When Kathleen mentioned that part of Mucha's Slav Epic was on display at the Municipal House I was excited that I would get a chance to see more of Mucha's work. I had no idea how epic the Slav Epic truly was. And to be placed in the Municipal House was just perfect. As I'm sure people are tired of hearing me explain, the Municipal House is the best example of Art Nouveau architecture in the world. Not coincidentally Mucha was commissioned to decorate the Lord Mayor's Hall in the Municipal House with several murals. These murals had a strong Slavic theme throughout, and so were kind of previews to the Slav Epic. I had a Mucha-themed day, and it was awesome. First I went to the Mucha Museum Gift Shop to pick up some postcards and a magnet for my Mom and sister. I know they would love his art just as much as I do, so I wanted to bring some Mucha merch back to them. I met the rest of the group outside of the Municipal House. We all shambled in exactly on time at 1:14 pm (we were meeting our tour guide at 1:15 pm). Our tour guide, Marketa, was there waiting for us outside of the ticket office. At first there was some confusion about our ticket price, we thought we each had to pay 130 czk for entrance and the tour, but apparently we only had to pay 110 czk. That's like $6, how fabulous! We also got to be inside the Municipal House, which was insanely elaborate and ornate, so even the walk to the exhibition was gorgeous. Marketa informed us that the exhibition housed 11 pieces of the Slav Epic, which is over half of the frames, so I was very excited. I knew from my own research that Mucha's Slav Epic highlighted several episodes in the history of the Slavic peoples, beginning in the 4th century and ending just after WWI (which was present day for Mucha when he completed the set in 1926). What I wasn't aware of was Mucha's ingenious twist on composition to emphasize the story of the Slavic people even when they weren't the main character in a frame. Marketa made sure to explain Mucha's artistic conventions throughout the frames to help us better understand Mucha's intentions in each piece of the story. Mucha's creations were made even more impactful through their massive size. Each one stood at least at an intimidating 15 feet tall, and at least 15 feet wide. I could've stared at each of them for half an hour and still find new things to analyze. We learned a lot about the history of the Slavic peoples, and it was interesting to see a visual history from the perspective of a Bohemian native. We all thought that the experience was really illuminating, especially with the tour guide, we thought it would have been beneficial for us to go as a class but the exhibition only started on the 19th so it wouldn't have been practical. I was able to chronicle our time there through pictures, however, so now I'm very excited to be able to share them with everyone. My personal favorite was no. 17 "The Holy Mount Athos". I love Mucha's use of color in this piece, he shrouds angels in a bright green glow, which dominates the painting. According to my research, Mucha believed that Mount Athos was an important spiritual location for the Czech people. This painting shows Russian pilgrimage to this holy site. The composition of this piece is so overwhelming and beautiful. The overall experience was just as overwhelming and beautiful, and I am extremely grateful I was able to go through it with friends and with a knowledgeable tour guide at the helm.
