Wednesday, August 12th - Prague

After such a long day yesterday with lots of walking, I definitely had a slow start today.  After breakfast and getting ready, I think it was noon before I left the hotel.  Aside from some sightseeing, my aim was to find and buy three things: some ibuprofen, a travel alarm clock and a universal drain plug.  Strange shopping list but that's what I needed.

The alarm clock was going to be a real puzzle.  I had mine with me and I loved it.  However, it stayed behind in a hotel on the last night in Kyrgyzstan.  Our next night was Tashkent, Uzbekistan and we were going to be back there on our last night of the tour a week later so it seemed to me that there was lots of time to have it sent over.  However, the travel guide did not seem to eager to do anything but eventually said he'd see what he could do.  The day before we got back to Tashkent and I asked him about it, it was clear to see he had done nothing.  I would have been better off just contacting the hotel myself.  Anyway, it's not just any alarm clock.  It's for those of us who can't really hear and instead of ringing or buzzing, it goes under your pillow and shakes you awake.  I need it (or something similar) if I ever need to wake up at a specific time.  Having casually looked around in various towns in Europe I decided it was time to really get serious about the search.

I took the metro downtown and was walking through the old town square just before the clock was about to strike and do it's thing so I decided to go into the information centre which was right there and ask the lovely ladies for their suggestions.  They were not busy because everyone (or at least thousands of everyones) were outside waiting for the clock to do its thing.  They were very helpful and came up with a solution for me which was within walking distance.  So off I went through the narrow winding streets of old Prague.

I got to the assigned destination and could not see anything that looked like it might be something I would be interested in.  There was some sort of medical facility nearby so I tried to ask security for directions but he just said he didn't speak English and shut hte door on me, which I thought was rather rude.  There was also a pharmacy nearby so I went in there and although the first lady didn't speak English the next guy did.  First I bought some ibuprofen and paid for them and then I asked him about the address.  He couldn't think of what business they were trying to send me to but he suggested trying one right across the street.  They sold medical supplies like supports, crutches, etc. and they might have an idea.  

I went into that store and it was very small and had only one person working but many people waiting in line so I went back out and stood in the shade for a while until the line died down.  Then I went in and tried to explain what I wanted but the person did not speak English.  Luckily there was someone else in the store who offered to help and eventually we got another address and directions for a place I should try.  Oh yes, I should also mention that the nice man in the pharmacy wrote down what I was looking for in Czech so I could just show them the piece of paper.  That made things a lot easier.

The next stop wasn't that far away but it still took time to get there and, as usual, it was very hot in Prague.  I went into a small store and bought a banana and some peach ice tea and sat on a bench and enjoyed that.  Then I walked down the last street to find the address I was looking for.  Well all I found at the address was a shuttered business on the ground floor which could not be identified and apartments above.  A gentleman just going into the apartment next door tried to help but he couldn't see any connection to the business or any of the names on the door.  I went across the street to a vet clinic thinking they would speak English and they did.  However, the person wasn't from Prague so had no idea.  I went into the store right next door to the address and that person started typing into the computer.  She was looking up the address and she was right next door.  Needless to say she wasn't very helpful to me and I doubt she was very helpful to her employer either.  Even though she spoke English, she didn't seem to even know the address of where she worked.

So after an hour or so of trying to find an alarm clock I gave up.  I had noticed a tower when I was sitting and having my snack so I walked by there and it turned out to be the tower on the New Town Hall.  I didn't take the time to go into it because I really wanted to do the 2 p.m. tour of the Municipal House, but I should point out at least that the New Town Hall is really from the 15th century so not that "new" in our usual thinking.  It was built during the time of Charles IV and there is a lovely square or park by his name in front of the building.  I walked through the park on my way to the metro stop and then headed off to the Municipal Hall but the timing was tight.  Unfortunately I got off the metro one stop too early so had to walk and knew I wasn't going to make that scheduled tour.

I walked up to the Municipal Hall and bought a ticket for the 4 p.m. tour and used their facilities.  Then I went over to the Palladium, a mall just across and down the street.  That was where the lady at the tourist office told me I could find the universal drain plug (or at least that's what I thought).  I wandered all around the mall but could not find a place called KONA, which is what she had written on my sheet.  I tried every household place anyone could think of, and I did ask a few people.  I finally got frustrated and went and had an ice cream cone and waited for my tour to start.

The Municipal House is a beautiful and impressive building from the outside with frescoes, decorative stonework and iron work, and stained-glass windows.  I assumed it was a theatre or performance hall but not really.  It was actually built (1905-1912) as a large meeting place but with the flexibility to hold performances or dances or whatever was required.  Set for a concert the main hall, Smetana Hall, seats 1,200, which makes it the largest concert hall in Prague.  The seats are just normal chairs that can be removed and stored under the stage so you can also have dances or exhibitions in the space.  The hall itself is very ornate with a high dome of stained glass with lights around it, and carved white stone with decorations and paintings.  There is some balcony seating around the sides and back and there are boxes up front - one for the mayor on one side and one for the bishop or king or someone else of importance on the other side.  On each side of the stage are two large statues.  

Around the main hall on three sides there are other smaller rooms that are equally beautiful in their decoration.  They were all different sizes and purposes but all elaborately done and generally with some sort of purpose.  And I should also mention that the huge marble stairs leading up to the main hall are also pretty impressive.  Inn the basement there is a small bar, which is supposed to be the oldest continuously run bar in the city.  There is also a restaurant that is very large and under a curved ceiling.   Since it was now after 5 I decided to stay and eat here.  I just had some goulash but  it was delicious.   

I should also mention that the Municipal House is also important as it was the location of the Czechoslovakian Declaration of Independence in 1918, and it is now home to the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

As I left the building I returned my pass to take photographs and asked the lady about a KONA store.  She right away said the name was KOTVA but I said the lady at the tourist bureau had written down KONA.  I showed her my map and she laughed and said, no it's KOTVA.  The T and V have just run together to look like an N.  She then told me where the store was and off I went.  It took a while because no one in this huge department store spoke English but eventually, with the help of a young lady from Bulgaria and the trusty translation software on her i-phone, I had what I needed.

From there I rushed to back to the old town square to take the passage way across from the tourist office to a concert at St. Michael Monastery at 6:30.  I was a few minutes late but that wasn't a real problem.  They still had lots of tickets because there were only 10 people counting me in the audience.  I picked this one just because it sounded different and was all show tunes.  There was one soprano who looked quite young but she was very good.  There was also a man playing saxophone and he was very good.  The lady on the piano had definite talents and could really play but she was not necessarily a good accompanist.  When I first walked in I just sat down at the edge but that was right near the piano so the piano was all I could hear.  I figured that was just my hearing problem so between the next two songs I moved further back and over to the other side.  The piano was still too loud and she just flew through sections leaving the poor soloist to try and get all the words in and catch up.  I enjoyed the concert but it could have been better with a bit more consideration by the pianist.  I don't think it was worth the $20+ that I paid for it though and this group/facility does a concert at 5, 6:30 and 8 every day.  I think they are just trying to rip off the public (or the tourists) but luckily not many of us are showing up so they might not last too long.

After that I took the tram or the metro home (don't remember which) and probably ended the day with another peach ice tea before collapsing in bed.