Saturday, May 28, 2011

warmth


Tonight, I lit up all these candles in my room.












Some source of warmth on this cold gray day.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

the Orloj


The Prague Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj.
I took a picture of it last weekend and here are different versions of its edit!  


Normal with the colours enhanced. 


Classic black and white. 


Dark and gloomy. 


Vibrant with high contrast. 

Location: Old Town Square, Prague

Nadia blue
















Spent a nice day at my co-worker Nadia's house which is situated in a village right outside of Prague. I went there with four of my Czech co-workers and had a really good time there! We spent the day outside relaxing, eating and doing some woodwork. Nadia's favourite colour is blue and there was blue everywhere inside and around her house, thus inspiring me to make this post a blue-themed one!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

from home to work


Some photos taken this morning on my way to work. The walk is about 30 minutes, but it can be longer if I get lost. There are many different routes, but this is the one I took today.

Colourful buildings near my neighbourhood. 


A gigantic church.


It's nice that there are clocks placed here and there in the city to keep watch-less people like me on track with the time. 


Passing by the National Museum (the museum is building behind, on the right).


At Náměstí Republiky (Republic Square)


Turning into a smaller street where my work building is located!

There are always a lot of interesting things to see when I walk outside in Prague. Aside from being fascinated with the architecture, I also enjoy seeing the different kinds of people that I pass by!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Prague - day one!


PRAHA - první den!


I woke up at 5am today because of my jetlag. The plus side of this was that I got to see the sun rise from the rooftop window of my hostel room!


The free breakfast at the hostel. I ate it with my hostel roommate. She is a middle-aged lady from Slovakia. We did not speak the same language but we manage to exchange a few words with Google Translator! 


I went to Prague 2 in the morning to view a room in a shared flat. It looked good and the price was decent - so I accepted it! 
I am no longer homeless in this foreign city... yay! 


    
I got a new cell and a new number. It is one of the cheapest and most basic cells! I've had two more like this before lol (one from Canada; another from France)


I passed by Old Prague to do a bit of sight-seeing. It was a brief and superficial visit. 


It is a beautiful place and I will need to come back again (hopefully with a local guide) to have a better understanding of what I'm seeing!


I do not understand why there are nets here. 


A little bird on his head :) 


I like how these two women were just sitting there and having a good time looking at the pictures they just took with each other!


After seeing Old Prague, I took the metro back to my hostel to move all my stuff to my new place.


My new room! Not huge, but sufficient for me. It comes fully furnished (incl. desk + chair not captured here). I am sharing 2 bathrooms and an equipped kitchen with 4-5 other foreigners. My rent (incl. utilities + internet) is 7000CZK, about 400CDN. 


I took a walk in the evening. I have seen many parks like this: lots of benches and big grass area. Many people just go sit there, to rest, to eat, to chat with their friend/lover, and maybe also to people-watch.


I sat at one of those benches and ate a sandwich. It was an OK sandwich. Not too sure what that light orange sauce was (maybe a kind of mayo...). 


One of the main metro stations in Prague. I took the metro to go to Charles Bridge.


Walking on Charles Bridge, constructed in the 14th-15th century.  A very beautiful, wide and long bridge that crosses the Vltava River in Prague!


An artist doing sketches on the bridge. There were many like him along the bridge.


One of the 30 statues on the bridge. I found them all fascinating and would have loved to know who each of these characters were and their significance to Czech history.


On my way back home!

****


It has been a good first day in Prague!  I was productive with getting things done, and most importantly, I'm glad I found a place to live. Being in a new city and not speaking the local language does make me feel like an alien. I don't always know what's going on or where to find what I want. But it's okay! I don't get too frustrated by it. I still manage to get around quite alright. But while I am here, I want to try to learn some basic Czech. Tomorrow I will begin internship. I look forward to see my work place and to meet some of my co-workers!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

pre-departure thoughts


I am leaving for Czech Republic tomorrow to do my summer internship in Prague! Unfortunately I didn't secure a place to live yet, so I will be staying in a hostel until I find my new home. This will be the first time in a long time that I live in a place where I do not speak the local language. It will be an interesting experience and I'm excited about it!


I love the prospect of living temporarily in a new city and having the opportunity to experience the local culture, or at least some aspect of it! I believe that things will fall into place like they always do and that I will have an enjoyable time like I always do!


I know I will feel lonely at times too, especially when a random thought/occurrence/thing reminds me of those I miss. Certain moments will make me wish they could be there, sharing the same present with me. Nostalgia will surge in me... I still feel like I left a chunk of my heart in Vancouver with someone...


But I am looking ahead, feeling generally quite optimistic. I am excited to discover/try new things (within limits, of course!), to meet other expats and the local Czechs, and to make some friends. I look forward to live, to learn, and to enjoy! It will be a good adventure!


Pictures taken at Monterey Bay, CA. 

fade


I really like the faded colours of this picture, making it look like an old photograph. 


Goodbye Pacific Ocean for a while.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

paper crane



Distance can make one feel so helpless at times.
I can only hope, with many good wishes, that this special friend of mine gets well soon.

Monday, May 9, 2011

magenta


So many little blooming magenta flowers at Monterey Bay, CA! They look like patches of carpets.






A late night spent listening to music, editing photos, and thinking. 
I am sleepless once again.