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A Walk Through Terezin As a teacher I have read many books with my students about the Holocaust and we have looked at many pictures. The pictures that played in my mind all these years didn’t come close to seeing the real conditions of a concentration camp right under my own two feet. We arrived at Terezn, a concentration camp that is located 30 miles outside of Prague. More than 150,00 Jews were sent here and over 33,000 died. As we got off the bus and made our way into the entrance we immediately saw a cemetery for the victims of Terezin. A Jewish star stood at the far end with a huge cross in the middle. I couldn’t help but be overcome with emotion. As we walked through the cemetery, we noticed many graves were only marked with a number. To me the numbers were very dejecting as the Jews were branded with a number in the camp, and they are still a number in the grave. I longed for each grave to have a name. As we continued walking we came to a gate with “Arbeit Macht Frei” above it. This was just like the pictures I had seen in movies and in books, but what a somber moment to be standing under it. I found myself imagining that it was me living in the concentration camp and was moved to tears. As the guide continued talking, I could hardly focus. I was now standing right in the middle of a small room filled with wooden bunks. I again couldn’t imagine myself sleeping on the hard wooden planks while starving and freezing through the night in a harsh Czech winter. The guide continued to tell us how thousands died from diseases, starvation, and other ailments. The question I kept asking myself was, if so many people died here in Terezin, why isn’t it called a death camp? I guess I will never understand the answer to that question. We kept walking and entered a showering room. As I touched the cold wooden benches, I again imagined myself entering and wondering if they were showers or “gases”. We then moved into the “barber shop”. This was a long narrow room with no windows and about 12 sinks down the side of each wall. Each sink had a scratched mirror hanging above it. Showered, shaved, and then branded….I can’t imagine the horror these defenseless people went through. Towards the end of the tour, we stood at the spot where the Nazis executed people –sometimes 15 at a time. The guide explained how they would stand the Jews up against the brick wall and fire away. This was about all I could handle. The stories that I have read over the years were coming alive right in front of me. Although our day at Terezin was very heavy, I don’t regret visiting this concentration camp. There were no selfies taken this day, but instead somber pictures that I can bring back to my students and explain to them the importance of learning from history so we don’t make the same mistakes again. By: Paul Kebker I had the opportunity to visit Terezin Concentration Camp on July 14, 2018. I’m not even sure how to describe what I had experienced that day. Was it humbling? Sobering? Devastating? Terezin Concentration Camp was a Nazi prison camp located in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia (modern-day Czech Republic). It was used to imprison, torture, and kill Jews and Czech political prisoners. I had seen the images before. The brutal depictions of the living conditions inside a Concentration Camp have been recounted in numerous photos and movies. However, be at the exact site where some of these atrocities occurred enlisted a whole new level of emotion. It left me wondering one thing. How did we (humans) let this happen? As our tour group exited the bus and started walking towards the camp, we immediately saw the large Jewish Star of David and a large Christian cross standing tall in a large field in front of the camp. Orderly rows of small monuments of the fallen victims filled the field. I had to stop to observe and think about the people who had to endure these tragedies. We then walked through the main archway and worked our way into the first courtyard. This courtyard was primarily used for check-in and administrative procedures. Painted above one of the archways was a sign that read, “Arbeit Macht Frei”, which translates to “Work sets you free” in German. I found this NAZI propaganda to be infuriating. The original quote was meant to imply that the virtues from work will lead to freedom for gamblers and thieves. It implied that all prisoners in the Concentration Camp were there because they were criminals. After walking under the “Arbeit Macht Frei” sign, we entered another courtyard. Surrounding this courtyard were small rooms for sleeping quarters. Dozens of prisoners were kept in each of the small sleeping quarter. The bunk beds were wooden planks, without cushions or bedding. The rooms contained one small window and one table. There was no source of heat to endure the long Czech winters. These were truly awful sleeping quarters. The shower conditions were also poor. Dozens of prisoners would share two shower heads. These showers were in an open bay with no privacy. The shower heads themselves looked pitiful. After visiting the sleeping and showering quarters, I was stunned at how the NAZI’s denied these prisoners basic human dignities. The tour guide then directed us to the third courtyard. Prisoners would be stoned to death in this courtyard. I also noticed the bullet holes in the walls. It came to my realization that as the tour progressed, the treatment of prisoners became worse and worse. The atrocities became more glaring around every corner. We then walked over to the Execution Area, where