#pragueclock

Astronomical Clock

Old Town Square, Prauge

Mikulas of Kadan , 1410

After breakfast/homework, we decided that it was a perfect morning to go an see the astrological clock tower! We had anticipated just going to see the saints that come out on the hour, since it was like 10 minutes until the hour. But....we didn't make it in time :( We decided then to go up into the tower! We walked up several flights of stairs and came across some kind of Kafka exhibit sponsored by the Goethe Institute, but we couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be about. Mostly because it was auf Deutsch. We then went up the ramps, occasionally stopping to read the signs about the workings of the clock and the history of the tower. The top of the tower had some really spectacular views!

We spent about 20 minutes up in the tower and then I spent a little time buying a really cool present for my family, which I won't mention here in case they are actually reading my blog!

On the way to and from the tower, we spent a little bit of time just wandering in and out of shops that looked like fun. We stopped in a marionette shop that had the coolest dragon marionette! I would have bought it if a) it wasn't $300US b) I could have figured out how to get it home.... We also spotted the Sex Machines Museum (yes, that actually exists) but it was WAY to expensive! We also figured they didn't offer any student discounts for that particular museum. We did take these funny pictures in a chair that measured your lovin' abilities. We did not fare so well...

In lieu of class this afternoon, we went on a special private tour of the National Theatre, which was great! I of course was geeking out quite a bit since they perform operas there more than anything else. We went into the second gallery (which I am really glad I did not have to sit in the other night!) and watched a bit of a rehearsal. However, we did get in a little bit of trouble, almost right off of the bat and got kicked out. We went up to the roof where the statues of the horse drawn chariots are and also into the space just below the dome. We couldn't go on the very top of the roof because it was pretty rainy and the roof slopes. There is no way I was going to fall off, which is great because I am kind of a klutz. We also went backstage and saw the mechanics of the stage and were literally standing 17 meters above the stage! I've put up pictures of the chandelier from the top, the view of the ceiling of the auditorium, as well as the space inside the roof!

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Toward the end of the tour we went to the President's box (what looks like used to be the King's box--mostly because of the crown on the outside) and had champagne and strawberries! These are a few of my faaaavorite things! We also went down into the basement and saw the foundations for when the theatre was originally built in the 1860s. One was shipped from each region of the Czech lands and in one of the parlors upstairs there is a painting of each area that sent in a stone. What a wonderful way to support such an icon of artistic endeavors. I also took a couple of photos of busts of Dvorak and Smetana, who were in the parlor just before the balcony.