to see beer delivered to a pub by tanker truck:
The receiving establishment, U Sadu, is in my block. It is very highly rated by Prague’s pub aficionados but I have found it no better than a dozen others we have been too. Still it is nice knowing that it is nearby and now I won’t have to worry about it running out of our favourite Czech brew, Pilsner Urquell.
It’s nice to be pleasantly surprised and Prague is still surprising us. We moved here because of all the available activity and lately have been taking full advantage, such as a concert (free student recital of superior quality at Prague Conservatory) on Thursday and a musical (Chess: interesting play but beyond the capabilities of most of the performers) on Friday night.
So Saturday was a stay at home day with the highlight of our TV year, Eurovision final, on that night. But with a couple short errands to run we walked to Jiriho z Podebrad Square knowing there was something going on called Pink May. This, it turns out, is a wine tasting for Czech rose’ wines. Evidently it was well attended throughout the day with a variety of music and other special events on the state.
We were fortunate to see these folk dancers and the extremely intricate costumes of the women; just like expensive dolls on souvenir shop shelves.
Being a warm day we walked home by a circuitous route through Mahler Orchards, a small park in front of our building. There we noticed workmen wiring some strange-looking pipes and the word Pyrotechnics on their van. Aha, fireworks tonight. So the indefatigable researcher, Karin, got on the internet to find out what was going on–to no avail, this time.
But I got out my camera, put on a tripod and set it for night scene. About 10 P.M. we decided they wouldn’t be tonight after all Then about 11 when the last Eurovision song–from Ireland–came on there was a whoomph and bright lights out our window. I rushed to open the window and turn on the camera while still trying to enjoy the spectacle. On Paros we had fantastic fireworks directly in front of us but this is the first time they were so close we could see the individual pieces burning just beyond reach. We had to lean out the window and look up to see them all.
This is my favorite of the tower. See my Zizkov Tower Fireworks album for the series of 9 including artsy colors.
So, if we hadn’t by chance seen the display being set up, we could have been dangerously startled. As it was we continue to be amazed at the rich diversity of life in this city.
We have been in our new Prague apartment for four weeks now and I have been negligent in posting, as usual. We have been on the go a lot but mostly to uninteresting places to shop for our apartment or ourselves.
April Blossoms on Petrin Hill above Prague Castle
Yet, Prague being such an interesting city we have been out to some entertainment, including–and certainly not limited to– the European Film Festival, concert by Italian Choir at the Music Museum (free!) and English language theater. We highly recommend The Prague Playhouse production of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. It is the best play we have been to in years.
Our first major outing was to Alfons Mucha’s The Slave Epic. But you will have to wait for Karin’s update to read about that. However, if you are in Prague, don’t wait to go; it is a unique lifetime experience.
Here is an excerpt from my Greek island blog that I intend to put in the side bar here:
“I recommend this book for the same reason that I publish personalized travel guides: not so the reader can repeat the same journey, rather to serve as a stimulus to choose your own course and pursue it with confidence you can leap over, or at least get around, the inevitable hurdles.”
The book I am referring to is One Year Lived by Adam Shepard. In it a young man tells about his incredibly full and rewarding year travelling around the world. Read more about the book on that blog or I will send you a free copy (PDF) if you comment on this post telling me why you would like to read the book. Be sure your email address is included.
Cheers,
As you can tell from the previous post, I like to write about small world connections on this huge globe we live on. Also I realize the title of this blog is not particularly creative, yet it seemed to fit well for us. So I receive Google Alerts whenever the phrase Czech Mates is indexed. Most are sports connected; a few are music reviews(even fewer are related to this blog).
The most recent was for two Czech musicians playing at the Oregon Bach Festival in Eugene, Oregon on 29 June, 2013. Sounds great!
Travel back to the old country with two Czech emigrés who offer a fresh take on European folk music, seasoned with amazing skill, inviting humor, and a joyous kick. A U.S. champion mandolinist, Radim Zenkl is equally fluent on a variety of flutes, whistles, didgeridoo, and vocals. Leo Chern contributes keyboards, bass, and percussion as this spirited duo creates a world of sound.
Eugene was the site of some of the best years of my life as a student at the University of Oregon. This was a few years before the Oregon Bach Festival started so I have not attended this festival. But I do have fond memories of the Abbey Bach Festival in Mount Angel, Oregon. Karin and I went on one of our early dates before we were married. It is a delightful affair with monks singing vespers followed by gourmet box dinner followed by great Bach music. That same formula is still followed the last time I looked. Update at Mount Angel Abbey Bach Festival
This photo is taken from the Abbey grounds where our grandson graduated in 2012. So the list of Prague and Czech connections to my world goes on. If you know of others within the six degrees of connection, please comment. Cheers.