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7 January 2011 05:09![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
christabel_daaeExcuse my English, but I'm not allowed to switch the keyboard here. It's 3:30 AM, I'm in Prague, I have insomnia, I am sitting in the hall of my hotel and typing this. No, everything is quite right with me, just some insomnia because of overexcitement. No, I'm not drunk; no, I haven't had absinthe. Yet. Yeah, and I've been a good girl, I haven't visited the museum of sex machinery. Yet. Nor the museum of medieval torture instruments (if they are two separate museums, what I sometimes doubt judging from the advertising photos), by the way - as well, not yet.
What I HAVE seen and heard already - under cut.
Firstly - and not to return here anymore - the way here... what a hell of a journey! I know this is the way with all econom-class tours, and still each time it strikes me. This time we were moving So slowly - the 24 hours normal way to Prague took almost a day and a half. Anyway, when I got to my room - I paid specially for a single room - everything fell into place. And Prague, Prague at night... I don't go with the group, I dislike people on those tours and in those groups - and even if some of them are nice and intelligent, I feel more comfortable when I have my own agenda and travel at my own pace.
The first place I visited in Prague as a decent Mina Harker should do - that was the headquarters of British secret intelligence service, or the League of extraordinary gentlemen - well, I guess you've got me right. Yeah, That building that was in the movie, which was almost completely shoot in Prague (as well as "From Hell", as well as... so many others movies and steampunk dreams). That's Rudolfinum, the magnificent home of Czech Philharmonia on the bank of Vltava (by the way, it's named after our Rudolf, the crown prince, who was its sponsor, as I get it). The concert - Sibelius' concert for violin and orchestra in D minor and the mighty 7th symphony of Dvorak - I felt as in heaven, sitting in the middle of the balcony with ideal acoustics and ideal view. And dry champagne - the only thing they served in the buffet and in all the lobbies - the best brut I've tasted in my life... (maybe it's because I taste brut so seldom... no one chooses it - and dry in the only thing champagne should be...)
Today - I'm growing sleepy, so I'll write only the most important things - today among all things visited the library of Strahov monastery. (Google it, it's worth it!) Took many pictures, everywhere I could. The Theological hall was still being reconstructed, but with the working men in stead of the globes the pictures looked nice. And the Philosophical hall... I'll check when home - but it seems to me that it's just the place where the interior of the headquarters of League of extraordinary gentlemen... well, you get me, I hope. The beginning of the movie, remember? Where Mina Harker "Sorry, I'm late" - "Lady's privilege, mrs. Harker!" Unfortunately it wasn't permitted to enter the room, but I took as many pictures as I could, leaning as far into the room as possible.
And the last Really Worth Mentioning thing today - taking the complete audio guided tour round the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle area. In English it was told by the living prince Lobkowicz himself - it felt like he's speaking especially to you. And I was almost the only visitor - in most rooms I was alone, without even the lady watchers of the museum:) Paintings of old masters, expensive china, reliquaries, great collection of 16-18 century arms... History of Lobkowicz family and of Prague and Holy Roman Empire... But most important for me - just the reason I took this tour, I knew of it long ago in Kyiv - the manuscripts of Beethoven. The 4th and the 5th symphonies - original manuscripts. 3rd symphony, 'Eroica' - original printed edition. "Eroica", as well as many other pieces, was dedicated and performed for the first time to the 7th Prince Lobkowicz, a great man, who really patronized music. Man, I can't describe my feelings... Maybe if I tell you that I returned twice to the room to cast another glance... and listened to the audio about Beethoven and with his music... Or if I tell you that 4th and 5th symphonies are in my player here...
The funny thing. They've decided to change places of the additional excursions, and we are visiting Vienna on our way out of the country, not on some day with returning to Prague. That means I'll be in Vienna for some hours (only hours, alas!) this Monday. Anybody by any chance there?
