Prague Journal

Saturday, June 4, 2005.

Saturday, June 4, 2005.
This morning’s rain postponed our plans for a bike ride in the country with Eva and Honsa. When the weather failed to clear by 10am, we set out east by car to Ostra, a historic working village of Bohemian arts and crafts in the Nymburk district at Lysa nad Labem, frozen in the medieval 1500s. The village is set up similar to that of Williamsburg, with blacksmiths, candle-makers, stonemasons, potters, a paper mill, rope-makers and weavers, as well as jesters, jousters, fencers, dancers and musicians providing entertainment. The entire site is built in the style and scale of the 16th century: doors are low, beams stick out, and the roadway is rough granite cobblestones. Adjacent to the activity area is Dr. Stuart’s Botanicus, an organic garden complex with flower, vegetable and herb gardens, in addition to sculptured bushes and mazes. Today was a special Children’s Day, so there were many activities and games set up for children. We took an afternoon break at Mukarov, where Eva’s parents have a cottage, just in time to get in out of the rain. After the weather cleared, we walked along a lake through a birch forest. We had dinner at Vyzovka, at a small restaurant with excellent Italian cuisine.
We arrived at the outskirts of Prague at 9pm, and were in the city center by 9:30, with plenty of time to join the “Museum Night” festivities. This is the second year of a free-evening cultural event organized by the National Museum. This year, around 40 Prague attractions are open, free of charge, from 7pm until nearly midnight. Rick had never been in the National Museum, so we took this opportunity to spend some time there, mostly looking at the building, not the paleontological and geological holdings. We were treated to a puppeteer, who masterfully animated skeletons, angels and demons, to a very delighted crowd of children and adults.

posted by JWinn @ 11:46 PM