Ahoj from Prague

Around Here | June 7, 2019

Pilsen is a city in the western part of the Czech Republic; it is only around an hour and a half drive from Prague. The city became most famous for their brewery and the beer that comes attached, Pilsner Urquell. Every year more than 250 thousand visitors tour the brewery and get to experience the taste of unfiltered 12-degree Pilsner beer. Even though, learning about the brewery is very interesting, it may not be for all types of people. Pilsen is most known for their beer, but in the short time I explored the charming city, I saw it had a lot more to offer.

After we toured the brewery, we were dropped off in the central Square of the Republic. Directly in the middle of the square was a beautiful Gothic cathedral surrounded by modern golden fountains; there was also a market throughout the square. We decided to grab some street food and observe the people of this somewhat calm town. As I was eating, I spotted a large family playing with the pigeons that almost seemed to outnumber people. The smallest girl in the family seemed to be the most intrigued by the birds; she was watching the animals with such amusement, almost like she had never seen so many of them before. When the pigeons were no longer entertaining to the little girl, the family packed up their things and continued their walk through the pleasant city of Pilsen.

Noticed | June 6, 2019

I pass by what seems to be hundreds of people per day in Prague, and even though I would consider myself to be an attentive person, not everyone catches my eye. As I was walking around searching for unique people to photograph, a woman relaxing caught my eye. At first glance, she may not seem like the most interesting person around, but that was exactly why I liked her. I am not sure if she was a tourist or a local, but she stood out to me because of her fashion sense and tattoos. I have not noticed many people with tattoos and a new modern style around Prague, so I thought she was a refreshing sight. To match her millennial styling, she was scrolling through her phone and showing things to her significant other.

As she checked her notifications and replied to her texts, she leaned herself against a statue; it was amazing to me that she took the liberty to prop herself up against a structure that seemed to carry a lot of history. Where I am from, Baroque statues and Gothic buildings are not common, so I would never think to turn them into mere sets of furniture, but to her, the statue was just another place where she could prop up her feet and catch up with all her friends’ social media posts.

Small Wonder | June 5, 2019

Prague is filled with history, which have many museums to match. The Museum of Decorative Arts displays furniture, textiles and fashion, ceramics, and various glass sculptures. The building is six stories with many extensive exhibitions. Some of the exhibitions were free to enter, and the museum was not crowed by a lot of tourists. The outside of the building did not strike me as something spectacular, but as I entered the museum, my whole impression was changed. When you enter you are greeted with a grand golden staircase that leads up to a glass mosaic. The sun was shining through the mosaic, and it projected every color onto the stairs and ceiling above. The ceiling was decorated with intricate golden and bronze details. The artwork in the museum was nice to look at, but the detail of the architecture was more impressive to me.

As I visited the museum, I took notice of a staircase that had bronze statues of girls completing different tasks; The one I photographed seems to be painting a vase. To me, she also looks like she is looking down upon the people who are descending the stairs. Even though, the staircase in the Museum of Decorative Arts was not part of an exhibition it still managed to strike my interest. It was astonishing to me that even the staircase, which may not be looked upon by people very intently, was so detailed.

A Thousand Words | June 4, 2019

Prague’s Jewish Quarter is filled with historic buildings and a cemetery that honors the many Jews that were killed during World War II. There are six synagogues dispersed through the quarter and a Jewish ceremonial hall. Many of the historic buildings survived the Nazi occupation of Prague, because Hitler wanted to preserve the quarter as a “Museum of an Extinct Race”. Today, these monuments make up the Jewish Museum in Prague; visitors can explore some of the synagogues and walk past the numerous headstones that were placed on top of each other in the Old Jewish Cemetery. In the synagogues, there seem to be over hundreds of artifacts displaying the history of Jews in Prague.

In the Pinkas Synagogues’ upstairs room, there is an exhibition displaying drawings made by children who were deported to the Terezín ghetto during the Second World War. The room brought a somber feeling into the people who looked upon these drawings. The children’s’ artworks are a reminder of their tragic fate during the war. Only a few of the children at Terezín survived, because most of them were deported to Auschwitz, where they faced certain death. As, I looked at the drawings one-by-one, I spotted a woman who was surly having a moment of remembrance for the young Jews.

Architecturally Speaking | June 3, 2019

The city of Prague is scattered with buildings that originate from all time periods since the city was established. Buildings in Romanesque all the way to Late Modernism architecture coexist side by side. The most common architecture styles in the city are Gothic and Baroque; the most impressive buildings in these styles are churches, palaces, and castles that are dispersed throughout the capital. Each architecture style was designed for different purposes. For example, Gothic structures were to install fear and awe in the worshiper, because the huge buildings made one feel small compared to the power of Christ and the Church, while Baroque architecture showed the power, glory, and wealth of the Catholic Church.

