Ahoj Praha!

I'LL upload pictures soon! Too tired now, just wanted to get my thoughts down!

How excited I was to be taking a short holiday, and how much I had been looking forward to seeing what many have called the 'Gem of Central Europe'.

Prague certainly didn't disappoint. Almost immediately after arriving, the city started to grow on me little by little. The cobbled streets, red trams, majestic buildings, and all those beautifully crafted angels and saints every corner you turn. The streets and alleyways brim with history, and culture of having once been the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and the temporarily the seat of Habsburg Dynasty, and which today is vibrant and radiating with the soul of Bohemian romanticism and pride, especially the having conquered fifty odd years of communist reign, and the devastating floods of 2002.

The Old City (Stare Mesto) was already settled around the 7th century, and across the Vltava (Moldau) riverbank the beginnings of what would be the biggest castle complex in the world, Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad) was already started in the 9th century. King Charles IV built the city into one of the biggest and most affluent in Central Europe, and to this day the magnificent church spires, town halls, towers, and 16 ancient bridges that span the wide Vltava river make Prague perhaps the most charming and romantic city I've ever visited yet.

We spent the first half of the first day recovering from waking up really early. The airport security wasn't as bad as I expected (or as some friends have experienced). Without those mean-looking security persons asking, I obediently put my liquids into a tiny little see-through plastic bag, even worried that my 250ml kamille shampoo would be thrown into the bin because it was too much (maximum allowed per bottle is 100ml) and therefore too dangerous. As I put my lotions and potions into the little bag, and quickly drank half a litre of water to avoid throwing it away, I thought to myself how silly it was, and how too afraid we have all become... Sad, if you think about how even face cream or shower gel can be the object of suspicion. After having gone through all that trouble, the security people said nothing at all, and I passed through the x-ray machines surprisingly quickly. No questions asked, no strip searches done.

After having slept a good few hours after arriving we set out to explore Prague on foot at around dusk. It was simply breathtaking, as the orange glow of the last rays of sun, slowly crept over the tops of ancient buildings, illuminating each carefully and artfully decorated and crafted detail and aging statue. We strolled through the little alleyways, and every corner seemed to take us to another 'new' world of the old. Every time we walked through little tunnels, and criss-crossed the old city, beauty waited for us to stop and admire. That evening, we went to a concert at the Rudolfinium, which is this really grand concert hall, where we enjoyed timeless classical music to set the mood for the next few Bohemian days... or days in Bohemia.

As much as I enjoyed the city-scenery, the quaint little road, grand majestic buildings and churches, the hordes of tourist was a constant eye-sore. Maybe it's hypocritical, since I myself was a tourist... but because there were so many of them, a phenomenon developed whereby everywhere you go you are pestered by eager vendors trying to hawk their postcards and cheap souvenirs... and everywhere you go are shops and stands all competing with self-proclaimed 'lowest prices!' and 'discounts!', but all selling the same 'Made-in-China' ware. Even worse was the phenomenon I call 'McDonalisation'... It's not just those hideous Golden Arches (TM), but the likes of Coca Cola, Samsung, Gap etc, etc, etc that seem to flood the world like a sudden and devastating storm made up of boring sameness, luring neon-lights and incessant capitalist consumerism.

The second day was dampened by rain, which continued to fall throughout the day, all the way till the evening. We didn't really do much, except walk around the shops to shelter from the rain. Not just the rain dampened the day, but my brother did as well. Before the trip, I had borrowed tour-guide books on Prague from the library, so that we could know what we want to do and see. He didn't seem the least interested, and just walked around with a sullen face and bored look. Whenever my mum or I asked him what he wanted, he just said "Whatever..." and continued to look bored and irritated. No matter what, he wasn't satisfied... I had had enough, and for an hour or so I simply left to go to the Museum of Communism by myself. Partly, to escape from being around my brother, who was really getting me annoyed, and partly because personally, I believe Communism is the best ideology in the most utopian of worlds. And the museum showed it well... starting with the creeping taking control of Communism in Czechoslovakia (as it was then) in the inter-war periods, then the arrival of the Soviets, and hardening policies and stiffening oppression after 'Prague Uprising' in 1968. All the remnants of Communist propoganda, showing happy men and women working hard for the good of communism and the nation, showing marvellous achievements and the decadence of the 'West', were on display there. The exhibition ends with the 'Velvet Revolution' of 1989, when Czechoslovakia, and the rest of Eastern Europe broke free from the yoke of Communism as the Wall crumbled and eventually fell. It's a remarkable history, and the museum emphasises that tireless struggle of the Czechs (and others) very well, and in so doing subtly demonises the whole ideology behind one of history's worst excesses in terms of political oppression (purges) and human suffering and death. That is why personally I think it's the greatest ideology in the most utopian of worlds... but not suited for this one, where human greed for domination and power prevails over the ideals of common humanity and the equal sharing fruits of labour and thinking.

