A bit of this, a bit of that . . .

We are travelling to see family and our blog has suffered the consequences.  I seem to have time to read other people’s blogs, but haven’t organized myself enough to sit down and write on ours.  So, if you are still out there, waiting, I hope you enjoy some random things we saw in January of 2010.Cleaning in Metro station

 

The man in the yellow hat is wiping down the sides of the escalator in the Metro.  What an easy job. . . he just stands there while the escalator does all the work!  Most Metro’s are quite clean thanks to these guys.David Cerny art:  Man hanging

 

At first glance one wonders if they should call the police!  This actually is a sculpture by David Cerny, Prague’s controversial artist who has many interesting (and shocking sculptures) around the city.  Cerny uses the image of Sigmund Freud in this precarious position to communicate one’s need to consciously make the decision to live life or to let go.  Rather a deep subject and not to be taken lightly. . . thankfully this Hanging Man is hanging on!architectural art, arch support figures, Prague

 

Every time I saw these huge figures, which are often at the entrances of large buildings, I thought of Purgatory!!  Seriously, I would look up and instantly feel the tremendous crushing weight they have on their heads . . . and wonder if they were once real people who did naughty things!  I could almost hear them moaning and groaning.  But then, I am the one who thanks the tires on my car for all the work and punishment it takes just to get me from here to there!  Ha, ha.Charles Square, Eliska Krasnohorska statue

 

When we got off the tram in Charles Square the first thing we saw was this statue of Eliska Krasnohorska holding a yellow flower someone had given her, along with her book.  The day was cold and grey but people who saw the flower immediately had a smile on their face!  Eliska Krasnohorksa (1847-1926) was a Czech feminist author who wrote works of lyric poetry and literary criticism.  However, she is usually associated with children’s literature and translations, including works by Pushkin and Byron.  Krasnohorska wrote the libretti for several operas by Bedrich Smetana.  Somehow I think she would have approved of the yellow flower given her.Prague logo, spell Prague

 

How many ways can you spell Prague?  I loved this phone booth but in the days of mobiles and cell phones I wonder if it will one day be a monument? roses in Prague in winter

 

How to keep cheery in January!  I love flowers and was more than pleased when Michael surprised me with these beautiful roses. 

The End is only the Beginning!

It is now December and we are coming to the end of our first month in Prague (but not the end of the posts).  After we arrived Prague received its first light covering of snow with the promise of more to follow!  Since we live in Greece, on an island, where snow is unheard of, this was such a treat!  I was reared as a child in Washington State, USA and Michael in Portland, Oregon.  Both of us remember the snowfalls of our childhood, so the snow in Prague was a delightful and welcome Christmas Gift!  However, I understand it was not the feelings of most Czechs, as it was the worst winter in 40 years!  We were as innocent of that as babes!

Since it is the end of the year, I thought I would show a few pictures taken at random during the month of December.

Easy ID photos in Prague

When Michael and I first got to Prague we went to the Prague Transportation Department where we filled out a form to get a Senior Discount Pass for 3 months – which comes out much less than having to spend money for each trip.  This pass is good for buses, trams and the Metro (subway).  We even found it good on the funicular from Mala Strana to the top of Petrin Hill! 

One of the things we had to do was get photos of ourselves.  We were told one of these foto booths (above) which could be found around the city would suffice.  We had to giggle because the last time either of us had used them was when we were teenagers and took goofy pictures of ourselves with our friends!  Notice how rigid Michael is this time!  He even had his glasses off!  And I had to make sure my hair looked just right!  We found this booth in the Mustek Metro Station.

Wood cooked barbecue in squares of Prague

I mentioned in previous posts, that the Christmas markets had wonderful outside booths, many with mulled wine, hot sausage stands, etc.  This particular barbecue stand, outside a little restaurant, was in the Namesti Republiky (Republic Square).   I don’t know why we didn’t eat any, probably we were in a hurry to go elsewhere.  It makes my mouth water just too look at it now!Colour in architecture in Prague

I found myself taking lots of pictures of buildings.  Nothing seemed ordinary to me.  The white seemed as delicate as icing on a wedding cake.  Prague has an enormous variety of styles: Romanesque, Baroque, Renaissance, even Cubism to the heaviness of the communist era.  It is said Prague was practically untouched during WW ll so it is a wonderful place to study architecture. architecture detail figure over doorway in Prague

Over a doorway. . .tower close up in Prague

This looks like it should have been in one of the Harry Potter movies!

Holy family and nut fresco in Prague

This particular painting over a doorway really intrigued me and I tried in every way I knew how to find out something about it.  Also to know the significance of the arm holding the ball.  I could not find any information about it.  (If anyone knows, please tell me!)  It was on a little side street, of which I am not sure now where, but think it was near Bethlehem Square.Dessert after walk at Potrefena husa's on Vinohradska

We often walked miles, taking loads of pictures when suddenly one of us would call for time out and a coffee break!  They always were a treat and really perked us up!  Amazingly, I didn’t gain weight from all these beautiful desserts. . .but I practically wore out a pair of shoes!

And so ends December.  And to think we have January and February ahead of us!  We feel so lucky! 

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The Prague Irish Connection

Some readers may know that Karin and I lived in West Cork, Ireland for several years before moving to Paros, Greece.  While in Prague we hoped to renew the connection by going to one of the promoted “Irish pubs”.  Sadly we were consistently disappointed by either closed for remodeling signs or the only Irishness was bottled Guinness.

Irish dancing class in PragueRecently we were pleasantly surprised by a news article referring to a Prague school offering Irish dancing lessons.  Come to find out there are two such schools in Prague and many others throughout all of Europe.

The newest school, Luas Dancing School, is directed by Tereza Louzecka Bach.  Her first interest was American style clogging so she teaches that as well.

Participants are welcome for exercise and fun or they can train for competitions in Poland, Austria, Germany, Holland and eventually on to England and Ireland as well.

Prague also hosts a branch of the Delaney Academy of Irish Dance based in London.  I guess next time we will have to look deeper for a bit of shamrock.

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More Snow in Prague

Last year during our December visit to Prague I think we once had a few snow flurries in the air but nothing on the ground.  So this year we did not expect to see much snow but have been pleasantly surprised.  I think there have been as many days with snow on the ground as days without.

Yesterday it was snowing all day so we decided to see some sites without walking — by touring with the tram.  So we got on #10 near our apartment and rode it in an opposite direction from our usual clear to the end of the line.  That was also the end of #17 so we got on it with the intent of riding to the other end.

Before we got off near the Charles Bridge for a coffee break we had seen an extensive cross section of Prague.  We find this slice of life quite interesting; different neighbourhoods than what one sees in the tourist areas.  Some we had only known by the Metro station name. We also saw residential areas with large gardens around each house, reminding us more of back home in Oregon than Europe.  We also spotted several areas that we want to go back for a closer inspection, including the impressive Vystaviste expo centre and the large Stromovka park near it.  However, there were no photo opportunities.

Icicles on street light PragueBy the time we finished coffee and desert it was getting dark so we just rode along the river for awhile before returning home.  It was still snowing but Prague life seemed to be continuing as normal.

This photo is of Friday night ice cycles on the street light.

 

Snow on street light in Prague

This is the same street light on Saturday morning.

Today Saturday, however, seemed a little quieter; less auto traffic but many people on the tram and Metro.  As it had snowed most of the night there was much more accumulation than we had seen before.  Maybe that’s what made it seem quiet, everything was muffled.

 

Right photo shows our apartment courtyard.snow in our court yard out the bedroom window

 

 

 

 

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