I had just crossed a bridge when I spotted this area that led to the waterfront. I was met with a view of Prague’s Old Town and a palace with a green dome. The palace is of Baroque style, but it is surrounded by a Gothic bridge and a house from the Renaissance era. There were not many people sharing my view, but I came across this couple who were appreciating the unique site. We all stood there for quite a long time, and as I stood there, I noticed how important these buildings are to Prague’s history. The various styles of architecture gained my respect and grew my love for the city even more.

Not From These Parts | June 2, 2019

Throughout the year, the capital of the Czech Republic is visited by over 8 million tourists. The warmer summer months are responsible for the largest influx of visitors. As the beginning of June comes, Prague will only become more populated with people from all around the world. As I walked around downtown, I looked upon different fashion senses and heard various languages. Herds of people wander the streets to see all the sights around Prague., and the Charles Bridge is one of the popular tourist destinations.

The bridge is the connection between the Old Town and Lesser Town, and it is sandwiched between two towers standing at each end of the bridge. As you walk across the Vltava bridge, you are greeted with numerous Baroque statues that display religious figures. There were many people taking their photos next to the statues, but as was walking along, a group of young women caught my eye. The three women were having a photo shoot featuring a scarf that was flowing in the wind. The women being photographed struck almost too many poses to count, and with every pose her friends supported her. It was clear to me that the women were enjoying their visit to the world famous bridge, just like many other tourists do each year.

Weekend Miser | June 1, 2019

One man’s trash is another one’s treasure is a saying that holds true in Prague. Every weekend people can venture to the 9^th district of Prague to visit the largest flea market in the Czech Republic. The entire market is placed on a large concrete slab that extends further than the eyes can see. There are various booths that range from built huts to items being displayed from the seller’s car. Not one booth sells items exactly like another; A large variety of items like, paintings, tea sets, electronics, clothes, and tires are all for sale inside the market. The items can be odd curiosities, used goods, or even brand new, but no matter what the customers are interested in buying, they can try to bargain for a better price.

When I visited the market, I had passed by a booth with a young woman and her son selling a variety of antique objects. As I circled back around to their booth later in the afternoon, I noticed the mother had disappeared and seemingly let her son take charge for a bit. The boy seemed to find no problems with holding down the fort while his mother was gone; he acted unfazed as he continued to watch people pass him by. His familiarity to the situation shows that this gigantic marketplace is just a casual weekend activity for him.  

Location Notations | May 31, 2019

Even though the Romani people are strongly discriminated against throughout the Czech Republic, today was a day of celebration for their people. Prague is home to the largest Roma festival in the world. During the festival there are musical performances, exhibitions of Roma literature, and theater performances, which all comes to an end with a parade through the streets.

Before the parade began, the Roma gathered and talked amongst themselves. I noticed many flags being displayed at the front of the parade; the flags varied from Italian to the U.S.A. with many countries in between. The parade is filled with various groups of Romani people of all different ages. People danced through the streets with colorful dresses and loud music. When the parade came to an end, the various groups split all around Old Town Square. Every section of the square had huge circles of people that were formed to watch the Romani dance and sing. It was an amazing site to see these people displaying their culture in the heart of Prague.   Everywhere I looked, I saw people who were proud to be Romani. Without knowing a lot of details about the festival, I was easily able to understand the importance it had in the Romani peoples’ hearts.

A Thousand Words | May 30, 2019

While we were exploring the areas around Old Town Square, we came upon a man who was blowing bubbles in a plaza. Many people looked on, while many children raced around to catch the bubbles. Many people gazed at the children with a smile as they passed by. This gathering of people made me realize a sense of community in the Czech culture. Kid from multiple families played with one another; parents of different children watched along together.

The siblings in the photo caught my eye with their vibrant outfits. I first spotted the boy in yellow running across the plaza, attempting to pop the bubbles before his sister. As they played together, their family wanted to capture the special moment. The children continued to play with the bubbles, while being photographed; almost nothing seemed to distract the siblings from their mission to pop bubbles. I kept watch of the kids, and I noticed how happy they were. Everywhere I looked, I saw grins and laughs of various people. It shocked me how such a simple thing could bring so much happiness into an area. The bubbles were able to create an environment where people of all ages found joy.

Around Here | May 29, 2019

As a symbol of the Czech Republic, glass can be spotted from every corner of the deep-rooted town. Due to the material having a worldwide reputation, the Czech glass and crystals are a source of national pride. The glass makers are amongst the best in the world, and they have been polishing their craft to perfection since the middle ages. Countries from all around the world have purchased Czech glass to display in their important buildings and castles.

As I walked around the outdoor market, there was booth after booth of unique foods and objects. Each tent different from the next. As I continued to walk, I spotted the glass blower focused on creating another object to add to his display. His table was filled with wine glasses, lamps, and various animal figurines. Just like the tents scattered in the market, each glass object was unlike the next. The glass blower meticulously sculpted a small drinking glass, as I stood and observed his craft. Each move he made was precise and planned, so the glass object was sculpted exactly to his liking. After experiencing the perfection in real time, I now understand why the Czechs hold the craft with such pride. The exquisite beauty of Czech glass and crystal is time-tested and undying.