Prague’s Nightlife has a Little Bit of Everything

June 17, 2019 – The Nocturnalist

Bars and clubs are one of the most popular pass times of Czech people. The nightlife and drinking/ partying culture of Prague is just off the charts in general. No matter what kind of nightlife someone might be into Prague has got a club, bar, pub or garden for them.

Most iconic out of the clubs in Prague is the 5 story club. Its first floor is the pop of today with an oxygen bar and video screens everywhere. As you go up another story there is the dance floor that is equipped with lasers and blasting EDM. The third floor is a blast from the past and full of oldies and has a disco checkered floor and the dj is in a cadillac car. The fourth floor features hip hop music and aims to make you “shake yo ass” as the website advertises. The fifth and final floor is a chill space with couches and calm music and who knows what actually goes on up there.

As for other nightlife hot spots there are clubs for people as young as 16, old indie dive bars, latina cantinas that have live bands, swing dance clubs and everything in between. Though it isn’t often called this, Prague is a city that never sleeps. Well actually that isn’t true because in between 5 am and 8 am the only people really out are the bartenders and bouncers closing shop and the brides with their entourage.

Prague has got it all when it comes to night life and this particular picture is from a Mexican restaurant that I think personally has the best guacamole ever, I would tell you why but you just need to go! It is just interesting to me that alcohol and bars are so important and such a big part of going out at night that full force bars are everywhere, similar to the highly stocked little restaurant. But hey, what else do you expect in the number one drinking capital?

Korean Bride’s Fill Prague Before Day Break

June 16, 2019- Morning Glory

One of the traditions that is not as known to the average tourist, is the abundance of pre-dawn brides that are everywhere. It is primarily Korean brides taking their bridal photos before the wedding so at the wedding they can hand out pictures of themselves and what they will look like. Plot twist though, the photoshoot is usually a year in advance.

Charles Bridge and Old Town Square are the main hot spots for these photos and in the morning these places between 4-6 am. The brides are either in white or in a colorful gown for their engagement photos. Prague is a hot spot since the scenery is so beautiful and relatively temperate climate.

Today at around 5:45am there where three engagement pictures in colorful dresses and 2 bridal pictures. The brides are decked out in full head to toe makeup and gowns and super tall heels to try and exactly replicate their wedding day.

This photo is focused on the photographer’s camera because the focus is not on the people or the love, the focus for all of these people is the photos. They are coming for the root cause of being in love, but they all get so wrapped up into taking all of these pictures that it seems like they are more worried about that than each other.

The photos and whole process seems to take so much involvement and money because they have to pay for the stylist, the tickets to get there, the photographer and then all of the living expenses involved with living. The brides and their fiance’s big weddings and even bigger budget shows when there is a bigger posse, more camera equipment and giant gowns.

Being A Kid in a Growing City

June 15, 2019 – Weekend Miser

Contrary to having one of the lowest birth rates, there seems to be an abundance of kids running the streets of Prague. Since the city is low in violent crime the kids are trusted to be more free, in my opinion, than those in America. Personally, the kids bring joy and light to a pretty dark and silent city. If not for kids, the metros would be silent, there would be no bubble guys and the parks wouldn’t have the same tone as they do now.

Since Prague has made it on the global radar for visitors, that entails family vacations, which entails lots and lots of kids. The main crime in these parts of Europe is just the petty theft or pick pocket, and although priceless, kids aren’t usually carrying around the most valuable items. So, they are let free. Similar to how the dogs are let free and their owners will trail them by 30 ft or more, kids are running around more often then not.

In the main street where the protest was held there is always kid traps. Although they are not as scary as the last sentence might lead you to believe, they are traps none the less. There are giant mascots of Alex from Madagascar and other giant furry characters, statued men and bubble men. Bubble men are the best at catching the eyes of these kids and sucking their parents into paying the men change.

Prague’s safety record leads people to be very open with how their kids are handled too. For example this particular bubble man was comfortable enough to actually approach this child and pick him up and twirl him around and around. While an innocent gesture for a child you are close to, it is bold to do on a street with someone else’s child.

Regardless of his actions, the bubble man was still payed by the parents and for spare change it was a cheap way to keep their kids entertained for a good half hour or however long the parents can handle watching them play.

