The beauty of wandering around the city without any destination in mind is that you stumble upon places you never expected to find and be surprised at your luck in getting there on your own. Happened to me a lot of times, I tell you. haha!
Like this one time when I was in the beautiful city of Prague...
One cold afternoon in autumn, as we were aimlessly walking the streets of this brick-orange town, we happened to pass by this cobbled alley where a stretch of wall was covered in bold graffitis. Apparently, it's famous, and it's such a shame that I didn't even know of its existence.
The John Lennon Wall.
Upon seeing it even just from a bad angle, I immediately told my friend that there's no way I was going to walk away without doing my part on that mural. I firmly believe I was destined to make it to this part of the world and face this particular wall. haha!
Fortunately, there was a guy there who was perched on a highchair, seriously painting a significant size of a masterpiece at one corner. He had quite an audience and the people also crowded to get a photo with the wall.
No one else dared to paint, though. Determined, I approached the artist and asked whether I could borrow one of his palettes lying on the ground. With a smile, he gladly said yes.
I was quite pressured at the onlookers, but seeing as it was a free-for-all, no-theme (except for a number of The Beatles references), paint-whatever-you-want, no-skills-needed kind of canvass, I told myself there's nothing to be conscious about. ahaha!
..But come on, it's not everyday that you could paint on such a historical wall! Pressure came from no one else but me - like always. I at least wished to create something nice, if not a masterpiece! After all, I have a reputation to carry, thanks to my great ancestors. But as I had limited paint, time, and space (I refused to vandalise anyone else's work of art), I had the lamest excuse for resorting to a quick self-doodle and declarative that I wanted to remind myself of.
Cheesy and such a cliche. haha! It would probably be painted over anytime soon, so I don't really care. What matters more to me now is that in years' time, when I return to visit this place (oh yes, I will), I know that beneath those layers of new paint and colour is my very own masterpiece - an eternal memory of my first visit in one my favourite cities in the world, Prague. <3
Out of the thousands of scribbles and unsaid words there, the most salient piece there was, of course, this big yellow heart. Too common a shape but the words inscribed limns the thoughts and feelings I've come to have since I started traveling. Whoever painted this - I guess the same goes to all those who traversed this alley and felt compelled to take a few minutes of their time to draw and share a part of themselves to the world - had a soul that resonated with mine.
p.s.
p.s.
There was a Space Invader!!!!
Finally saw one!! :D Weee~!
***
December 02, 2011
JOHN LENNON WALL
Prague, Czech Republic
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