July 24

New Metro Stop, New Sights

The morning was for chores, first heading to the post office, 

  (THERE'S THAT BLUE COLOR AGAIN!!!)

sending a package home (#5) and figuring out how to fill out the form all in Czech. Then onto the farmers market to resupply for our last week and looking forward to another delicious smoked trout for our lunch. 

But our smoker must have another weekday job or market, as he was not in his spot and so my search was on for interesting lunch food. We could do produce and make a salad, or buy some fresh yogurts and cheese and bread OR we could try this unusual looking food cooking in a hugh paella pan being stirred by a pretty young girl who luckily spoke a bit of English and could kinda sorta tell me what was in the delicious smells wafting out. So even though her words were sauerkraut, potato, bacon and ham, I bought 200 grams knowing Steve would at least try it - "when in Rome" -Turns out it was delicious, much lighter than expected and the potatoes tasted just like good gnocchi. 

Errands done and bed made (by the way can you believe we have been traveling now for over seven weeks and have made our own bed everyday? Good thing I actually like bed making) we headed into town, destination Metro Namesti Republiky, a new stop for us to continue our education of Czech art at 'The House of the Black Madonna', and visit the first Cubist building in Prague which housed the Czech cubist art collection. 

Coming up from the Metro, our first sight was another incredibly magnificent building, the Municipal House, 

already on our list for touring on Friday but worthy of stopping  in your tracks and some OMGs and photos. 

 Through the Powder Gate and onto The Black Madonna. 

On the bottom floor of the building we spy a shop, Kubista, which was recommended by Eva, small with a great selection of modern design. As we enter the building to head up to the museum, the staircase is totally cubist architecture but not the sign, which is clearly telling us the Museum is closed and has been closed for ten months, with some of the collection moved elsewhere and no idea if or when it will reopen. Lots of signs but maybe they should have one less sign and update their website which still gives the hours as 10-6pm daily!

Never fear, back up plan is ready, we'll switch our days and head back for the Municipal Tour. It's 3:20 and we remember the tour is at 4, perfect save and only two blocks back. We arrive to find that alas, on Wednesday, the last tour is a 3 but as we are walking out through the lobby two lovely young girls with Trainee badges stop us and convince us to head downstairs to happy hour in the beer hall restaurant for $2 beers. It's warm and we are thirsty, so we start walking down the wide spiral staircase, across mosaic floors, 

past art nouveau elevator cages, and into the most magnificent hall I have seen yet.  It is big and tiled from floor to ceiling with murals and painted tables and lighting fixtures from grand ballrooms.  Really our jaws are dropping. How can this not be a stop in every tour book or secret Prague website?

The beers come, cold in large steins, and as we hoist them, Steve and I must be having the same thoughts at the same time because I simply start to say "Can't you just imagine" and he immediately knows. It is creepy and chilling and we both can hear the Nazi commander's boot steps and see the uniformed men sitting at the long tables laughing and drinking while Hitler takes over Czechoslovakia.

It conjured up memories of scenes from Inglorious Bastards and it was hard to stop seeing the images and hearing the German Officers laughing.  Even though we had felt the history of the occupation and walked through the Jewish ghetto, and there was nothing actually in the beer hall to spark these feelings, this was much more visceral for some inexplicable reason. 

Good thing the next stop was an interesting modern Photography exhibit from 50 Czech artists.

Not landscapes or typical portraits, each artist's hanging was about a personal journey or intimate moments or thoughts. You might assume that is not a big deal but a remnant of Communism, according to the exhibit's text, is the total repression of sharing of personal dreams or private thoughts and so it has taken a couple of decades for this type of intimate sharing, even through art, to come easily and erase all taboos.

Back to our favorite A line metro, back to our home stop Jihro Podebrad and onto dinner in Vinorhady to what is touted as the BEST Burger joint in Praha. Now we don't eat burgers (other than my once a year exception for an extraordinary one at Hickory Lane or Good Dog), but we had decided we were done with expensive gourmet style dining for the rest of our time here. The chef at Sansho had recommended it as well as an upstairs neighbor, it was in walking distance to the apartment and Wednesday was a no reservations night, so what the hell.

One smoked blue burger, one bacon cheddar burger, one fries, one pivo and one Gin Tonic deluxe later we were full and it was tasty. It very well could have been the best in Praha but the bread could have been better and the meat was delicious but lacked that run down your arm juiciness which is standard with good burgers at home. It was more like the beef in South America, so it must have been grass fed and lean and probably a lot better for you too. Our waiter was adorable and looked just like one of our friend's sons...perhaps you can guess, his Mom knew immediately!

An early night back to work on the road trip, adding another night so we can do some brewery tours and maybe another castle, redo the car rental and start to look for a great little inn on a lake in the mountains in the High Tatras. 

And if you have no idea  where that is, neither did we until last week but we'll be there in about 12 days so if you don't google it, stayed tuned for the upcoming photos and travelogue and you too may soon be booking your next vacation there.