Day 5 - Sorry no pics

Late night shooting didn’t make for a good next morning. We did manage to get breakfast for the first time, before the 10:30am cut off, but ended up going back to bed. The food was a little better than plain old continental but still left a little to be desired. Despite sleeping in late every morning we decided to have an easy day. We have been doing A LOT of walking, often very late into the evening. We haven't been doing a very good job of adjusting to the time difference. When we went out we left the camera in the hotel and travelled light with K's point-and-shoot. We didn't really have an agenda, other than to be back to skype with the fam around 11 pm our local time. We wandered back towards Old Town Square again which has been looking more and more festive every day. Booths have been set up all over the square selling small christmas ornaments, treats, hats and gloves and much more. This was the night that Karl and I discovered a wonderful little pastry called "Trdelnik" (yeah...we haven't figured out how to pronounce it either!) and also tried hot wine. Both were delicious. We looked at the goods for a little while and then decided on an Italian restaurant for dinner. (Leah, this is where there was a room inside of a cupboard.) We went to find Karl some ice cream after that and then I purchased a "Little Mole" figure. Little Mole is one of Czech's oldest and most famous cartoon characters. Keep an eye out for him in up coming pictures. While wandering aimlessly around some of the back streets we stumbled upon one of the small side streets we tried so desperately to find a few nights before. We tucked into a little bar called Cili for a couple mojitos before we headed back towards the hotel to skype. One thing I am going to have a really hard time getting used to is all the smoking in doors. I hate sitting in a bar or a restauraunt and sucking in a ton of smoke and even worse: getting home and having all my clothes stink! It certainly makes me appreciate the US more... It started snowing for the first time since we have been here on our walk back, just enough to leave a lovely blanket over everything. It was really pretty with all the city lights. When we got back we worked on a blog post (because if you haven't noticed by now we are running a little behind!) and then our internet quit on us!!! The front desk told us that we wouldn't have it back for a while so we caved and called home on the cell. It was good to hear from everyone. Then to bed again.

Night Photos

In the last post I had mentioned some night shooting. That post was getting a little long so here are the few shots from the night shooting session before the lights went out:

Also, we came up with the plan that if someone tried to mug us Karl would just bludgen them with the tripod. A good plan I feel.

Day 4

This was my day to sleep in. After the first night, and staying up until 2 last night (still adjusting to time change), I slept until noon. Another late start...2pm. We decided to stay on the west side of the river today. A quick falafel breakfast (lunch) from a small and surprisingly authentic arabic street side shop and then we decided to head up to the observatory. "Up" being the key word. The observatory sits on top of the highest point of the city and there are two options to get there: walk (hike) or take a tram. To Karl’s dispair, I chose for us to walk up. (That's what he gets for making me choose). Although I know he is not a huge fan of all the walking I actually really enjoy it. And I was thinking that a small hike up the hill would be a decent workout. After about 30 minutes of winding pathways of cobblestone and earth we arrived at the top slightly sweaty and out of breath. On the way up we had a few stunning views of the old city, with the end of day sun creating an almost golden glow on the faces of all the buildings below. We were excited to shoot this from the top of the observatory before the light was gone so we rushed to the tower, only to find that it would cost us 200 cz ($10+) to CLIMB a thousand spiraling stairs to the top. Karl actually did much better at this part than I did, taking two to three steps at a time while I pushed my way up (at quite a steady pace I thought) with an annoying British tourist breathing down my neck behind me. Work out clothes would have been appropriate. Sweating and out of breath, again, we made it to the top but missed the light (Shit, we are going to have to do this again - Karl). We opted for the tram down the hill…and will surely take it up next time when we return. We grabbed a quick tea in a small coffee shop (where I called mom) then spent the rest of the day visiting shops on the west side of the river, before dinning at a nice authentic riverside restaurant. Goulash, lamb knuckle, local spirits, etc. Btw...this was our Thanksgiving. No substitute for turkey and stuffing, but it was nice and the service was great. Then back to hotel for a bit of rest before heading back out for some late night shooting in the city lights...after the streets were clear of people and traffic. We left the hotel around midnight (the night clerk looked at us like we were nuts as we headed out all bundled up, loaded with camera gear, sporting brand new white running shoes…(our feet were tired from all the walking and Karl really didn’t care what people thought at this hour. I don't care how much pain my feet are in, I will never make that mistake again. We were a great source of amusement for all the other late nighters out and about...with our dark clothing and bright white running shoes glowing in the city lights). We got a few shots but discovered that the major attractions lighting up the city streets and skylines power down around 1 am, so mission unaccomplished. Bummer. Back to hotel to sleep!

A view from the upper floor window of our hotel.

The entrance to our hotel...look familiar Zo?

K looking at map....tourist? (sorry, couldn't resist....although he never gets us lost :)

A look down the street from the hotel. Here comes the metro.

One of the beautiful buildings of Prague.

