The Astronomical Clock

“Celia stops walking as she reaches the open square, halting next to the towering astronomical clock where carved apostles are making their scheduled hourly appearance despite the weather.”

— THE NIGHT CIRCUS

When I travel, the things I've read in books or seen on television or in movies are constantly influencing how I interact with a place. My expectations for a city are built on the fact that I know quite a bit prior to arriving, which sometimes comes from a book or a movie, as well as actual research.

Sometimes this works to my benefit (I'm looking at you Venice and Iceland), and other times it makes it harder for me to find the truth amid my high expectations (Paris, Rome, Barcelona...). Occasionally though, it makes me appreciate a place just a little more for the sheer fact that it existed in a favorite movie or book.

That's always been the case with Prague. A scene from one of my favorite books takes place in the city, and I can't help but smile every time I see the Astronomical Clock for that very reason. It's just too easy to imagine Celia and Marco standing in its shadow, talking in the pouring rain.