Prague Journal

Friday, July 29, 2005.

Today is our last day in Prague. Packing has finally begun, and the last load of laundry—mostly towels and sheets—is hanging on the line.
I left the house early to get to the jewelers at 9am to pick up Rick’s ring, but they were closed. Even the sausage vendors on Wenceslas Square are open at 9am. Veena and I had an appointment to meet at the Palace Flora shopping mall at 9:45, to go to see Karin’s new facility for the preschool she is starting this fall. Veena has written a case study about Karin, so we took pictures and got a bit of an update as to Karin’s plans and funding success. After a tour of the preschool facility, Veena and I took the bus to the metro station, and headed downtown. I got to the jewelers shortly after 11:00, only to see a sign that said “closed Friday.” Fortunately, the proprietor of the shop was standing by the partially-opened door, so I showed him my receipt and was able to pick up the now-repaired ring.
I was home by noon, and Rick and I spent the better part of the afternoon packing and cleaning. We took a short break around 3pm to go to the store and turn in the last of our beer bottles for some ice cream bars! We also bought some Czech chocolate to bring back for gifts.
This evening was our last Shabbat with Bejt Praha at the Spanish Synagogue. We had planned our last dinner here at Zlata Studna (“Golden Well”), next to the Royal Gardens and below the Prague Castle, but didn’t get things done in time for dinner. Instead we had dessert there with Howard and Marketa after services. The restaurant is situated on the top floor of a hotel, and has one of the most captivating views of Prague. The building is a historical 16th century Renaissance building, that once belonged to Rudolf II and later to the famous astronomer Tycho de Brahe. The interior of the hotel is furnished with beautiful, authentic reproductions of antique pieces from 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, created by world renown Richelieu furniture designers. Shortly after 10pm, there were fireworks visible from Letna plain. A nice way to say good bye!
So ends our year in Prague. Tomorrow morning, Vojta, our landlady’s son, will pick us up at 8am to take us to the airport. We have only three large suitcases to check, but they are very heavy, of course. We hope they’re not over the weight limit. Fortunately, we only have one carry-on bag each. Rick has a backpack packed with papers, chocolate and his computer, and I have a computer bag packed with books and toiletries. As I finish squeezing last-minute things into the suitcases and computer bags, it has started to rain—and cool off the city that has had record heat for three days. Somehow Prague seems more natural when it rains.

posted by JWinn @ 11:15 PM