Way Above The Chimney Tops

“Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat, or a train. It's far, far away. Behind the moon, beyond the rain....." ~Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Feb 17, 2013
The jet lag finally got the best of me today. My body just couldn’t do it anymore. Between changing time zones and then cramming my days full of activity, I was beat. I tried several times in vain to get up, eat something, and move around, but each time I went back to bed. I knew it was my third and final “Perfect Day” but I needed sleep.

I still had several things to do around the dorm before I could leave to go touring. I needed to fold my laundry off the drying rack. I’d left my dishes to soak in the sink so I needed to wash them. I was down to less than 200 koruna for the week (I using Monday to Sunday as a week) so I decided I’d make breakfast in the dorm. That meant more dishes.

It might not be the recipe for a perfect day, but it was a much needed day. When I finished getting caught up, I decided I would go tour around Old Town Square and see some the sites and monuments there.

My laundry was almost dry and leaving the dishes to soak made them a lot easier to clean. I boiled some water and made oatmeal for breakfast. It wasn’t very sweet but it tasted ok. As I was eating, I turned on my laptop to try and load some pictures to Facebook. It didn’t work. I did notice that Kevin was online and we chatted briefly. I told him about my plan to go see Old Town Square again. He told me about his plan to go buy school supplies. I still had to do that too, but I wasn’t too worried. I had at least one good notebook; I figured that ought to get me through the first day.

Just as I finished eating, Aaron came through the front door. Everyone was coming back from the retreat.

“How was it,” I asked.

“Good,” he said. “We just played ice breaker games and stuff. And drank a lot of beer too.”

I cleaned my dishes from breakfast, got dressed and bundled up, and headed out to catch the 9.

“You leaving?” Aaron asked. I told him I was and where I was going. He said he was tired and was going to nap. I gathered my other roommates had the same plan.

I caught the 9 and headed into town. At one point, a group of teenagers got on and sat in the seats around me. They reeked of marijuana. Initially I thought they might be tourists enjoying some of the native “culture” but when they spoke, they were Czech.

I got off in Wenceslas square. I’d studied the map a little and I thought I knew how to get there from the other day when the girls and I had toured around with Ivana. Cutting down the street as the end of the square, I walked past The New Yorker shop and wound along the tight cobblestone road. When I stumbled into the market with the green tent, I knew I was going the right way.

I did step off the road to admire the market some more. I again looked at the wooden toys and the various sweets. At one booth I was admiring some paintings when the owner came over and started explaining them to me. He spoke broken English, but I didn’t want to give myself away as a “rich” American (the assumption here is if you are an American you have money to burn, and they would like some.) I pointed at the buildings in the painting that interested me, and he would tell me what they were called and where they were. Each time I would nod my head to show I understood. When we had thumbed through them, I softly said, “Thank you” and walked away.

“Come again,” he yelled after me.

After a few more blocks, I stumbled out of the narrow street and found myself in Old Town Square, staring up at the Astronomical Clock.

I realize that in a few earlier posts, I may have referred to it as the “Atomic Clock.” I tried to go back and correct them, but that is incorrect. The clock in the Old Town Square is called the “Astronomical Clock” because in addition to the time, the one face also indicates the time of sunrise and sunset. While our student tour guides the other day said that the one face predicted seasons and months, I can’t find anything to confirm that. I did learn that there are four statues on the clock depicting what the early Bohemians feared were the biggest threats to society: vanity (a man with a mirror), greed (a Jewish money lender), death (a skeleton with an hour glass), and hedonism (a Turk with a mandolin.)

When the bell chimes, the skeleton tips the hour glass and the windows open. The carvings on the gears that I’d seen a few days ago were actually the 12 apostles who parade past the windows. When all 12 have passed, a rooster crows, and the bell is rung to indicate the hour (on a 24 hour clock system—for 1pm, the bell is run 13 times.)

I waited in line to buy tickets to go up to the observation deck at the top of the tower. A couple was waiting in line behind me. The man was French and the woman was Czech. This struck me as a bit odd as Jeromie on the plane had told me that Czech women rarely date outside of the nationality—mostly because they do not plan to leave The Czech Republic and fear a relationship may force them to do this.

I chuckled a little as I listened to their conversation. The French man was quite sarcastic and funny, and she didn’t seem to like his critiques of the tourists around him. He reminded me several times to keep moving, and again, she reprimanded him.

When I got up to the man at the window, I asked for a student ticket. I think the couple behind me was surprised by my accent. The salesman asked to see my ID. He clearly did not think I was a student. I showed him my new student ID proving I was an EU student.