prisoners would be killed by firing squad. To the right of the firing squad, there were gallows where the NAZI’s would hang a dead body. They were sending a message to the other prisoners to submit and obey or learn your fate. At the end of the tour was a monument that showed people in despair. In the monument were victims that were starved and grieving victims. It was a truly powerful moment in the tour. It sent a reminder that we should never blame an entire group of people and use them as scapegoats. When you treat people collectively, rather than individually, it removes the human element which allows for atrocities like the ones on display at Terezin to occur again. Visiting Terezin made for a difficult and somber morning, but it was well worth the trip. It’s important to remember the victims and learn from the mistakes of history. Prague Riverside Parties For an authentic Czech experience through the eyes of Aussie and New Zealand expats, Prague Riverside Parties walking tour should be the top of your list. We hustled our way through the tourist crowds in Old Town to the Recovery Room making sure we got there in time for the 6:00 start. After walking past the alleyway in which the bar resides at least three times, we found our meeting place only to be greeted by, “Oh, you didn’t hear? We’re starting an hour late to watch the World Cup final.” “No, we didn’t hear. How did anyone hear?” A shrug of the shoulders, an air of indifference, “You can go downstairs and have drinks and wait.” The terrifying spiral staircase lit only by dim Christmas lights brought us to a dank, dungeonlike party cave with several rooms reminiscent of a college frat house. “Go to the bathroom in pairs and watch your drinks,” we agreed. Things were looking bleak for us. The bar has two drink options—Czech light beer from cans poured into plastic cups and sangria dipped from a large plastic jug also poured into plastic cups. We all agreed the sangria was college house party PJ, a drink typically consisting of leftover liquors and a fruity juice. With no music only the faint sound of the Aussies watching the France v. Croatia game in the den next to us, we fired up a saved Spotify playlist on a phone and waited. Like eager freshmen ready for their first frat party to begin, we were on time and self-decidedly lame. Fortunately, it was only about half an hour before other partygoers trickled in seeming somewhat as confused as ourselves. Just as we decided to get some air, the guide ushered us back downstairs for his pre-walk schpill. In essence, he said the tour wasn’t for everyone, and if easily offended by non—PC talk, this tour was not for you, and you could both leave and ask for a refund at any time. Since none of us are too easily offended (and we all wanted to try the savory pies), we were off. Like a herd of turtles, we meandered through the streets of Prague with a mobile bar (aka a cart carrying previous mentioned jug of PJ and more cans of beer) stopping first at a David Cerny piece called The Embryo and what a piece it is.
After the babies, we ate pies and made stencils to then spray paint on the John Lennon wall nearby. Fun fact! John Lennon never even visited Prague, but he has an entire wall named for his beliefs in free love and peace. In our group, we had an apple (since we're all teachers), a LOVE sign, a lightning bolt, some initials, and a panda (mine because pandas are the best no matter what my brother says). We had fulfilled all of our wants and needs on the tour after spray painting, we separated, though, the rest of the herd carried on through the streets. Even though things began terrifying with many of us willing to bail as soon as we ate savory pies, we actually had a blast on this tour. I would absolutely do it again and suggest all you dark souls do it, too! by Cori Greer-Banks If you are staying Prague longer than a week, consider taking a day trip to the southern region of Moravia and spending it in Brno, the 2nd largest city in Czech Republic. Buying a train ticket is pretty easy in Prague, and getting there is even easier. The night before, I did my research, mapped out my route, calculated my fare, and created my itinerary to Brno. The next morning, I woke, packed a few snacks for my travels, and hopped on Tram 9, which took me all the way to Hlavní nádraží (this is Czech for “Central Station”). Once there, I walked through the park affectionately known by Czech locals as “Sherwood Forest,” and entered the train station. Tickets to Brno are relatively cheap; it cost me 179 CZK for a one-way ticket there- that equates to roughly 8 US dollars. Brno is nearly three hours southwest of Prague via train, so it is best to settle in for a nice ride. I loved taking the train; the seats were comfy, the train car was sparsely populated, and it was serene sipping on my cappuccino and munching on my croissant. Looking out onto the Czech scenery was a treat in and of itself...I did not realize I was on the train for three hours! When the train reached Brno, I was bit apprehensive; there was no tour guide meeting me there, and I knew no one. Luckily, Czech Republic is a very safe country, and Brno was no exception. Brno is seeped with color and spectacle- without all of the gimmicks and tourist traps of Prague. Surrounded by locals and travelers backpacking through Europe, I exited the train station listening to Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You being played via clarinet by a lonely musician. I felt like I was being welcomed into Brno. Brno is a pretty walkable city, and if you have a good Maps app on your phone (I prefer Apple Maps