Not sure what this part of town is called. It is sort of on the edge of Mala Strana, a more upscale part of the city.

One of the many side streets.

Door.

The tram we did NOT take up to the observatory. The tram we WILL take up next time.

The beautiful light that was making the city glow at the end of the day.

Where's Karldo?

A chapel at the top.

Gazing out over the city. What a handsome jaw line :P

A panorama from the top. It needs some work. Photographers - any good suggestions on how to reduce vignettes in the individual frames before stitching them all together?

A view of the castle from the top. Whew!

Sunset.

Back on the gound. Do you really need any more reason to buy one of these than this right here?

My tea cup in the cafe where I called mom from. I love this picture...but please tell me the dots in the light aren't dirt on my sensor?!

Thought the name was funny. This store had a lot of American appliances and also carried Yankee Candles...haha.

Day 3 Old Town Square and City Center

Today was all about serious exploring (and walking)...that is after Karl slept for 15 hours while I woke up every 2... thank god for books on tape. He had a busy schedule before the trip and "warned me that this would happen". Moral of the story: we didn't get out of the hotel until 2 pm. We headed back toward Old Town Square, this time with my camera. I just brought my 50mm for light travel and speed.On our way we stopped for crepes (late afternoon breakfast) to inject a little energy before going deeper beyond the square's bordering alleys. They were EXTREMELY sweet but yummy.

We visited some local craft shops where we found some great xmas gift ideas (the Bohemia region is known for its glass and crystal works), and then found a little cafe tucked down a side, alleyway for some tea. Karl ordered some cake. Talk about healthy 'breakfast'. From there we ventured a little deeper toward the city center area, which was a bit more modern, with larger retailers, restaurants and hotels. The center was really open with trolly cars moving through it regularly and I really loved the feel of it there. All the streets and sidewalks are cobblestones, even in the more modern parts which adds to the old-meets-new feel. We gave it a quick stroll then turned back toward old town. Everywhere we have walked I have been keeping an eye out for subjects to add to my "doors" portfolio. There are certainly lots of interesting doors all around Prague. Once back in the square we found a very nice little Italian restaurant for lunch (4pm), where we shared lasagna and pizza. It was starting to get bitingly cold so some red wine helped to keep the shivers at bay. Every side street that you walk down has three more side streets off of it. It would be easy to spend an entire week trying to find all the nooks and crannies of the Old Town Square. Into the evening we walked and admired small shops of all types, restaurants, cafes, bars, etc. For dinner wanted to return to one of the smaller - off the beaten path - restaurants we had seen earlier but struggled to find our way to it back through the maze. Karl was dying and nearly "depleted" (it is amazing he can run marathons but can’t walk a mile…but I give him credit for not complaining (much!) about all the walking) so we settled on a break and a drink at Déjà Vu, a small club we stumbled upon. I had my first White Russian. Yum. It was nice to get out of the cold for a few minutes but we still needed to find some real food (we gobbled through our bowl of bar nuts) and off we went in search of our restaurant. The search was brief and we surrendered to hunger and the fact that Karl's bladder was going to burst, for which he informed me every 30 seconds. I told him that, No, you may not pee behind the huge christmas tree they were setting up in the square and so we settled on a small English Pub (the closest toilet). Not so "local", but I liked the place and there was a really good live band. After that we headed back to the hotel. A good day :)

Karl with the Charles Bridge behind him.

Me with the Charles Bridge behind me. (love the ski gloves?)

A view of the castle from across the river. (BTW you can see any of the pictures enlarged by clicking on them!

Waiting in line for crepes.

We haven't had any fried cheese yet but I have to admit I am looking forward to it.

This is just one of the doors that caught my eye. I love the door in a door.

A peak around the corner into Old Town Square.

The Christmas tree they are setting up in the square. For some reason I love all the holiday decorattions here. It doesn't seem too early or shoved down your throat (like it does in the Maine Mall.)

A side street.

Everywhere we go there are little cat figurines and paintings of cats. Here is a whole shop devoted to cats. I asked one person why and she didn't know. She said cats are particularly special to Czech.. Odd. (And we haven't seen a single live cat.)

I love flower shops. Here is one in the City Center.

A scene in the City Center.

A scene in the City Center.

This is my favorite 'Door/window' picture so far. I want to go back and take it again so that you can't see the light from inside. I really like the simple lines if it.

Leah... this is for you...

Another door...

A night shot of the shopping mall in the City Center.

Walking back toward Old Town at night.

St. Nicholas at night in Old Town.

Karl, me, and Jim Morrison.

