On Friday afternoon- to celebrate the close of two busy weeks and the end of student-led conferences, I joined some friends at Letna Beer Garden. This is my new discovery in Prague. Not only do they serve great beer, which you purchase at a small wooden hut at the entrance to the garden, but it is on a hilltop, surrounded by trees and overlooking the city. With rows of weathered picnic tables this garden, I can tell is a frequented as a favorite Czech past time, to which I have now been properly introduced. My perspective of Prague has been skewed by my tendency to spend my time downtown... it has been a shaped by the continual "concrete" viewing... the masses of buildings, largely concrete and stacked one after the other. Although antique and charming, Prague is beginning to resemble more of a concrete jungle- the tourists are back! But two weekends ago, I took a stroll through Stromovka Park... located only a few kilometers from my flat, this park has more to offer than I initially explored. Duck ponds, playgrounds, large green spaces are all tucked into the park by multiple tree-lined hills- it is an invitation for both community gatherings and reflective strolls alike. I now have two routes I enjoy running- one through the hills near the university and the other through the park. I have as well been trying new restaurants and the more time I spend in Dejvicka, the more I grow fond of my neighborhood... Somewhere between turning 30, presenting at an international education conference, and exploring new things and after experiencing the relaxing splendor of a cold beer and a beautiful view in the sunshine on a brisk Friday afternoon, I think I might be falling in love with Prague.
"Sometimes I forget to love you like I should... but I'd never leave you, no I never would..." - from Sky by Joshua Radin