“Where are you from?” he asked. His accent was Middle Eastern.

“America,” I said.

“Long way from home,” he observed.

“Yes,” I said. “I’m here for a semester.”

“You are here on Erasmus?” This was a European term for Studying Abroad. I still haven’t found an exact meaning for it, but it seems to be a program across the EU where students can go to various universities and still get credit back home.

He gave me back my card, charged me 50 koruna, and pointing to map said, “Take this ticket, go to this building, ride elevator to third floor.”

“The orange building?” I clarified. It was the one that Ivana had pointed out to me a few days before that was built by a Jewish architect.

“Is red really, but maybe orange to you,” he said. We both laughed and I thanked him.

I walked into the building, past the information offices and waited inline for the elevator. The French couple was also there along with a few other people. When the elevator doors opened, we all crammed in. Thankfully the elevator was glass or it would have gotten quite claustrophobic.

At the top was, of course, a gift shop. In the back of the gift shop was a small archway. It was so low I had to duck to go through it. Inside was a truly incredible room. There was a wooden ramp that followed all four walls leading up to the observation deck. It had to be at least a four or five story climb. In the center of the room was a wooden lattice structure that surrounded another glass elevator.

I decided to walk the ramp up to the top. Along the way were some signs with information on the history of clocks as well as the construction of this particular clock. While it was generally accepted that the clock had been constructed in 1490, there was significant evidence showing it may be as much as 200 years older than that.

At the top of the ramp, there was a narrow metal staircase that led up a bird cage like tunnel. An electronic stoplight controlled entrance to it. The light was red. Soon, three Asian people came out of the staircase and it turned green. I wedged my way up it. It was so narrow, that I had to really shrink in my body and watch every muscle movement so that I could move my legs and get up to the top.

But the view from the top was amazing. Like the day before, I could see out over the red roofs and the crowds below. I took in Prague Castle, St. Nicholas Church, the Old Town Square, along with Wenceslas Square. Each and every view was my favorite and I once again didn’t want to leave.

At one point I asked a woman to take my photo with Prague Castle in the background.

She looked at the display screen and said, “Is Dark. I show you.” She snapped the picture and showed it to me. I didn’t think it was that bad, but she was right, it was kind of dark. She suggested a few more angles we could try, but wasn’t satisfied with any of them. I told her it was ok and she smiled at me saying, “I try.”

There was a small band of street performers down below. They were playing a variety of tunes. Some of them may have been more local, although I’m pretty sure I heard “Pennsylvania 6500” thrown in there. When I was on their side of the tower, I stopped to listen for a song or two, again trying very hard to be present. The camera woman again saw me and suggested we try the photo again. Again, she thought it was too dark.

As the band finished their song, I turned to move to the other side of the tower. Before I took a step, they started playing another tune. I recognized it immediately. It was “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. I couldn’t help but laugh. As I looked over the roof tops and sang the lyrics in my head, they took on new meaning for me. Oz seemed like the perfect metaphor for these past few days: it was like I was in some sort of amazing world unlike any I’d seen before.

I spent close to an hour walking around, taking in all the views. When I was finished, I decided to take the elevator down. I wound up in it with the woman who had been attempting to take my picture.

“Where you from?” she asked.

“America,” I said.

“Oh,” she said. “You like Prague?”

“I love it,” I smiled. “Where are you from?”

“Moscow,” she said.

“Very cool,” I said.

“I like Prague, too,” she agreed.

When the elevator landed, she got off and walked off. There was no goodbye and anything. It struck me as odd, but I guess it was just a cultural difference.

Riding the next elevator down was my next opportunity to look like a stupid tourist. I got in a pressed floor one. This was when I learned that the ground level is labeled as floor zero.

I walked around the outside of the tower taking some more photos. I tried to capture each of the figures carved into the sides. As I meandered around the corner, I caught a wonderful smell of roasted meats. There were all kinds of venders set up around the square, selling various types of ham and sausage.

I’d spent all of my paper money but I had quite a bit of coin. With the Koruna, the bills come in denominations of 100, 200, 500, and 1000. The coins come in values of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50. Most of the change I got back was in coin. At home, I would put coin on my dresser or into a jar, lying to myself that I’d spend it someday. Here, the coin was worth quite a bit.

I stepped out of the main square and into a little courtyard where I was out of sight. I pulled out my coin and counted it. I had 129 crowns (which is the English translation of Koruna.)

