Ahoj from Prague

Morning Glories | June 17, 2019

Yesterday morning I caught a photo of a girl throwing up a peace sign on the Charles Bridge. She was visibly happy and excited to be visiting the beautiful city of Prague, but that would not have been the case just 20 years later. Today, my group got to participate in a walking tour all around the city; the tour was focused around the time when the Czech Republic, formerly Czechoslovakia, was overrun by communism. Since 1948 to 1989, the political power belonged to the communist party; in reality, the power was in the hands of the Russians, because the leaders of the communists were only puppets with not much power.

There was a time in 1968 when the country was on the tipping point of becoming a free country again, but the Russians noticed their power was diminishing in the country to the west. To combat losing power, the Russians sent tanks into Prague with no real mission except to intimidate the hopeful, democratic way of thinking. People did not understand why the Russians invaded their homes, but when they protested, the Russians began to fire the tanks, causing many casualties along the way. The end of communism in Czechoslovakia came 21 years later; the Velvet Revolution was the reason the country became free; the revolution was a non-violent transition of power that had multiple demonstrations against the communist party. Over a couple days, the communist party was forced to relinquish their power and end the one-party state. The Czech Republic is a country filled with more history than many know; most tourists come to visit the pretty sights and get good photos without being aware of all the history that lay before them.

Morning Glories | June 16, 2019

The sun sets late and rises early in the Czech Republic; to catch the best lighting to illuminate the city, one must wake at an ungodly hour. Visitors will sacrifice their sleep to take photos and catch beautiful moments that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. Prague is one of the biggest destinations for engagement and wedding photos. The brides are dressed in their heels, painted with makeup, and wearing bright smiles; the couple’s photographer has multiple lenses and a reflector to use the sunrise to its fullest potential. The bride, groom, and their photography posse visit the landmarks of Prague before the bustling city comes to life.

I decided to visit the city while it was quiet and somewhat empty. At 5 o’clock in the morning, I ventured to the Charles bridge to get a glimpse of the brides celebrating their upcoming marriage. When I first arrived, there was only one couple catching the sunrise, but overtime more photographers and their subjects arrived. I was curious if other brides and grooms were visiting other parts of towns, so I made my way over to Old Town Square. In the square, there were 3 other brides getting their pictures taken in front of the Church of Our Lady before Týn. A bride in a bright blue dress caught my eye, because she resembled Cinderella to me. I watched as she got her photos taken with her soon to be husband. Their happiness, her beauty, and the unique background of Prague made the moment feel like a true fairy tale.

Location Notations | June 15, 2019

Český Krumlov is a town surrounded by rivers and hills; people walk around by crossing bridges, and the streets are made of cobble stones. Anything but walking in the town presents difficulty, especially with the number of tourists that visit the cute place. Locals use cars but too often do people come close to getting ran over. Due to this, the buses that bring in the tourists all enter a parking lot on the other side of the river; then the visitors have to walk across the bridge and through the city, with all their luggage, to reach their destination.

On the last day of my visit to Český Krumlov, we climbed up to the castle, which is placed on a hill above the rest of the city. I could see the entrance to the town we had walked just 2 days before. The spot first caught my eye because of the Jehovah Witnesses that were respectfully standing with their works; this was a personal reminder of home to me, because my mother follows the religion. The witnesses were the reason I originally took the photo, but I quickly realized how tranquil the entrance of the town was. Many people were sitting along the river taking in the phenomenal landscapes, while others headed into the heart of the town to be immersed in age-old architecture and history. My view from above allowed me to realize how much I enjoyed my visit to Krumlov.

Morning Glories | June 14, 2019

On my walk to meet the group for a tour of the famous castle in Český Krumlov, many tourists were out starting their day. The shops in town close relatively early at night, but every store I seemed to pass was open and ready for business; even the stores that sold exclusively desserts were attracting customers. I fell in love with the town for its unique architecture and beautiful landscape, but I could not help but feel that the city has turned into a tourist trap. The food I ate was higher priced then Prague; and everywhere I went, I saw selfie sticks and cameras being used in every scenario.

The man I photographed was victim to the selfie stick epidemic in town. His family were posing for photos with a view of the castle tower behind them. He did not seem very keen on getting his photo taken, but he patiently waited for the rest of his group to catch a digital memory. Each woman had numerous amounts of photos taken, all with different poses and facial expressions; the women rotated until each of them got photos they were happy with. The man did not seem too bothered that his family were taking their time taking photos. He looked upon his family with a happy expression, and he seemed to be taking in the lovely start to a good day in Český Krumlov.

Small Wonder | June 13, 2019

During the Český Krumlov city tour, we passed many schools dedicated to arts and music. Many shops we pass have original Czech artwork, ranging from glass to wood; there are many music shops around, and often, there are musicians playing in the main square. It is clear to see that the small town has a strong sense of artistry in its roots. One of the many schools here is a center of arts education with 774 students ranging from the ages of 6 to 18. The school was designed to provide the widest range of gifted children with basic education in the field of music and art, while helping them come of age at the same time. Music is the largest subject of study, and children can choose from 19 musical instruments or vocals. Chambers and individual students have unquestionable talent, and some have gone onto win national competitions for their arts.

