Today was dedicated to learning about Prague during the communist regime and then we helped feed capitalism by shopping. Carli is great with a map and can always direct Tuck to the largest shopping strip in a city. Prague was no exception. We spent a few hours trying all sorts of things on and all ended up walking away with something, a successful days in their eyes as a friend had given them the travelling advice before they had left ‘you see, you like, you buy’.
I managed to find a head band that has leather and material hanging from it which sits in exactly the same spot as my hair wrap used to (there were also feathers but the conditions of sale was that I was forced to cut them off to avoid looking like Pocahontas). It’s not quite the same as my rat tail that I had for 2 years which became a kind of comfort blanket, but it feels right to have something there again.
In the afternoon we took a tour of the city and a nuclear bunker from the 1950’s. Our guide spoke very quickly and it was a little difficult to catch all the dates and important facts, but my minor in history did help me to fill in the blanks.
Around the time of the collapse of communism, mostly students and youths held a huge demonstration in the town, it was the final straw and communism in Czechoslovakia fell. It was called the Velvet Revolution, because unlike demonstrations in many other countries, not one person was killed by the police or violence.
It is hard to understand exactly what it would be like to live and grow up in many of the places I have visited.
Even the subways have been built with the intention of using them as bomb shelters or bunkers if need be. Growing up in Australia, all my Grandparents served in WW2 and Australia has been part of many wars and stepped in to help many nations such as East Timor, but to me, the concept of war has never felt like it was directly in our backyards, and hopefully never will. The more you travel the world the more you can appreciate your own life and history as well as other peoples. Travelling creates understanding, tolerance and respect for a world that we are all part of and therefore influenced by.
The nuclear bunker we visited was built in the 1950’s but has never been used except for training. Part of it has now been fitted out with a bar and we could see the remains of cigarette butts and beer bottles, so I think it is now in operation because of a different kind of party.
It all seemed a little bit James Bond to me, but they obviously would not have made the effort to build these things if they didn’t once feel that a threat was real. I guess it felt a little bit like a movie set instead of a backdrop for history because of the gas masks that were for sale, the free beer they handed out and the dress ups complete with replica Kalashnikov machine guns.
What I find most interesting is the stories of the people, the ones who were taken away in the middle of the night and never seen again, the buildings full of paperwork documenting pretty much what everyone ate for breakfast in order to tell whether they were a traitor or not. And mostly, how did everyone live after it was over. I think the reconstruction of societies is just as interesting and important as their destruction.
Returning to the centre of town the girls decided they may be able to fit in a little more shopping, luckily I had to go to the bus station to see if I could get a ticket to Vienna and so got to opt out gracefully.
I got a ticket and the girls showed me one of the items they got. 4 words... ‘Super Push-Up Bra’. Girls, I just want to say that at first I laughed, but I think I’m converted. As someone for whom even wearing a bra at all has never been imperative, this bra makes you want to wear it. Amazing. There is a lot more to the story of the infamous Super Bra that has continued for days now, but we’ve all decided that it’s probably not necessary to share.
I bought another book called ‘Eat Pray Love’ and if you’ve ever felt a little lost in the world or in love, this book maybe puts down on paper some of the things that you’re feeling, it’s not soppy or self-help like, it’s just someone else’s story that I think many people might find similarities and a connection to. It’s also just easy to read which is what I felt like, Salman Rushdie was making me a little dizzy.
That night we ate dinner on the river and took in our last night of Prague, an inviting and beautiful city.
Getting ready for bed, we had to help a fellow Aussie who’d obviously had a very big night and was now spending the rest of it in the only toilet on the floor.
To Tucky’s distress, she has become a snorer, something she is very upset about. Personally I think it’s pretty funny especially as she has given both of us express permission to throw at her whatever object is closest to us. I had the opportunity that night, but seeing as the closest thing to me was two bottles of full beer from the bunker tour, I decided to be a good friend and give her a gentle shake instead.
No comments:
Post a Comment