It’s July – Enough Said

I was in Prague about a decade ago in November. I had really fond memories and was very excited to return. Like many things in life, timing is everything. We knew the first two months in Europe would be tricky because of summer holidays but up until this point we hadn’t been anywhere as busy as Prague. It is undeniably beautiful here, but the crowds were just too much at this time of year. I felt like I was taking part in the running of the bulls. In the main area the streets were jam packed and we were thankful that we had chosen an Airbnb a solid 20 minute walk from the madness.

That said, there were a lot of things I was excited to check out so I made myself a little Google Maps walking tour and asked Andre if he wanted to join. He hates crowds and sight-seeing far more than me, but he agreed to come along.

My Walking Tour

David Černy’s work was at the top of my list. I had read about some of his pieces and wanted to find ones that were within walking distance. I also wanted to check out The Dancing House, the Lennon Wall, John Lennon Pub, and Prague Castle. David Černy’s pieces were fantastic. They were definitely the highlight for me.

The Head of Franz Kafka (The Metamorphosis)

Located in a courtyard in front of the Quadrio shopping center near Národní třída. Weighing 39 tons, the Metamorphosis reaches 11 meters or 36 feet in height. The movement is provided by 42 synchronous motors. The soul of the sculpture is a unique code, which includes 15 programs, which make up the final choreography of the movement of the face.

 

Urinating figures

One of his brilliant yet controversial creations is installed at the Herget Brick Works in Prague’s Lesser Quarter. The two bronze urinating figures, each 210 centimeters high, pee into an enclosure the shape of the Czech Republic while turning their upper torsos and raising their penises. The stream of water writes quotes from legendary Prague residents. If the viewer sends a text to the number shown next to the sculptural grouping, the figures will write the message.

Unexpected Treats

I love Prague for it’s quirky art scattered throughout the city. As we wandered around we were lucky to happen upon some other interesting art installations that you could easily miss. I was paying close attention though because I recalled seeing unusual pieces during my first trip in 2008, which included the lovely lady below.

Always look up.

I have posted more photos in the Prague Gallery, so check them out.

Karlín

We stayed in an area called Karlín and it was really enjoyable. It was a very local experience with shops close by and a ton of restaurants to choose from. Our first night we wanted to grab some authentic Czech cuisine. We looked at some menus online and decided on a place called Lokál. We arrived and Andre immediately started to laugh. For reference, if you know the bar in the Old Strathcona Hotel, that’s what we were looking at. Andre was certain the only thing being served aside from booze was hard boiled pickled eggs. But it was packed. I was determined to eat here and Andre was willing to entertain me. Much to his surprise, the food was great, and we ended up sharing a table with a family from Switzerland that we had a great visit with. He was French, She was from Kosovo and they were there with their son for 4 nights as well.

It was a beautiful night and we took our time strolling home through a park where there were still so many people hanging put despite the hour. It was dark but instead of everyone being inside bars and pubs, many people order their drinks and then wander around to find a nice spot to relax. There seems to be no open container laws. It’s been that way since we’ve been in Germany. I’m not sure how much glassware establishments go through. I assume people are good at returning their empties…

Groceries

Albert has been our go to for groceries. If you look up grocery stores on Google Maps you don’t know what you’re potentially walking into. Some are just little corner stores but they still call them grocery stores. If you want a big selection of food you need to look up hypermarkets. We always go grocery shopping when we arrive because we usually prefer to make our own breakfast. We love Airbnb because it’s provided us with the opportunity to make our own meals when we want.

31 days in…

Next stop is Brno.