October mornings in Prague

I had been to Prague several times before: first in the 90s as party girl, later with my Czech friends and an increasing interest in also day-time activities and proper tourist behavior. Last week, I got to see Prague from yet another perspective: through the Nikon lens, in golden October light, and fog. My photo friends and I spent four beautiful days here, enjoyed the sun, endured the rain and even a thunderstorm, rinsed it down with beer, and some good old Habsburg dishes at Café Slavia. And yes, there was some absinth too.

The latter made it hard to get up early in the morning. But the project was worth it: Standing on karlův most, Charles Bridge, in the dark and waiting for the first light is a beautiful way to begin a day.  At 6.30 am, we formed a row of 8 tripods facing East. In fact, we took all the space between Holy Nepomuk and his opposite neighbors and caused irritation for some too early Japanese tourists on jetlag. But I think some of my nicest pictures have been shot here. Pictures in rain, pictures in morning fog. It was all there. Mystic.

12 hours later, at 6:24 pm, the sun was setting again. By then, Charles Bridge was disgusgtinly crowded, and we had a much better viewpoint to watch the city going to sleep. We stood on top of the hill, in Letná–Park. It was Saturday night, and the sun waived goodbye in an unbelievable mixture of pink and apricot. The kind you later have to justify with: No, it is not photoshop, it really was like that! And as Rainer Martini Tours always focus on the good life too, we had a glass of wine next to us, standing up there. Na zdraví!