just in Prague. In the past, you could expect meals in other cities to be much cheaper, just as restaurants outside the tourist districts of Prague were cheaper than those frequented by tourists. Plus there's a change to service not being included in many establishments' bills. Consequently, I haven't been going to restaurants much! The bistro at the library serves decent lunches at an economical price and otherwise I eat yogurt or salads back at the flat.
More problematic for residents than the price of restaurant meals, of course, is the cost of housing. Residents tell me that real estate has gone way up. People are leaving Prague to commute in to work from towns elsewhere. I'm told by more than one person that the Russians are in large part to blame--that as in London, Russians buy city properties and then don't occupy them to any real extent, leaving areas empty and unavailable to people who actually need housing here. Of course, some Russians have settled here permanently just like expatriates from other countries, but I don't think people are blaming those who are making a life here. Presumably the people to blame are those infamous Russian money-launderers.
The English language is everywhere. Not that every Czech now speaks English, but many more do than ever before, and English-language signage is ubiquitous. While that's helpful to many of the tourists, it's also a little peculiar and perhaps just trendy. But one also now finds more English-speakers--whether tourists or expats--all over the city. I feel rather mixed about this. It's nice that visitors may be seeing more of the city than just the major sights, but...
There's also the... shall we call it Disneylandification? of parts of the city. I don't refer to actual Disney characters here, but the way areas begin to resemble an amusement park for tourists. Sure, even ten years ago there were barkers on Celetna calling on pedestrians to stop for Thai massage, but the number of mimes and buskers has become perhaps excessive (although at least they have certain skills--still, if you've seen one guy painted silver appearing to sit on thin air, you've seen them all). This year tourists have also been thrilled to encounter a ten-foot-tall dancing polar bear infesting Old Town Square. I'm serious. Someone (or two or three someones?) actually thinks it's a good idea to don a heavy and gigantic polar-bear costume in hot weather and dance around on the hot pavement, in a city that has no particular connection to the Arctic, and swarms of tourists squeal with excitement and can't wait to be photographed next to the bear. Okay, I guess it's better than bringing back the medieval amusement of baiting genuine bears, but otherwise is this not better suited to an amusement park than to a historic square in a national capital? However, it appears that Old Town Square is now Prague's own free amusement park where the statue of religious reformer Jan Hus is merely the backdrop to benches for the weary watching the giant bear lurch about across the square.
There are other changes to note, but it's always better to pause when my curmudgeonly side comes to the fore.