Moreover, we'll be visiting as well... Budapest! Only one bus stop, for some 15 minutes on Heroes' Square - but waving hello to Szecsenyi Bridge from the bus window... Surely it means I'll be in Kyiv late at night, maybe even not on Tuesday but after midnight on Wednesday and exhausted as hell - but that's a funny surprise. Anyone in Budapest on Monday?)
What I HAVE seen and heard already - under cut.
Firstly - and not to return here anymore - the way here... what a hell of a journey! I know this is the way with all econom-class tours, and still each time it strikes me. This time we were moving So slowly - the 24 hours normal way to Prague took almost a day and a half. Anyway, when I got to my room - I paid specially for a single room - everything fell into place. And Prague, Prague at night... I don't go with the group, I dislike people on those tours and in those groups - and even if some of them are nice and intelligent, I feel more comfortable when I have my own agenda and travel at my own pace.
The first place I visited in Prague as a decent Mina Harker should do - that was the headquarters of British secret intelligence service, or the League of extraordinary gentlemen - well, I guess you've got me right. Yeah, That building that was in the movie, which was almost completely shoot in Prague (as well as "From Hell", as well as... so many others movies and steampunk dreams). That's Rudolfinum, the magnificent home of Czech Philharmonia on the bank of Vltava (by the way, it's named after our Rudolf, the crown prince, who was its sponsor, as I get it). The concert - Sibelius' concert for violin and orchestra in D minor and the mighty 7th symphony of Dvorak - I felt as in heaven, sitting in the middle of the balcony with ideal acoustics and ideal view. And dry champagne - the only thing they served in the buffet and in all the lobbies - the best brut I've tasted in my life... (maybe it's because I taste brut so seldom... no one chooses it - and dry in the only thing champagne should be...)
Today - I'm growing sleepy, so I'll write only the most important things - today among all things visited the library of Strahov monastery. (Google it, it's worth it!) Took many pictures, everywhere I could. The Theological hall was still being reconstructed, but with the working men in stead of the globes the pictures looked nice. And the Philosophical hall... I'll check when home - but it seems to me that it's just the place where the interior of the headquarters of League of extraordinary gentlemen... well, you get me, I hope. The beginning of the movie, remember? Where Mina Harker "Sorry, I'm late" - "Lady's privilege, mrs. Harker!" Unfortunately it wasn't permitted to enter the room, but I took as many pictures as I could, leaning as far into the room as possible.
And the last Really Worth Mentioning thing today - taking the complete audio guided tour round the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle area. In English it was told by the living prince Lobkowicz himself - it felt like he's speaking especially to you. And I was almost the only visitor - in most rooms I was alone, without even the lady watchers of the museum:) Paintings of old masters, expensive china, reliquaries, great collection of 16-18 century arms... History of Lobkowicz family and of Prague and Holy Roman Empire... But most important for me - just the reason I took this tour, I knew of it long ago in Kyiv - the manuscripts of Beethoven. The 4th and the 5th symphonies - original manuscripts. 3rd symphony, 'Eroica' - original printed edition. "Eroica", as well as many other pieces, was dedicated and performed for the first time to the 7th Prince Lobkowicz, a great man, who really patronized music. Man, I can't describe my feelings... Maybe if I tell you that I returned twice to the room to cast another glance... and listened to the audio about Beethoven and with his music... Or if I tell you that 4th and 5th symphonies are in my player here...
The funny thing. They've decided to change places of the additional excursions, and we are visiting Vienna on our way out of the country, not on some day with returning to Prague. That means I'll be in Vienna for some hours (only hours, alas!) this Monday. Anybody by any chance there?
Moreover, we'll be visiting as well... Budapest! Only one bus stop, for some 15 minutes on Heroes' Square - but waving hello to Szecsenyi Bridge from the bus window... Surely it means I'll be in Kyiv late at night, maybe even not on Tuesday but after midnight on Wednesday and exhausted as hell - but that's a funny surprise. Anyone in Budapest on Monday?)