What its like to Work in a Functional 19th Century Film Store

June 14, 2019- Location Notation

Cesky Krumlov is known as the second most visited place in all of the Czech Republic, yet in the middle of the tourist haven is a place that not many are aware of. Museum Fotoatelier Seidel is a tiny little house that is frozen in history. Home to the Seidel family of photographers it has been restored as it used to look in the early 20th century and functions as if it were the late 19th century.

The family head was the father that took amazing, large frame portraits and postcards for the town and surroundings. He was well known and one of the leading photographers for this type of camera. His technique with large glass plates made the most crisp pictures of the time. He was a photographer before the strips and enlargers were easily accessible so all of his photos are the only copy and exactly the size that it was taken.

Something special to this family business was that they kept intense records of all the portraits that were made and kept all the glass plates so that when family members two centuries away come back to Krumlov they can get prints of their relatives.

Another specialty is the fact that all of the original cameras are still in tact and in use at the original studio of the house and developed in their own dark rooms. For knowledgeable tourists they can come, like the CET group did, and make their portrait with traditional clothing or they can take the photos and develop their own negatives.

This photo is from the basement dark room that is still making quality large glass plates into prints for people to make. The sink and all that encompasses the final steps of this tedious process is shown. Along with the instructor creating more chemicals for the next group of tourists to come in and experience life as a cutting edge film photographer.

The Classic Czech Stare Accompanied with a Classic Czech Beer

June 13, 2019- Noticed

One thing that the Czech people are not known for is their hospitality. Like any stereotype there are of course those that break it. In this case there are some sweet, warm or welcoming Czech people but for the most part, they are quite cold. Whether it is the lack of smiling, the strong bone structure or the language barrier, there is something missing or lacking in between the relationship with Czechs and Americans.

In addition to the cold mugs, it isn’t taboo to stare. In America it is deemed rude and everyone is taught young to avoid looking at people too long. Photography gives people the opportunity to stare and actually look at things, but never in person really. The Czech Republic kids must have skipped that day in charm school because not only do the children stare, but also the adults. The only way to truly make them stop staring is to intently stare back at them and hope that they are intimidated and not offended, as they will then break their normal silence to yell in foreign slurs.

This photo is a combination of both things so near and dear to Czech’s heart of their culture: cold looks and staring. This man was having a moment to himself which is understandable that he might not want to be photographed but as a task that day, the group was set up to take solos and city goers having a moment to themselves so naturally, here is the moment. He is the average Czech man, tall, thin, strong bone structure, obvious age wrinkles, intense eye contact and of course drinking a beer.

The Perfect Place to Reunite with an Old Friend

June 12, 2019- Location Notation

Throughout all of Cesky Krumlov are tourists. For the most part there are the foreign visitor, but the other majority of tourists are the boomers. They come in sets of two whether it’s an old girlfriend or their significant other, they always ditch the kids and prove they still got it.

The town caters to them in a way that makes it nice enough for them yet not to make them feel babied and still attracting young tourists. The streets are cobbled yet everything is so central the walk is short. There are benches everywhere for resting and people watching. The weather, though not controlled by the city, is temperate and a nice climate.

To try and make a mix of family fun and safety they have even fixed one of the main attractions to be more accessible they fixed the raft program so that the “rapids” part is safer and easier for everyone to use. Before the rapid was very dangerous and not many people could really do it and if they did, they were most likely flipping.

Now that the little town has been such a big hit they have had to dial back the tour buses and so the town has less swarms of people. In this photo it was late evening and you can see that there aren’t many people around and the town becomes quite quiet.

This photo might not have the most joyful of expressions but the photo is about how the boomers are competing with the foreigners and tour groups to be the main cliques at Cesky Krumlov.

The Eclectic Fashion of Prague

June 11, 2019- Small Wonders

Prague is known for a lot of things. It is known for its beer. It is known for its Metro. It is known for the history and countless other things. What it is not known for is the fashion. Since Prague has been under so many controls and influenced by so many other cultures it has created a very interesting type of fashion culture.

Prague does stick to the classic European MO of not wearing the big t-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes and strays from the slumpy looks of the United States, but it does not have its own look. Spain has its loose fitting yet lean look with slick neutrals. Milan has its high fashion couture outfits. Yet Prague only has whatever the tourists are wearing or what is functional.

The functionality of the fashion here is what truly drives the choices for outfits. Occasionally there will be a flamboyant couple on the street wearing bright colors or a tourist in the classic dad outfit, but there is never an outfit that screams Prague! The stores are full of clothes that copy other cultures. The streets are full of I heart NY, Jordan jerseys and H&M. Prague has become a fashion melting pot.