Day 2

Our arrival day in Prague was all about acclimation. After getting settled in the hotel we hit the streets in the late afternoon for a little stroll, crossed the river Vlta and arrived at Old Town Square, a popular tourist spot filled with restaurants and shops. I didn't bring my camera out this time because I just wanted to stretch my legs and get a feel for the surroundings. The square is also home to the famous Astronomical Clock. The surrounding area is comprised of small streets and alleyways, almost maze like, that somehow always seem to lead back to the square. We were and still are on a mission to find the shops that have more authentic goods than the cheap, mass produced tourist junk. After a few hours of exploring we headed back to the hotel for a good nights sleep after a very long 24 hours. Before turning in we decided to try out the restaurant at the hotel since it offered “exceptional” local cuisine. Big mistake. The food was good, and very Czech, but neither one of us was in the mood for a big meal and a plate full of potato dumplings was just that. Our host/server took offense that we didn’t finish our meals. We tried to convince him it wasn’t the food but he wasn’t buying it. Karl then, of course, ordered dessert, which pretty much blew our excuse of not being hungry. Before crashing we stepped out on our balcony to admire the Prague castle all lit up. It really does look stunning at night.

Day One... and A Half

Monday the 22^nd the journey begins. I spend all day running around like a mad person throwing the majority of my clothing into two large suitcases and one carry on size. They were jam-packed, but in my defense I was also bringing camera equipment, a laptop and a couple winter coats. And, afterall, I will be gone for almost a month. In any event, I managed to see everyone before leaving town despite being pulled over in Yarmouth for a headlight that has been out for two weeks. Our car to the airport arrived a little before three pm. The driver was optimistic about the amount of luggage Karl and I had between us (Karl packs like a woman). Leah helped load us in and then we hugged for a long time. She had a few tears, which of course triggered me to cry…for nearly the first 30 minutes of the drive. It was at about that point that I realized I left my (brand new, PURPLE) running shoes by the kitchen door. We were making really good time so we asked the driver to pull off a the mall in Saugus, MA. Karl ran into Dick’s and bought a new(er) pair. Oops. At least now I am set for about 4 years.

We get to the airport, check our bags and head to security. If you have turned on a TV at all over the past few weeks you undoubtedly know that everyone is making a big to do about the naked body scanners and pat-downs. Sure enough, Logan has these new fancy radiation devices. Both Karl and I took note that they don’t bother to give you any notice about them other than a tiny sign right in front that shows you how to stand, but not that you will be exposed to radiation or that someone gets to see you naked. To be honest I’m not too worked up about the scanners. (I think it is actually more of a violation for guys...). We both went through and then, of course, I got a brief pat down. Nothing too invasive. After relaxing and a few snacks in the lounge, we boarded the plane an hour later (All I have for pictures are the ones on my cell phone and those are pretty shitty anyway.) I must say the first class is, well, rather nice. A large seat, with infinite leg room, and that goes out all the way flat, is rather comforable. The food was pretty good food too. I tried caviar. I’m going to have to say that I am not a huge fan but I am glad that I tried it. They also give you way better goodies in first class. A pair of pretty decent (K would probably say otherwise) pajamas and a little make-up bag thing with lip balm and a few other cool little items in it. (I am wearing the PJ’s right now…) Karl and I tried watching Inception but I conked out...and then he did too. We slept for a few hours before being awoken for breakfast.

We landed in Munich at about 9:30 am local time. We had to go through security again to get into the Munich airport (a little redundant I feel). As we were walking through a hallway from the plane to the security area K looked down into the parking lot below and spotted a Porsche Panamera (I wouldn’t know what one of them looked like if I was run over by it) and said, “I wonder what airport worker drives that to work.” At security they x-ray the luggage again. Just normal metal detectors there. A few passengers asked if they needed to take of their shoes as well and the security people just scoffed and said something to the effect of, “this is not the U.S.” Other than them needing to see all of my lenses I didn’t have an issue. We go to the first class lounge for some more comfort. Full lounge areas, bar, food buffet, showers, etc. Quite a life, not mine, but I'm not complaining at the moment. Soon it's time to board our second plane and we are informed that we would be driven by limo out to the plane on the tarmac. The ‘limo’ turned out to be the Porsche. Karl was like a kid on xmas morning. When we arrived at the plane the driver left us in the car with it still running as he unloaded out carry on bags. K wanted to take it out on the tarmac and do doughnuts but we decided it was a not a good idea to get arrested so early in the trip.

We boarded the small connection plane and zipped on down to Prague. When we got into the airport and out to the pick-up area our waiting driver was not as optimistic about the amount of luggage we had as our first driver was (despite having roughly the same size car). He promptly called another car to come and cart all of it to the hotel. It was all pretty humorous really.

We are staying in The Royal Palace near Old Town Square and the Charles Bridge. It also happens to be a Best Western surprisingly. I will include pictures in the next post but the room is very nice and the best part is that the view from the bed is of Prague Castle, which is stunning when it is all lit up at night. Zoe, if you are reading this, I think this might be the same place that you stayed when you were here???

Ok. The End of the first one. I will try to be much more faithful to this blog than the last one. But for now I desperately need some sleep. Goodnight.