Christmas in July!

Last Monday, after a day of shopping, we decided to go out with our friends Ken, Lizzie, and Rachelle. We had planned to go to Grand Cafe Orient (the small cafe inside the Cubist Museum building). Unfortunately, it was a bit to expensive, so at Ken's request we decided on Pizza Colosseum. Good choice: good food and air-conditioning - the first air-conditioning we've had since our arrival. After dinner we got a little too friendly with an ice cream cone-horned, plaster cow outside the restaurant. The results were devastating.


(Lizzie wanted some fresh milk)


(Zach just wanted a hug)


(The cow may never be the same)

On Tuesday our entire group went to Terezin, a former Jewish ghetto and concentration camp. In the '40's it was used by the Nazis as a propoganda machine, being one of the better of the ghettos. People interred in the town were "given stores" and currency was created, all part of a show for the Red Cross inspectors who passed off on it. Unforunately, conditions were still horrific and of the 150,000 people who passed through Terezin onlyabout 3500 survived. We did not feel it would be respectful to take pictures during our tour of the site (though others in the group seemed to have no problems whatsoever, simply snapping away). We did take a picture of the monument upon entrance into the Small Fortress, the concentration camp part of the town, as well as the cemetery where many from the camp were buried:


(monument)


(cemetery)

The town was sad and quiet today, and upon leaving most in our group were speechless. To think that what we saw was one of the better concentration camps truly put the Holocaust into a hideous perspective. We were saddened to think of humans treating other humans in such a despicable manner.


(River through Terezin)


(Tunnel in Terezin)

We returned to Prague and decided to eat dinner with our friends Ken, Lizzie, Rachelle, Nate, and Jenny, in Letna Park's beer garden, overlooking Prague. None of us were in much of a mood for anything big, so it was nice to sit in beautiful surroundings. After a short rain, a rainbow could be seen across the city. This was the biggest rainbow any of us had ever seen - the picture does not do it justice:



We walked back to our hostel and took it easy, just hanging out. We contemplated seeing a movie, but we started planning too late. Instead we just walked to our favorite spot, the Non-Stop Letna for ice cream and just walked around Bubinec and Holesovice (our neighboring district)

This morning we had a test in International Relations, we think we both did well. Afterwards we had to talk with ZB in order to request some medicine (we can't read the bottle of cough medicine here) as Jess is still a little under-the-weather and Zach's throat is now starting to hurt. We didn't let that get us down, though! It being Christmas in July, we had a huge day planned.

First, we went to the Kampa Museum, a fairly large modern art museum in Kampa Park, located in Mala Strana (below the Prague Castle). There was a ginormous chair outside! Inside, there was an Andy Warhol exhibit, as well as permanent installations of many Central European artists, including Frantisek Kupka who was most highly represented. Much of it was similar to pieces we've previously seen, so the art was not great, but the building itself was a marvel. Built right on the river in the 1800's, it underwent restoration in the latter part of the 20th century to give it a very modern, warehouse feel on the inside. We weren't allowed to take pictures, but we snuck a few, anyway:


(Kampa Park)


(Kampa Museum)


(Chair)


(View from outside Kampa Museum)


(Amazing modernist roof from top floor of Museum, opened onto 4th floor viewing deck outside)


(another roof shot)

Standing on the roof, we looked down and saw we were standing on nothing but a thick plate of glass. Picture idea!


(Jess from the stairwell)

There were several reflecting pieces, and as we have to take pictures for a small article about us, being written in Bejeezus Zine (www.bejeezuszine.com), we seized the opportunity:





The Andy Warhol exhibit was great! Everything you've seen in the books - it was there. The Marilyn Monroe prints! No pictures allowed, though, and there were tons of people around that part.

After the museum we went to lunch at Cantina, a "Czech-xican" restaurant, and as is par for the course with "Czech-xican" we were a bit disappointed. It's always the czech take on Mexican food meaning a whole burrito filled with nothing but cooked spinach or funky salad with weird butter dressing. Who knows? But, food is food and it recharged us to continue on with our art-viewing.


