2012/13 Europe Adventure: 02/25/13

Dvorak Park

My Accommodations - Hotel Kucera

Market Colonnade shops

Another overcast day but warm around 45 degrees. It rained a tiny bit in the morning but other than that the day was very nice and good for a few walks around town.

I had a salt cave in the morning and then an aloe vera treatment in the afternoon. I actually had for some reason thought my aloe treatment was later than it was so when I showed up over an hour late they were all so nice and Sona especially was just so happy I was okay. She got so worried that I had fallen on one of my walks and was sitting in the woods somewhere. She had even gotten the number for my hotel to check on me. I felt so bad but she just gave me a big hug and said as long as I wasn't hurt then it's all fine. Fortunately she had only one other client today so she was able to take me even though I was late. Her other client was a man who was getting a cosmetic facial massage. I looked at her strangely when she said cosmetic treatment for the man who I saw when I got up to the reception area. He was probably in his 60's and he looked fine, I just don't know what exactly happens in this cosmetic massage.

There wasn't time to ask Sona too many questions he was right there. I said bye to her and got a picture of her because she's on vacation for the next week. She's just so sweet and so great at her job. She was telling me about her 27 year old daughter, Lizzy who is cardiac nurse in Prague and how she has a grand-dog named Izzy as well.

Sona, Masseuse, Olympia Hotel

So then I got to go for a long walk around town and stopped for lunch at the Pizzaria P&P which is located across from the old Post Office building and it was phenomenal. It's a tiny place and inexpensive but so good and I had one of the best tomato soups I've ever had. And the very kind waiter brought me a complimentary hot coco with whipped cream after I'd finished eating. I really have met the loveliest people here on both this trip and my first trip four years ago. I've had a very high opinion of the Czech people since my very first visit and my opinion only grows more impressed each day.

Beautiful Residential Villa

I walked around the Villa district and just admired the beautiful buildings and realized many of them are not hotels they're actual residences. People live each day, each month, each year in these incredible homes with large windows and incredibly high ceilings.

I came to the Art Gallery at the Becher villa which is closed on Mondays but I the snow was beginning to melt all around and just the perfect consistency to make a snow sculpture like all the ones I've come across on my walks here. I even saw a few more today including an enormous snow teapot that someone at a restaurant made outside it's entrance and put an ashtray on top of it (very creative.)

Sooty and Zaboo snow sculptures

Snow contemplated for Zaboo stripes

My sculptures were mini (I'm sure you've already guessed the subject matter I'm so frightfully predictable) cats. A Sooty and a Zaboo and yes, anyone who knew both of them should easily be able to tell exactly which sculpture represents which kitty. They're sitting prettily on the wall outside the gallery with the fence and the bright yellow Gallery flag with the their logo in the middle flapping in the background. So many people stopped to admire the kitties and for those who twisted their head eyeing my work with a little confusion I explained, often using animal sounds (meow) since most didn't speak English. And after a few repeated cat noises the people would smile and look admiringly at them or at least that's how I'd like to think of their looks. Now the picture of the white with hints of orange-brownish snow is to show where I actually stood for a moment actually contemplating using some of the of the off-colored snow as stripes for the Zaboo kitty. But after mulling over the contributing factors for that specific discoloration I wasn't too sure if it was the dirt or sand or something more offensive so I forwent the stripes and you can all use your imagination. We've all heard the expression "beware of the yellow snow."

Someone's Snowman

The large snow sculpture teapot in front of a restaurant entrance and
their large mural of Czech country life.

It was so much fun to play with the snow and I can see why I find these artistic expressions everywhere, even on the hiking trails.

I walked another hour looking for building/architectural details I'd missed or hadn't focused on yet. Even the simplest of buildings have little artistic elements that add just a special touch. Sometimes it's a window like the whimsical multicolored design on the building next door or a floral flourish under a balcony or over a doorway. The colonnades are some of the most ornate structures in the city and the Park Colonnade is particularly beautiful with intricate wrought iron work.

Park Colonnade Details

Interesting pattern in the snow as it begins to melt

Also observed on my stroll along the promenade are the three modern fountains that don't issue the healing water cure but just simple, delicious, clear mountain spring water like the fountain I found near the art gallery yesterday. Each of the three are modern designs in grey granite. One is a large egg, the other a simple block formation and then a large half circle with smaller metal orbs. None of the three are actually functioning at the moment and Jakob who works at the front desk at the Olympia Hotel said they only work in the summer and were installed two years ago when the city refurbished the promenade. The large egg is near the Grand Hotel Pupp, the simple block is directly across from my hotel and the half circle is across the river from the Mill Colonnade. You do have to laugh at the idea where there are already 13 different spouts spewing water that they would add 3 more but I suppose for those anti-water cure visitors they need a refreshing option too.

Square Spring Water Fountain

Then I went back to the hotel to have dinner in my room, mozzarella, bread sticks, yogurt and cabbage salad and these little filled squares with cheese and nuts. Strange combination but it worked.