The Nocturnalist // June 17, 2019

By far one of the most convenient parts of Prague has been public transportation. While we do have some public transportation in Austin, it is often crowded and hardly ever on time. It is a far cry from the convenience of the Prague system. Between the busses, subways, and trams, it is so simple to get around the city. Honestly, without the public transportation system, I either would never go anywhere or be spending far too much money to take Ubers everywhere. I would love to have a wonderful public transportation system such as this in Austin. One of my favorite parts of public transportation, other than the convenience, is the people watching. It seems as if almost everyone in the city uses public transportation, so you can see all sorts of people. I always find myself wondering about everyone’s lives. Where could everyone possibly be going, and why? Lauren and I enjoy guessing at what people’s lives are like once they leave the tram. By overhearing conversations and just using other context clues, we try to piece together some minuscule, specific part of this stranger’s life, a moment in time that will likely be forgotten in the coming weeks.

Weekend Miser // June 16, 2019

As Chole, Casey, and I were trying to get to the Letna beer garden yesterday, we got a little sidetracked. Off in the distance, we heard loud music and cheers and decided to follow. After quite a bit of walking, we came upon what appeared to be an event promoting the bus company, Regabus. It was the company’s 25th birthday, and they celebrated by having a party in front of Generali Arena. According to their Facebook, there were a wide variety of bands that played there, but we only stayed long enough to see two different performers. The venue was littered with people wearing bright red Regabus shirts encouraging people to eat and dance along to the Czech music. A dance competition got started in order to fill the dead space between performing artists, and this older woman was the life of the party. She and her husband danced together for a long time, seemingly never getting tired. She would periodically rush into the crowd and drag onlookers in to dance with her, eventually creating a sizeable group around her. The joy that we saw there was totally unexpected considering that this was a promotional event for a bus company. Seeing that woman’s eyes light up when she won the dancing competition and received some Regabus-themed prizes was a priceless moment.

A Thousand Words // June 15, 2019

Chole, Casey, Caitlin, and I decided to return to the Letna Beer Garden after the positive experience we had going there with the entire program. This time was slightly less peaceful. We just so happened to sit down next to a stag/bachelor party of around fifteen men from London, and they were the rowdiest people I have ever seen. They truly brought some UT Austin frat boy energy to Prague. They all wore NBA jerseys, and their godfathers came dressed up as referees. We showed up and sat next to them seemingly halfway through their party. They were getting up on tables, screaming, playing drinking games, basically every typical party thing you could think of. A few of the men started to joke around and pull each other’s pants down, leading us to see way more than we had ever wanted to see. One of the things they did for almost the entirety of the party was “shoey.” They would pour whole beers into this pair of sneakers and chug them. Honestly, this wasn’t something I had seen before, and I cannot say that I understand the appeal. Security got sick of them quickly. After a few altercations, the manager of the beer garden called the police, and the men were asked to leave. After some harassment from security, they finally decided it was time to move the party elsewhere. About ten minutes after the group left, one straggler came back with beers in hand. As he realized that his friends had been kicked out, he muttered “For fuck’s sake” to himself before rushing off after them. This visit was a far cry from the first peaceful visit that we had at this beer garden.

Around Here // June 14, 2019

As I previously mentioned, there is a huge amount of tourists that come to Český Krumlov. Honestly, it was hard to find anyone who was local in the town. However, there was a small market not far from our apartment that featured many local artists. It was a relatively small market when compared to those you usually see in Prague; there were only six or seven small stands, whereas in Prague it can feel like markets stretch on for miles. This man appeared to be irritated when our large group of tourists wandered into this particular market. It was a little off the typical beaten-path that tourists usually take; it makes me think that tourists do not often come to this market. Perhaps they do, but they do not typically buy things which could be the reason for his disdain. One of our tour guides informed us that not many locals choose to live close to the town square since it is the center of all the action. People choose not to live there because it gets so loud. It is cheaper, and more comfortable, for families to live around the outskirts of the town because there are no tourists and it is quieter.

Architecturally Speaking // June 13, 2019

I feel as if I have hardly seen any locals since coming to visit the small Bohemian town of Český Krumlov; during the day, the city is bustling with tourists coming to see the lovely town on a day trip. The tiny streets are packed full. On the rare occasion that a car needs to get through, shouts of “Car!” can be heard up and down the street as people alert their friends to get out of the way. As I previously mentioned, the city clears out a little after dinnertime, giving the people staying in the city overnight the perfect time to explore. The main square of the city can become fairly busy, as it seems that it is a good meeting place surrounded by many restaurants and hotels, as well as those souvenir shops that are actually just tourist traps. Similar to Old Town Square in Prague, one can usually find a few street performers here, using their talents to earn a quick buck on the street. This photo captures a rare moment of solitude in this bustling square as this woman was leaning against a statue, presumably waiting for one of her friends. Despite all the bustle in the square around her, she remained completely calm, only looking up from her phone once and a while to scan the crowd for whomever she was waiting.