when walking), then you are good to go trekking Brno by foot. My first stop, the Museum of Romani Kulture, a 22-minute walk from Brno’s central train station, is the only museum in the Czech Republic where you can go to learn about the story of the Roma and its culture. Situated in the economically and socially depressed district of Cejl, your immersion into the past and present of the Roma community cannot get any more real than this. Be prepared to spend at least two hours in there; the collection is vast and wonderfully interactive. Not a lot of attention is given to the Romani’s genocide during WWII, but the Czech Republic lost 90% of the local Roma to the Holocaust; most present-day Roma have come from neighboring countries such as Hungary and Slovakia. After an excellent visit through the museum, I walked sixteen minutes in the direction of the city’s center, where I was positive I’d find something good to eat. I was not disappointed- I had a yummy, and spicy açaí bowl from Forky’s, a hip vegan restaurant that specializes in vegan salads while playing hip hop music. I did not think I ever ate a spicy açaí bowl while listening to Frank Ocean and Kanye West, but I did...and I liked it! After a great lunch at Forky’s, I walked across the street to Aida, and scarfed down a delicious pistachio gelato sundae, which was a great finishing touch to a sublimely perfect and solo day. I tried my luck at catching a marble at Brno’s Astronomical Clock (no such luck), and walked 17 minutes back to the central train station, where I bought a $9 train ticket back to Prague. By the time I returned to my hotel room, I felt refreshed and filled with new knowledge. Brno will always have my love. by Alex Herzing
A good run can be hard to find in a new city, but with a great tour guide like David, it’s all but guaranteed. I found his tour through AirBnB experiences and booked it months prior, finding an afternoon time that worked for my schedule. As my time in Prague passed, I found myself looking forward to the tour with plenty of anticipation, and on Monday morning, David messaged me to ask if I preferred sparkling or still water and if I had any questions. He was able to give me a direct route from my hotel tram stop to our meeting point, which I was grateful for! However, Mother Nature had other plans, and around 4:00pm, an hour before we were to meet, the sky grew dark and rain began. David and I began messaging again, and to my surprise, he offered to reschedule and was able to accommodate me on a different day. I already knew I was in good hands. When the day (truly) finally came, I hopped on the tram and took easily the longest tram ride I’ve taken in Prague so far. Wow, I thought, I’m meeting him far out from the center of town. However, there he was, waiting for me right at the meeting point. We shook hands and shared our respective backgrounds and walked over to the base of the park in Letna. Using a map, he explained to me our route, and let me know that I was totally free to choose the pace. I’ll admit, I was nervous about what the pace might be given that this was a tour. I tend to run without stopping, and a tour, by nature, entails plenty of stopping. Though we did stop a fair amount, we also ran for long stretches at a great pace. David and I talked as we ran, which I enjoyed immensely. Our route began in Letna, where we stopped at the top to take pictures of the city and he explained to me the Metronome at the top of the park. From there, we ran down towards Prague Castle, and towards the city center. I was able to talk to David about the places I had visited so far and about questions I had regarding Czech culture. I wanted to know about the ways to greet people, the amount of dogs I had seen in the city, and his feelings about Vaclav Havel. We talked about how he began running and what kinds of runs he liked to do. Occasionally, we stopped for a quick break or for him to explain some sort of history of a statue or nearby building. He had brought along a water bottle for me, which was awesome and necessary, as it was quite hot outside. As we got to the city center, we ran along the river, but had to choose the far side of the street as it was such a busy time to be out, about 5:30pm. We continued upwards to the Vysehrad area, maintaining our pace as we climbed the hill. At the top, we again marveled at the view. I was amazed to see how much ground we had covered—Letna was on the other side of the city! He asked if I’d like a picture, and I said yes, regardless of how sweaty I was. We stopped for a moment into the famous Vysehrad cemetery to see the unique tombstones. On our descent from Vysehrad, David offered me the chance to get a beer. I’d never had a beer mid-run before, so of course I said yes. We stopped at a bar and David bought us both a small beer, which we drank while standing. Very, very refreshing—though probably not a great substitute for water. Towards the end of our time together, David asked if I’d like to head back to my hotel’s area or to Old Town, and I chose the former. We ran down to a bridge where he had to leave me to head to work (at 6:30pm!) and directed me back to Andel. I looked at my watch’s tracking when I returned to my hotel. We had covered almost 6 miles, but I wouldn’t have been able to tell otherwise—we’d spent our time talking and telling jokes nonstop, and I had nothing short of a great time. On top of that, I actually learned things, too! I feel lucky that I got to meet David and experience the city with a true local while pursuing an exercise routine I love. I only wish I had the time here to do it again.
