I used to hate flying with airplanes.

The chance to travel to Prague came as a surprise. I had just returned to Sofia from a trip to the Black Sea and there I found and e-mail waiting for me. It said I had just won a photo contest and I could choose my prize that would be photo equipment no more than a certain cost but I also would have to fly to Prague and receive it there at a ceremony in the Czernin Palace. The contest organizers would pay for my flights, for my stay for two nights and also give me spending money.

And I was young and stupid enough to hesitate. Really. At first I thought I would rather receive my prize by mail or something. Because I thought I hated flying for the waste of fuel that it was. Still is. And because I had never tried it.

I was that kind of a person. I accepted new things with great difficulty. Only recently did I learn to overcome barriers and what's more - to seek and destroy barriers.

Back to the trip - I still knew I wouldn't decline it. I was not that stupid. A trip to Prague would be a tremendous experience and at the same time an opportunity to make some interesting photos. Even though I knew next to nothing about the city. I had heard it attracted tourists from all over the world but so did any place interesting enough.

I had not expected the scale. Neither had I expected to love the feeling when the plane first got off the ground and I saw the world from a different point of view. Live was much better than in movies, of course.

So... Scale...

I realized they weren't joking when they said that Gothic architecture dwarfed people.

My hosts had planned my flights in such a way that I would be able to see as much of the city as possible in my spare time. I had almost three full days. I walked outside all the time except for about an hour or so when I had to wait for the ceremony at the palace now functioning as a base of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

My award winning photo - to the right - in the inner courtyard.

Twice I tried to get up early enough for a beautiful sunrise photography and on the second morning I was lucky and prepared after failing the first time. I have shared the best results of that enterprise on my blog already but I just have to show them here again:

And during the rest of the time... I tortured my feet, never stopping, crossing streets again and again, ranging the park near my Questenberk hotel, looking for topics to explore.

I had no tripod, I was doing all shots hand held. I had no plan, I just roamed. I returned to some places more than once. I did not have the time to return to others. I saw crowds and crowds of tourists from all around the world. Those were busy September days. Warm and sunny. Warm nights.

There was so much you could pay attention to... I could not reach a point with a good angle towards the bridges. But I found so much anyway.

Sculptures,

streets,

stairs,

museums,

... And that is far from all but that is all for now.

Of course I have more photos to prepare but what is more important... I have more photos to take. I should go there again. No hesitation at all.

Take care and until next time!

Manol