european fancy

european fancy
Originally uploaded by minky sue

the absolute sense of aesthetic that the decorators of prague had and hopefully still have, completely astounded me. Down to the benches in the old city, even the simplest things had such profound grace and beauty and craftmanship that it took my breath away. Things were so deliberately made and designed, a definite union of function and beauty, everywhere you looked. Casual beauty left, right, front and center. Not just plunked there so a bench would be there, Israeli style. Designed there.

And yet it was everywhere you looked. Nothing was special because maybe everything was special so you couldn't have favourites. Not that it was bad, being surrounded by so much architectural beauty. Apartment buildings had faces on the front, human faces on the second floor...something that seemed to me to be the buildings' protectors and faces of benevolent spirits. All different. I found myself thinking "if I were to live in a building like that, I'd think of a good name for that woman's lovely image. Our Lady of Number Seventeen or something like that. I'd smile at her when I came home every day. "

But would I secretly blame her if I came home and (God forbid) my apartment had been robbed or something?