Parking Myself in the Parks of Prague

In the morning, I slept in and didn’t notice Avi or our other apartment-sharers leave. In fact, I never even met the people who had been brushing their teeth in the same sink for the past few days. I planned a perfect day: a stop at PAUL, my favorite French chain café for a 10 cK mini pan au chocolate, a tram ride up to the castle, and a walk in the Royal Gardens where I could sit and write my blog. I gave some Australian ladies directions and then our tram got into a crash! Ah! It wasn’t so dramatic, but I just really need to only walk everywhere. From elevator stops to tram crashes, I have terrible electric transport luck.

When I got to the castle, I gave a nice Chinese mom and daughter directions to the ticket booth. The daughter worked at Northern Trust in Chicago, so we had a nice chat about our second home. In the royal gardens, I found a summer palace balcony to sit on, overlooking the castle and moat and all of Prague. I perched up and started to blog there. Then, I saw the older couple from my Jewish Quarter tour and asked them to take a picture. It wasn’t that good because you can’t see the scenery in it. Then, I asked a random lady to take a picture of me at my writing spot. I wanted you all to see that I don’t waste my time writing in a closed room and that I keep things fresh and interesting. Good thing I got both pics before a royally-dressed guard told me in Czech that I had to get off the balcony. I just kind of inferred what he was saying. I speak no Czech and probably never will.

Just now, a lady on my bench (writing locale number 2) asked me something in a Slavic tongue and I had to say, “Sorry, only English” but I was grateful because I just want to be alone and quiet, only sitting and enjoying this most beautiful afternoon in the park.

I continued on to the Wallenstein Palace, after determining that's where the mysterious quadrant and grotto was, the one I had seen from up above in the castle. I trammed down to Malo strana and entered the Versailles-like gardens. Tall hedges and romanesque fountains punctuated the paths leading to the Senate building, a converted expansive family home. In just five halls open to the public, anyone can tell you the Czech Senate knows how to party in style. Crazy wall murals, gilded frames, ebony and ivory shelving - this place has everything. A lady and I took nice pictures of each other - these small interactions with other lone travelers validate the peacefulness of being on your own. I continued out and through to the mock grotto, where stucco plugs up a huge wall, and a few enormously fat owls laze around. The guy who owned the place had some weird interests, but his villa complex is one of the most manageable cribs to explore and delight in.

I looked like a shlub, in a t-shirt and gym shorts, and I was starving, so I went back to the apartment to get something to eat. I met my new roommates, two Australian girls who may or may not be dating. That evening, they played the tambourine to Top 40 hits for about an hour. It was baffling. I really like them, though - they are really friendly and it's good to know total creepos aren't sleeping a few feet away from you.

I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the lower palace neighborhood, at the famous but difficult to find John Lennon Wall, a nearby park and market place, and then a slow walk across the Charles Bridge and back home, not without stopping in yesterday's fabulous fudge shop. My final pre-home purchase was a round of camembert, a small baguette and some juice, to make for a lovely snack and breakfast. Foreign grocery stores are always exciting - this one, in an enormous cosmopolitan mall called the Palladium, had an entire aisle for just beer and chocolate!

Once I got home, I didn't go out again. I think I just have a lot of thinking I need to do before I move to Israel for a month - TOMORROW. I plan to spend the next 24 hours in Prague’s many parks and cafes, and to speak little and think much.