("Czech-xican" restaurant)

Next, we took the tram to Futura, a non-profit art galler in the suburb of Smichov. It was up a huge hill, and through an apartment building's carpark. We were afraid we had the wrong place, but sure enough there it was. Inside it was a maze of white walls and concrete floors covered with bizzaro sculptures, paintings, and video installations. It was several floors, starting at street level, and descending down into a converted basement. Truly one of the better art spaces we've visited. Best of all, in the courtyard outside is an exhibit created by artist David Cerny (he created the creepy TV-Tower climbing bar-code babies) - it is two plaster human torsos and pairs of legs, bent over, with a ladder climbing to the butt. You must ascent the ladder and stick your head inside the butthole to view a video installation. Super weird, and unfortuantely the courtyard was locked and they made us leave our camera at the front, but we've said it once and we'll say it again - only in Prague!

We took the tram back to Ujezd, in front of Petrin Hill, and walked into Mala Stana, toward the castle searching for an Art Deco antique store we'd seen with Jodi. We found it, but it was closed, just as it had been when we were with Jodi. Bummer, but their problem for missing out on potential business. We continued on to our next stop: Loreto.

Loreto is a church, built around a replica of what is believed to be the house of the Virgin Mary. The story goes that some time in the 14th century, angels flew the house to Loreto, Italy to get it away from the Pagan Middle-Eastern population. Centuries later, in an attempt to re-Catholocize the country, the Czech king and queen ordered 50 reproductions made throughout the land. This one is cared for by the Capuchin monks and houses and insane amount of priceless antiquities. Everything was simply gaudy, and we felt that it was obvious that the masses were disillusioned with the Catholic Church for much of its history, as they built gold-covered shrines and pearl reliquaries while many starved. Inside there were no pictures allowed, but we snuck one because we knew you'd love it:



So, not a good picture, but what is it? A high-heeled, bearded lady being crucified: St. Starosta, a princess betrothed by her father to marry a pagan, God took pity on her and gave her a beard, assuming that her Italian prince husband would not be attracted to such a display; disgraced, her father encouraged her to crucify herself, and she is now the patron saint of unhappy marriages. Say it with us: "Only in Prague!"


(Loreto)


(OH Yeah! Poster hanging outside Loreto)

We decided to walk back, through Prague Castle, perhaps stopping at Golden Lane, an uber-touristy little street running through the backside of the Castle, filled with souveneir shops inhabiting tiny, munchkin-looking cottages. It was 250 Kc, or 12.50 American to get into that, so we changed our mind. We took a few more good pictures of the castle, though:


(Building surrounding courtyard)


(Tour guide Zach says "Come on!")


("Follow me and my chunky sideburns!")


("Don't get me mixed up with all the other umbrella-wielding tour guides, especially not Miss Extendable-Yellow-Umbrella)


(Building in Prague Castle, named after Empress Maria Theresa, a notorious anti-Smeite, who also is the namesake for Terezin)


(Another pretty building in courtyard)

We walked back most of the way home, then caught a tram the rest of the way. Today was what we call a "Willenbrink" day, taken from Zach's mom's habit of stuffing as much into one short period as possible, whether or not you're feeling sick - we LOVED it! One of the best days since we've been in Prauge. On the subject of the Willenbrinks, as soon as we got into the hostel today, we were told there was a package waiting for us. Surprise! A nice care package from Zach's sissies, containing all of our favorite American goodies - Easy Mac, Diet Coke, and Kudos Bars (among other things). How nice of them, not to mention the ridiculous amount of money they spent on shipping to the Czech REPUBLIC. Thank you all so much, Caitlin, EB, and Rebecca.




(so nice!)

It truly felt like Christmas in July!

Tonight is our Christmas in July party! YAY!!! We're excited.

We miss you lots and love you much,

Zach and Jess