I approached one vender. “How much for a slice of meat?” I asked.

“Is by weight. I cannot tell you how much,” he barked.

“Thank you,” I said, and moved on to a different stand.

The kid working the next cart seemed to be about my age. He spoke fluent English but with a thick Czech accent. I got in what I thought was the line for his cart, only to be cut off several times. When I finally did work my way up to his cart, I asked, “I have 100 crowns. Is that enough?”

“Sure!” he said. “You can get kolbasa. Only 69 crowns.” Kolbasa is the Czech word for sausage. It came with a piece of bread. I stood in the courtyard where some other tourists (of various nationalities) were standing and enjoying their food. The sausage was great! It was very tender and juicy. The bread was a little dry but very flavorful.  

After I finished eating, I went over to take pictures of the Jan Hus Memorial. It was a large green statue in the middle of the square. The band was still playing various songs and the energy was just plain. I did start to notice that my hands, even through my gloves, were getting quite cold. I really wanted to see as much of the square as I could (especially since I’d gotten a late start) so I tucked them in my pockets, and ignored it.

There were several streets that lead off the square. I decided to pick one and wander down it. I thought I might find the tram station we had arrived at the first night, but I wasn’t sure. As I walked down the street, I passed more and more incredible looking buildings and artfully crafted churches. All of the churches were closed for tours on Sunday so I couldn’t get into any of them, but I figured I’d be foolish not to at least take a few photos.

After snapping just a few shots, my fingers were freezing again. I eventually gave in to the cold and started back towards the square. Nothing was open and there was no sense being uncomfortable if I couldn’t enjoy what I was seeing.

As I walked back down the street, I passed a bakery that I’d noticed on the way up. There were all kinds of handmade pastries in the window. They smelled fantastic and as the door opened for a couple to exit, I realized how warm it was inside.

The price for most of the pastries was around 30 crowns. Counting the few coins left in my pocket, I had 26. I stepped inside. I waited for my turn to order.

 “The pastries in the window,” I said pointing to the display I’d seen. “How much are the ones with almonds on it.”

The woman went and got one and brought it back. “These? Twenty-four crowns.”

I took it!

It was fantastic. The top layer of almonds was sweet while the bottom layer was flaky. Initially I thought the bakery was Czech, but looking at some of the decorations, I got the impression it may have been French. Although an American couple sitting at a table next to me quietly discussed that they had read it was from Lithuania.

When I finished, a different woman immediately came and took my plate. I put my gloves back on and stepped out into the cold. I wandered back into the square and snapped a few more photos. The band was still playing and I recognized the song. It was a Portuguese pop song that my friends and I often listen to. It made me laugh to think that I was listening to a group of Czechs, preform a Portuguese song, which was popular in America (they were preforming it quite well, I might add.)

After cutting back through the streets, passed the market and into Wenceslas Square I caught the 9 back to the dorms. The car was almost empty and eerily quiet. I did hear some commotion behind me but tried to ignore it. As it got louder, I became a little more concerned. Eventually, it sounded like someone was crying.

I turned around, and saw two men trying to comfort a young woman. She looked to be around my age and was very frustrated and ranting in Czech. I noticed the paper in her and that she kept beating at and shoving in their faces. That was when I noticed their clipboards and scanners.

They were the security officials for the tram coming to check tickets.

From what I gather, her student pass had expired recently. They wrote her a ticket and at the next stop, escorted her off the tram. While I couldn’t understand what they said, their faces conveyed that they were very upset by what they had to do. They seemed very sympathetic to the girl, but at the same time, they had to fulfill their job.

When the one man came to me, I pulled my pass out and handed it to him. He looked at it and started speaking to me in Czech.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I only speak English.”

He smiled and chuckled a little. “Is ok,” he said pointing to one of the pages in my little pass book. This picture and this page make you ok.” He handed it back to me, and at the next stop, both of the guards got off.

I made it back to the dorm and cooked mashed potatoes for dinner. It wasn’t much, but they tasted fantastic (I even mashed the potatoes by hand! I was so proud!) After dinner, I Skyped with my Mom and then got ready for bed.

And with that, that was the end of my Three Perfect Days. I had learned a ton. I had learned that I had the skills to get around this city on my own. I learned that it was important for me to get out and explore even if it was by myself. And I learned that I needed more than three days to see everything in Prague.

I couldn’t be more thrilled with my decision to spend my study abroad here. It is a beautiful city with a fascinating history and culture. I can’t wait to see what the next adventure will be!