On Returning

On my return trip from this travel-extravaganza, I got to thinking about what I was returning with. Not having bought any trinkets or souvenirs (I find most of those to be rather artificial honestly), how would I remember this trip? I knew I would record it in this blog and have my pictures, but would there be any lasting changes in me? 

It wasn't like I went on a midlife crises/eat-pray-love journey...I just went to see things, to learn, and to understand everything I'd studied. I went find art, not "find myself" (...I'm pretty happy with myself to be honest and don't think there is much left to find! except a job.) 

Anyway, I came up with three things I think I learned from this little journey of mine...

1. Just because you travel somewhere, it doesn't mean you're automatically a different person and all of your worries just go away. Despite being in a different location, you're still the same person with the same insecurities, the same confidences, the same hang nail you left London with, the same attitude, same smile, and the same approach to life. Changes happen consciously and gradually, for me anyway. Don't expect travel to profoundly 'change' you.

2. Traveling only makes me want to travel more. Just like learning only makes me want to learn more. And reading only makes me want to read more.

3. You don't have to go very far to be in a "travel" state of mind. In the book I mentioned before, The Art of Travel, the last chapter talks about a man who wrote a book called Travels in My Bedroom. He applied a travel mentality, that is a curious, inquisitive, and positive outlook to walking around his bedroom and actually came up with enough material to write a book. I thought about this when I came back to my London neighborhood (which I had completely taken for granted this whole year) and I saw it in a new light. It was more charming than I had given it credit for and by opening up my eyes a bit, I found a new favorite coffee spot that I cannot believe I haven't been in before! I feel like I am now capable of applying this travel mentality, which I know makes me more positive and receptive to new experiences, to things in life that don't necessarily involve flying across the world. 

After writing all of this down in the little notebook at a bar in the Prague airport (I had to use up all of those Czech crowns! why not on beer), I boarded the plane and headed back to Londontown, refreshed and with, I hope, is a little more perspective.

Charles Bridge, Jewish Quarter, & Cafe Louvre

Here are some of the things I noted my last day in Prague - first, a breakdown of the bridge I had been walking over all week - Charles Bridge. 

This is the bridge entrance on the Mala Strana side (Mala Strana means roughly "lesser quarter"...a very historic area of prague)

 and here are a few of the 30 sculptures that line the sides of this bridge. 

One in particular, the statue of St. John of Nepomuk, is actually really interesting.

Allegedly, St. John of Nepomunk was the confessor to the Queen of Bohemia. The King of Bohemia, King Wenceslas IV, was suspicious that his wife was cheating on him with a secret lover. Assuming that she would have confessed this sin to the priest, he demanded that St. John tell him what his wife had confessed. St. John refused to betray the sanctity of confession, so the king had his cronies throw St. John over St. Charles Bridge...here is a painting of the act.

 

At the base of the statue, there are two brass panels that visitors to Prague touch for good luck and to return to Prague...the shine is from all the hands that have touched the panels (I touched them too!!)

From here, I walked up into the hills near the castle for a view of the city.

There was a church and monastery up here - really interesting to see.

and the view was unbeatable! 

Next...off to the Jewish Quarter. 

Hello Franz Kafka!

One of my favorite writers...and if you haven't read any of him, start now! 

This monument to Kafka was right around the corner from the Old Jewish Cemetery. 

Pretty crazy. 

This is Wenceslas Square, a "downtown" of sorts with shops/restaurants/etc and around the corner from Old Town Square. Right on the side of the square is Grand Hotel Europa, the place where Kafka held his first public reading! He read The Judgement. 

 While we're on Kafka, I also made a point to go get a coffee at Cafe Louvre. Established in 1902, Cafe Louvre was a haven for pre-war writers, intellectuals, and scholars...it was a "temple of caffeine, creativity, and conversation" according to this BBC article on Prague coffee houses and boasts among its guests Karel Capek, Franz Kafka, and even Albert Einstein, who would come here while he had a professorship in Prague. 

^literally the best blueberry pie and espresso I think I've ever had. 

Finally, I stumbled across this nteresting monument near Wenceslas Square...its King Wenceslas himself on an upside down horse. The work is by David Černý, a contemporary artist who makes headlines for his provocative sculptures. Read about him here or here if you're interested! 

 and that just about wraps up Prague! Wonderful city - albeit with a strange and creepy side - but so much history (it was one of the only major European cities to escape WWII bombings) and I would go back in a heartbeat. 

Outdoor Art in Prague

There is a TON of outdoor art around Prague - walking around the city is like being in one giant gallery. 

(side note - the NY Times actually did a story called "Europe in Nine Walks" and one of the nine spots they chose is around Prague - Prague's public art walk is listed as #6, read about it here!)

We'll start with the John Lennon Wall.

In the 1980s, graffiti began to sprout up along this wall commemorating Lennon's death (Dec. 8, 1980). Eventually, the young Czechs began writing grievances against the Communist government on the wall alongside the Lennon-inspired illustrations. 

Annoyed by this, authorities continually painted over the wall, but every night, more graffiti would appear the next morning. This led to a clash between authorities and Czech youths, ironically called "Lennonists." ...the conflict was literally Lennonists vs. Leninists. Ha!

The wall represents free expression. It is a vestige of the not-so-long-ago time when Eastern Europe was ruled by a Communist government...and reminds me how present the Velvet Revolution must be in the minds of Czech citizens over the age of 25. 

Here are a few pictures...

and then there is the outdoor sculpture. Part creepy, part artsy, part really awesome in most cases. Don't let me influence you though, decide for yourself what you think of Czech contemporary art...

Here was some awesome architecture...love this building.

and these guys were so cute! This was at a mini Easter market by the John Lennon wall. They were amazing dancers. 

Loved this - is this considered built-in security?

and finally, Prague by night.