A Little Mozart and Swans Are Dicks - Day Fifteen

We woke up to pouring rain, but by the time we got ready the rain had died down. Since it looked like rain on and off all day, we decided tonight would be a good night to go to the opera. We bought a 24 hr. subway ticket, since staying as dry as possible seemed to be the key to staying the warmest. Very convenient since our hotel was a short block away from a subway station.

When we arrived at The National Theater, we were able to purchase tickets for the evening show of DON GIOVANNI. We'd heard the venue was small, so we purchased the cheapest tickets, located in the second gallery, for 270 kr/ticket.

With our evening now waiting for us, it was time to enjoy our day. The rain stopped, so we took a tram for a few stops, then got out and walked along the river to the Saturday Farmer's Market.

A flock of swans loitered at the river bank, fighting for bread scraps.

I learned that swans, at least when competing for food, demand their space. The large birds paddled to and fro, swarming the bank, but if they got within neck's length of another swan, beaks would fly and a bit would be in order. Needless to say, with some thirty swans in such a small space, there was a lot of nipping going on. Not quite the picture of serene elegance that is the stereotype of a swan. At one point, Hubs turned to me and succinctly stated, "Swans are dicks." It was impossible to disagree.

Besides all of the swan commotion, the farmer's market was pretty cool. There were the typical fruits and vegetables, but there were many stands selling pastries, homemade wine and beer, grand selections of cheese, lots of bread and other baked goods, and even fresh noodles. All these things, yet the market was small and easily navigable. It was basically what my perfect farmer's market would look like if I could design one.

After the market, we walked back to the hotel. Hubs went shopping for a pair of pants for the opera. I stayed at the hotel and journaled with music videos playing in the background. Europe still has channels that play music videos all day every day. One of my favorite things to do in a European hotel is turn on one of those stations when I'm getting ready to go out or go to bed. There's always a good mix of current American pop and artists I've never seen and will never see again. I find it immensely entertaining.

Time for lunch. We took the subway east of the river and ate at Dish, a burger joint. The neighborhood was still old and lovely, just many fewer tourists than the Old Town area. I had the signature Dish burger and the various toppings didn't overwhelm the medium-cooked patty.

Hubs ordered the pork belly, which turned out to be pulled pork. It was also good, but I liked mine better.



We also had fries with smoked chili aoli, which was the best aoli I've ever had. It almost tasted like there was sour cream in it.

And, of course, another good beer. 2 large beers + 2 burgers + fries + tip = 530 kr.


After lunch we took the subway to the Municipal House where they were hosting an Alfons Mucha exhibit. The ticket line was long and the exhibit was packed, but it was all worth it. I was unfamiliar with Mucha's art before my visit to Prague. I'm sure I'd seen a print here or there, but I never thought anything of it. This particular exhibit was owned entirely by tennis great Ivan Lendl. When he started earning more money than he knew what to do with from tennis, he started collecting the original posters of fellow Czech Alfons Mucha. It was an impressive collection, to say the least. There were many, many posters, enough to fill two very large rooms. Most of the images looked like watercolors (that's what they looked like to me, I'm no art expert) framed with thick, dark outlines. It makes for a distinct style. My favorite was the "Job" cigarette ad.

The crazy hair. The strange zig-zag of smoke. Cigarettes really need better artwork nowadays, especially those particularly douchy E-cigarettes, they need all the help they can get.

We went back to the hotel and changed for the opera. We stopped at Wencelas Square and got a quick dinner at the food stands. The standout was a none-too-appetizing combination of potato dumplings, sauerkraut, and smoked pork.

It was seasoned perfectly and I could've eaten a giant vat of it. Luckily, we only had a small bowl to share. It only cost 110 kr. You pay by the weight.

DON GIOVANNI was a great experience. We were in the first row of the highest balcony, but the Estates Theater was designed for every seat to have a good view.

And since we were on the rail, we could lean over and peer down into the orchestra.

The Estates Theater was where Mozart premiered DON GIOVANNI in 1787, so history surrounded us, taking on the color blue. Blue everywhere with gold trim and candles abounding. A giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling added the perfect touch.

This rendition of the opera incorporated modern dance, black iron roses, and snowdrifts to mix it up. All of the actresses wore beautiful white dresses and had teased, frizzy hair, which I thought was an awesome choice. The music was moving, though I didn't fully recognize any of the numbers. Another wonderful night in the magical city.

One more tidbit. Prague has the steepest, longest escalators of any city I've been to. Makes the subway riding a little more interesting.

Loooooooooooong way down.