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Upon visiting Prague for two weeks I quickly learned that I was in for a lot of walking. I don’t think I realized just how much 20,000 steps a day is and what it can do to one’s knees that aren’t in the best shape. After 5 days and lots of walking, we decided to try out an E-bike experience. What an experience it was. My friends and I checked into the office at I love E-bikes and were quickly greeted by the friendliest local ever-Ramon. We had a very small group for this biking experience. It was just myself, Traci, Kathleen, a sweet Korean couple, and a charming young lady from New Zealand named Rebecca. I quickly connected with Rebecca as she is a reading specialist/coach in Dubai. After giving us just a few safety tips, Ramon had one thing to say, “Do you vant a helmet?” After a little discussion, he assured us we didn’t really need one. Roman promised to keep us safe and off of our feet (using electric power to help us) as we pedaled our way through the cobblestone streets of Prague. Needless to say, it was a very bumpy ride at times. Biking through the streets of Prague isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Dodging busy trams, crowded buses, beeping cars, lots of people, and wandering dogs was a job in itself. Did I mention that there were a lot of people? As we rounded every corner with the group still intact, we would hear Roman say, “OK,Ve can go now?” I don’t think he liked having to wait on some of the slow pokes in our group which sometimes turned out to be me. The electric pedals on the bike were amazing. It was so simple to pedal our way up very steep hills with little effort. We biked a total of 12 miles and saw many interesting sites along the way. With each stop came a lot of fascinating history from our local friend. We ventured past Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, and down along the river stopping at each picturesque spot to capture our memories. As we rode around the corner to the Lennon Wall we heard many chants and cheers from the local bars and cafes where people were hanging out with their friends and watching the World Cup. Throughout the whole city we heard singing “We love France….We love France!” The atmosphere was definitely one of celebration. We eventually made our way to the Metronome and then on to the beer gardens to stop for a refreshment. The view from here was wonderful. Four hours and many laughs later, we pulled our E-bikes back onto the curb where we first started. E-bikes with a local is definitely the way to see Prague. If walking is not for you, or your knees are a little achy, then try out E-bikes! In fact, I liked it so much, I booked it again on Monday for me and my husband!
