It's art, literally. Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991, Central Prague is no longer a hidden gem, but a brilliant brick of gold nestled between Eastern and Western Europe. The city's resplendent beauty and absorbing history of knights and kings, invading emperors, and war time occupation offer an allure that reaches into the deepest corners of the world and attracts millions of adventurers every year. Recently, it's nightlife has modernized feverishly and 7 story nightclubs rumble well past dawn. Herein lies the power of Prague's dichotomy; visitors come for its history and beauty, but can't resist the after party.
I was in great spirits as I set out walking down the long, winding path from the castle to the river. Fresh off my extended stay in Krakow and back on my own, I had much thinking to do. After all, this is a soul searching trip; I had better get to it. I moved at a brisk pace and kept my iPod off so I would not be distracted from my musings. I walked down the uneven cobbled roads of Mala Strana, cutting across plazas and darting through alleys, all the while drifting in and out of my thoughts. I asked myself questions like “what should I do with my life?”. I unraveled each question into a decision chain to be digested one at a time. Drummer? I have played since I was 10 and it brings me joy, but when you turn a passion into a business, you risk turning joy into work. Playing the drums are an escape for me. Working as a drummer would mean catering to other's tastes and schedules. I would be robbing myself of an outlet. Practically speaking, I am also painfully aware that I'm not good enough to make it. Lawyer? I enjoyed the study of law, but feel the work would leave my creative nature unsatisfied. Writer? On this trip I have rediscovered the satisfaction of writing, but as a career it seems daunting and I'm not sure I have the patience to master the trade. Startup founder? I'm still working on my last startup and I don't have the energy or the resources to start another. In this way I dismissed each of my “passion careers” until I had none. I could not decide, so I decided to do them all. I will continue working on Bojam, get a job in technology, start a music blog, join a band, take the bar exam and, in 6 months, see which one is working out best for me and go from there.
I reached the river bank and then crossed the Charles Bridge, a stone Gothic structure with 30 Baroque statues evenly perched throughout. The bridge is popular with Czech artists, musicians, and souvenir vendors who fill most of the free space along its walls. At dawn you can have the bridge to yourself, but I didn't make it.
I continued walking, passing several drawn horse carriages, a lone violinist underneath an archway playing a lovely rendition of Pachelbel, a young blond woman in a wedding dress posing in front of a baroque church while her photographer snapped away, until I reached Old Town Square. The square is about 100 yards in diameter and is made up of several architectural accomplishments, a plethora of restaurants, and the imposing Tyn Cathedral and St. Nicholas Church. The square bursts at the seams with tourists, an expansive oasis for travelers fatigued from Prague's narrow streets. In the center of the church is an ancient astrological clock. Built in 1410 with surgical accuracy, the clock was such a scientific masterpiece that visitors came in throngs and other countries became envious. As legend goes, builder Hanus Carolinum was blinded so he could not recreate the feat. It is said he took his life and exacted revenge by throwing himself into the clock gears, disabling the structure for 150 years.
My tourism tour complete, I ducked into a side street and walked away from the buzz. I was amazed to find that, after just a few blocks, the clatter and chaos of tourism disappeared and the streets were suddenly empty. Roads narrowed, alleys began to curve. I started to discover hidden gems, like the beautifully carved statues that so often adorn the rooftops of various buildings. The best advice I received in Prague was to look up. Another treasure is the distant view of Prague from Vysehrad.
I stayed in Prague for 5 days and met many wonderful and interesting people, some of whom I could write an entire book about. I'll tell you quickly about Pierre, a Frenchman who was staying in my hostel. He is a computer programmer who recently discovered a passion for flying. Just a hundred hours into his airborne training time, he quit is job and decided to become a pilot. At first he approached commercial prospects, but his eyesight isn't good enough and he was quickly dismissed. He then applied for a military flying position, but failed the psych test when he honestly answered that he wasn't prepared to die for his country. I suggested he try tourism.
Pierre and I went to the Drunken Monkey, an ex-patriot bar also with an interesting story. The owner moved to Prague to party and made a career out of it. After familiarizing himself with the best pubs and clubs in town, he started a pub crawl where every night for 10 Euros each he took a group of visitors to the best bars in town. He negotiated a deal with each bar and they now pay him a fee to be selected. He “partied” every night for 2 years until he saved enough to buy his own bar, where he now begins every pub crawl. It's an American bar with American additions like beer pong, big screens and American football, but it's inexpensive and serves good Bavarian beer on tap. He also has a team of American entrepreneurs who recruit customers and lead the pub crawls, an ideal position for a young person looking to have fun, meet people, and live in Prague. They happen to be hiring.
My expectations of Prague were sky high, having heard several times over that it is the favorite European destination of many travelers. I must happily admit that my expectations were satisfied; Prague is ancient and modern, beautiful and booming, and a must-see destination for any restless adventurer.
See the rest of my Prague pictures at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2599344&id=6016496&l=190cf5ba8a
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