Art Is Everywhere In Prague

December 12 - 19, 2006

•December 12, 2006•

   The four a.m. music again and this time Paul knocked on the right door. Sure enough, when it opened a young man stood there looking as though he had just smoked a bong full of weed and the apartment reeked of it. The guy spoke English and Paul told him to turn it down. The guy apologized and Paul told him to get some earphones.

•December 16, 2006•

   I have neglected the journal lately. I've been sitting day after day at the kitchen table drawing, painting and constructing mobiles and paper dolls for Christmas presents. Our tree is decorated, there are festive decorations all over the apartment but it still doesn't feel like Christmas. I'm homesick.

   Our original plan was to move here in June and be back in the U.S.A. by Christmas but our house didn't sell until June and the debacle with our studio was unexpected so our plans were moved later into the year. Paul doesn't attach much importance to the season but I knew for myself that the holidays away from family back home would be lonely. I had anticipated having Christmas with the Czech family but for some reason that is not going to happen. Thanksgiving was weird. We had a bad Chinese dinner in a shopping mall and then went to see The Illusionist at the IMAX.

•December 19, 2006•

   Some personal observations about the Prague Czechs: They do everything in a rush,walk, eat, talk. The average Czech man is unusually tall and not terribly fashionable but the average Prague woman is beautiful and stylish. The current rage is the long, straight dyed black hair and tanning salon look. They wear fur lined jackets and very high heeled boots. It's amazing to watch these women navigate the treacherous cobblestone streets in these high heeled, pointed boots and shoes.

   The average Praguite has no sense of personal space. They could have an empty boulevard and yet they still manage to get as close to you as possible without physical contact. On the street they make these speedy advances toward you and you're sure that they will bump you or knock you down. Just before impact they artfully twist a shoulder or step sideways and move on. For a person like myself with limited mobility issues, getting on and off a tram and subway is a nerve wracking experience.

   Politically correct hasn't made it to the Czech Republic. That's a good thing or a bad thing depending on your weight, race or disability. There is no such thing as disabled access in many buildings and the cobblestone sidewalks and streets can be hazardous with the odd missing stones. You see very few people of color in Prague and fewer still in other cities with the exception of the Chinese and Vietnamese. I've heard that some Czech's have their prejudices against Asians living here because of the flood of cheap goods they sell in their shops. They feel this gives them an unfair advantage over the Czech shop owners. Just wait until Walmart opens here.

   Prague has a problem with the Romas. Some of them are thieves and criminals. They ride the trams in small groups pickpocketing and stealing purses and briefcases. Paul and I have both had to fight them off on the streetcars. Prostitution is legal here and there are brothels in the Wenceslas area. Like any big city there is crime and drug dealing here. We read on the English version of the Prague Post that one rapidly growing crime is elder shoplifting. As I wrote before, everything is getting more expensive here and some of the elderly on fixed incomes have taken to the old five finger discount. When they're caught the police make them return the goods and frequently let them go without charges.

   Paul had a funny experience along those lines. He was in a small market near the apartment and had put his gloves in the shopping cart. He was choosing produce and when he turned back to his cart some guy was trying on his gloves. Paul made him aware that they were his and the guy was appropriately apologetic but probably would have made off with them had he not been caught.

Photographs by Paul Wells

Winter In Prague