As I walked around town, I saw many young children holding instruments or sheet music. A boy caught me by surprise when I saw him exiting the municipal library with a newly checked out book. He was reading his book as he walked down the stairs, obviously he was very eager. I first passed by him at the library and around 30 minutes later I spotted him, still reading, on a bridge; he had moved about a total of 20 feet in that entire timespan. The fact that a young boy was so invested in his book and that the city is filled with talented little prodigies makes me appreciate the little town even more.

Noticed | June 12, 2019

Český Krumlovis a town located in the South Bohemian Region; The same river that flows through Prague can be found on many sides of this peninsula-like town. The quaint town is the 2^nd most visited area in the Czech Republic, behind Prague. Many tourists come to visit the castle that is the 2^nd largest in the country, behind the King’s Castle. The castle is most definitely the key attraction in Krumlov, but there is a main square where people relax and gather. We got to take a tour around the city, led by a local, and we started our tour at the square; When we visited the square for the first time, it reminded me of Old Town Square in Prague.

I saw many visitors on tours walking through the square, but I noticed a woman sitting on the statue that was at the center of the square. She seemed to be alone, but she seemed to be content watching other people pass her by. I would not be surprised if she was one of the few locals in a town that is scattered with tourists. I sometimes wonder how it would feel to live in such a small town that has become overrun with tourists. Of course, it is flattering that people want to visit your home, but there surely is a limit to how much tourism you can handle.

Location Notations | June 11, 2019

The municipal district of Prague, Prague 5, is one of the largest districts on the west side of the Vltava river. The district is known for its administrative buildings, but it was also home to a big industrial area. Today, a lot of the industrial area was overtaken by modern businesses and shopping centers, but a large portion of the railroad tracks survived the modernization. Many passenger trains destined for places outside of the country sped by, but an older train engine seemed to be getting tested.

The engine was located near an abandoned area with many rundown cars and buildings; a few people were working in the area, even though I am not quite sure if they were related to the train testing. We found this area, because we were visiting an art exhibition that did not follow the normal rules of an art gallery. The gallery seemed to be inspired by the industrial area it was surrounded by, and it even hosted various types of entertainment, like concerts. When we were walking towards the exhibition, a single train engine was being ran on the tracks and many people were inside the cab to make sure things were going smoothly; after we toured the gallery and exited, the train was going down the tracks in the opposite way, which allowed me to get a better look at the conductor. I was expecting something different from Prague’s industrial area, but I enjoyed the little industry I saw still standing.

The Nocturnalist | June 10, 2019

For the 15^th year in a row, Prague’s’ museums opened their doors to the public free of charge. On the second Saturday of June, the galleries are open from the hours of 7 pm to 1 am; over 70 buildings were open to the public for free. Even the city transportation system ran longer to accommodate for the momentous night. The museum night attracted close to 150,000 visitors with tourists and locals alike. The most popular attraction was the newly renovated National Museum at the top end of Wenceslas Square which attracted 11,500 visitors.

When we visited the National Museum, the sun was close to being totally set. The sunset was reflecting off of the renovated building, and the golden details decorating the entryway were glistening. A long line was created to enter the building, but visitors were allowed to walk around the outside of the museum. As you climb the stairs of the museum, you catch a gorgeous site of the square and the long road that leads up to the museum. Many people looked from the stairs for a couple minutes and then moved on, but I spotted an older couple that sat through the entire sunset. They were not in line to visit the museum, they just relaxed and took in the view, while 11,500 people visited the building behind them.

Architecturally Speaking | June 9, 2019

The Vltava river is the longest river within the Czech Republic and runs through the heart of Prague. Throughout the city, people can cross the 270-mile-long river on 18 different bridges, with the most famous being the Charles Bridge. All around the body of water there are tourist attractions and enjoyable spots for locals to visit. Near the waterfront, there are multiple restaurants and parks for people to visit and catch a nice view of the river and the historic city the body of water runs through; places to sit and relax are common, but there are also various activities people can do on the Vltava.

On a sunny day we visited the river, and there were a countless number of peddle boats cruising on the water. The activity seemed catered to tourists, but the price was fairly cheap, and I could imagine that locals would like to take a ride on occasion. People rent the boat for an hour, and they can peddle around an island that is in the middle of the river. There were people of all ages participating, and ever boat we passed seemed to be enjoying their time. Some of the boats were peddling fast and trying to cover as much area as possible; other boats were relaxed and let the current of the river take them wherever it pleased. The Vltava river is a location where people can go to relax, have fun, or just catch a great view of a beautiful city.

Weekend Miser | June 8, 2019

This weekend was home to the 4th annual and biggest music festival scattered around Pragues’ streets. The festival offers over 500 performances at more than 50 locations throughout the city. The festival was born from a support for street art, hence why the music can be heard from the streets, no matter where you are in Prague. The main stage we decided to visit was located on Karlovo namesti, also known as Charles Square. The Mint Market, which is the biggest Czech independent market was concurrently happening at the square. As people shopped, they could listen to the live music that was being played by several artists.

Charles Square was a very calming location, so we decided to sit in the grass for a while and listen to the music. A band called Mala Ruckus took the stage, and people began to sing and dance along to their music. I had never heard their music before, but I enjoyed it and understood why the band had such passionate fans. As I sat in the grass, I saw a woman who was dancing by herself, unafraid of judgement; she did not seem to worry about other’s opinions, because she was so invested in the music. Live music has a special power to make people feel happy, and the Prague Music Festival is one great way to feel that happiness.