The Great European Adventure

Prague via Instagram

In my post Prague: First Impressions, I mentioned that it is a beautiful city.

While I was there, I even tweeted (wryly) about how lovely it was, and I sent a postcard to E that began, “Prague is like a fairytale.”

Screen shot

When I looked at the photos I took in Prague, though, I was disappointed. They didn’t reflect the city’s atmosphere, the stunning architecture looked like any other collection of buildings, the colors were drab… I suppose it was cloudy for most of my visit. Hell, there was a freak snow storm while I was there!

Enter instagram — the easiest way to edit and manipulate photos.

For everyone who follows me on instagram (and if you don’t, may I suggest you take this opportunity to do so?), the last few weeks have been a deluge of photos of Prague in preparation for this post.

For those of you who haven’t seen any of these photos yet, I hope you enjoy my (heavily-filtered) take on Prague.

A close up of one of the statues on the Charles Bridge
A close up of one of the statues on the Charles Bridge
John Lennon Wall
The ever-changing John Lennon Wall
Stands in Wenceslas Square selling food and mulled wine
Stands in Wenceslas Square selling food and mulled wine
Memorial to Franz Kafka by sculptor Jaroslav Rona, located in the historic Jewish Quarter, where Kafka spent most of his life, and where many of his stories take place.
Memorial to Franz Kafka by sculptor Jaroslav Rona, located in the historic Jewish Quarter, where Kafka spent most of his life, and where many of his stories take place. For more information on this memorial, see this news article.
Architecture and crowds in Old Town Square
Architecture and crowds in Old Town Square
A small canal on the West side of the Vltava River
A small canal on the West side of the Vltava River, which cuts through the center of Prague
The most photogenic building in Prague: The Church of Our Lady Before Týn
The most photogenic building in Prague: The Church of Our Lady Before Týn
The Dancing Building, also known as Fred and Ginger (named for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) is a collaborative work of modern architecture by Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry, which stands out in a city full of Baroque, Gothic, and Art Nouveau buildings.
The Dancing Building, also known as Fred and Ginger (named for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) is a collaborative work of modern architecture by Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry, which stands out in a city full of Baroque, Gothic, and Art Nouveau buildings.
Detail of the astronomical clock in Old Town Square
Detail of the astronomical clock in Old Town Square
Particularly colorful portion of Prague Castle
Particularly colorful portion of Prague Castle
Supposedly, this gentleman playing saxophone in Old Town Square won the lottery, but continues his work as a street performer because he finds it fun. I don't think this rumor is true, but it's a charming story.
Supposedly, this gentleman playing saxophone in Old Town Square won the lottery, but continues busking because he finds it fun. I don’t think this rumor is true, but it’s a charming story.
A snapshot of me enjoying the fall colors
A snapshot of me enjoying the fall colors
The first photo of Prague that I instagrammed in order to capture the city looking a little darker, moodier, more atmospheric.
The first photo of Prague that I instagrammed in order to capture the city looking a little darker, moodier, more atmospheric.

Taken any interesting photos lately? Let me know in the comments if you’re on instagram.

Emma Holliday is well-traveled. After 5 years in Boston, she and her husband upended their lives to move to Berlin where she is currently writing a (funny) book about travel and grief and attempting to learn German.

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