Prague Journal

Thursday, July 28, 2005.

It’s actually been hot and sunny yesterday and today, much to the dismay of every Czech I know. Czechs don’t mind the cold and are used to the rain. But heat wears everyone down, so only tourists are at the outdoor cafes. Czechs stay indoors or go to the forest.
Eva and I had planned to go into town together in the morning, but instead postponed our get together until late afternoon. So this morning I took advantage of the sun to do the penultimate load of laundry, which was nearly dry by the time I left the flat.
My first errand was to the Sue Ryder charity shop, to drop off a bag of clothes. Then I went across town to meet Yehudes at Pohorelec and we walked to her old dorm to use the music room so we could “jam” together, she on her cello and me on the piano. I told her I wasn’t up for Chopin, so she brought Brahms. I haven’t touched a piano in a year, and it’s disappointing how stiff my fingers are – no muscle memory whatsoever. But, we had fun together and even sounded pretty good at times. Mostly, we just had fun playing and talking. I hope I’ll be able to come back to Prague for her medical-school graduation in a few years.
After our too-short session, we raced back to the tram to get downtown. I wanted to stop by and drop off a copy of my brother’s book to Bruce, and I needed to meet Eva at 3pm, so my time was tight. Fortunately, all missions were successfully accomplished, and I was only a bit late for Eva.
Eva took me for a walk through Vrtbovska Garden, which is accessible through a small passage just off Karmeletska near Malastrana Square. The Vrtbovska Garden was built in conjunction with the Vrtbovska Palace (1715-1720) for the chancellor of Prague castle (Jan Jospeh, Lord Vrtba). The garden plan is trapezoid and ascends the slope of a hill. The lowest level, overlooked by a delightful garden room (the salla terrena) has a pool, a parterre and an aviary. It is fully secluded. There is a baroque stairway that allows one to walk up to each level of the garden, each with a more glorious view of the garden itself and of the city. The garden is almost adjacent to the rear garden of the American Embassy, which is inaccessible to anyone (except, perhaps, some staff members). It is interesting to see the American flag wave over this Czech garden.
We walked toward Kampa to find a café. As we passed the Ministry of Culture building, we saw flags at half-mast for Pavel Dostál, culture minister, playwright, wit and one of the last of the 1989 revolutionaries remaining in politics, who died July 24 after a long and public battle with cancer. He was 62. Dostál was known for wearing a single stud earring and having a curly mass of gray and black hair. After his diagnosis with cancer, he went from being one of the nation’s most popular politicians to becoming the most popular. He headed the Culture Ministry from 1998 until his death. As the nation's longest-serving minister, he developed a reputation as a defender of the arts in a funding-starved era and as a scourge of the Catholic Church, which he opposed on issues such as restitution of state-seized property and mandatory registration for religious entities. Dostál was liked even by his opponents, who credited him with transcending political rivalries through honesty and charisma. http://www.praguepost.com/P03/2005/Art/0728/news2.php
After a pleasant stop for a drink at an outdoor café beneath the bridge, overlooking the river, Eva and I went to see the Mucha exhibit at the Galerie U Křižovníků (at the Cross), the exhibition space on Křižovnické Square next to St. Francis Church. This underground venue was formerly a monastery that included a mediaeval hospital, the halls of which now serve as exhibition space. The current exhibition “Le style MUCHA” is a display of Alfons Mucha’s decorative designs and posters, intended to capture and present the line of the artist’s thought and work against the background of his life. The core of the exhibition lies in Mucha’s decorative designs and patterns for “La belle époque,” a work that contributed to establishment of the last universal artistic style, Art Nouveau. The exposition is focused mainly on Mucha’s two famous books, “Documents decoratifs” and “Figures decoratives,” which contain all the key patterns for Art Nouveau style. The exhibition opens with Mucha’s famous Paris period when he worked for Sarah Bernhardt and theatre, following with decorative designs and later works, including a poster for the St. Louis exhibition of 1904.
In return for Eva’s showing me the hidden Vrtbovska Garden, I showed her the historical Judith’s Bridge, the first stone bridge in Prague, that has been incorporated into the Galerie U Křižovníků building. There are still so many things in Prague that neither of us has seen!
We hurried to the metro station to get home for dinner. I arrived only shortly before Rick. This is our last meal in the flat. We’ve dutifully finished nearly everything in the fridge and cabinets now. What is left – and non-perishable—we will leave for the new renters. The bigger tasks of cleaning and packing are still before us.
After dinner, we went downtown for dessert with Marty and Harriet, fellow Fulbrighters from Kansas. They are leaving on Sunday, one day after us. Our last time in Prague with them was spent on the 6th-floor terrace at the top of the Prince Hotel, overlooking Old Town Square. This evening is a happier one than our other farewells, since we will see Marty and Harriet in less than two weeks when they come through Denver for a visit.

posted by JWinn @ 10:37 PM