How many times in our life does expectation not live up to reality? The fancy meal isn’t quite to our taste, the new car doesn’t change our commute, a hyped movie’s jokes fall flat. To open oneself to surprise means also to open oneself to disappointment and travel creates possibilities for the extremes of both. Think of times you’ve had your expectations disappointed and exceeded- the former is almost always more likely by virtue of our varied experience- what one person describes as divine might not be to your taste. So when a friend told me, insisted that Cesky Krumlov was his favorite part of all of the Czech Republic, I was reserved. I smiled and said I looked forward to seeing it. I filed it with the list of recommendations from online. When I walked out the door at the top of the gate at Cesky Krumlov, I immediately realized he was right, I was wrong, and this place was amazing. Cesky Krumlov is a UNESCO world heritage site roughly 2.5 hours south from Prague by bus, which leave for day trips around $80 USD. An incredibly picturesque village sits beneath an equally beautiful castle complex mounted on a cliff. Whether you prefer history, shopping, culture, relaxing in a chair or in a church, Cesky Krumlov is a perfect day or weekend trip. If you enter by hiking up the hill on the right you’ll be greeted with a breathtaking view and can wander down the castle complex to get a sense of all within. Multiple tours are offered, with special add-one for the catacombs and the theater. Our guide for the castle tour, an engaging young lady with a flat delivery and wry smile, contextualized the complex within Czech history, and you’ll recognize the Charles, Maria Theresa, et ceteras being thrown around, and gives each room character. Local English language skills seem as or more advanced than those in Prague for tourism purposes. Photography is prohibited inside but the rooms are worth a visit- richly appointed, full of revealing details, and intermittently covered by bear carcasses from their BEAR MOAT. Yes, possibly the most buried lede I will ever write: this castle has a bear moat. Bear moat! Outside the castle begins the tourist-friendly section of cobblestone streets. Shops range in taste and cost but we found all to be pleasant. Of special note are the shops specializing in Czech art, where you can take home watercolors of local scenes, abstract handbags, or the ever-present marionettes. On the main thoroughfare there were some very intersting antique stores that housed a variety of objects: US car license plates to phallic bronze statues to liquor sets that mix geometry and art. I don’t know that I’d buy any to take home, but it was a delight for the eyes. We had lunch at Sjevk, which offers authentic Czech food and plentiful Pivo (beer) at reasonable prices. Czech restaurants are very finicky about credit cards: some won’t accept them and many prefer not to split checks, so having cash here will be helpful. After our tour and light shopping, many in our group wanted to take the free (donations accepted) tour starting in downtown. As we wandered, though, I felt I’d had enough history and didn’t know I needed to hear about the limited town. I mentioned to my friend Alex, “I’m not dying to do this,” and that was all he needed to hear. “Me too! Let’s skip it.” We saw a sign offering river kayaking and decided then and there to go sign up. A quick walk up the hill brought us to the clearly marked sign at the entrance to the historic village. You might want to book this ahead of time to find the best rates and plan your day, but we found the shortest tour lasting 30 minutes to an hour to be lovely. Longer tours range from 2-8 hours. Be sure to bring CZK, we paid ~300 cash each (~$15USD). A river tour gets you away from the crowds for a bit and also reveals the architectural accomplishments hidden beneath your feet. Cesky Krumlov is not one but two systems of stone jutting above the ground, upon which were built the castle and town. You see on the top right here how the foundation melts into stone. You will go over at least two “rapids,” lock systems on the left of the river, which might get the person in front splashed but not soaked. If you keep your wits about you and stay seated you’ll be fine. My friends had not canoed in years and, aside from some shrieks at the rapids, had a great time. Hold onto those T-grips! Enjoy truly incredible views of the area and you walk ~10 minutes back to town after reaching the local brewery. This river trip was one of the best parts of my excellent day and I highly recommend you incorporate it into your visit to Cesky Krumlov. The lovely village features a cathedral that is inspiring without being imposing. Beautiful architecture and artifacts are very much in balance with the community. Mass is held often and in different languages, but we had no problem stopping in for a brief respite. This is an incredible site to spend a day at, and you’ll have fun being on your feet! Before leaving, we got one last desert and Pivo at the bar right off the bridge - go around the back to the patio. Kelsie ordered a honey cake and we immediately had to order two more for the group - don’t miss it! It’s basically impossible to take a bad photo in Cesky Krumlov. This area more than lived up to my expectations, and I hope you will find time in your visit to the Czech Republic to spend a day or two here! Na zdraví! Alternative Prague gives True PerspectiveIf you’ve ever stood near the center of a city, surrounded by variations on the same tchotchkes you’ve seen 100 other places, and wondered why you