The third day, we travelled three hours on the bus through the Bohemian countryside to the little village of Czesky Krumlov. Lonely Planet praised that "if anywhere symbolises the idiosyncratic beauty of small town Central Europe", it is this town. Situated in a bend in the Vltava River, it is a town at the crossroad of ancient Europe's trade routes, and close to the borders of Germany and Austria, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1992! We wandered through the tiny streets, and admired the beautiful houses with walls that are painted as if they were canvases (....and I have to admit, also admired the souvenir shops....). The second largest castle in the Czech Republic overlooks the town, and offered a stunning few of the valley and river flowing through it. Again, because of my brother, I wandered off on my own for a while, and strolled through the woods and around town by myself. The night before, we had a big family discussion, and he got so angry that for the whole day he continuously sulked and gave my mum and I an ugly face to look at... I'll spare the details of the family feud for another time, but I'm extremely angry at my brother, because it was he who suggested going to Prague, it was he who made the travel arrangements, but it is also he who didn't seem the least interested and who was ruining the whole trip for everyone!! So selfish...

Again, today, the final day, rain and my brother's non-talking and sulking dampened our spirits. We set off to visit the beautiful Prague Castle, but half-way I decided to again go off on my own. It was just too much to have to look at my brother and see that bored and uninterested look, as if we were the cause of all his grief and boredom. I explored the ancient castle complex, and climbed the hills around it. It was drizzling, and freezing cold, but I walked on, unafraid even though I didn't know where exactly I was headed, and very glad to have gotten rid of my family. I wandered through the damp woods, with no one else around, and felt really alone again... A family trip, perhaps the last one we'll ever make, and it has to be like this? All this bickering, arguing, and sulking and non-talking... why??? I walked further, and the deeper I got into the hills, I more I lost myself in thought, until eventually I was walking in deep forest where there was no path. I looked around, and tried to search for a landmark, and was lucky to see the church spires below which gave me a general direction where to go. I went on, through the misty and damp forest floor, and stumbled across a cave full of plastic bags and sleeping bags. The 'owners' of this home weren't home, but I thought to myself how people could live like this in the cold and damp... Despite the high economic growth and booming market after having gotten rid of Communism and more recently joined the European Union, the streets of Prague are surprisingly as pocket-faced and filled with beggars...

I eventually made it out of the woods, and down to the street level, after which I made my way toward the National Museum (Narodni Muzeum). I took the metro, because I love trains!, and also because I like the way it feels to be walking around underground and knowing that above your head there's a bustling city full of traffic, trams, pedestrians and what-have-you. The Prague Metro looks and smells similar to that of the London Underground, except it's cleaner and better maintained. The museum itself, with exhibits of gemstones, animal skeletons, and a bit of the (pre)history of the Czecho-slovak region wasn't particularly spectacular, but the building was impressive from the inside and out. I heard from a tour guide that when the Soviets seized the city, they shelled the museum, because it looked as imposing and important as a government building. Inside, beautifully decorated halls and walls made my neck sore, but mind bulge at the wonders of what art and history surrounded me and the air I breathed.

In the drizzling rain, and terrible rush hour traffic, we inched our way to the airport. For the next few hours or so until home, we said few words to one another, because of the 'Cold War' that's tensed relations between brother and everyone else.

I looked out the window, and through the rain drops that clung onto the misty window like tear drops, I silently waved goodbye to the cobble-stone streets, angels and saints, and grand buildings that were just beginning to take on their evening look under yellow floodlights. How beautiful this country was, with its rich history, arts, culture and natural scenery... and how even more so, were it all with better company.