Life in Prague
An attempt to capture what it means to have the opportunity to live in one of the world’s most awe-inspiring cities
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Anthony Bourdain had an uncanny ability to portray the essence of a place. His introductory monologues were so freaking inspiring and something I’ll forever attempt to emulate. How the hell can you capture the energy of a city in words?
They’re such unique, ever-changing, and living expressions of society, culture, and time. And they all feel different. San Fransisco is not Paris which is not Kuala Lumpur or Beijing or Casablanca. Each has its own vibe that emanates from the shape and warmth of its street lights, the hush of the tide, the signs in the shop windows, the tables in the plazas, the smell wafting from restaurants or street vendors, the hum of scooters, the ringing of bicycle bells, the billboards, and the different eras of architecture that show the decades and centuries stacked over each other.
It is much easier to get all that with the audio and visuals of film. To express it all with words alone is a tall task.
But it is something I’ve been thinking about undertaking. Could I ever begin to do Prague justice? No, but I can try.
What is it like to live here in 2022?
It is truly one of the world’s most awe-inspiring cities. I can’t help but let my mind drift into history as I walk through the thin cobble-stoned streets of the Old Town, wander up the giant stairs along the fortress walls to the castle, or get the expansive views from the 10th-century fort Vyšehrad which stands squarely on one of the city’s many hills and offers expansive views south, the river twisting away in the valley, pockets of neighborhoods dotting each side.
I truly feel a pull in my chest when I stand on the banks of the Vltava and look at the line of art deco buildings across the water, each a different pastel and displaying unique centuries-old design elements around the windows, the facades, and small statues or spindles on the roof.
