photo: Koichi Futatsumata

Cobblestone Paths

The cobblestones on the way up to Prague Castle. The pattern of their arrangement is also pleasing. These stones have borne the footsteps of people here for some 600 years. A single one of these stones might hold more meaning than an entire building caught in the cycle of scrap-and-build common in Japan. Each one, worn smooth without a single sharp edge, has become rounded, and with every step, a pleasant sensation travels up the sole of the foot. They exist in this alley with overwhelming persuasiveness, underpinned by a naturalness that has come about over time. This town is made of a continuum of such things.

photo: Koichi Futatsumata

Hanging Statues

photo: Koichi Futatsumata

Trams are convenient for getting around central Prague, but they look so old you wonder when they were manufactured. More like lumps of iron than trams. The paint, applied over many years, is quite thick. They seem even older than the ones I saw in Kagoshima over 20 years ago.

photo: Koichi Futatsumata

An eerie statue was hanging in an old arcade (there are shopping streets extending back from the main roads everywhere) in the city center. It was right in front of what looked like a theater entrance, so I don't know if it's related, but a person is straddling the belly of a horse hanging upside down. Even in its bizarre appearance, this presumably very heavy statue is suspended from the ceiling by just two ropes. What if it fell... This precariousness feels akin to viewing the mad creations of Jan Švankmajer (a Czech artist).

It's heavy, not just in actual weight, but the air and texture make it feel even heavier. Even if it's a biased expression, I'm strangely drawn to things that are clearly made with such care, far more interesting than trivial, superficial designs. Being able to feel this kind of atmosphere is part of the charm of Eastern Europe for me.

Next, I plan to travel from Russia to Poland, and then to the Czech Republic.

The End