Not From These Parts // June 12, 2019

Today was our first day on our three-day-long trip in Česky Krumlov. I honestly love this city. It’s so small and quaint; I feel relaxed and revitalized after the short tour we took this afternoon. Compared to Prague’s wide streets and huge crowds, Česky Krumlov is like a dream. Just like in Prague, there are many areas where the view of the city is spectacular. I’ve noticed that these areas always tend to attract the most tourists, desperate for that amazing Instagram post that proves that they were, in fact, on vacation in a beautiful place. I can’t blame them; the view is stunning and breathtaking every time I find a new spot. Despite the town’s beauty, I was shocked by the amount of tourists here; I had never even heard of this place, so the fact that there were so many people visiting surprised me. When we initially got off the bus, there were tourists everywhere. However, as the night went on, the streets cleared out. When my friends and I ventured out of the restaurant we visited in search of a bottle of wine, there was almost no one else out on the streets. While I wish there were a few more places open past nine, the city is definitely a welcome break. 

Small Wonder // June 11, 2019

Prague is a unique, expansive city, and I have had so much fun exploring it. One of the main attractions is the vast amount of parks; Prague boasts around 200 parks. One of my personal favorites is Riegrovy Sady, located just a half-mile from my apartment. Not only is it convenient for me, but it’s a beautiful park that always seems to be full of dogs. Seriously, they’re absolutely everywhere. As if I needed any other reason to go, the park also includes a beer garden. My friends and I decided to get dressed up and have a picnic here yesterday. While searching for the perfect spot to set up, we spotted many families out for walks or playing catch. This little boy was especially exhausted after a game of catch with his father, chugging down water as fast as he possibly could. After taking more photos of other families and meeting some truly amazing dogs, we found the perfect spot for our picnic. Casey took tons of pictures of all of us, and we had a really successful photoshoot! I want to go to so many more parks in Prague; they’re all so beautiful. I feel as if there are so many amazing photo opportunities in each and every park.

A Thousand Words // June 10, 2019

Some of the most memorable and amusing moments that I experienced at the Prague Zoo were found when observing families enjoying their day out together. In the middle of the zoo, there was a playground where parents watched on as their children ran around and laughed with other kids. Parents often lifted their children up onto their shoulders to ensure that they would be able to see all the animals in each exhibit. Some of the most memorable and amusing moments that I experienced at the Prague Zoo were found when observing families enjoying their day out together. In the middle of the zoo, there was a playground where parents watched on as their children ran around and laughed with other kids. Parents often lifted their children up onto their shoulders to ensure that they would be able to see all the animals in each exhibit. Children ran ahead of their parents in souvenir shops and returned begging for each plush toy that they saw. Children and parents alike strolled around the zoo, enjoying cones of ice cream that gave them a brief relief from the heat. Seeing mothers and fathers smiling as their children were having the experience of seeing these exotic animals for the first time warmed my heart. As I watched these families, I reflected on my own memories from childhood. This photo reminds me of photos my family has from one of our first times going to the zoo when I was still a toddler. I think that this was the first day I was truly homesick. Even though I don’t see my parents often when I’m in the United States, it’s still hard to be on an entirely different continent from them.

Weekend Miser // June 9, 2019

One night of the year, the majority of the museums in Prague are free. We were lucky enough to be here on that night. I decided to go to the National Museum, as I felt like it pertained to my interests the most. I went into the smaller museum first, which held an exhibit about Celt culture. Much of the exhibit was interactive, which attracted many families. There were tables with coloring sheets for children and a station where people could make themselves crowns by weaving leaves and sticks together. There were also actors dressed in clothes traditional for that period. They were demonstrating a wide variety of things, such as how to play instruments, how they prepared food, and how their architecture worked effectively. The hall of the museum rang with children blowing on horns and banging on drums, mixing with the chatter of families and friends exploring the museum. The entire city was alive with more people than usual, all in pursuit of a “satisfying cultural experience”, as the near-constant announcement in the metro stations would say. I can see why this day is so highly anticipated by everyone in the city; it is truly a one-of-a-kind experience that is difficult to match.

The Nocturnalist // June 8, 2019

The weekend was the first time that my friends and I decided to go out and experience Czech nightlife. We had heard great things from our other friends, so I was greatly anticipating our time out on the town. As I usually like to fall asleep early, relative to everyone else at least, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to try to take some nighttime photographs. We decided that Naplavka, a boardwalk lining the Vltava river in central Prague, would be a great place to check out. The space was more unique than a more traditional bar; every bar and restaurant was on a boat in the river. There was a wide variety of attractions there, and I can only imagine that it will get even better in the coming years. I noticed a large amount of construction taking place up and down the boardwalk, and it seems as if the city is putting in a lot of work to improve the area. This photo marks an important milestone for me on this trip; it was the first time I went up to someone and asked for their photo. Usually, I am an anxious person. When I heard that there had to be a person in every picture we submitted, I was dreading having to have the awkward “Can I take your photo?” conversation. However, I managed to get over my fear and have a conversation with a complete stranger. This will always be a really proud moment for me, one where I jumped over a hurdle that has been intimidating me for all the years I’ve been taking photos.