A Castle On The First Day? That's DIFFERENT

(I tried making this same post about a week ago and after what felt like forever-- but was actually probably only two hours-- of waiting for the photos to upload and trying to lay them out in a manner that was at least a little pleasing to the eye, the post got deleted, so I got frustrated and went to bed as I had already put up two posts that night. Here's to take two.)

     On my first full day in Prague I ended up on an adventure. For those that know me (probably better than I know myself), I love to have a plan ahead of time, knowing what/when/where/how/why I am doing something before I do it, and even then my natural disposition is to just not go out and be engaged in such social activities. So this was unexpected. Myself, and two people that live in the same apartment building as me that I met less than 12 hours earlier at the tram stop fell behind from a group of people leaving orientation together (I wanted to be sure I mentioned orientation so you knew these people were from the program and didn't think I was just navigating the city with some random Czech folk).

     It was a very unique, rare situation under which to meet people. Idealized, really, like a film lol (the joke being we are all in the film production program together). So throughout the way of traveling from Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU), to and across Karlův most (Charles Bridge), into Malostranské náměstí (idk the English translation for the first word but the second word is square) and then back to Vodičkova for dinner, we were simultaneously getting to know each other and traveling together. Now I'm just name dropping but hey that's the lifestyle I'm leading out here lol.

     I think the fact that we were in such a vulnerable position, being tourists with no knowledge of place or each other (well the two of them are roommates but at that point in time they had not even known each for 24hrs yet), helped foster the bonds we made and conversation. I liken this period to going to camp/starting college, meeting people from all different backgrounds and trying to figure out who you want to be and how you want to present in this environment. I think we all default to something of who our truest selves are, and I believe that shone through in the time I spent with these cool people. Having had the practice of various camp sessions and starts to the school year in college, I did not attribute any binding friendship commitments to these people based off our first interactions, regardless of how great they were. That was definitely the unspoken, shared sentiment at the end of our time together, which is nice.

     I still see these people all the time, and even though we are not the best of friends on this program, I appreciate that we were able to exist and enjoy that particular moment in time together, and that's an indelible mark on each of our personal histories. It's the little things that make up a lifetime.

Oh and I took some pictures:

View of Prague Castle, the Cathedral, some of Karluv Most
(Charles Bridge)

The same photo, only better :)

Some of the statues and adornments on the
east entrance to Charles Bridge

East entrance to Charles Bridge

Statues on Charles Bridge

Same photo, just a little less bright and
with some random dude's head in it

More Charles Bridge statue content

One last statue, I like what the background does to the mood of the image here

Malostranske Namesti, where crossing
Charles Bridge heading west takes you

Busy spot, I am just one tourist of many out here

Entrance to Malostranske Namesti

Store in the square, Prague is known for it's crystals/jewels.
The western part of the Czech Republic is Bohemia, guess how many
times I have heard 'Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen since
I got here

I couldn't tell you the name of this street
for the life of me but it is on the same side
of the road as the photos you just saw

Small square that leads up to the road that
leads to the castle, and my two frens

"Wavin' Flag" by K'naan (EU flag on the right)

Cool lil' cup on a table from a restaurant on the way to the castle

Stairway opposing the stair leading up to the castle,
don't get me wrong, the stairs lead to somewhere
important in the same square as the castle...I just
don't know where.

Boom! Spires from the castle

Lights and top middle-ish section of the castle
[hear me out I only had one lens and I didn't know I was going
to be taking photos of a castle/cathedral(?) that day]

Side area of the compound of the castle

Billowing Czech flag atop Czech-themed pole

Two frens and I taking mirror photo

Man performing flutre on the street on the steps that
 exit from the castle compound
(I tipped him before asking for a photo)

Czech street art on a stand

it's me! reflected on the doors of the tram

tram lights doing a cool wavy thing

If you made it this far then wow, you've earned this: https://photos.app.goo.gl/tkePFDnXjhA22EHy8
this is the link I have been using as of late whenever people have been asking me for photos of my time abroad. I'm always shocked when people ask to see more than that lol. There's definitely some overlap with the photos in this post but that's life ahah. (I'm sorry if you get notifications when I add photos to this album once it has been shared with you, Google is tedious that way).