My Travelogues: Prague!

Prague – the name rings of exoticism. Of colors and smells and crystal chimes. Had I a magic carpet, I most definitely would have jumped on it, the first vacation i got, and flown off to this curious land in the far-east. I had the chance to do something similar a few days back (via a restless and lengthy train journey instead).

Prague lived up to all my expectations, but in ways I would have never anticipated.
I was looking forward to dark haired strangers, with rugged faces and gentle eyes. Like Aladdin(s). Was it because of the word “exotic” or because of the thought of a magic carpet? Or because I was a dreamy, uninformed tourist? What I saw, actually, when we landed at the station were stunningly tall and beautiful blonde…almost white haired women, wearing fur coats and haughty expressions.

Although the name Prague has a hot, fiery appeal to it, it was sub-zero when we reached the city. As we made our way to our hostel, I scanned the streets hopefully to get a preview of the much heard of Prague night life. 11 pm. Not a soul in sight. All restaurants closed. The icy wind cackled in my ears and hunger bit my empty stomach.

Snow. Barren lands. Witches of Narnia. This was a story I knew all too well. Where was my exotic adventure? My face fell. On reaching the hostel, I ate a bowl of cornflakes grumpily and went to bed.

Fast forward to one night later – Prague Night Life
I stepped out of the metro station near city centre, with the noblest of intentions. A black man jumped in front of me all of a sudden. “I take you!” he growled enthusiastically. This didn’t sound like good news. “I take you … for free!” This sounded worse.

“Hot Peppers…Hot Peppers…No. 1 in Prague…Come, I show you for free!”
Our curiosity got the better of us. He took us through some winding lanes and into an underground club. Police woman. Witch on a broom. Boxer girl. My jaw dropped and eyes popped out. Like Roger Rabbit. This adventure was equally shocking and exotic for all species and genders alike.

And speaking of colors, i saw plenty that night: the blushed red of excitement, pale white of shock, the bubbling violet of lust, the flaming green of Absinthe …..and rainbows in everyone’s eyes.

Of Food
What can I say about Prague food? The aromatic, smoking hot merlot that fills up your senses, golden foam streaming down 1 litre beer mugs, whole pigs on poles dancing on fire, mountains of baked potatoes, snow-capped with cream – here was a city with an appetite!

Of Architecture and Atmosphere
Art Nouveau, Gothic, and Baroque – all side by side. Un-demolished, proud, silent witnesses of the Second World War – the full wrath of which never touched Prague. Crystal shops abound in every corner like moss growing on rocks. You can just get lost for an entire day in the dazzling games of a million different crystals bouncing light off each other. Sometimes, when the sun comes out, the crystals make you rainbows on earth