In the Land of Kafka: Prague

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abroad, american, books, city, czech republic, europe, franz, kafka, love, prague, reading, statues, student, study, tour, tourism, travel

–If I shall exist eternally, how shall I exist tomorrow? Franz Kafka
In that case, perhaps then the only thing that gives life meaning is death. Would I need to see all of Europe now if I knew I would see it again?

Prague
This type of travel is an endless form of flirtation. I stay in a city just long enough to get a taste, just enough to see its surface and perhaps if I’m lucky a bit of the story beneath. My three days in Prague can be described as a classic fling: filled with passion, intrigue and of course a rather quick bittersweet end. Maybe it is better this way, see the difference between travel and actual romance is that you can fall in love with a place but it will never love you back.

I’m obsessed with the colors in Prague, each building, a fascinating unique design and shade. From dancing houses to dark Gothic churches, the city offered so many non-tourist sites to see. Even the cobble stones formed ornate patterns that would probably have amazed me even more had I access to the same resources as those offered in Amsterdam (three guesses what resource i’m taking about).

Prague is also the home of one of the top rated tourist disappointments of Europe, the famous Astronomical clock which, I’ll be honest, is beautiful but its chime is not all that exciting. Luckily for me I have also seen the second ranked disappointment which was in Munich (another clock)! Two famously awful attractions in a week I’m setting a record!

The castle of Prague on the other hand, was anything but a disappointment. Labeled as the biggest castle in the world, the towering structure is plopped right within view of the main river and can be seen from the famous Charles bridge (or really anywhere in the city). The lights they add to it at night could make even the most phone obsessed traveler take a moment to stare at its beauty.

Besides its profoundly stunning exterior, Prague also offered an internal element of fascination. Not only is it the home of Franz Kafka, an amazingly talented writer, but it is also adored quite interestingly. The majority of the statues which littered the city’s center could be described as bizarre and bewildering at best. From babies crawling up sky scrappers to ghost men without faces sitting on unnamed platforms, almost every block offered a unique portal into the mind of the artists who created them. In case you have not picked up on it yet, surprises I think are my favorite part of travel. The fact that each day has the potential to be drastically different from any preconceived idea or expectation. The statues of Prague were exactly this for me; unexpected and, even better, a brain puzzle I wanted nothing more than to solve.

I think the only downside to Prague was that everyone also seemed to know about it. The city was a bit too crowded for me, especially on the main streets. Nonetheless, Prague remains on of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I would love to go on a second date with this place, maybe one day I will get to see it again.

trip wouldnt be complete without a phone photo

Next stop, Berlin!