First Glimpse of Tjekkiet

-a headless bird on the path
-a broken plastic cup
-a blue kerchief fluttering in the bare branches of a birch tree
-sausages bobbing in yellowish water over a sterno flame
-large glass pitchers of whole milk
-servers in unbuttoned black vests, kneeling to sweep crumbs into tin dustpans
-banging stall doors and shallow toilets
-a blonde woman in a red sweater, leaning on the railing of her top floor balcony, smoking and squinting down at the young Americans laughing and dragging their bursting bags