Sights and Sounds of Prague

This morning I uploaded my Prague pictures to Webshots for your viewing pleasure. And here I will include a few videos so you can experience the city vicariously:


The famous Astronomical Clock on Old Town Square


The jazz band that likes to travel around the city and amuse tourists


Changing of the Guards ceremony at Prague Castle

I do have to share one experience I encountered while over here, because it was a sad dose of reality that was painful to witness but necessary to share. Thursday I came back to my room mid-afternoon because my camera battery died and my memory was full, so I needed to recharge and unload. My room was off the main lobby of the hostel. While I was sitting there going through my pictures, I started hearing yelling and crying from the lobby - all in Czech. It was the front desk guy and a girl. I tried to tune it out, figuring I would stay out of whatever was going on, but then the yelling got louder and the crying got harder and there were other noises too - so I stuck my head out the door to check it out - just in time to see the girl pinned up against the wall and the guy punching her repeatedly.

I freaked out.

I didn't want to run out there because I didn't want to make the situation worse by them knowing that I was there and had seen it, and I didn't want him to get angrier and take it out on her (or me!), and there was nowhere for me to go because I had to walk by the desk to get out of my room. I wanted to call the police, but I didn't know if domestic violence is illegal in the Czech Republic. I'm pretty sure there was no one else around because it was 3:30 in the afternoon and I don't think they realized I was there.

I got in touch with my parents and they kept me on the phone until the noises stopped and long enough to calm me down and make sure I was ok. And that was the last I heard or saw of that situation.

Other than that, Prague was great. The movies and pictures probably do a good job of narrating. I treated this trip like a much-needed vacation, and made sure to wine-and-dine myself properly, relax, enjoy the sights, and just soak it all in. And for the first time since I've been in Europe, I finally felt like myself again.