2. Contrasts

I feel like I’m in a different world in Prague since it’s so bohemian.  Now that “different world” has another layer of surrealism.  I see a poster for a Marilyn Monroe photography exhibit opposite the entrance to the St. Vitus Cathedral, which is on the grounds of the Prague Castle.  It is an odd place to see Marilyn Monroe’s image, and I walk over and read that the exhibit is just steps away.  That seems even stranger to me since this castle is more than 1,000 years old and laden in history, Romanesque architecture and the tombs of Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors.  I can’t help but think that Marilyn does not belong here — yet she does.  That’s one of the many interesting things about this city.  It’s a blend of the old and the new, the expected and the unexpected.  One moment I’m stepping back in time admiring the jaw-dropping beauty of the intricate stained-glass windows, Gothic architecture and sweeping views of the domes and spires, and in the next I’m looking at a 50-year-old image of Hollywood glamour.  The two worlds couldn’t be more different from each other, yet I’m inspired by the artistry and the contrast.  It makes me curious about the lives of the people who lived here over time and what they’ve seen.  It also makes me curious about Marilyn’s short-lived life.