bothered to come so far to see so little, the Alternative Prague tour is for you. This tour, led by the first female graffiti artist in the Czech Republic, gives a local’s view and honest take on a city that is always beautiful but whose beauty can lull a visitor into missing the hidden depths. We met at the Powder Tower, a typical stop on any walking tour 200 yards from Old Town Square and fully surrounded by tourists, but our guide Sunny quickly made clear we would not be spending any time nearby. I had previously taken a more traditional walking tour that highlighted the medieval and Renaissance history of the Powder Tower and the Art Nouveau of the Obecni Dum concert hall. Our guide, introducing herself only by her graffiti tag “Sunny,” checked everyone’s registration then quickly launched into a tirade about the area with, “feel free to look around, although you will not see anything interesting.” This was laughable but she was absolutely serious, and explained why locals call this part of Prague “Disneyland,” from an architectural critique of the Palladium shopping center to a sociological explanation of how historical buildings in Prague are architecturally protected but after the fall of communism capitalists bought their way into permissions to construct new malls discordant with their surroundings. This was a strong introduction to our tour, but I have to admit I was weary because of my own cultural background. In the United States, authenticity is currently in vogue and extremely commercialized, with every brand trying to lay claim to a history. Often brands will promote a “heritage” brand of styles drawn from their archives and with some workmanship nod to the past while maintaining cheap, outsourced labor and disregarding any problematic history (E.g. Banana Republic promoting “pick-stitching” on it’s made-in-the-third-world suits and don’t mind what banana republic stands for, it’s just a store in the mall!). Sociologist Dalton Conley argues further that “Constant motion is a balm to a culture in which the very notion of authenticity . . . has been shattered into a thousand e-mails.” So when Alternative Prague markets itself as an “authentic experience,” with “Don't be a tourist, discover Prague through the eyes of a local,” (written in English, thereby targeting tourists almost by definition) I am intrigued but aware that that verbiage is often appropriated by corporate interests. So knowing my preconceptions, I was on guard but found that on every level the tour merited the label of “authentic.” Sunny was unafraid of sharing her personal experience, and showed us a variety of street art from Space Invader to local masterpieces. She took us to the first legal graffiti wall in Prague and explained some of the formal and informal rules of Graffiti, such as how an artist should only cover another’s work if theirs is better and how the community self regulates offensive speech. She took us to a few “hipster places,” which also set off my falsified-authenticity-alarms even as some short-haired members of our group hissed “yes!” But again Sunny was as good as her word: the patrons of the bars and artist work-spaces glared at the tourist intruders. What better way to know you’re not in in a tourist space than to be ostracized for your visible tourist nature? Obviously this is not a unqualified endorsement, but any discomfort was a pleasant relief from the “service industry smile” one is inundated with in tourist areas (cf David Foster Wallace’s “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again”).
We spent most of our time in Prague 7 but the true highlight was the end of our tour. Sunny took us to Cross Club, a three story bar completely covered in repurposed auto parts in an aesthetic half Burning Man and half steampunk. Sunny bought anyone who wanted to stay and talk a beer and what followed will probably be the highlight of my trip. Six people (Sunny from Prague, a Russian, two Costa Rican men, and a black and white American) spent two hours talking about memory, authority, Confederate commemoration, and immigration. While we didn’t all agree, everyone truly felt heard on some important issues. Sunny shared an interesting perspective that, while one could certainly critique, I will quote as well as I can: “Your country, all you have in your history is slavery. So you think of everything in terms of race. Czech people, though, we are very proud: we were only European country that did not have colonies. So when we see all these old colonies of other countries doing bad, and people leaving - we have no blood on our hands. We don’t owe anybody. You know, England, France, yes America, you took all the resources from these countries, all the people from these countries, and made them work for you and speak your language, and now you are surprised when, when things get bad, the people want to come to your country, where they know the people and know the language. We see that and think: Karma!” When a friend asked to take a photo to commemorate, Sunny demurred, saying, “I try to stay undercover for two reasons: when people know what you look like, they judge you by your looks instead of your art. People look at me and see a short, fat girl but my art has brought me all over the world. And, some of my advocacy isn’t exactly legal, so staying under the radar is helpful.” At that conversation, national boundaries melted away in a truly authentic, memorable, “alternative” way. This tour is ~$25 and runs 4 days a week. Bring walking shoes, cash for any shopping or the bar afterwards, and get ready to have fun! |