Living in London

Yesterday while out walking around Wenceslas Square, we went into an old Soviet style department store to use the Water Closet. After paying the surly attendant 3 Kc (12 cents or 7 pence) we entered the toilet where we learned (just in time) that we needed to take the toilet paper from one main dispenser before entering the stall. Gave me a feeling of what "state control" must have been like. Wonder what happens if you take too much?

Today we went on a tour, mostly via bus, which turned out to be a blessing since it rained most of the morning. We saw the highlights of Prague, walked around the castle, and stayed for the changing of the guards. The architecture here is really very amazing; every style is represented, from early Roman to Baroque and late Renaissance. In many cases the different period styles are represented all on one block and in some cases even on the same building!!

The tour was given in both English and German and, having once taken a tour in both Japanese and English, we reinforced our vows to NEVER take a tour that is provided in two languages. The tour guide in these cases just doesn’t have enough time for anecdotes and stories that make the tour interesting. They are too busy telling the same basic facts in two different languages.

Our tour guide was about 60 and has lived through many changes during her life here. She made and interesting an haunting comment. She was telling us about the devastating flood in Prague in August of 2002. She said "We have had at least two major wars in every century from the beginning of our history. This last century was the worst. There were two world wars and then communist rule for 20 years. We finally got free and then this terrible flood happened. The heavens do not favor us." It was so sad and made us wonder if the people here have always been so down. The echoes of Communism reverberate through the city and as we walk the streets we sense an air of fatalism.

Then tonight we went to a short concert and our spirits were lifted. Prague embraces their rich history of classical music and there are many classical concerts advertised around the city. We decided to avoid the big venues and went to a baroque library in an old church. As we sat there listening to Mozart's A Little Night Music and Vivaldi's Four Seasons, music that is over 200 years old, played by the members of a fabulous little chamber orchestra, we realized something important: there are some things that transcend war, tyranny, and natural disasters. Bravo to the Prague Chamber Orchestra.