"Song-ography, the 'Ordinary Day' edition...

"Just a day,

just an ordinary day.

Just trying to get by...

What is "ordinary" to one person, has the capability to be quite extraordinary to another.  And that is what makes the world interesting. Perspective.  It's also what I love about travel.  To experience someone else's "ordinary", for a change.  Because quite frankly...I find it extraordinary.

"Beginning of an Ordinary Day"
Prague, Czech Republic

It's also what I love about photography.  The art of observation.  For moi, it's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place.  For now? It just happens to be someone else's "ordinary" place.  Prague, Czech Republic.

...Please come with me.
See what I see...

...and ordinary people, in that ordinary place.  Living their ordinary lives.  They probably have no idea I found them so extraordinary.

"Christmas Market Cherubs"

"Slovakian Rolled Trdelnik"

Christmas Market

"Selfie"

(apparently there are some universal 'ordinaries')

"Lunchtime"

"A City on a Hill"

"On Duty"

I've found it really has little to do with the things you see, and everything to do with the way you see them.  Sometimes the extraordinary is quite apparent.  

"Old Town Prague"

"Orange Rooftops"

"Prague Castle"

"Old Town Christmas Market After Dark"

And sometimes, it takes a little more looking to see it.  AND...travel companions wondering what the heck you are taking a photo of.  It just looks so ordinary.

"Men at Work"

But it never fails to amaze me how someone else's ordinary, is so much more interesting than mine.  I need to work on that.

"Marionettes"

"Night Lights"

"Ordinary Alley"
Prague, Czech Republic

...I started to realize,

that everyday I find 

what I'm looking for."

-Ordinary Day (Vanessa Carlton)


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Next Tuesday's Song-ography suggestion is...

"I Can See Clearly Now"

Jimmy Cliff

And please remember blog posts, Instagram, and  Flickr photos are welcomed to link up.  Thanks for your participation, I look forward to visiting every one's link ups.

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"Pulling strings...

"Pulling Strings"

Prague, Czech Republic

So, did you hear the one where Obama, Putin, Elvis and Michael Jackson walk into a bar?

P.S.  Kinda screams "CAPTION ME!"...so please do, in the comments.

Here's where I "link up" today.

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Next Tuesday's Song-ography title suggestion is "End of the Line (It's Alright)" by the Traveling Wilburys.
Come back and link up!

"On familiar terms...

...which is why I call him "The Chuck Bridge".

"Prague Panorama"
IPhone

Because after three times visiting, one needs not stay on formal terms.  It would almost be an insult.  He is more formally known as "The Charles Bridge".  And he crosses the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic.  Considered to be one of the most astonishing Gothic structures in the world.  I have to agree.  And not just because we are friends.

"The Charles Bridge"
Prague, Czech Republic

Construction started in 1357 under King Charles IV, and finished the beginning of the 15th century.  It was the only means of crossing the Vltava River until 1841.  Today, it is solely a pedestrian bridge.  Which is awesome for photographs.  Unless you are walking it with ME...then I'm sure it's kinda of a pain in the arse for you.

"Hazy Morning on the Charles"
Prague, Czech Republic

"Strolling the Charles"

Prague, Czech Republic

Protected by three bridge towers.   Two on the Lesser Quarter side of the Vltava...

"Bridge Towers"
Prague, Czech Republic

...and the third across the bridge on the Old City side.  621 meters long, 10 meters wide.  Resting on 16 arches.

"On the Vltava"
Prague, Czech Republic

Czech legend has it that construction began on the Charles Bridge at precisely 5:31 a.m. on July 9, 1357 with the first stone laid by Charles IV himself.  This EXACT time was important to the Holy Roman  Emperor because he was a strong believer in numerology.  I wonder what his stance was on his Horoscope (fyi, May 14th birthday = Taurus = insightful, independent, analytical, and prophetic = Holy Roman Emperor shoe-in!).  This specific time formed a numerical bridge:  1357  9,7  5:31.  It was believed to imbue the Charles Bridge with additional strength.  And if THAT wasn't enough...it is also said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to strengthen construction.  Never underestimate the power numerology and...poultry.

Considering the bridge was largely undamaged by the destruction of WWII, when Prague fell to both Germans AND Russians...that's one "incredible edible egg"!

"Entertaining on the Charles"
Prague, Czech Republic

Today,  it's a popular venue for strollers to take in the fairytale views of Prague, street performers, artists,  musicians, souvenir hawkers.  Yep, even a pick pocket or two.  In the past, you might venture over the Vltava and and see severed heads of revolt leaders on display.  Probably a few souvenir hawkers there then too.

Probably what the Charles Bridge is most known for tho, is it's continuous alley of statues.  Most of them Baroque style, erected around 1700. All saints and patron saints of the Czech Republic.  30 in all. Did you know Good King Wenceslaus is the patron saint of the Czech Republic?  He is depicted a few times on the Charles Bridge.  ALMOST makes up for being murdered by your younger brother.

"Got Birds"
Charles Bridge,
Prague, Czech Republic

Three times in Prague.   Summer, Fall and now Winter.  The sun was AWOL.  Cold.  Grey.  Foggy at times.  A completely different look and feel to the city than the last time I visited Chuck.  Made me realize that winter is a bridge connecting one year to the next.  But in Prague, the Charles Bridge connects century to century to century.  It's timeless.  Gotta love Chuck...and the power of the egg.

Here's where I "link up" today.

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Next Tuesday's Song-ography title suggestion is "End of the Line (It's Alright)" by the Traveling Wilburys.
Come back and link up!

"Song-ography, the 'Give a Little Bit' edition...

"See the man with the lonely eyes..."

-Give a Little Bit (Roger Hodgson)

"See the Man With the Lonely Eyes"
The Lennon Wall
Prague, Czech Republic

"The more I see, the less I know for sure."
-John Lennon

Even visionaries can have lonely eyes.

The Lennon Wall.  Off the beaten track.  But one of my favorite places to visit in Prague.  Add in a guitarist playing Beatle songs and it kinda becomes magical.  Maybe bordering on mystical.  John Lennon could "see" a perfect world.  He was a visionary.  His ideals for peace thrived under totalitarianism at the "Lennon Wall", and helped inspire the non-violent "Velvet Revolution" that led to the fall of Communism in the former Czechoslovakia.

If you are interested in learning and seeing more, check out my blog post from a previous trip to Prague  HERE.

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Given the events of this past week, #jesuisCharlie...I'm going to keep with the whole John Lennon vibe with next Tuesday's Song-ography suggestion.  Because unfortunately, some messages are apparently timeless...

"Imagine"

John Lennon (Unicef Version)

Take a look at this video put out by Unicef using the message of John Lennon.  I'm going to have to ponder this one awhile to see where it takes me photographically.  I hope you find inspiration from it too.

Thanks for joining in at Song-ography!  I hope everyone has time to visit some of the other participants and see what they've been up too.

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