My Heart, My Prague

Prague can break you when you need a place to stay. The Arena hostel is somewhat out of the way (but very close to the subway stop of Holesovice), but it is worth it. Plus, you always get to see some neat people when you go to the end of a subway line.

The people who worked here were wonderful. They were fun and upbeat, and they always had a smile for you. The hostel itself is colorful and cheery, with decent accommodations and warm showers. Despite the seemingly remote location, there are a lot of local (read: cheap) bars and restaurants around. If you can't inconvenience yourself with going out, there is a bar on site that is well-priced and friendly.

Reception is open 24 hours, there is no curfew or lockout, and check-out is at noon (good for sleeping in!).

I remembered Charles Bridge from when I visited at the young age of 10. I was snotty and it was crowded. My mother let me buy something from one of the merchants that pack the bridge, but that is all I retained from the trip. At the wiser (somewhat) and more appreciative (very much) age of 21, I came upon the bridge again.

It was still crowded, perhaps more so, but I had grown a foot and a half and could see the beauty I had not recognized before. I happened upon it at a wonderful time - sunset. The sun was spilling over the old hill, illuminating the many statues of saints and kings, like god himself calling them home. I did not even realize I had stopped, gaping at the sight, until a small Japanese woman crashed into the back of me. We were both startled, and I quickly came to my senses.

Walking down this ancient bridge, a tactile link to a world long gone, is an experience I will never forget. There was music coming from all directions. Some notes came from traditional Czech folk songs, playing along to a woman giving a puppet show with the ubiquitous marionettes that are on every (touristy) corner. Others were the strains of classic rock and new techno that artists and artisans were listening to as they sold a great variety of art, crafts, and kitsch. Fighting the crowds, I vowed to find a time when I would have the bridge to myself.

Two days later, I heaved myself out of bed at 5am, determined to take the perfect picture of the bridge. After catching the very first subway run of the day, I found the bridge shrouded in beautiful, impossibly picturesque mists. I did not have it all to myself. There were a number of ducks and a few other photographers vying for the perfect shot, but I felt I could happily share the bridge with them. And, of course, the solemn statues lending their gazes to the morning.

Walking back to the subway, certain I had photographic gold in my camera, I realized that both the bridge scenes- foggy and empty, and glowing and crowded - could coexist on one ancient, glorious bridge.

Alphonse Mucha has long been one of my favorite artists. His beautiful Art Nouveau ladies are always elegant, demure, mysterious, and captivating. When I heard that there was a museum dedicated to him, I had to seek it out. On a small side street just off of Wenceslas Square, I found it.

The museum is bright. That was the first thing I noticed. The second was that it was small. I was instantly disappointed, hoping to spend my entire day with Mucha. But as I began to walk through the museum, I realized my stay would be much longer. His many portraits and advertisements of unknown women and the famed Sarah Bernhardt, which I had only seen as small posters and postcards, are actually enormous, larger-than-life paintings.

I never realized how deep his art was. It is so much more than pretty girls in flowing dresses. You truly see what a master he is after standing next to his painting of Medea . You can see the horror in her eyes as she stands over her slain children. It was not art, it was real life.

They also have a collection of the photographs he took of his models posing in his studio in their togas, the clutter of an artist's workspace crowding behind them. There was also a beautiful painting he did of a snowy night.

If you are a Mucha fan, you absolutely cannot miss this beautiful collection. Make sure to stop by the gift shop, too. They have a huge collection of Mucha postcards, which make great collages to hang on the wall. They also have a lot on unusual Mucha-esque gifts. Even if you have never heard of Mucha (which is impossible if you spend even a day in Prague), I encourage you to see this. It is a lovely way to spend a quiet afternoon not fighting tourists.