Prague emails
1/25/08
Dobry den!
Prague is like sleeping a butterfly, only showing her true radiance once you have weathered the long wait while she stirred in her cocoon and you thought you would never understand the difference between Stary Mesto and Nove Mesto. Then, one miraculous moment, you look up and Prague sparkles like a laughing star, glowing in the pride of what she has achieved. I think it is the spirits of this town that guard it so well from passerby who would presume to spend less than a week running from one end of Mala Strana to the other, grasping at overpriced bohemian crystal and caricatures of themselves on Charles Bridge. Like the Czech people themselves, Prague seems to take the view that you must first prove your worthiness in her eyes before you can hear the sound of the bells in the night, echoing across the Vltava from one bell tower to the other. You can see these spirits that guard the city all around you, from the gargoyles that grimace off dripping ledges, to Angels serenely staring down at you from the column of a building, to the various other faces hidden in the intricate
facades of these Baroque and Renaissance buildings. It is an odd experience to walk down a quiet alleyway with the feeling you are being watched, only to look up into the face of some ancient stone face looking down at you.
While a clear day along the water in Prague has proven spectacular, my favorite way to experience the city is at night. Yes, I have sampled the hypnotizing nightclubs, but the streets in Old Town and Mala Strana (the Castle district) is where the real magic is. Prague castle is lit with floodlights that make it look like it is floating over the city. Charles Bridge is practically deserted, a welcome relief after the crowds that throng there all day. The squares are so clean and empty they look like prepared movie sets and laughter rises from the many underground pubs where bartenders and waitresses greet you with a brusqueness that makes you wonder if they have been reincarnated from the middle ages. My favorite times here have been just strolling the streets with an internal compass, not caring where exactly I was going and always pleasantly surprised by the little scenes I stumble upon. An old man playing
an intricate drum/tambourine like instrument and singing about the good old days, couples kissing between cigarettes, seagulls floating in gusts of wind like oversized snowflakes. There are infinite unknown art galleries that offer both the breathtaking and the strange. Right now there are fabulous Dali, Mucha (the grandfather of Art Nuevo) and Jan Saudek exhibits. Later this week we are going to the Opera and National Theater and our tickets were less than seeing a film in LA. I can’t wait to hear some classical music after all the recycled American pop that pumps out of all the clubs.
This last Saturday I ventured outside of Prague for the first time to the town of Kutna Hora, which gained notoriety for its silver mines and was once the main sight of coin minting for Europe. We visited a grand Gothic Cathedral and the Italian court, but the main highlight was Kostnice, also known as the Bone Church. Here the black plague was turned into art, as they took bones from mass graves to decorate the church in elaborate skeletal sculptures. There is a chandelier that includes every bone from the human body and cherubs hold skulls in their fat little
fingers. It is a very surreal place, but beautiful in all it eeriness. The cemetery at Kostice is also famous because some noble sprinkled soil from the holy land there and many nobles are buried there. Despite it previous fame, the town is now a sleepy little village with less than 30,000 people and I found it a relief to get a taste of rural life after the bustle of Prague.
Everything I have discovered thus far has been steeped in incredible history and charm and I encourage you all to put Prague and the Czech Republic on your next travel itinerary. It is not as easily accessible as Paris or London, but this artistic Mecca established by the likes of Charles IV and Good King Wenceslas is a treasure trove of discoveries and enlightenments. If nothing else, the pivo (beer) is first class.
Hope to see you all very soon… Na schladanou for now!
Much love,
Katie
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