Featured - Travel Writing Travel Writing

Prague Souvenir

By on Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Photo by Angie Teo

So this was Prague in November year 2013. My wonderful reporter friend A and I spent our holiday in Prague. I have taken 4 souvenirs with me. First, beautiful photo of Prague taken by A (Angie Teo), her photo will accompany us throughout this post. Second, a special mug for my sister. Third, some painting from a colour pencil art gallery. Fourth, an old man’s smile. 

 
Colour Pencil Art Gallery 
It is necessary to take you to Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) and Cardiff (UK) before I continue to talk about my fourth Prague souvenir – the smile. I worked in a woman non-governmental organization (NGO) in Malaysia. Part of my work was promoting and selling handicraft with women’s empowerment initiative. The purpose is to assist woman in rural area to come out from the vicious circle of patriarchal masculinities in family. One of the projects was to create economic opportunities for them. In short, I was selling things in Kota Kinabalu with my colleague. 
 
A woman walked by our booth, she favor a bag, and asked me to keep the bag until she come back to buy it and she went away. My very experienced colleague reminded me, our goal was to sell everything as soon as possible, we only keep the bag when it is not yet sold. And she did not think the woman would come back. The whole day I was thinking of, “what if she come back and we don’t have the bag anymore?” Apparently, I was wasting my emotion. The woman did not come back.  
 
Sometime later in Cardiff. I did a day trip there, as I waited for the train back to my University in Bristol, I walked around in a shopping centre. I was attracted to a hand lotion with a pleasant fragrance. Although the salesgirl was very friendly, but I do not have intention to buy it, too luxury for a normal student. I casually said: “may be I will come back again.” To my surprise, she replied: “Are you really coming back? You can tell me you don’t like the lotion or you won’t buy it. But please don’t say you might come back when you clearly know you are not coming back.” I apologized politely and went away.
  
I was offended. As a salesperson, shouldn’t she know that this is just a casual promise? How can she require absolute honesty from a stranger? Another voice was creeping in, don’t I like honesty? Is this the way I want to be treated? Haven’t I hurt by a casual promise not long ago as the woman in Malaysia never come back to buy the bag? I have to thank the salesgirl in Cardiff, she reminded me promise is something precious, faith in promise likewise. Treat other the way I want to be treated. 
 
Charles Bridge (Old Town)


We are now back to Prague in year 2013 again. We signed up for a walking tour in Prague, there were still a little time to linger in the old town till the tour begin. We passed by the St. Salvator Church and I was so excited to see the advertisement about an organ concert. The old man that sat in front of the church was selling ticket. As we came near, he greeted us friendly and wanted to offer us student price for the concert. 

 
“We have a walking tour today, but tomorrow we will come back.” I said. 
He smiled dryly. I guessed experiences taught him, do not take people’s word seriously. 
 
Our walking tour tour guide was very competent. A young and energetic student, he has great passion in Prague history. I still remember Jan Hus was burned alive because of telling the truth, Jan Palach was burning himself as a protest when Prague Spring reform movement come to an end, the Jewish history in Prague and the notorious concentration camp and so on. Unfortunately, human never learned from history, keep repeating the same mistakes. 
 
The Old New Synagogue 
Wikipedia: the oldest synagogue in continuous use, built around 1270 compares similarly with the Ramban synagogue in Safed, modern Israel.

The next day, I guess we went to the castle. Whatever we have done on that day, the most important thing was to go to the organ concert in St. Salvator Church at 5pm. Shortly before the concert start, we were approaching the church. From far away, I could see the old man smiled brightly as he saw us. He waved at us and said: “You are back! I promised to offer you student price! I remember that!” I treasure his smile and this moment dearly. The moment of sweetness when promises kept by both party. 

 
Prague Castle 
 
There could also be this kind of situation: leave taken, ticket booked, accommodation arranged, with 200 percent of determination to make thing happened but I have to call everything off. Painful? Certainly. Disappointed? Deeply. Unable to comprehend yet I am believing everything is happening for a reason.
 
I am recalling the woman in Malaysia, who promised to come back to buy the bag but she did not come back. May be she could not afford it? May be her children suddenly needed her at home? May be she is as forgetful as I am? The situation teach me empathy. I also need this empathy from other when I am weak in keeping promise. 
 
I am thinking of the girl in Cardiff, I hope she is still upholding to the faith in promises. Also, I am writing about my precious Prague souvenir, the old man’s unforgettable smile when the promise kept.    
 
The National Theatre in Prague
 
She hoped he had kept his faith …  May be, he summoned music to help him. 
Elizabeth Buchan, The museum of broken promises.
 
 

 

 

 

En medio de la duda y de la niebla,
celebramos la promesa,
celebramos la promesa de esperanza y fe.
En medio de los miedos y traiciones,
celebramos la promesa,
celebramos la promesa, de solidaridad. 
 
En medio de la guerra
Mario Bustamante
 
When all the world seems filled with doubt and darkness,
we will celebrate the promise,
we will celebrate the hope that comes with having faith.
When every turn seems fraught with new betrayal,
we will celebrate the promise,
we will celebrate the hope of solidarity.
 
English Translation by E. Jones
 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Angie Teo

 

0
Related Posts