The Bridges of
Prague
by Isabella Mori
Ladies and
gentlemen, you see before you bridges, bridges,
bridges. There’s not much more I can say,
unfortunately. To be quite honest – it’s
good to be honest – my tour guide exam, well
… let me just apologize if you have been
misled about my qualifications. I am not entirely
sure where – let’s see – Berlin?
No, I don’t think so. Auschwitz? No, can’t
be. Oh, right, Prague. Yes. Czech Republic?
Poland? One of those. Bear with me.
Roses, yes,
these are roses you see. Did you know the Prince
of Sweden, or one of their Royals anyway, was a
rose fanatic? He bought a huge swatch of an
island in Switzerland just to grow roses.
Germany, you
say? Alright, Germany, then.
Four bridges
we see here, one vehicle, can I borrow your
– what is it again? Stethoscope? Monocle?
Binoculars. Well, well. We may not be quite in
the right time zone. I’m sorry for the mix-up,
our driver Teddy with his fabulous Mercedes Benz
coach will get us back to 2018 right after lunch,
I’m sure.
Hm, that’s
a Model T, I believe, there on that second bridge,
so 1920s, 1930s at the most.
The lack of
other vehicles is also due to the early hour. Yes,
yes, starting a sightseeing tour at six in the
morning is a little unusual, but why not?
Adventures, eh? And what could be more
adventurous than going on a sightseeing tour with
a tour guide like me, who has never been to this
place, in a different historical time, before you’ve
even had a chance to have a croissant and a latte?
I’m afraid there won’t be lattes here,
I am quite certain this is not Italy, and
definitely not Vienna, where in the 1920s you
could have had a latte, only they call it melange.
A French word, when in France they call it
café lait. Funny, that.
Café oh lait,
Miss Laverne? Why “oh?” Those French
are a little strange, wouldn’t you say?
Teddy here
– Teddy? Where – oh. Hm. I can’t
see him. The 1920’s must have – I’m
sorry. Of course; it makes sense. He couldn’t
really be here, could he? They wouldn’t be
able to sustain a 2016 Mercedes Benz coach in the
1920s; different conduction system, right?
Combustion, I mean. We’ll just have to make
do without Teddy, obviously there’ll be an
easy way back to your time, ladies and gentleman,
an easy way, don’t worry.
Hm. Well,
anyway. Bridges. Those bridges, one after the
other, aren’t they beautiful? And the roses
right here, don’t they smell exquisite?
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