Since Prague and Czech people are so to the point and very rational people they do not seem to divulge into the vanity of what they wear. It does not seem to be a part of their culture as it is so characteristic for other’s. This man wearing a yellow pair of sunglasses sticks out because he is fighting the norm and standing out against the crowd. His colorful shirt and decorative mustache make him a character. Kyser and him are most likely the same enneagram (4) even though Kyser might lean 2 since he is so generous and this man only gave me a mean mug.

Prague’s Transportation System Top 5 in the World

June 10, 2019- Around Here

The Czech Republic has statistics that are incomparable to those of the United States. For starters cars are only registered to less than of the population. Those 5 million cars on the road have been registered as only a monthly use. The Czech people have these cars for an average of 15 years. Contrary to this data, the automobile industry is important to the employment of Czech people since they are home to the car brand Skoda.

Aside form the massive economic value that the personal automotive industry gives the Czech people, there are buses, trams and metros at every corner of Prague. The Prague transportation is not only a leading system in Europe but actually ranked as top 5 in the whole world. The rankings considered the profits, people and the planet.

The whole transportation system is such a well oiled machine that it is actually the leading system that focuses on the economic aspects of a city’s mobility system such as efficiency, reliability of the system or commuting time and ranked second in the entire world.

The transportation system is made for the businessman, the family of four and the old couple that looks to have been together for 6 decades. This photo exemplifies the family nature that the trains provide the public. It shows the every day mother that takes her son to school, to the grocery story or to any of the countless parks here in Prague. Even if Prague is full of absinth drunken people, doesn’t outlaw prostitution and has copious amounts of pda, at least it has a public transportation system that is off the charts.

The Free, Night at the Museum

June 9, 2019 – Weekend Miser

In Prague they have a free museum night every __. This event encourages people to go and support the arts in Czech. Prague is not known for its museums or art whatsoever. There are a plethora of famous memorials and statues that are in commemorance of famous people that have been or effected Prague however.

This night makes all the museums free on a Saturday night until 1am from 7am. The arts culture has not been a hit in this country or at least Prague and many museums stand empty or with low traffic. The main museum at the end of the grand mall where the protests were is a great example of the struggling city. That museum used to be the Natural Science Museum but has since then become an eclectic collection of Czech’s history.

The museum in this picture shows people from all areas of Prague coming to the Art Museum to see one of the two exhibits. The first one was a photography exhibit and showcase which naturally got a photography student’s attention, but this one was about Prague’s history.

In the back you can see the Praha map that helps viewers better understand the exhibit. The motion in this picture was purposeful to try to show the fleeting nature of people that actually go to these museums. There are the people that are in focus that resemble those that are dedicated to the arts and then on the other spectrum there are those that are constantly on the move, only going to the museums to see and be seen, free of charge.

When Did Beer Become Man’s Drink?

June 7, 2019 – Around Here

Beer. Czech’s favorite word. It is the center of most of the culture that Czech is known for. Lucky for them Pilsen is so close to Prague that each bar in Prague has had a Pilsner representative come and teach the tenders and waiters how to get the perfect pour that gets that classic foamy look and airy color.

Pilsner is not only a Prague phenomena though, this company has made its name global. Yet, its never had a woman as a brewmaster. Even though historically woman have been the brewers and woman as ale makers are the earliest records of beer.

Alewives were the original modern sellers of beer. Originally were Egyptian female goddesses that were said to bring what fermented drinks. Even Babylonian times (with a gendered language) show that they people dealing with the alcohol were always referred to as she. Regardless of the old old times, the Alewives would make the beer for the family, then if there were any surplus they would have a signal outside their home and other people could come and buy the surplus beer from her to collect money, yet stay in the home.

Then in the 1200’s they made beer production faster and more wide spread and therefore the people running the factory, choosing the ingredients and working in the factory switched over to men. Then once the faster production hit, there began to have government regulation for trade and men completely dominated this field in this time period.

While there is a shift now is woman in American Breweries with a Stanford Study proving that 20% of breweries had females within its founders, Pilsner is not American and has not made this switch with its over a dozen male brewmasters. Although they have held competitions to seek the new best brewers, in which woman like Annie Johnson have shown capability in the field, they have yet to turn over a new leaf and let a woman lead.

Disclaimer: I do not suspect any sexism in the company, it is just interesting that the company has not had a female brewmaster, yet awards females first place in their competitions.